Kevin, from my office, doing good things.
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I was searching for posts on Overdose Awareness Month and came across this very old thread. I linked an article that interviews a friend of mine who was very instrumental in my early recovery. He helped me get into rehab. And then when I went back to work at the agency he trained me on using Narcan, and eventually trained me to train others on how to use Narcan. I really idolized this guy and tried to follow in his lead.
About a year after the original post he did of an overdose. I was pretty shaken up as a I lost a few sober friends in a short period of time right around the same time. Although he was widely known in my area and had achieved long term sobriety, he was not able to maintain it. And because he was so widely respected he never reached for help.
He died alone, wedged between his bed and his wall, because he thought he could manage this on his own. He left behind a young son, and a devastated family.
My original reason for seeking out this post was to post something more inspirational, but this article really just reminds me how close we all really are to the end. So as this Overdose Awareness Month comes to an end please remember what happens when we try to do it alone.
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Timely reminder.
So many different types of “alone”… but the “alone” of the addict must be one of the deeper ones I’d reckon.
Peace
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Thanks for sharing Derek. The stigma and shame can be so debilitating and isolating. We all deserve so much more…empathy, connection and compassion. I am sorry about your friend.
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It’s real, it affects so many. Glad that your friend affected you in a good way. I’m sorry that he ended up succumbing to the very substance that he saved so many from.
We pass the message on.
One of the messages can be to ask for help if you feel like you are slipping down that slope. Very sad.
I’m sorry for your friend’s death.