The Crisis -- Addiction Across America, Part 1

18 months ago, I wasn’t sure if I was going to live or die. But because I was able to access treatment for addiction, and now live in sustained recovery, I began a 2,500-mile trek to the Democratic National Convention on Saturday.  Along the way, I hope to shed light on America’s most urgent health crisis and inspire our policy leaders of both parties into action. I hope they’re listening.

I started my day early on Saturday at my sober living in Pasadena with a close group of my friends, all young people in recovery who organized their community, and made it possible for me to be elected delegate to the DNC and be a voice for recovery.  I couldn’t help but look around the room at their faces and think “what if”? What if one of them relapses? What if one of them dies? This has been an all too familiar experience for me this past year.  Four of my close friends became statistics to addiction, which has now reached crisis-proportions.  And if the statistics hold true, only 1 in 10 of my friends will be able to access treatment if and when they really need it – leaving 90% to fall through the system, with a possibility that more could die while in the process of seeking help.