Tools for LIFE!

Since 1989, September has been designated National Recovery Month by SAMHSA.  During this month, as individuals and as an organization dedicated to serving those with substance use disorders as well as additional challenges related mental illness and trauma, please join me in pausing and reflecting. I reflect on the other chronic disease conditions we share September with: Ovarian Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Sickle Cell and others. There are wellness aspects to the month of recognition: recognizing signs and symptoms, early intervention, identifying demographics that place us at higher risk. There are appeals to those NOT suffering from chronic disease conditions to get involved, help those of us that suffer from these conditions and there are opportunities to give kudos/shout-outs/praise to those in the trenches and on the front lines providing care and treatment. 

But I also call out the common threads when facing chronic disease conditions: 

• For those that are “still suffering” we come alongside them with love, empathy, a passionate desire to help them “see” reality for what it is and respond to change. We hold out our hands with an offer to pull them into the boat of healing, out of the storm of chaos and despair. Don’t you think this can apply to ALL those facing chronic disease conditions? I do.
• For those that have received the hand of help, we encourage them to participate in a “fellowship”, a connection with those of us with similar conditions. Few truly understand what life is like with a chronic condition than those that have walked the path. Whether you call them support groups for other diseases, or 12-step fellowships or the array of fellowships available for those seeking recovery, joining together with those of similar experience and struggles absolutely generates hope out of despair, connection out of isolation. Do you think connection is key to pull us up out of ourselves and our struggles? I do.
• Accountability, the enlistment of a trusted group of loving “advisors” can make an incredible difference. Are we doing the things necessary to enjoy life, regardless of the limitations imposed on us by our diseases or not? Asking for help, receiving help, seeking guidance, receiving loving prompts and reminders – to do the things necessary to take care of ourselves when we can so easily forget – these are key fundamentals when facing a chronic disease condition that we can all take lessons from (are we eating well, resting well, playing well, connecting as we should, taking prescribed medications appropriately and timely, are we participating in life and our fellowships, are we asking for help and are we serving others – the most important fundamental key when we are prone to self-pity or despair). Do you think accountability with others is key to health and life? I do.
• In these months of recognition, we also honor those that have come before us, those that kept their diseases in remission until passing on from a life that was happy, joyous and free in the remaining years and taught us how to live life fully; and we also honor those that didn’t find the path of recovery or remission, that succumbed to the diseases way too early. We learn from them as well. Do you believe it is important to learn from the lives and experiences of others? I do.
• Lastly, structure, predictability and dare I use the dreaded word “discipline”? Having a predictable and structured approach to daily life when struggling with a monstrous demon of a chronic disease condition can make all the difference in a day, a week, a month when chronic diseases surround us with the unexpected, the sometimes chaotic life of facing circumstances completely beyond our control. Whether you struggle with a chronic disease or not, 2020 has placed us ALL in a position to face “powerlessness” like never before, life on life’s terms. Do you think injecting structure and predictability are important when struggling with chaotic chronic diseases? I do.  

In utilizing the tools named above, anyone facing a chronic disease condition can make the most out of the life that we’ve been given, just for today. More of us can move from active diseases to taking the steps necessary to move our diseases into remission and keeping our diseases in remission.  

So I say to us all: We ALL can benefit from the lessons learned from those of us who face the greatest struggles every day. Not only all those suffering today with various chronic disease conditions, but those who have the additional layer of stigma associated with being a “survivor” of addiction and mental illnesses. 

Whether you struggle with substance use disorders or mental illnesses yourself, chances are extremely high you know someone who does or a family who does. See them with fresh eyes in this month. The disease is NOT THEIR FAULT and they could use a loving word, action or prayer as much as anyone else suffering with one of the other conditions this month recognizes. When you help ONE person find healing, you will touch MANY MORE. 

At Promises we believe that in helping an individual find healing, our COMMUNITIES will also find healing. In healing individuals, we have hope to heal identified families. Healed families help other families find healing. Together, may we all strive to heal our suffering communities. May love prosper and grow. May compassion, understanding and empathy for the sufferings of others take root. May we all grow stronger TOGETHER.