It’s time to celebrate those who recover from addiction

Success stories can inspire others, Marshall Smith writes.

There are hundreds of thousands of British Columbians living in short- and long-term recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

Thousands more get well every year, proving recovery is both possible and sustainable.

Those living in long-term recovery show us this serious health problem can be overcome and that there are effective solutions to the problems of drug and alcohol addiction.

For too long, a great majority in our communities — those in recovery, our families, our workplaces and recovery allies — have been silent about our experiences and successes. We need to change that. Instead of sensationalizing addiction, which often occurs in the media, we must do more to celebrate and acknowledge recovery.

Despite the great numbers of people in recovery, little is known about what traits we have in common, the most successful pathways that are used to achieve recovery, and how to best maintain long-term remission.

There has never been a more important time for British Columbians in recovery to tell their stories of success, to be role models, to be of service, and to be inspirations to those who are still struggling.

Despite the opiate crisis, success is all around us. We must listen to the voices of people in long-term recovery, study their success and build a community health response based on the evidence of what has worked.

British Columbia is home to some of the best, most qualified treatment and recovery centres in North America. While much work needs to be done to organize services into an effective and easily accessed system, we should take a moment to appreciate the hard work done by hundreds and hundreds of exceptional care providers in treatment and recovery centres who do the very difficult job of helping to change lives and rebuild families every day. They need our support, resources and prayers, not our judgment and blame. Marshall Smith is chairman of the B.C. Recovery Council.

There has never been a more important time for British Columbians in recovery to tell their stories of success

I’m proud to see government working hard in responding to the severity of the overdose epidemic. This response is bringing attention and resources to this important public-health issue.

Premier Christy Clark’s recent announcement of $5 million to fund the B.C. Centre on Substance Use is an important step toward fostering excellence in the field of recovery, facilities and services. These are the kind of long-term investments that will help build an effective system.

There are different paths to achieve recovery. But regardless of how people achieve it, our lives and the lives of those we touch — our families, our children, our workplaces and our communities — are vastly improved as a result.

We must work to eliminate barriers to recovery for every B.C. family and to help today’s children and future generations, who often are the biggest winners in this process.

Part of this is creating and supporting public policies so all people have greater access to recovery resources.

Government must point the way to recovery by clearly stating goals for those affected — goals such as a drug-free life, improved health and positive, engaged citizenship.

As important, we must reduce the discrimination and stigma that keeps many people from seeking recovery and moving on to better, healthier and more productive lives once they achieve it.