Journalists love celebrity deaths… it gives an excuse to sound off about topics that aren’t often okayed by editors as column fodder.  Lately, everyone has been talking about Phillip Seymour Hoffman and that means, everyone has been talking, or not talking, about addiction.

I don’t know anything about Hoffman, heroin or addiction, to be honest.

I’m a little afraid of the jackal-like tendency of the media, and by that I mean anyone with a twitter feed, a blog, a column, or a news outlet, to jump in and yell loudly in order to fill the silence. (Sometimes, silence is what’s called for most.)

Or maybe, I’m a little afraid of the way headlines are written these days, in order to make you click.

But I read two pieces this week written by people in recovery, and they were sobering.

Regardless of how much time clean you have, relapsing is always as easy as moving your hand to your mouth. ~ Seth Mnookin, Slate

Chemical dependency does not change — have one and you might die — and recovery does not change — have none and you might live. Addicts live between those two poles, but the hole that they once tried to fill with chemicals always remains, pushed back on a daily basis. Addiction, whether you believe it is a disease or not, is a pirate, constantly on patrol and looking for a weakness so it can climb aboard. ~ David Carr, Medium

What this all means? I have no idea the strength, courage or resilience that sobriety demands of recovering addicts. Every single day. So here’s a shout out to those walking the red road.

If you need help, call:  604-698-5861 in Pemberton to connect with an addictions counselor, or call one of the numbers below.