Recovery Stories of New York A project dedicated to those in long-term recovery from opioid addiction
RECOVERY STORIES OF NEW YORK
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About the project Recovery Stories of New York is an undergraduate graphic design thesis project that features five individuals from New York State who are currently in long term recovery from opioid addiction. These stories show that recovery is possible and serve to inspire others out there who have experienced opioid addiction or those who may know someone who is experiencing addiction to opioids. Stories were gathered in Fall 2020. recoverystoriesofnewyork.com Special thank you to those who have helped me through this project: Jaclyn Cirello College Prevention Coordinator, SUNY New Paltz
Marianna Horowitz Senior Project Coordinator, Faces & Voices of Recovery
Phoenix Kawamoto New Paltz Community Education Coordinator
Jillian Nadiak Community Engagement Coordinator and Technical Assistance Specialist, Ulster County Deptartment of Health HEALing Communities Division/Opioid Prevention
Dr. Adam Stephens Assistant Professor, Psychology, SUNY New Paltz
Note I kept in contact with Mollie through email during my story gathering process. She was prompt and excited about sharing her story. Every email had an exclamation point at the end! When I had offered her the option of sharing photos, she immediately wanted to send a photo of her and her husband on their wedding day, as well as a photo of her and her kids. It was so warming to see her love for the people in her family. While reading through her story and looking at the images she shared, I knew that her experiences would be extremely inspirational to others.
Mollie Fernandez 4 AND A HALF YEARS IN RECOVERY 33 | ALBANY COUNTY, NY
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I was first exposed to opioids when I was prescribed hydrocodone for a car accident. I kept using them, not because of the pain from the accident, but because they helped numb the pain I was feeling inside from my moms death. I realized I was addicted when I moved down to Myrtle Beach and I didn’t bring any with me and went through the worst withdrawal.
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I believe my mothers suicide was the biggest factor in my substance use. When I was prescribed pain pills, they numbed the pain caused by the loss of my mother that I never dealt with.
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
I used opioids for 4 years.
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
The turning point in my life that caused me to seek help was when my children were taken from me and I knew I needed to get help in order for them to have their mother back. I first found help when I went to a 30-day rehab in Rhinebeck, New York. The day I completed the rehab, my children’s father was murdered. I knew then I needed to go into long term treatment. I was not strong enough to stay clean at home. After the 30-day rehab, I went into Riverside Halfway House in Catskill, New York for 6 months then to ACCA (Addiction Care Center of Albany) in Albany.
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The most helpful experience in my recovery was moving to Albany and going to Heroin Anonymous. I found my sponsor there and created a huge network of people in recovery who loved me until I could love myself. They showed me that I can have a beautiful life without using drugs.
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
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I have been in recovery for 4 and a half years.
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
I maintain my recovery by going to Heroin Anonymous meetings, holding commitments there, bringing meetings into Albany County Jail, and rehabs. I also maintain my recovery by sponsoring other women. All of these help me maintain my recovery because they keep me accountable. They show me that it isn’t getting better out there. Just seeing someone come into the meeting with a few days (in recovery) and deciding to reach out to me for help is enough to keep me going.
One challenge I have faced during my recovery is having three back surgeries, but one thing I don’t do is pick up a drug or a drink! I was able to get through these back surgeries without using because the desire to get high is long gone as well as having a huge support network that always makes sure I’m okay.
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The most influential people in my recovery are my sponsor and my old counselor Lamar. They showed me it’s possible to recover from addiction. They both are in long-term recovery and they believed in me which is all I needed.
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
Spirituality is number one in my life because I know I can’t do it alone. I need my Higher Power to take a hold of my life. Without that, you have nothing to rely on!
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My life has changed in many ways during my recovery. My children have been back home with me for the past three years, I work for the state, I met my husband in recovery, and we now own a house. I’m a present mother for my children and I show up when I say I’m going to show up. I’m accountable and honest.
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
One of my goals is to go to college for human services. I always wanted to be a school counselor or a therapist for children and adults. RECOVERY STORIES OF NEW YORK
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Mollie’s advice
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MOLLIE FERNANDEZ
Some important lessons I have learned during my recovery are not to be selfish and that you can’t save everyone. You only can show them the way. The advice I would give to those still experiencing opioid addiction would be that there’s hope!! As long as you’re alive you have a chance. Advice I would give to those in early recovery would be to stick and stay, reach out and don’t give up! It gets better!
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Resources If you or someone you know would like to reach out for help, here are some resources located in the Hudson Valley. To access the links on the list, use the QR code on the back of this zine to bring you to the resources website page.
