Mental Health in the Face of COVID-19

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

We heard of this story, that hits close to home. A local nurse in recovery at JFK Medical Center in West Palm Beach, recently relapsed and overdosed after working tirelessly on the front lines with COVID patients.

Let’s talk about mental health in the face of COVID-19. Specifically for us alcoholics and addicts, this is a particularly trying time when our “normal” support systems look different. We may not be getting to our regular meetings, seeing our sponsors in person or just the usual familiar faces we see at meetings that make us feel safe and at home. Yes, we may be meeting virtually, but that doesn’t mean we don’t feel “off”. It’s critical now more than ever that we reach out to our supports, that we utilize the steps, that we seek help from mental health professionals.

We know that recovery is a journey and not a destination, we also know that it’s not all the outside “stuff” that keeps us clean and sober. It’s our spiritual condition, our connection to our higher power and our fellows. Our spiritual condition is of course affected by how we are properly treating ourselves. We require a spiritual solution AND a program of action, which can include all types of support systems. And most importantly, let’s remember that we are not alone; just as it were true when the steps of recovery were formed, we are not alone in our problem - and we are certainly not alone in our solution.

This strange time of quarantine and transition from quarantine to routine is so important for us to band together and support our brothers and sisters in recovery! #youarenotalone #rrr #resiliencerecovery #soberlife #thereisasolution #notatheory

Praying for this man and his family We are so grateful to everyone on the front lines.

http://nypost.com/2020/05/20/nurse-struggling-with-coronavirus-trauma-found-dead-in-his-car/

Addiction is Not a Moral Problem

WRITTEN BY: CHRIS DISABATINO

Let’s get one thing straight. Addiction is nothing to be ashamed of. To be a person with addiction does not make someone bad, immoral, broken, messed up, a liar, manipulative, or anything of the sort. Being a person with addiction is also not uncommon. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 19.7 Million Americans battled with Substance Use disorders in 2017 (SAMHSA, 2018). With so many afflicted by substance use disorders it is imperative to begin to bridge the gap between so many that leads to misunderstanding. A study researching the effects of stigma and social support in substance abuse found that stigma is associated with lower self-esteem, higher depression and anxiety, and poorer sleep. The same study produced findings that perceived social support followed the opposite pattern, and was associated with higher self-esteem, lower depression and anxiety, and better sleep (Birtel, Wood, & Kempac, 2017). Addiction is a brain disorder; let’s start treating it like one.

One common theme for those who are suffering is the belief that they are alone. There are many out there who have overcome their addictions and one thing we know for certain is that Recovery is almost never done alone. Humans are wired biologically to be connected to one another.  Interdependence and reliance on our fellow man is something that has allowed the human race to make it this far, overcoming harsh conditions and incredible adversity. Feeling love and connection are essential human needs and are necessary for healing and transformation. The Resilience Team strives to create an atmosphere of safety, compassion, patience, and understanding, in order to create a space vital to the growth of our residents.  Accountability groups, peer-to-peer support, Recovery Coaching, and Case Management are just some of the many elements that encourage and incorporate community, as well as foster an environment conducive to healing.  At Resilience, we know that just like addiction doesn’t happen in a vacuum; neither does recovery. Our model of recovery supports our residents in creating a community, where we are blessed to recover together and to support each other on our journeys.

We're Expanding!

We’re excited to officially announce that in September we’re expanding from our 2 properties in Northwood to a beautiful new campus, located just a few blocks away! 🙌🎉 With our physical expansion, we’ve also expanded our team at Resilience. David Inzano will be moving to a new position as Program Coordinator, focusing on our house logistics and developing and deepening our community volunteer projects. We are also thrilled to announce Chris DiSabatino will be joining us from the renowned Hanley Center at Origins, as our new Program Director! Both Chris and David will of course be supported by our own Ryan Smith, who has been serving as our Assistant Program Director since October, and Ryan McCorkle, our Lead Recovery Advocate, who celebrates his year with Resilience this week! We are blessed to have such an amazing team to guide our young men through their own recovery journeys. 🙏🖤 Please check out our awesome team below and stay tuned for more photos and details to come... #rrr #resiliencerecovery #notatheory #extendedcare #soberliving #thanksgod

http://resiliencerecoveryresources.com/meet-the-team