In this compelling Episode 3 of "Roads to Recovery," host Jim Russell introduces listeners to Wendy, a woman who has spent over three decades in recovery after a long battle with substance use disorder. Through candid interviews with both Wendy and her mother, the episode explores the deeply personal and often painful realities of substance use disorder, including the impact of parental absence and the struggle for self-worth.

Wendy shares her journey from a childhood shaped by her mother's resilience and her father's absence to a turbulent adolescence marked by early substance use and the search for belonging. Listeners hear about her descent into substance use disorder, from smoking and drinking as a teenager to later struggling with crack cocaine and heroin. Wendy offers honest reflections on her lowest points, including homelessness, losing family heirlooms to pay for drugs, and the overwhelming shame and isolation that followed.

Her mother’s perspective adds emotional depth, revealing the pain and confusion of watching a loved one struggle, and the misconceptions many family members face about substance use disorder. This story illustrates the ripple effects of substance use disorder on families and the importance of understanding, compassion, and support.

Wendy’s turning point comes with the realization that she can’t recover alone. Embracing support from treatment programs, her church community, and a renewed sense of faith, she begins to rebuild her life. The episode highlights the concept of a "warm handoff"—the community’s collaborative approach to helping individuals access the resources they need. Wendy’s story is ultimately one of hope, demonstrating that recovery is possible with persistence, support, and the willingness to seek help.

No two recovery journeys are the same, but help and hope are always within reach. You can find your Road to Recovery.

Jim Russell and other community members explain the difference between substance use, abuse, and substance use disorder, which is a progressive dependence that can develop from alcohol, marijuana, prescription pills, or street drugs.

The episode breaks down the six-phase cycle:

• Initial use (often tied to trauma, pain, peer pressure, or curiosity)

• Misuse & experimentation

• Tolerance (needing more to feel the same)

• Dependence (needing it to feel normal)

• Addiction (the substance controls everything)

• Relapse (repeated attempts to quit, followed by returning to use)

Local first responders share the real-world consequences, including overdoses, wrecked cars, meth-lab fires, and overdose deaths. Personal recovery stories from Vermilion County illustrate how addiction started young, escalated quickly, destroyed families and health, and felt impossible to escape.

The cycle can be broken. Recovery looks different for everyone, but it is possible right here in Vermilion County. If you’re caught in this, reach out for help. There is hope, and you’re not alone.

Roads to Recovery Introduction

Jim Russell welcomes viewers to the “Roads to Recovery” video series, a community effort to encourage people struggling with substance use disorder to seek help and to reduce overdoses and ER visits in Vermilion County.

The series features real individuals sharing their personal stories of addiction, often triggered by childhood trauma, pain, peer pressure, or untreated mental health issues, along with the challenges, relapses, and victories they’ve experienced on their unique paths to recovery.

Things to remember:
- No two recovery journeys are the same
- Different treatments and supports work for different people
- Relapse is common but doesn’t mean failure
- With the right help, lasting recovery is possible.

If you’re struggling with Substance Use Disorder, there is hope. Recovery is possible. You're not alone.

This series is sponsored by the Vermilion County ROSC.