In Their Own Words: Recovery Amidst the Covid Lockdowns

The main focus of this book is about connection amidst the COVID-19 lockdowns, as this author stayed open to provide in-person outpatient substance use disorder treatment, while almost all other agencies went to the telehealth format. Thirty people who attended that long-term program detail their experiences, and how important it was to them to be able to engage in face-to-face treatment. As the five year anniversary of COVID-19 is upon us, the treatment clients share how they were able to sustain their sobriety in the face of numerous stressors, including the pandemic. They talk about what they are doing now, and how that group was a springboard to their recovery. The author takes the reader into the trenches of treatment, including the vast changes that needed to be made to make the operation work. There were so many barriers and hurdles to work through to give people the opportunity to come and socialize and be in a group setting, at a time when people were told to stay home. The author talks about the carnage that COVID had on mental health and people with substance use disorders, through research studies and interviews. The last section of the book talks about the importance of self-care in the helping professions, including tips to stay balanced while dealing with the stressors of helping people with mental health and addiction diagnoses. Burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue are defined, with practical ways of avoiding them.