Peer Support Specialist, Fawn Hakert, describes her work with peers through TC-911.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a national grassroots movement designed to create awareness and education for the public about the dangers of alcohol, as well as what alcohol use disorder is, its causes and effects, and effective treatment for it. It also aims to help reduce the stigma and provide information about recovery.

Building meaningful relationships in recovery, where we feel empathy and connection, is perhaps one of the most vital aspects to sustaining long-term recovery. Nothing can replace that community of people.

Whether you are suffering with depression, seasonal affective disorder, or just the blues, there are some natural ways to boost your mood.

Language affects access to quality treatment and negatively impacts medical professionals’ perception of people suffering with this serious medical condition. Changing the way that we refer to people with substance use disorder is crucial if we want to get people the help they deserve.

Meth is one of the most deadly illicit drugs. In Portland, it is the leading cause of drug-related deaths. 78 percent of Oregonians know someone that is suffering with addiction, and Oregon ranked last in the country in providing mental health and addiction treatment services.

If you experience any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, you may be suffering with depression and it is time to seek medical attention.

Setting boundaries can feel challenging at first. We can feel frightened about how the other person might respond, or we can worry that we are no longer caring for the other person. But if we want to truly care for ourselves, boundaries are paramount.

Sharing stories of recovery gives us a sense of hope. They inspire us, showing us that not only is it possible for us to change, but that we can go on to live a life of meaning and of purpose.

There are a number of options available to reduce harm in drug use that may include medication-assisted recovery (pharmacotherapy), moderation management, or other pathways of recovery.

“We know downtown is the very public face of homelessness, addiction, mental health crisis and other experiences that folks who have nowhere else to go are facing,” Gullickson said. “This gives a great place for those folks to be, and to provide for those folks. I look forward to what’s next for this.”

Olivia Penelle discusses three main pathways to recovery, including clinical, non-clinical, and self-managed pathways.

Demarkus shares his story on going through MHAAO’s /Youth & Young Adult Peer Mentoring Program through OPTIC.

My peer support specialist worked closely with me over 13 months. We worked together to build up a positive support system in my life and find permanent housing and a better job. His help with navigating the DHS child welfare system and with helping me learn how to advocate for myself and my children was invaluable.

“My turning point was my fifth hospitalization, when the IMPACT team came into my room to see me. They were kind and supportive, just like the first time they met me.” - Brandy Fishback

It’s nice to be able to remind people that it can be worse. Not to be a martyr, but this is a real life example of what alcohol can do to you. I call it winning the unlucky lottery.

One of the things I love about being a peer support is getting to hold on to hope for people when they are in a state where they’re feeling really hopeless. I was lucky enough to have people in my life who have loved me and been there to hold on to hope for me when I felt really hopeless and I felt like there was nothing to live for.

Program officials at GAO interviewed in selected states generally cited six leading practices for certifying that peer support specialists have a basic set of competencies and have demonstrated the ability to support others.