It would be an understatement to say that Coronavirus is affecting our recovery community. What I do know is that we are a bunch of brave and resilient people that will come back stronger from this.
Last Thursday night I sat in front of my laptop on a Zoom virtual recovery meeting. I can tell you, I never thought those words would come out of my mouth. With that being said, I am beyond grateful that technology allows this today. Seeing my closest friends in my recovery network that I haven’t seen in two weeks nearly brought tears to my eyes. Yes…that is how powerful the recovery world is.
I know a lot people in the recovery community are taught to work on their faith in a higher power. There are also other pathways to recovery that utilize different beliefs and tools that help people maintain their recovery. I truly believe this pandemic will be a true testament to these tools we’re taught to use.
In-person meetings being suspended are truly detrimental to the recovery community. This has been a struggle for me as well. I’ve found that sometimes, due to the fast-paced world we live in, I may take for granted the importance of a higher power. I’ve been in recovery for quite some time now and truly believe that God has a plan for myself and many others. With that being said, this pandemic has even been a test for me on connecting with my faith.
With no outside meetings or much of a connection in person, most of us are trying our best to be creative. Thank God for Zoom meetings, but even that is different and a big change for people like us to adapt to. We don’t always do great with change. Many may not be OK with this change. Many have lost their jobs. You could possibly even say this pandemic has played a role in many relapses. Would I say that it’s justified? I’d say probably not… but this is something none of us have ever witnessed before. Would I have been OK in early recovery dealing with everything we’ve gone through these past few weeks, and what we’ll continue to go through in the months to come? Honestly…. probably not. And that is scary to me.
We already lose enough people to this chronic disease. We don’t need any help from a pandemic that is wreaking havoc on peoples lives. I’m using my voice as much as possible via social media to stay positive. We as a community need to stay connected, in whatever way we can… if it is safe. Reaching out to make sure our friends are OK is imperative. A call or a text can go a long way, especially when a lot of people in recovery may be in their own head, which isn’t always a good thing.
If you have family, cherish this time with them. If you’ve lost a job or have a loved one who’s sick, reach out to your network for help. This pandemic has humbled all of us, TRUST ME. I am fortunate enough to work in healthcare and still be employed, and I do NOT take that for granted. During this time though, I’m trying to look at the positive side of things. Being home more than usual, I get to spend quality time with my wife and watch my 9-month old daughter grow before my eyes. I’ll probably see her crawl for the first time, or even take her first steps, which I most likely would’ve missed had I been working outside of the house. Being quarantined is tough and monotonous, but being in recovery has taught me to make the best of it. I will continue to help people receive the treatment they deserve and spend as much time with Christina and Skylar as possible. God bless, stay safe and healthy, and if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
