After more than a year of basically being stuck inside, suffice it to say that most of us have started to go a little stir crazy. In addition, many of us have suffered a significant loss, be it emotional, financial, personal or simply the lack of much needed social interaction. To that end, for some, anxiety, sadness, even desperation were the end results. For others, more dire consequences ensued.
Happily, we are now slowly starting to emerge from the lockdown. But that being said, our society is now going to have to start to reckon with the side-effects of this pandemic – including the increased use of drugs and alcohol to cope with more than a year of isolation for millions. Mental health, and addiction, are front and center now, for all of us—and for me.
You see, I recently lost two very good friends and colleagues to overdoses. The loss for me, not to mention their loved ones is hard to process, and is truly devastating. However, as I’m working through this, I want to highlight a podcast I recently came across – Heart of the Matter. With non-profit resource center Partnership to End Addiction and former ABC News anchor and host of “America’s Most Wanted, Elizabeth Vargas sits down with celebrities, including designer Steve Madden, actress Kristen Johnston and Bachelorette’s Zac Clark to have frank, honest conversations about their addiction and recoveries. Elizabeth and her guests show how the right resources can be crucial in recovery, shedding a bright and hopeful light on the journey of overcoming harmful drug and alcohol use. I hope you, too, will find comfort, hope, and use of these stories and resources.
