Embracing compassion in the face of addiction.
Timothy is grateful. Recovery has taught him that. The clothes on his back, having a place to live, the compassion he’s been shown—he doesn't take any of it granted. “There’s always something to be grateful for,” he says.
Tim’s mom held negative attitudes toward him and his substance use disorder (SUD). It made her feel ashamed, and her shame caused her to say hurtful things to him. Timothy didn't just feel the shame from others—he felt ashamed of himself, too. As the oldest child and only son in his family, he felt like a disappointment for being a person with SUD, even though it’s a medical condition.
Looking back, Timothy remembers the people in his life who helped him get the help he needed for his SUD—people at church, his pastor, his mom. His aunt, in particular, made a real impact on him. “She didn’t treat me the same,” he says. “She was more loving and caring.”
She didn’t judge him. She offered him compassion. “When I did become ready, she was the first person I called,” he says. She supported him while he was in active addiction and throughout his treatment. Her actions show what’s possible when we treat our loved ones with SUD with compassion instead of judgment.
Today Tim has found friendship in his community—he goes to meetings every week—and he’s found people to talk to. He also goes because he knows he can help others. In every neighborhood in Georgia, people like Timothy are making connections and lending a hand. It’s part of his healing, and it’s part of our hope.