Addiction Recovery Weekly Roundup – May 2 Week

1.Covid-19 has streamlined addiction medicine. Will the changes stick?

Nicole Godinez’s monthly visit to an addiction clinic typically takes several hours: To start, there’s the 35-minute drive to a Nashville suburb, the waiting room, and the paperwork. Then the repetitive questioning from a drug counselor, then the drug test. (statnews.com)

2. The new campaign connects moms to treatment for addiction.

The Colorado Department of Human Services announced the launch of a new campaign tackling substance use among moms: “Tough as a Mother.”Campaign organizers hope to reduce stigma around addiction and encourage Colorado mothers with alcohol and drug use disorders to seek treatment in their communities. (csindy.com)

3. Melissa Etheridge’s son Beckett dies from opioid addiction at 21

Melissa Etheridge’s son Beckett Cypher died from opioid addiction Wednesday at 21. The singer confirmed the cause of death in a tweet Wednesday night.“Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction. My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today. He will be missed by those who loved him, his family, and his friends. My heart is broken.”(hastingstribune.com)

4.Dealing with addiction during the pandemic

Addiction is a disease of isolation. This is a common truth in the culture of recovery. So it is understandable that social distancing and isolation are run counter to most efforts of participating in a recovery community. “We have seen a lot of people struggling with increased use due to being isolated. In addition, there is a lack of accountability in some ways. (smokymountainnews.com)

5. Feds, West Virginia reach agreement on addiction recovery

West Virginia cannot bar people in addiction recovery programs from adopting children, according to an agreement announced Wednesday between federal civil rights officials and the state health department. (theridgefieldpress.com)