Christine Gyftakis changed her career path to be an addiction counselor after losing her son to a fentanyl overdose.
“To me, it’s really about making sure that people realize that they’re a person,” Gyftakis said. “They’re not defined by this; this is a disease of the brain and mental. And to educate people, because a lot of people just don’t know or they’re afraid.”
September is National Recovery Month.
National Recovery Month kicks off after Overdose Awareness Day which is on Aug. 31. The month gives recovery centers a platform to bring awareness to substance use disorders and the stigma surrounding them to help get resources out to folks.
BrightView Health, an outpatient treatment facility, took a trip to Frankfort this month to advocate for recovery centers. They heard from people who were in active recovery, shared resources with other providers and heard from lawmakers.
BrightView’s Public Relations Manager David McDonald said there were lawmakers both Democrat and Republican, showing that they were working together on the issue.
“It’s now a topic that we hear out a lot more about and recognizing addiction as a disease, not a person who does drugs or anything like that, but it just gives a specific platform to recognize the need for all kinds of addiction services and mental health services,” McDonald said.
During the trip to Frankfort, Gov. Andy Beshear signed three bills into law on Sept. 16. which helps with boosting the quality of recovery care, including improvements to housing and transportation.
He also announced that four more counties were added to Kentucky’s list of recovery-ready counties. There are currently 18 recovery-ready counties out of 120 in the state, including Boone, Kenton and Campbell. McDonald said the recovery-ready status means the counties have the resources available to help someone with a substance use disorder immediately.
Data that the NKY Drug Strike Force collected showed that fentanyl was the most-seized drug in 2023 in the three Northern Kentucky counties, followed by methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine.
Gyftakis said her son asked for cocaine and instead got fentanyl and died from it.
“I’ve learned most from my patients and listening to them,” Gyftakis said. “One of the things that they have told me is that you as a person who doesn’t do substance use, can’t possibly understand.”
McDonald said BrightView Health brings awareness to substance use disorders throughout the entire year, but September especially gives them a platform to show people that everyone is touched by substance use disorders, and it’s going to take everyone coming together to help the problem.
“Drugs are getting worse, there’s no such thing as a pure drug anymore, so unfortunately, if we don’t get things like Narcan or the fentanyl test strips out there as a regular thing—if someone is carrying around Narcan you can help save a life, whether you know that or not,” McDonald said.
He said it’s not just about understanding that something is bad, once someone is addicted to a drug, they no longer have control of that desire. It becomes a mental disease.
Gyftakis said people with substance use disorders are never 100% cured, it’s something they must deal with daily.
“But, if you help them to believe in themselves, and you give them the tools to deal with their issues of emotions or whatever it might be and allow them to know that they’re a person and they can do things to cope with whatever they’re dealing with, or what triggers them,” she said. “Just acknowledging we’re all human beings.”
Director of NKY Office of Drug Control Policy Amanda Peters said stigma is the region’s biggest barrier for individuals seeking treatment and recovery.
“National Recovery Month awareness is important because we, as a community, can direct our focus on the resources available to individuals and families suffering from substance use and co-occurring disorders,” Peters said. “Celebrating recovery saves lives. We need everyone to know that treatment is effective, and recovery is possible. This journey can start today, NKY is ready to support those embarking on this journey.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance use disorder, you can contact BrightView Health at 888-502-4571 or go to BrightViewhealth.com. Or contact the NKY Office of Drug Control Policy’s helpline at 859-415-9280.
