Andrew: A CARE Hero among Heros
I was 21 years old, on the cusp of completing my Associates Degree with a good GPA and, by all standards, living the life of a normal 21 year old. I graduated high school on time with good grades and worked for my family’s business.
However, inside I was dying. I was hopelessly addicted to opiates (pain killers). Over time, what started with, what I considered, “less hazardous” prescription painkillers had progressed into daily heroin use. I attended a 5 day detox the previous year. The staff at the treatment center tried to get me to stay longer for the residential program, but after 5 days, I figured I was cured. Shortly after leaving the treatment center, I began smoking marijuana again and drank alcohol occasionally. I figured I could handle these substances because of their social acceptability. However, after a few months, I began using prescription painkillers again and sooner than later, heroin.
The amount of shame was greater this time. Less than a year earlier my family assisted me in getting in to treatment, and now I had already descended into a deeper, darker place in my addiction. I soon stopped working and, after finishing college, I stopped paying for my truck. My family eventually found out but was not as willing to help this time. In reality, I was beyond having them help. I didn’t want to get clean because drugs seemed to be my only solution to the real problem; dealing with myself.
After a time of using and staying wherever I could from night to night, the pain became great enough to reach out for help. But who was there to help? Someone I was using with mentioned an organization called CARE in Fraser that could help me go back to treatment. When I finally made it to the CARE office I was treated with respect, and could tell that these people wanted to help me. The waitlist was full at the time and I was told it would take a few weeks to get me into treatment. But CARE staff told me to call them every few days and they would notify me of an earlier opening if available. I remember using a payphone in Detroit near the neighborhood where I bought drugs and called CARE. It had only been 5 days but when the CARE employee told me they actually had an opening in two days, I was ecstatic and immediately felt relief that I would not have to keep killing myself with drugs on a daily basis.
CARE helped me get into treatment and became a building block for my recovery. The selflessness of CARE staff was something I desired to someday have in my life. After attending 12 step groups and other recovery resources, I became intent on trying to help others find the same freedom I had found in recovery. When I had 7 years clean, a friend mentioned that CARE had started a Peer Recovery Coaching Program and that they were hiring. I applied for the job and was happy when I received a return call for an interview. I told this same story during the interview process and CARE was delighted to hear that their services had made such an impact on me. I was hired and have loved being able to be of service to others struggling with addiction for my employment. It is hard to call being a Peer Recovery Coach a job since I view it as such a blessing and gift. For a population that is often stigmatized, CARE offers real world solutions to issues surrounding addiction and is adding more programs to assist in other areas of life. More than anything, the entire staff at CARE offer hope, and treat their clients with empathy, respect, and dignity. Today I am proud to call myself not only a person in long term recovery, but a person who works for an agency that seeks to help anyone overcome roadblocks in their lives and live to their fullest potential.