(Reno, Nev.) – For many, the holidays are a time to be with family and friends. But for individuals struggling with opioid dependency and their loved ones, the holidays can feel particularly isolating, especially during COVID-19. Behavioral Health NV reminds Nevadans struggling with an opioid addiction to seek help and encourages family members to advocate for loved ones struggling with addiction. The organization connects Nevadans struggling with opioid addiction to recovery resources and similar organizations across the state like Foundation for Recovery and There is No Hero in Heroin Foundation (TINHIH).
“We’re glad to partner with recovery-oriented organizations throughout the state to continue providing resources to individuals and families that need them,” said Dr. Stephanie Woodward, state mental health authority and the single state authority for substance abuse. “Addiction affects families across our state, but we want people to know that resources are available and recovery works.”
Foundation for Recovery is a community nonprofit led by volunteers and staff with a focus on mental health, substance use disorders and recovery. Sean O’Donnell, the executive director at Foundation for Recovery is a person living in recovery from a substance use disorder. He understands that having the courage to take the first step towards recovery is crucial for individuals and families.
“I remember a time in my life when I was alone, isolated and ashamed of my substance use,” O’Donnell said. “The weight of the shame that I felt prevented me and my family from seeking help for years, and the holidays were an especially difficult time. My message to anyone who’s struggling is that you are not alone, and you don’t need to be ashamed. Recovery is possible, and there’s a whole community of compassionate people available to you.”
TINHIH is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness, educating the public and encouraging those struggling with substance use disorder and those who love them to find help. Joe Engle, the founder and president at TINHIH founded the organization after losing his son to substance use.
“As a bereaved parent, I am ever cognizant of the ‘empty chair’ at the table, much more so during the holiday season when we are surrounded by loved ones, friends and relatives,” Engle said. “Recovery is possible, and we can honor our lost loved ones by keeping them alive in our hearts and by our actions towards others. Find your peers and join them! That’s where recovery is possible – within one another.”
Behavioral Health NV is part of the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health. In addition to more than 150 mental health and substance use disorder treatment centers, Behavioral Health NV connects Nevadans to resources for parents, family members, pregnant women, veterans and more. It also directs people to Nevada 2-1-1, a site committed to helping Nevadans connect with the services they need.
To learn more about Behavioral Health NV, or find resources for yourself or a loved one, visit behavioralhealthnv.org/get-help.
About Behavioral Health NV
Behavioral Health NV is part of the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public and Behavioral Health. This is a state-funded online tool designed to connect Nevadans to opioid recovery resources. Behavioral Health NV’s top priority is to encourage Nevadans to seek treatment for an opioid dependency to enhance the safety, health and welfare of all Nevadans. Behavioral Health NV is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration State Opioid Response grant number SOR: 6H79T1081732-01M003 and managed by the University of Nevada Reno Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (UNR CASAT) under the advice of the Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Division. For more information about Behavioral Health NV, visit behavioralhealthnv.org.
###
