Dear Savannah Faith Leaders,

If you are not a faith leader, you are probably in the helping professions and you have asked to be included in this mailing. Welcome!

IN THIS ISSUE:

*  A new feature: The Stat Box
*  Recap and photos from September 15th event
*  What happens in the body when a person quits drinking?
*  “I’m Not Like You” …or ” Think Again”
*  The Effect of addiction on children and families
*  Cartoon
 
Content Editors: Carol  Pine, Ardra Hartz
Editor, Layout and Design: Ardra Hartz

The following STATS are from the Shatterproof  website, which is dedicated to “dismantling the discrimination and judgment associated with this devastating disease.” Shatterproof was built by a father who lost a son after a ten-year battle with addiction.In his words: ” Brian died of a disease that afflicts nearly 49 million Americans every day plus the tens of millions of family members that love them so dearly. That’s one quarter of American families.”

Stigma is the missing piece in our nation’s response to the addiction crisis. Shatterproof co-developed the Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index (SASI) with researchers at Indiana University in 2021 to better understand the public’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding SUD.(Substance Use Disorder)

Here are four key findings:

74.1%    of the public doesn’t believe that a person with   
            SUD is experiencing a chronic medical illness — like
            diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease.
64.8%   Of respondents indicated that they would not want
            someone with Substance Use Disorder marrying 
            into their family.
51.5%   Of respondents believe that SUD is caused by bad
            character.
43.0%    Of respondents believe that MOUD use
            (Medications for Opiod Use Disorder)  is
             substituting one drug addiction for another,
             showing lack of understanding of what these
             medications actually do.
 
SOURCE: www.Shatterproof.org

The other morning, I went out with my husband and noticed a man sitting on the curb of a grocery store parking lot that was recently re-paved. The Tennessee heat, mixed with fresh asphalt, emitted a toxic smell. I tried not to breathe deeply.

The man on the curb had a white grisly beard and his face was burnt orange from the sun. He sat, unshaded, with the sun beating down. No water nearby. No belongings. No friends. An oversized t-shirt drenched in sweat.

What struck me about this man is that he was the same man that my kids and I drove by on another day a couple of days before, sitting on a different curb with the same muddy, torn jeans, the same grey t-shirt, the same almost smile.

“Does that man need help?” my daughter, Violet, had asked.

I thought for a minute. We were running late, had about 20 minutes to eat dinner and then run back out for extracurriculars. The man looked okay, I told myself. He looked content sitting there, didn’t have a sign asking for help. We didn’t have time anyways. What would we do, stop traffic and get out? Give him what?

“He looks like he is doing okay,” I said continuing to drive, looking his way. We passed and he continued to smile.

Was he really okay? I didn’t have time to think about it.
Yet, here he was again. Sitting there.

My husband and I went to get our expensive coffees and moved from the air-conditioned electric car to the air-conditioned coffee shop. We sat and sipped and I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I turned to Matt.

“Honey, there is a man outside…”

           +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     

My husband looked at me the way he usually does when I’m about to do something he thinks may be questionable. Like the way he looked at me when I wanted to open a recovery house (again) or when I asked if we could bring the unattended children from the park home. This may be illegal, he informed me.

I’m not going to share what happens next in this story because I believe that the best, most true, most impactful actions we can take for the kingdom of God are not those done in the open for all to see. They are the secret, quiet, unseen actions that bring no attention, praise, or acclaim. They do not require marketing strategies or social media posts or even books to put them on blast.  

What makes us distinctly human, and I believe distinctly flawed, is our uncanny ability to walk into a room—or walk into a parking lot—and immediately start creating walls. Saying: “I am not like you and here is why.”

We construct barriers around ourselves and the “other” to separate ourselves from not being what they are, whether that person is an alcoholic or addict, divorced, promiscuous, a gambler, an over-eater, gossip, or a disheveled man sitting on the curb.

Why do we do this? What I am is not what you are and that makes me better, smarter, more successful” –this may be our inner running monologue even if we do not hear it with our ears. Our heart knows it may be playing on repeat.

Many of us also know what it feels like to be sitting on the other side of the sentiment. Hearing all around us: “You are not like me.”

How often have we been on the other side of the glare where we are sized up? Made to feel different? With no other options than to sit on our literal or figurative curbs? For those of us in addiction recovery, how often have we encountered stigma? Judgment instead of grace? 

I see this every Wednesday and every Sunday when I go to our church.
 
Wednesday is the night for recovery when folks from local treatment centers and recovery homes come to hear a message of hope from a person in recovery. I usually wear a ball cap and my holey jeans and a t-shirt and bring my seltzer water. Rarely do I leave without tearing up from hearing a mighty movement of God. I always feel welcome and a part of. I always feel accepted. Myself.
 
