Recovery Stories of New York A project dedicated to those in long-term recovery from opioid addiction
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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 When my brother got back from treatment in Pennsylvania, we went out for a car ride. He told me stories about the new friends he made, how good he felt mentally and physically, and how he was genuinely happy. It was the first time in a long time that I saw life in his eyes and it felt like we were kids again. Not everyone gets to experience these moments. There were several times where I was afraid I would never see Vin again and that day I just kept looking over at him because I was grateful to have him there. I knew I needed to create something that captured the way we felt that day because it might just save or inspire someone else. This project is dedicated to him.
Vinny Guido 1 YEAR & 3 MONTHS IN RECOVERY 24 | ULSTER COUNTY, NY
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I was first exposed to opiates by a friend who had access to them. He asked if I wanted one and I replied “Yes”. Later that day he gave me a Percocet 10 mg. I first started to realize I was addicted when I couldn’t enjoy anything or go through a day without using, but in hindsight I was probably hooked from the first time I used.
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I used opioids for 7 years. 10
VINNY GUIDO
I believe the primary reason I used opioids was due to lack of direction or sense of purpose in life. Once I started using, the effects of the drug gave me a sense of fulfillment and well-being that I couldn’t get elsewhere. As strange as it sounds, it also gave me the sense that I had a goal to achieve which was to get more and maintain the feeling I desired. Theoretically, there were several points where I had been able to see that using opioids was unsustainable and that my life was out of control, but it was more of a culmination of several instances that eventually led me to seek help.
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I attended an inpatient treatment at Pocono Mountain Recovery Center in Pennsylvania and then a 12-Step based program.
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VINNY GUIDO
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VINNY GUIDO
The inpatient treatment was an absolute necessity for me. I could not stop without being completely away from opiates, but that was only temporary once I was back into society. The 12-Step program is what has allowed me to maintain sobriety. I believe 12-Step programs have different aspects that work for different people, but for me it’s so effective because of the fellowship of men and women who are like-minded and have the same goals and values in regard to staying sober/clean.
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The 12-Step program as well as playing and listening to music are the two biggest aids to staying sober. The 12-Step program gives me a place where I can build meaningful relationships with people who are like-minded in terms of goals and lifestyle, while music gives me a goal to work towards as well as enjoyment that I had been unable to feel in active addiction.
The biggest challenge for myself is trying to keep things in perspective and have gratitude for what I have at the moment. For instance, I have bouts where I’ll be convinced I should have accomplished more or should be in a better position in life. I address this challenge by talking openly to people I feel comfortable with and not letting negative thoughts sit in my head for too long.
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VINNY GUIDO
I have been in recovery for 1 year & 3 months.
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Some people that have been most influential are people who have a considerable amount of clean time as well as my sister, bosses, girlfriend, and father. All these people inspire me to maintain my sobriety by making it seem possible to do so as well as seeing things in myself that I may not. I also do not want to disappoint or upset these people anymore, so that certainly is a source of motivation. Also, people who are great guitar players like Slash, Buckethead, and Steve Vai inspire me to keep doing what I love and make it seem possible to get to where I want to go on the guitar and I know it won’t be possible if I’m using opioids.
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VINNY GUIDO
I personally struggle with the Higher Power/ God concept. For the time being I just rely on the wisdom and direction of people in the program who have a lot of time in recovery.
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Life is completely different in sobriety.
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VINNY GUIDO
I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in and feel great for the most part. I no longer have to worry about how I’m going to come up with enough money to keep withdrawals from occurring.
I can be honest and reliable to the people that love me as well as people in general. I’m no longer pulled over by police and searched or in constant fear of going to jail. I can have healthy and meaningful relationships with people, whereas before anyone who I had a relationship with either sold or used drugs.
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I want to maintain my sobriety and hopefully one day inspire or help someone in their recovery by being the best example I can be. Personally, I’d like to find a career that I enjoy and am motivated by and try to be the best I can be at whatever that is. The biggest lesson I have learned in recovery and I suppose in life in general is that there is no amount of external things (material possession, job, friends) that is going to make you feel fulfilled in life. Fulfillment is almost 100 percent internal and is determined by your actions and how you perceive what you have as well as changing something if it’s getting in the way of your peace of mind.
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VINNY GUIDO
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Vinny’s advice
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VINNY GUIDO
The main thing I would say to someone still experiencing addiction to opioids is that this is not a death sentence and you’re not condemned to a miserable life. The news and people in general paint it out to be a situation where you die or are in and out of rehabs struggling to stay clean. You never hear about all of the success stories. There are many people that have broken the cycle and lead a great life because of it. I would also tell them that desire and obsession to use does go away. The time frame is different for everyone, but it does go away. I used to think I’ll never be able to be normal again and that train of thought kept me active for a lot longer than I needed to be so I’d want to reassure a struggling person that they will be normal again. It just takes some time. And lastly I would advise them to go to inpatient treatment for 90 days if possible. The longer you go the better and it will give the best shot at getting it right.
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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/stories THE TEMPEST thetemper.com THE FIX thefix.com RECOVERY ROCKSTARS recoveryrockstars.com ASCEND RECOVERY www.ascendrecovery.com/blog
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RESOURCES
Recovery Stories of New York Designed by Nina Guido SUNY New Paltz 2020–2021