Introducing Roads to Recovery with Jim Russell | Vermilion County ROSC

Roads to Recovery Introduction

Jim Russell welcomes viewers to the “Roads to Recovery” video series, a community effort to encourage people struggling with substance use disorder to seek help and to reduce overdoses and ER visits in Vermilion County.

The series features real individuals sharing their personal stories of addiction, often triggered by childhood trauma, pain, peer pressure, or untreated mental health issues, along with the challenges, relapses, and victories they’ve experienced on their unique paths to recovery.

Things to remember: 
 - No two recovery journeys are the same
 - Different treatments and supports work for different people
 - Relapse is common but doesn’t mean failure
 - With the right help, lasting recovery is possible.

If you’re struggling with Substance Use Disorder, there is hope. Recovery is possible. You're not alone.

This series is sponsored by the Vermilion County ROSC.

Transcript

Intro: 0:01

It's a true story. My negative choices started really, really young. I didn't have any friends that were sober. I didn't wake up one day and say, hey, I think I'm gonna be a drug addict today. I didn't want to feel the pain I was feeling anymore. Immediately. I'm not in control. It's never enough. He's like, here, try this. I almost lost my life. That is my main motivator. I don't want to go through this now. We do recover in Vermont County, but nobody can tell me any different.

Disclaimer: 0:30

Viewer discretion is advised. The content in this video addresses sensitive topics related to drugs and alcohol and may not be suitable for all audiences. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered as personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional or a substance use disorder specialist for personalized guidance. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals presenting them and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Vermilion County Public Health or the Vermilion County Mental Health 708 Board.

Jim Russell: 1:06

Hi, my name is Jim Russell, and I want to welcome you to Roads to Recovery. We are producing this video series to encourage people who are dealing with substance use disorder to get help. We want to see the number of people who are dealing with substance use disorder reduced. We want to see the number of people who are visiting emergency rooms because of substance use disorder reduced. We want to see the number of overdose fatalities in Vermine County reduced.

Jim Russell: 1:42

Through this video series, you're going to be introduced to some people who are on their own personal roads to recovery. We're going to see some of their individual stories, some of the challenges that they face, some of the disappointments, but also some of the victories. We'll talk to some people who have gotten into substance use disorder as a result of suffering childhood trauma or abuse. Others who've gone through other traumatic events in their lives that resulted in them turning to a substance to try to help with that situation. Others started using some type of substance in order to fit in and just be a part of the group.

Jim Russell: 2:24

Everybody's road to recovery is different. None is exactly alike. For some people, one particular approach to treatment works. For others, it's a different approach. For some people, support groups are really helpful. For others, it really doesn't do any good at all. And it it doesn't matter which road you follow, as long as you get on a road that leads to ultimate recovery. Recovery is possible. It can be a long and difficult road. It can have its challenges. It can have its potholes and roadblocks from time to time. But recovery is possible.

Jim Russell: 3:01

Funding for this effort came from two different government sources, the City of Danville and Vermont County Board. Both of those government entities recognize that the challenge that we're facing in Vermont County due to substance use disorder and the overdose fatalities that are happening in our communities. And we put together a ROSC, which is a recovery-oriented system of care council, to try to provide the supports that people who are in recovery need. It's not just treatment that someone needs for their substance use disorder, but in some cases they need education and training. They need good jobs, they need stable housing, they need the other supports that enable them to continue on that, on that road to recovery. And we want to try to point out some of those roads as well as we develop this series of videos.

Jim Russell: 4:01

So what happens when someone develops a substance use disorder? Of course, at first there's going to be exposure to that substance. Then their body adjusts to it and develops a tolerance. So it's necessary for that individual to use more and more of the substance to get the same level of temporary relief that they were getting before. And then they develop a dependence upon whatever that substance is. They get to the point where they have to have it. A lot of times when you're looking at substance use disorder, you can also see a dual diagnosis. For example, a person may have an undiagnosed mental health issue, a mental illness that's untreated, but they don't like the way it makes them feel. So they start looking around for something that makes them feel better. Relapse is almost always going to happen. And our response as friends and family to a relapse in a person's life will go a long way toward either helping that person or discouraging them on their own personal road to recovery. We're not responsible for the choices that they make, but we can certainly be supportive of them as they try to overcome the challenges and the struggles that they face.

Jim Russell: 5:16

One of the things that researchers are looking at is why are some people more susceptible to developing a substance use disorder than others? Not everybody who takes pain medication gets addicted to it. Not everybody who takes that first drink develops an alcohol dependence. Not everyone who uses that first recreational drug becomes dependent upon it. So why are there differences in people's response? We're not going to get into a lot of details of that in this series, but we're going to be talking to real people with real stories and real successes, real challenges, and in some cases disappointment, who are following their own individual roads to recovery. We want to thank the people who have decided to take part in this series. This effort could not have been done without their participation and their volunteering.

Jim Russell: 6:10

If you haven't found your particular road to recovery yet, please keep looking. Don't give up. Because it is possible to recover. It is possible to put the broken pieces of your life back together again. Recovery is possible, and recovery is possible for you.