"Over 25 years ago, Bev unknowingly made a decision that would alter the course of her life-she tried taking Vicodin for a headache. With her family's history of addiction, most notably her father's severe alcoholism, she was vulnerable in ways she could not have imagined, and that one decision was a catalyst. "I felt like I had found the answer to all of my problems in that little pill, and my addiction took off immediately," she recounted."
"Her story is especially resonant now, during Overdose Prevention Week. Bev reminded me, an addiction scientist, that to find a way forward from the opioid overdose crisis, stories from the perspective of those with lived experience surviving a deadly addiction are as important as research. And her story was different. The role of forgiveness was strikingly thematic - both from her children and herself."
"Beverly Aikins shared her journey of recovery and redemption after a 15-year addiction to heroin. Medication for opioid addiction, coupled with family reconciliation and forgiveness, were both instrumental. Only 17% of people with opioid addiction receive evidence-based treatment, despite its effectiveness. Family therapy increases the likelihood of successful outcomes, but is underused today. In an exclusive interview airing on The Dr. Suzette Glasner Podcast on September 4th, JD Vance's mother, Bev Aikins-"
Bev Aikins experienced a 15-year heroin addiction that began after taking Vicodin and was amplified by a family history of substance use. Her addiction progressed from prescription opioids to heroin, costing her employment and destabilizing her life. Medication for opioid addiction and family reconciliation, including forgiveness from her children and herself, were pivotal to her recovery. Only 17% of people with opioid addiction receive evidence-based treatment, and family therapy, which improves outcomes, remains underused. Lived-experience stories and evidence-based care both play essential roles in addressing the opioid overdose crisis, especially during Overdose Prevention Week.
Read at Psychology Today
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