SAFE GC Coalition: Educating the Community on Opioid Addiction

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition’s “Keeping Glen Cove SAFE” opioid awareness campaign continued its prevention efforts to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences with a poignant story of opioid addiction, its negative effects and the long road to recovery. Mr. Kevin Atler, addiction recovery speaker, presented his story at Iglesia Ciudad de Refugio on May 13th. Mr. Alter is the creator of the blog ‘The Addicts Diary’ and a native Long Islander.

Mr. Alter’s addiction began in the beginning of High School, starting with daily use of marijuana and rapidly progressing to Xanax then cocaine. It was cocaine use that subsequently sabotaged an academic scholarship to SUNY Maritime College. After losing his scholarship and leaving home once again, Mr. Alter was introduced to heroin- initially snorting and then shooting the drug. This took him on an 11-year journey of addiction and despair.

Mr. Atler began to write his own life story in a notebook that was given to him by his therapist during his recovery. He often shared his thoughts with others in his support group. Mr. Alter stated that publicly speaking about his journey not only helps others but aids in his own recovery.

“Addiction is kind of like a storm – when it is raining and the roof starts to leak and people run and go to grab buckets to quickly try to fix it and just patch it up but when another storm comes the roof starts to leak again and until someone gets on that roof and really starts to peel it off and repair it – that’s when the leak will stop.” He ended the presentation by stating “You don’t know what will happen if you are clean” and reflected on how he wouldn’t be here right now if it was not for his friend who helped him and the tough love he received from his family

Many questions were asked and the attendees had a better understanding of opioid addiction. Mr. Atler listened to their personal experiences and the sorrow of losing an addicted family member and how other family members were impacted, and success stories of overcoming addiction after many years, and the healing the family goes through.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is continuing the fight against the opioid epidemic by conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencove or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.