Northwoods Recovery

Along with all other recovering drug addicts, I live with an incurable disease. Because we in recovery are only in remission from the disease of drug addiction, we are penalized, marginalized and kept under permanent legal and societal restrictions even after achieving long-term sobriety. Recovering addicts not only need to accept they will always struggle with this disease, but battle the stigma as well.  

Drug addiction is a disease for which there is no known cure. Though remission will occur with complete abstinence from any further substance abuse, this can be problematical because prolonged substance use creates an addictive personality that continues to fuel addictive thinking and behavior long after substance use has ceased, thus making the possibility of relapse an ongoing risk in every recovery. This admittedly challenging aspect of Substance Use Disorder is all the justification the uninformed need to stigmatize recovering drug addicts. 

The challenges to overcoming drug dependency are not made easier by widely accepted misperceptions that inflict this stigma, shaming recovering addicts; even those with years of sobriety. 

Since substance abuse and its resulting behavior is mostly illegal and judged immoral, recovering addicts are widely considered an ongoing menace; likely to engage in future criminal conduct. With no small difficulty we face this disease every day, and while doing so are told “Once an addict, always an addict” and so less than worthy of the respect afforded “normal” people.    

The annual whitetail deer hunt is a proud Northwoods family tradition. My son and grandson are avid sportsman and hunters, and wish I could join them in the hunt, but I cannot; my felony drug convictions preclude any firearm possession. 

Because 14 years ago I grew marijuana in my backyard, something that is currently legal in several states, I can never take part in our culture’s traditional fall hunt or hold public office. This officially approved and, in my view, completely unjustified stigma is a branding on display every November. 

Recovery from addiction begins when the burden of substance abuse becomes intolerable, and is a painstaking, lifelong continuing process. Recovering from the stigma that attaches to survivors of drug addiction is equally consuming. Understanding and accepting that the world didn’t change when we did is an important aspect of recovery, and that’s especially true regarding the stigma we must bear. In this, our only solace is our belief that, in spite of everything, we do recover.

Do you think you may have a problem with alcohol? Alcoholics Anonymous can help. Call the AA hotline at (715)360-4637 or visit www.northwoodsaa.org for questions or to find a meeting in your area.