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Recovery in the News
Battling addiction, local recovering addicts share their stories
Natasha Trelfa
49 ABC News
September 7, 2006
September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month -- and tonight local treatment providers and recovering addicts held a town meeting in an effort to prevent others from straying down the path of addiction.
"Recovery is a way of life. It's real to me each and every day,” Theresa Carter said.
Theresa Carter started using drugs when she was a teenager, an addiction that eventually landed her in prison twice.
"It was very humiliating because I had built up a reputation in prison,” Carter said. “I was a spokesperson for the prison and a lot of people depended on me to do well and not return to prison or drugs."
Now, Carter who is a minister at the prison where she served her sentence, spends her days helping others facing the same, dark road.
“If you can do just one day at a time, focusing on your recovery, focusing on having a different mindset,” she said.
But Carter isn't alone. Shawnee County Prevention and Recovery services teamed up with other Topeka treatment providers to hold their fifth annual “Faces and Voices of Recovery” meeting working to raise awareness of drug and alcohol abuse.
"This disease spares no one. Addiction impacts almost every household in America, every family in America,” St. Francis Recovery Center counselor, Duane Olberding said.
But counselor Duane Olberding said even with nearly 15 percent of the population suffering from some form of addiction Topeka is leading the way in recovery.
“Topeka has a large recovery community. It used to be let's lock them up but now we're like hey, let's treat people because it they can be productive,” Olberding said.
"There is hope and happiness and a wonderful life without alcohol and other drugs,” said Max Wilson with Shawnee County Prevention and Recovery services.
Treatment providers and recovering addicts said they hope “Faces and Voices of Recovery” helps reduce the stigma of addiction and encourages people to focus on getting help where it's needed.
"Use your voice. Everyone needs to know about recovery,” Carter said.
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