Marie found herself in a place of darkness and dependence. What began as a means to desensitize the pain of real life, quickly progressed into a fulltime reliance to the point that being sober was almost unbearable. Growing up in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama, Marie had everything she needed. However, she experienced external pressures to be […]
From Escaping Pain to Embracing Healing Read More »
From overdose, attempted suicide, & dropping out of high school to recovery, fatherhood & multiple college degrees, this is a story that will speak to your heart. Paul Bryant was introduced to opioids when he was in the 7th grade after multiple sports injuries. Throughout high school he experimented with substances. He overdosed when he
Recovery Story: Paul Bryant Read More »
If you were alive in 1981, then you know June 5. You know the day when the CDC announced to the world that there was a problem. The CDC provided the medical details of five people, who were about to change the world and medicine. Those five people have remained nameless. Those five people probably
Stigma – 40 Years Later Read More »
Chief Program Officer of Foundry Ministries, Brandon Lackey, recently shared with Art Wimberly how The Foundry is working to improve the lives of those with substance use disorders and how The Foundry has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brandon and Art also discussed Brandon’s work as an Alabama Association of Christian Recovery Ministries board member,
Partners in Recovery: The Foundry Read More »
The first time I got in trouble as a result of my addiction was when I failed a drug test in high school. On the outside, I was a straight-A student, an athlete, and a well-rounded teenager. On the inside, I was depressed, struggling with trauma, and abusing drugs and alcohol. When I failed this
How Addiction is Stigmatized, and Steps You Can Take to Break the Stigma Read More »
We recently took a look at the trends in the opioid epidemic in Jefferson County, AL with Dr. Darlene Traffanstedt, Medical Director at the Jefferson County Department of Health. Dr. Traffanstedt discussed national trends and how Jefferson County mirrors those statistics. COVID-19 and Fentanyl have greatly impacted and changed the opioid epidemic in the last
Current Trends in the Opioid Epidemic in Jefferson County, Alabama Read More »
As parents, our children’s safety is our top concern – and never far from our minds. We teach our kids not to run out in the street, yet are quick to grab their wrists when they approach a curb. We sit them down for the “stranger danger” discussion, yet panic at the store the moment
Never Too Early, Never Too Late: Talking to Your Child about Drugs and Alcohol Read More »
Most people who go through the 12-steps are most afraid of step four: doing a personal inventory of one’s resentments, fears, and harms. However, I was different – I was not afraid of doing this. I knew all of the bad things I had done. What I was fearful of was step nine: making amends to
Step Nine: The Healing Power of Making Amends Read More »
Not One More Alabama, Drug Education Council and Addiction Prevention Coalition recently joined forces for the popular NOMA series “Ask Me Anything!” This virtual Q & A included four couples who volunteered to share their journeys through addiction, treatment and recovery.
Ask Me Anything: A Spouse’s Perspective Read More »
Before the pandemic locked us in our homes, there was an epidemic ravaging American high schools E-cigarettes and vaping. E-cigarette use ballooned with trendy new products like Juul vape pens, and US legislators struggled to get teenage nicotine use under control. The world after quarantine will undoubtedly be different, and consumer behavior will shift to
What Will Replace Juul for American Youth? Read More »
