Published: Sep. 13, 2024 at 9:48 AM PDT
Watch the video on KKTV 11 News website.
KKTV News spoke with Steve Carleton from Porch Light Health about the many different ways to achieve recovery from mental health and substance use challenges, as well as understanding harm reduction and what it means for loved ones struggling with addiction.
KKTV 11 News
You’re watching KKTV 11 News. Welcome back. We’re touching on an important topic that I’m hoping a lot of you at home are going to pay attention to right now. I’m joined by Steve Carleton. He’s the Chief Clinical Officer for Porch Light Health. Steve, we talk with you a lot on kktv.com, but it is National Recovery Month. It should be spotlighted year round, but let our viewers know, what do they need to know about recovery in general?
Steve Carleton
Yeah, thanks for covering this topic. Recovery, what we’re talking about when When we talk about recovery in this setting is mental health and substance use. And similar to any other chronic disease, any other chronic health issue, what we’re really trying to highlight is that people are successful in recovering from mental health and substance use. Stigma is really what keeps those success stories low. We’re trying to highlight people’s success in this space and improving their lives.
KKTV 11 News
It’s no secret, major fentanyl issue across our country. Here in Colorado. On top of that, alcohol, also an issue for a lot of families out there. But I want to explain that when it comes to recovery, there isn’t one package that fixes everybody. Every individual person probably needs some type of plan to help them through that.
Steve Carleton
That’s exactly right. It’s not a one size fits all. Recovery comes in all shapes and sizes. When we think about recovery, we’re talking about what are people trying to get back? When we think about helping people with this problem, you don’t You don’t want to stay too focused on the problem. What you want to do is focus on what is it that you want to get back? What is it that you want to gain out of this process?
KKTV 11 News
Now, I speak for a lot of my family members, I think personal relationships for a lot of people. You want to get back those friends, those family members. Let’s talk about harm reduction, though. You’ve probably seen it online, but maybe you don’t fully understand what is harm reduction. Yeah.
Steve Carleton
So harm reduction is a term that it’s basically, can we just reduce the harm caused by a mental health struggle or a substance use issue? That’s simple. I think what a lot of people need to understand at home is when we think about harm reduction, it doesn’t always involve a complete abstinence from every mind-altering substance. What does it look like to reduce use in a way that can improve your life. For families at home, can they get to a place where they understand that acceptance of somebody’s goals around this isn’t endorsement. You don’t necessarily really have to agree with what their goals are to be supportive of them.
KKTV 11 News
It’s easier said than done. I’m sure a lot of people watching right now, either yourself or a loved one, trying to go through the recovery process. It is baby steps. What’s your message? Taking that first step, what should that first step be?
Steve Carleton
Yeah, the first step should always be having compassion for people with this problem. People don’t end up here on purpose. People don’t end up with a significant substance use disorder, a severe mental health disorder to make other people’s lives difficult. If you can understand how did a person get to that place where they’re struggling that much, where they’re having that hard a time, that helps you be more compassionate.
KKTV 11 News
That’s a really great insight. Now, There’s one number I always like to share because it’s easy to remember, 988. If you are struggling with substance abuse, this isn’t just for mental health. Substance abuse, too, call 988. But a reminder, too, if you want some more local resources, Steve’s organization, I’ve got We have the details up on your screen right now. There’s a phone number there. There’s also a website. I’m going to have this info on our website, kktv.com, under our Find It tab. Before we go, Steve, any final messages to our viewers?
Steve Carleton
We have a new program, the Drinking Less Project. If you are just interested in coming on and exploring your relationship with alcohol, but not necessarily interested in abstinence, you can come in and do four brief sessions with a therapist and explore that problem as well.
KKTV 11 News
There you have it, Steve. Thank you again so much. My pleasure. Spread this information with your loved ones. Get it out there because there’s a lot of folks who I’m sure want to take part in Recovery Month. We’ll be right back with your full forecast after the break.
