September is the month of national recovery

Most of us know someone who suffers from a substance use disorder. Many of us even know someone who has lost a friend or family member. It is a disease that affects people of all walks of life and of all ages.

A disease also known as addiction, substance use disorder is defined as: a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine are also considered drugs. When you are addicted, you can continue to use the drug despite the damage it causes.

Some symptoms of substance abuse disorder are as follows.

• Have withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop taking or using the medicine
• Spending money – even when you can’t afford it – on drugs
• Using the drug even when you know it is causing problems in your relationships or your physical health
• Drug cravings so strong you literally can’t think of anything else
• Steal to get the drugs
• Failed when you try to stop using
• Feel the need to use the medicine regularly, even every day or several times a day
• Over time, take larger amounts of the medicine to get the same feeling or effect
• Make sure you always have a supply of medication
• Get rid of work responsibilities or cut back on social activities due to drug use

September is National Recovery Month, an annual celebration celebrated since 1989. In September, and throughout the year, Recovery Month carries the following message:

• Behavioral health is essential to health.
• Prevention works.
• The treatment is effective.
• People are recovering.

The theme for National Recovery Month 2021, “Recovery is for everyone: every person, every family, every communityReminds people in recovery and those who support them that recovery belongs to all of us.

We are all called to end control and welcome everyone into recovery by lowering barriers to recovery support, creating inclusive spaces and programs, and expanding our understanding of what recovery means for people with different experiences.

Mental health and substance abuse disorders affect people of all ethnicities, ages, sexes, geographies and socio-economic levels. They need to know that help is available. These people can get better, both physically and emotionally, with the support of a welcoming community.

We asked Courtney Hays, Certified Behavioral Health II Case Manager at Arcadia Trails, a few questions about drug addiction and more specifically her role as a caregiver. Hays, whose sobriety date is January 22, 2016, is uniquely qualified to understand sobriety, addiction, and what it takes to seek help.

His duties include admissions, liaison between the sober community and Arcadia Trails, group facilitation and follow-up planning. Courtney has six years of experience in case management and addiction treatment. Before joining Arcadian Trails, she was a case manager and court liaison for the Oklahoma County Drug and DUI Court. She is passionate about advocating for her patients, breaking down the stigma of addiction, and helping her patients make a smooth transition to their community.

What’s the hardest part of being a caregiver?

For me, the hardest part of being a caregiver is seeing up close the devastation that addiction has on individuals, their families and their communities. It can be heartbreaking.

On the other hand, the best part is that I witness the healing that comes with a sustained recovery. I sometimes get phone calls from former patients telling me that they have reconnected with their children after years of separation or that they are repairing their relationships with their separated families. It’s chicken noodle soup for the soul.

What is your relationship with the people you love?

I see myself as a helper for our patients. I wear a lot of hats at Arcadia Trails. Often times, I am the first person to interact with potential patients and their families when they seek help. I am involved in the patient’s care from their first phone call until a year after discharge.

Some of my responsibilities include screening and admission, group facilitation, liaison and referral, discharge planning and follow-up. I have a deep appreciation and understanding of the patient experience. I was in their shoes at one point. I know the hard work and commitment it takes to start and maintain recovery. Every day, I strive to be a model of recovery for the patients I serve.

How do you make sure you take care of your own mental health?

This is a very important question. Often, people in recovery believe that being employed in addiction will help them stay sober. Often this is not the case. I think working in mental health and addiction means I have to work even harder on my own personal recovery. In order for me to maintain my recovery, I find it helpful to constantly surround myself with friends who are also engaged in recovery.

I think we often underestimate the importance of having honest and vulnerable relationships with people who care about us and want the best for us. I attend recovery meetings every week to remind myself of my early days in recovery. It keeps me humble and firmly planted in my recovery. I also have a recovery sponsor. A sponsor is like a mentor. This person helps guide me and holds me accountable. Finally, I have an intimate connection with my Higher Power which helps me to stay sober and in good health.

How do you make sure you take care of your physical health?

Our mental well-being and our physical health are more closely related than most people realize. If I don’t take care of my physical health, my mental health will suffer too. I emphasize the link between physical and mental health in my rehabilitation groups with patients.

Nutrition is number one for me. When I eat well, I have energy throughout the day and I feel better about myself, which in turn boosts my self-esteem. Sleep is another priority for me. I learned through a TED talk from a neuroscientist named Matthew Walker that sleep is your super power. He said, “The loss of sleep is going to spill over into every nook and cranny of your physiology.” It really influenced me. I try to get eight hours of sleep a night. Finally, exercise is very important to me. It can be as easy as a short walk with a colleague on my lunch break. It gives me the opportunity to get out and connect with nature, and the sunlight gives me a vitamin D boost.

At Arcadia Trails, the focus is on caring for the mind, body, and spirit through the use of multiple modalities in a program and setting designed to heal. The Arcadia Trails team is ready to help you take the first step towards recovery. It is important that anyone with a substance use disorder knows the following.

You’re not alone. Countless others have stood at this same turning point. In addition, many have recovered.

There is a way out, and we can show it to you – because a lot of us have been there ourselves.

It’s not your fault. Drug addiction is a disease.

And when you’re ready to go all the way, almost anything is possible.

To begin the admissions process, call 405.216.2500 or toll free at 844.817.6685. For general information on Arcadia Trails, call 405.216.2564 or visit the website at arcadiatrails.com.