Substance use disorder is a devastating and complex disease, not only for the person experiencing it, but also for their families. Many people struggling with substance use carry deep shame, often asking themselves: Why can’t I stop? Why am I hurting the people I love? What’s wrong with me?

The disease can also span generations, shaping both family histories and futures. That’s the case for Jennifer Chase.

After the turmoil substances caused throughout her childhood, Chase was determined to take a different path. But a medical emergency altered the course of her life, and she developed an addiction of her own.

She eventually found recovery, but not before witnessing her son begin his own dangerous struggle with substances. In today's episode of Grieving Out Loud, Chase shares how she uses her lived experience, and the knowledge she has gained about substance use disorder, to help other families facing the same disease.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out the following:

A Childhood Shaped by Loss, a Life Reclaimed in Sobriety

‘The ugliest, biggest elephant in the room:’ Confronting addiction as a disease

‘I lost who I was.’ Emily’s Hope Treatment Scholarship gives mom second chance

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Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated.

They were...

• daughters
• sons
• mothers
• fathers
• friends
• wives
• husbands
• cousins
• boyfriends
• girlfriends.

They were More Than Just A Number.

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Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz