By Barbara Nicholson-Brown   

Email: [email protected]

Recovery Emerges from Hope

Hitting bottom was the best thing that ever happened to me, though at the time it felt the complete opposite. Recovery or sobriety was not on my radar, hope seemed too far out of reach, so I settled for hopeless. It was easier to blame other people, places, jobs, family members and friends for my downward spiral. I never wanted to take responsibility for my life.  In the throes of addiction; most of us have skewed victim thinking… and shame and fear keep many of us hiding in the darkness.

The African Proverb says, “It takes a Village to raise a child.” Applying these words today, it takes all of us to raise awareness for recovery. Why? Because recovery does happen— because hope, treatment and caring people make it so!

Across the country and beyond there are thousands of people making a positive impact in the field of addiction treatment and behavioral health. In Arizona, we have many of the most recognizable treatment providers in the country — served by dedicated professionals who are saving lives every day. I’m honored to be walking along side those who work so tirelessly in this field, providing expertise, guidance and yes…hope, to help people turn their lives around.

My contribution in this arena of awareness is through this newspaper, where we share informative articles for anyone who may be struggling. From its humble beginnings in 1991 to today, this paper is here for you.

When we come together to find solutions, we are empowered, informed and armed with the tools needed for healthy families, communities and a future filled with hope.