Fourteen years of drug use had turned Healer’s world inside-out. She’d gone through a divorce, and Child Protective Services was threatening to take her children. An intensive outpatient program was offered as a way for her to keep her kids, and a counselor there delivered some tough love—get serious about recovery, or the counselor would move on to someone who intended to do the work. In 2015, Healer decided it was time.
Three years ago, Healer was introduced to the Connections app while working as a peer support specialist for a health insurance company. As she educated others about the app’s benefits, she realized it could help her too, so she started using it herself. “At first, I was really hesitant, but over time, people on the app have become friends and part of my support system. Connections keeps me more engaged, supported, and positive.”
Shortly after, she lost her job and her father, which, in the past, might have put her on a bad path. Instead, she turned to the Connections recovery support community and stayed strong. “I know I have to work on my recovery every day,” she said.
Today, Healer remains actively engaged with her recovery, finding support, wisdom, and understanding through the Connections app. She understands that others might have reservations about using an app like Connections, but she hopes they will log in and look around. “You have nothing to lose from just checking it out!” she said. “Look at it. Just read. I know you’ll find stories you can relate to.”
Voices of Recovery shares authentic stories from individuals who use CHESS Health’s digital recovery solutions. Participants voluntarily share their recovery journey and how our digital support solutions have helped them throughout. All stories are published using aliases and with explicit permission from each individual, and participants choose their own images that either represent their story or resonate with them as part of their recovery journey.
