Just over two years ago, a second DUI forced me to confront a difficult question: Am I an alcoholic? I wasn’t a daily drinker, but when I drank, I couldn’t stop. Crushed by shame, I sought help. My lawyer recommended a pricey, out-of-pocket program. I expected a supportive environment but found a 12-week virtual “treatment”….
Recovery and Responsibility: How to Spot Genuine Support vs. Exploitative Nonprofits Reaching For Recovery does not solicit or accept donations. We are totally self-funded. However, the recovery community at large as well as many generous residents of Harford County want to support recovery in our community by opening not only their hearts, but their wallets…..
For many people living with an alcohol and/or substance use disorder, one of the hardest hurdles is simply walking through the door to their first 12-step meeting. It’s a moment that is filled with fear, uncertainty, and often a heavy does of self-doubt. While at the same time, providing a grain of hope. You may….
Is Anonymity Antiquated? When Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935, anonymity was more than a ‘Tradition’ – it was survival. Addiction was viewed as a moral failure, and those seeking help risked losing jobs, reputations, even family ties. By protecting identity, A.A. gave people a safe place to recover without fear of exposure. Nearly a….
I am a person in long term recovery. I’ve shown up for my life every day, doing the work, staying accountable, and growing — through the good and the painful. But recently, I was reminded that not everyone sees recovery the way I do. After a serious car accident, I found myself struggling mentally and….
What Recovery Treatment Can––and Should––Look Like All of us in recovery went through some kind of treatment. Whether that was a 28-day program at a residential treatment center, an intensive outpatient program (IOP), a brief but necessary detox stay, or simply made the decision to walk into a 12-step meeting and never look back––our paths….
A Message about Stigma Harford County Council President Vincenti Statement on Recovery A community is only as strong as its most vulnerable members. We are very fortunate in Harford County to have so many organizations and individuals that support and advocate for our recovery community. Unfortunately, addiction knows no boundaries….each of us know friends, family….
Addiction has been a constant shadow in my life. Not because I struggled with it directly, but because I was born into it—raised by two parents whose battles with addiction shaped my childhood and forever marked my perspective on life, love, and resilience.I’ve seen both sides of the coin. On one side is my mother:….
I lost custody of my son during a time in my life when I was in active addiction. It was a dark and painful period, and the consequences were heavy—not just for me, but for my son and our family. Once I got into treatment and started rebuilding my life, I immediately began fighting to….
Nineteen years ago, I was living in a homeless shelter in Baltimore City. I was just beginning my recovery from a substance use disorder – heroin. Shortly thereafter, I entered The Mann House in Bel Air. After leaving The Mann House, I rented a room in a couple’s home in Forest Hill and was pouring….
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