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Raleigh man describes recovering from fentanyl addiction

Fentanyl continues to be a huge problem in North Carolina. More than 3,000 people died from using the drug in 2021.
Posted 2023-04-17T17:28:14+00:00 - Updated 2023-04-17T17:33:50+00:00
Young man describes recovery from opioid addiction

Fentanyl continues to be a huge problem in North Carolina. More than 3,000 people died from using the drug in 2021.

The WRAL documentary "Crisis Next Door" shows that many people who died from illicit fentanyl didn’t know they're taking it. Others become addicted

Alex, who didn’t want to share his last name, told WRAL News he never thought he’d be sitting at Healing Transitions in Raleigh in an interview about life in recovery.

Alex began using fentanyl eight years ago. He said he lost jobs, was kicked out of rehabs and lost his family.

His rock bottom was when he was driving to pick up fentanyl from a drug dealer and got into a car wreck.

"I totaled my car, totaled the other [car] ... the other person's car was completely totaled," Alex described. "But my first instinct was not to call 9-1-1. It wasn't to check on the person that had hit me. It was to call my drug dealer to make sure that they could get to me before the cop showed up."

Alex's family persuaded him to try Healing Transitions.

"My mom's just crying and my wife is saying, you can get in the car and go to this place that we've found or you're on your own," he said.

Healing Transitions offers help to addicts and users through a long-term recovery program, non-medical detox and overnight emergency shelter.

It’s free, and people can go as many times as it takes. All the people who work there are also in recovery.

Alex has not used fentanyl in 17 months.

"So what gives me hope is ... the fact that I've seen it happen, not just in me, but that I've seen it with the guys that I also went through this program with," he said. "Multiple people that I call my friends today are also living sober lives."

People working in recovery said stories like Alex's need to be told.

Alex has since reconnected with his family and his wife.

He’s now working at New Waters Recovery, a new medical detox recovery program in Raleigh. He is also pursuing a CDAC (Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor) certification and hoping to return to graduate school next year for a masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

"I used to think that, you know, being sober and not using it was unfathomable, but what's unfathomable is the type of life that I have today," he said. "I thoroughly wake up and I'm happy."

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