Treatment Resources
ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE COUNCIL OF ORANGE COUNTY 224 Main St. Goshen, New York 10924 845.294.9000 www.adacinfo.com/ ARMS ACRES 75 Seminary Hill Road Carmel, New York 10512
ELLENVILLE REGIONAL HOSPITAL 10 Healthy Way Ellenville, New York 12428 845.647.6400 www.erhny.org/ FRIENDS OF NEW YORK 1529 Western Avenue Albany, New York 12203
845.225.3400 www.armsacres.com/
518.487.4395 info@for-ny.org for-ny.org
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
HOPE NOT HANDCUFFS
Sullivan County: 845.794.8080 Orange County: 845.294.1369 www.cccsos.org
833.202.HOPE (4673) www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org/ hopenothandcuffs.
CAPE
ONWARD RECOVERY
807 Route 52 Fishkill New York 12524
319 Broadway, 2nd Floor Newburgh, New York 12550
845.765.8301 www.capedc.org
845.565.1162 ext. 453 onwardrecovery.org
DUTCHESS STABILIZATION CENTER
MID-HUDSON PREVENTION RESOURCE CENTER
230 North Road Poughkeepsie, New York 12601 845.485.9700 www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/ DBCH/24-7-Services.htm
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RESOURCES
224 Main Street Goshen New York 10924 845.294.9000 www.adacinfo.com/programsservices/mid-hudson-preventionresource-center-mhprc
PEOPLE USA 126 Innis Avenue Poughkeepsie, New York 12601 845.452.2728 info@people-usa.org people-usa.org/ SAMADHI: 122 Clinton Avenue Kingston, New York 12401 845.853.8148 https://samadhiny.org/ STEP ONE 1-877.435.7410 info@step1ny.org www.step1ny.org/
RAISING YOUR AWARENESS ABOUT NARCOTICS Facebook.com/ Heroinaddictionawareness DUTCHESS, ORANGE, PUTNAM, ROCKLAND, SULLIVAN, ULSTER & WESTCHESTER hudsonvalleycs.org/hub/ mhadutchess.org/landingpages/ marc-us opiate-detox-dutchesscounty.business.site/?utm_ source=gmb&utm_medium=referral dutchessny.gov/Departments/ DBCH/alcohol-substance-useservices.htm
Other resources in the Hudson Valley
ELLENVILLE. KINGSTON, WOODSTOCK, NEW PALTZ
SAMSHA
MID HUDSON
www.samhsa.gov/find-treatment
midhudsonaddictionrecovery.com
SOBER NATION
POUGHKEEPSIE
sobernation.com/rehabs/hudson-ny
www.midhudsonregional.org/ alcohol-drug-dependency
OASAS NEW YORK STATE
familyofwoodstockinc.org/ emergency-services-hotline-walk-incenters/family-of-new-paltz
oasas.ny.gov/treatment/types
ORANGE COUNTY
RECOVERY RESOURCE HUB
www.recoveryresourcehub.org/ node/63778
www.recoveryresourcehub.org HUDSON VALLEY www.hahv.org/addiction-substanceabuse-services
ULSTER ulstercountyny.gov/continuouslyupdated-treatment-and-recoveryprograms
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COLUMBIA & GREENE COUNTY
Apps
twincountyrecoveryservices.org WESTCHESTER COUNTY aosresourcecenter.com/outpatientrehab-programs/Westchestercounty-NY/care.html
PINKCLOUD I AM SOBER SOBERTIME SOBER TOOL
PUTNAM COUNTY
NOMO
pvcsd.org/community/community_ pdf/Director_of_Putnam_County_ Services.pdf
SIMPLE HABIT
ROCKLAND COUNTY
Blogs
Rocklandgov.com/departments/ mental-health/chemicaldependency-provider-agency-links SULLIVAN COUNTY greenhouserecoverycenter.com/ detox-centers/Sullivan-county-NY/ listing.html
Meeting Resources
I AM
THE WRITTEN ADDICTION thewrittenaddiction.com THE SOBRIETY COLLECTIVE thesobrietycollective.com/blogs-sites SHE RECOVERS sherecovers.org/blog KLEN & SOBR
AA MEETINGS aa.org/ages/en_us/find-local-aa NA MEETINGS na.org/meetingsearch HA MEETINGS heroinanonymous.org/meetings FAMILY & FRIENDS al-anon.org
sincerightnow.com THE TEMPEST thetemper.com THE FIX thefix.com RECOVERY ROCKSTARS recoveryrockstars.com OUR ASCENT ourascent.com
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RESOURCES
Recovery Stories of New York Designed by Nina Guido SUNY New Paltz 2020–2021