Sunday is the day when we dress up and I wear eyeliner and we sing, surrounded by folks who are usually dressed up, too. If we are in jeans, they’ve been washed or are appropriately of the dark denim variety. Sometimes I cry, moved by the sermon or worship. Sometimes I feel what I like to call the Holy Spirit move through the room. Usually, I learn something new. But, most times I look around wondering where the people from Wednesday nights are.
 
When trauma symptoms or untreated addiction or mental health challenges control our lives, we may live differently. When we believe we are the “other” and are treated differently, we may act differently, too. Yet, this different is not that different after all.

As a dear friend said to me while sitting down for a cup of coffee: 
When we are made to feel like the place for us is over there, not in here; when we have a seat in the parking lot, but not at the table; when we are led to feel separate from and not a part of, I believe we are doing incredible harm not only to ourselves but to our communities.

The truth is when we tell ourselves: “I am not like you” it is a lie.

We are all living, breathing, struggling, human beings that have stories to share with each other that will help to heal and transform the world.Another lie I think we might need to wrestle with:

“Recovery is for them. Not for me.” 
Recovery is for everyone.

One in four children under 18 in the United States are touched by the adverse effects of a parent abusing alcohol or drugs. More than 46 million people suffer from a substance use disorder and many of them are parents.

NACoA has been the voice of these children for more than 30 years. Their staff is fueled by a deep and abiding passion to break the silence for millions of families entrapped by the “no talk” rule. “We do this work,” Ms. Bertin-Epp says, “to ensure that families can find their own voice and, by sharing their experiences, find the hope and healing they deserve.”

NACoA is the only national organization in America focused on children affected by family addiction. NACoA offers training and programs including webinars, online courses and community-based group support. Our young nonprofit hopes to bring programming to our faith communities in Savannah.

SOME PHOTOS TAKEN AT THIS EVENT CAN BE SEEN BELOW: 

            FROM www.sciencefocus.com

BBC SCIENCE FOCUS MAGAZINE 

By Dr. Nish Manek      Published: October 2, 2023
Dr. Nish Manek is a GP in London. She completed her medical degree at Imperial College and was runner-up in the University of London Gold Medal. Manek has also developed teaching courses for Oxford Medical School, and has penned articles for The Guardian and Pulse magazine

Embarking on a journey of sobriety can have profound effects on your body, leading to positive changes over days, weeks, months, and years.
Let’s explore this transformative process and its impact on your health in the immediate and longer term.
The first days
Within the first few days of giving up alcohol, your body should begin to respond positively. Alcohol’s dehydrating effect starts to reverse, leading to improved hydration levels. This can result in clearer skin and enhanced energy levels.
Moreover, your liver, which bears the brunt of alcohol metabolism, gets a respite, allowing it to focus on detoxification and repair.
As alcohol exits your system, your sleep quality may improve, leading to more restful nights. If you’ve been a regular drinker, you might also experience temporary acute withdrawal symptoms in the early days – if these are more severe or you struggle to cope, it is important to seek help.
The first weeks
As you progress into the weeks of sobriety, the benefits become more evident. The immune system, which alcohol can suppress, starts to regain strength so your body is better at fighting infections.
Mentally, you’ll likely experience enhanced clarity and concentration as the fog of alcohol’s impact on the brain lifts. Whilst withdrawal symptoms such as cravings and lethargy can last a couple of weeks, they begin to fade considerably by this point
The first months
Moving into months of sobriety, your body’s healing journey gains momentum. The liver, a remarkable organ with regenerative abilities, shows significant improvement in function. Liver enzymes normalize, reducing the risk of conditions like fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.
With the absence of alcohol’s empty calories, it’s possible that weight loss becomes more achievable. Additionally, your cardiovascular system benefits, as blood pressure stabilizes, and the risk of heart-related issues decreases.
Many sober people say they experience a boost in self-esteem, and improved mental clarity. Sleep patterns stabilize resulting in more consistent and restorative sleep, which alone can have a significant impact on our long-term health.
The positive effects of sobriety extend beyond the physical realm: relationships often improve as communication and trust are restored. It’s important to emphasise that going sober is not likely to be a smooth trajectory.
Almost everyone will have moments of feeling worse before they feel better, experiencing a sense of being stuck or of relapsing either emotionally or physically. It is so important to get the right support around you – if you can do it, the benefits to your physical and emotional wellbeing can be huge.
Getting sober can also help individuals to regulate their emotions more effectively a few months down the line.
The first years
Years of sobriety bring about remarkable changes to your overall health and well-being. The reduced risk of chronic conditions such as liver diseases, pancreatitis, and certain cancers becomes more pronounced.
Cognitive function continues to improve, with memory and mental agility showing signs of recovery. Long-term emotional well-being often receives a boost as well, as anxiety and depression symptoms diminish, and sexual function may also improve.