‘Addiction is family disease,’ survivor warns during National Recovery Month

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - September is National Recovery Month and substance abuse can take a horrible toll not only on addicts, but on their families. Two people in recovery shared their stories us in hopes of protecting others from the same troubles.

“Addiction is a family disease,” said Daryl Lynn Scott, “and anyone the addict touches, the disease will touch too.”

Scott has been in recovery for years, but she knows how life altering alcohol and drugs can be.

She lost her kids, job, home and car as she struggled with alcohol and cocaine. Scott’s mother brought her from Chicago to Texas to get treatment and she’s been sober since 2009.

Crystal Moore, said for her it was pain pills, and she almost lost her daughter and her freedom.

She’s been in recovery since 2017, and they’ve both dedicated their lives to helping other people.

They work at Promises Behavioral Health, which has several locations in Texas, helping others fight their addictions and stay sober.

One of the most important aspects of recovery is support. And both of them say their lives have been completely turned around because they got help.

“My relationships have blossomed in recovery, and they are part of my recovery,” Scott told us.

Experts say being alone and distancing amid the pandemic could trigger a relapse.

But Promises and other treatment centers have provided online and virtual resources for those in recovery.

And they know isolation could cause people to develop addictions too.

But the first step is to spot it.

“If you drink more days out of the week than not and you know deep down,” Moore said, “if you have that gut feeling that you need a drink, there’s probably something going on that you need to address.”

If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA at (800) 662-4357.

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