During this National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, MHAOhio aims to dispel stigma around substance use disorders through our work with Peer Recovery Supporters (PRS) – including trainings, support groups, and workforce development.
PRS are individuals who use their lived experience to help others on their path to recovery. Jessica Herwald has been a certified PRS for two years and is celebrating four years of sobriety. Through her journey, she’s learned that compassion is key to helping those struggling with addiction.
“Recovery looks very different for everybody,” Jessica explains. “People impose their moral beliefs onto those who use substances, but that’s so harmful because it’s not about right or wrong. It’s about showing that person love and compassion without judgment, regardless of what recovery looks like for them in that moment.”
Jessica now works with Netcare Access to help those who are in crisis related to substance use. She says the work feels like a calling, especially because her decision to become sober came out of a similar experience. She explains that she wasn’t able to find clarity and resolve on her own recovery journey until that moment when she finally had time and space to heal.
“I knew I was a drug addict and that I used substances in a really harmful way for a really long time,” she says. “The consequences were really severe, but that didn’t stop me from using. Then for the first time in a really long time, I had a chance to sit still in a safe place, get the stuff out of my body, and let my body and my brain heal.”
Jessica continues to utilize MHAOhio’s PRS services to further her education and skills. She loves seeing the PRS community grow and hopes that their collective work continues to reduce the stigma of addiction. “It’s a very unique opportunity to reach out to somebody in recovery and have the chance to possibly switch their trajectory,” she says. “It’s very rewarding.”
If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, please contact MHAOhio’s Get Connected program to learn more about treatment options that fit your needs. Additionally, if you’re interested in learning more about becoming a PRS like Jessica, please visit our website.
