From Heroin to Hope: Steward’s Recovery Journey

Steward, a 77-year-old Philadelphian, is a fixture in Rittenhouse Park. A stroll with him is never just a walk; it's a social event. At every turn, he chats with neighbors and friends. His jokes have perfect Philadelphian timing, and he laughs with ease. Steward’s compassionate nature stems from decades of personal recovery and from helping others overcome substance abuse. His journey offers insights for people struggling with substance abuse or concerned about a loved one using opioids. At 17, Steward began injecting heroin. His first overdose took place in his [...]

2025-02-03T16:20:09-05:00February 3rd, 2025|Addiction & Recovery, Lived Experience|

Recovery from Opioid Use: How John Did It

John, a 73-year-old man, lives a comfortable family life in one of Philly’s great neighborhoods. He is healthy, funny, loves the Eagles and Italian restaurants. His neighbors appreciate his willingness to help and love chatting with him when he walks his dog. But John didn’t always live this way. His long-healed injection scars tell the story of his recovery. “I started using heroin as a teenager in the 1960s,” John said. The high helped him avoid stressors. “I didn’t need to care about anything. It made me feel calm in [...]

2025-01-29T08:51:49-05:00January 23rd, 2025|Addiction & Recovery, Lived Experience|

Are ‘soul ties’ codependent relationships?

While love is wonderful for our well-being, not all relationships are healthy. ‘Soul ties’ refers to an intense connection between two people who share a lot in common, such as beliefs, hopes, and tastes. Unfortunately, not all soul ties are positive. Some soul ties lead people to stay in unhealthy or even destructive relationships that can hurt their mental health. How can that happen? The beginning of a romantic relationship activates what is called an “attachment style.” Every person develops their attachment style from their very early relationships as the [...]

2024-02-07T11:16:47-05:00February 14th, 2024|Addiction & Recovery|

International Overdose Awareness Day

Did you know that drug overdose rates are increasing sharply year after year and resulted in about 100,000 deaths in 2021 – compared with only 11,000 overdose deaths in 1999, according to the National Safety Council?  Opioids play a role in about 70 percent of these deaths. And it’s so important to understand that pills and other substances you might get off the streets – including marijuana – may be laced with fentanyl or other addictive components. So why are people subjecting themselves to these substances and why are others [...]

2023-08-23T14:33:17-04:00August 17th, 2023|Addiction & Recovery|
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