With September National Recovery Month, just know that addiction is treatable and recovery is real and within reach.
Recovery is powerful and possible.
“In all forms, whether it’s harm reduction or evidence-based or MAT (medication-assisted therapy). There’s more than one way to recover,” said Fayette County Health Department peer recovery support specialist Paula McCutcheon.
According to McCutcheon, Fayette County is small but mighty. She says the health department has many people working together to support all forms and pathways of recovery.
“We have MAT facilities, we have quick response team, we have harm reduction. There’s people who care.”
The tagline: “every person, every family, every community,” highlights that recovery is possible for everyone. According to the CDC, treatment can save a life and help people with substance use disorders recover from the powerful brain and behavioral effects of addiction to thrive. Paula can attest to that… she used on and off since she was 12-years-old.
“It took away my family, my children — I still don’t have them back… I lost a lot,” McCutcheon said. “Being in recovery and being in the position I am today to help others is everything. Given me a whole new outlook… on life. I get to enjoy things and remember things and like make memories and I don’t have to put a drink or a drug in me to do it. I just get to live and be happy and free of bondage. I try really hard to find gratitude in every day.”
Paula says the Fayette County Health Department is there and you can reach out. You are not alone and you are loved.
“People can’t recover if they’re not breathing,” said the peer recovery support specialist. “And everybody’s recovery looks different. So I think it’s important to stress that.”
