Bryant came to Portland for help with recovery, but due to the easy access to drugs, he fell deeper into his addiction. A traumatic incident motivated him to seek treatment at Hooper Detoxification Stabilization Center (Hooper). Today, Bryant is taking the steps he needs for his recovery and has housing, health care and employment all in one place. This is his story — in his own words.
I’m from a little town called Portales, New Mexico on the West Texas border. It’s about 12,000 people. I grew up in the foster care system and got caught up in drugs. Where I’m from, they don’t have a lot of services for recovery. I needed a change and heard that Portland had resources for getting sober. But when I got here, access to drugs was easier, plus they were cheaper and more potent, so I ended up falling deeper into my addiction.
I was living in homeless shelters. I was just really desperate, missing home, tired of being an addict. I felt like giving up on life. One day, I was exhausted and walking downtown early in the morning. I remember thinking to myself, “I need a sign that my life is worth living.” And moments later, somebody fell out of a window and killed themselves feet in front of me. It was a God shot. I went from not wanting to live anymore, to not wanting to end up like that person. And the next day I got a referral to the Hooper Detox Center.
I was scared to go in because I was so used to fending for myself and not having any help. But, the staff who helped me detox were all amazing. They tried to make me comfortable and were very attentive to any need that I had. From day one to the day I left, everybody at Hooper Detox was fantastic.
Hooper was a stepping stone to getting into recovery programs. I was assigned a caseworker; Steve and he helped me figure out my next steps. It was weird letting people help me because I was a knucklehead my whole life and did things my way. But I promised myself I would take his advice. I told him that I was willing to do whatever it took to get sober.
Interacting with staff at CCC was comfortable for me because they have lived experience. And for me, talking to somebody who doesn’t know what I’ve been through is a waste of time. It’s like talking calculus to somebody who’s never done math. It just doesn’t make sense. So, finding people who can relate to things that I was going through is key. I definitely would not be where I’m at right now without them and they pointed me in the right direction for counseling and health services such as Hep C, dental and vision at Old Town Clinic very near to my housing.
Being able to focus on recovery was huge and not everybody makes it through. Midway through my recovery program, CCC helped me find housing and referred me to the Employment Access Center. I was assigned an Employment Specialist at the Employee Access Center who sat down with me to help me build a resume. Coming off the streets, applying for jobs was intimidating. But, everyone that I’ve worked with there is fantastic and I got the first job I applied for.
Back home in New Mexico, if you have any kind of record, the potential for getting a job is very low. But through the Employment Access Center, if you’re willing to give some effort, they’re literally willing to do anything they can to help you get back into the world and feel normal again. My ultimate career goal is to become a Certified Recovery Mentor. I really want to make an impact and pass it down for the people who helped me.
If I could travel back in time and talk to myself at my bedside when I first got into Hooper Detox, I would tell myself that, “It’s not as hard as you think it’s going to be. Just follow your heart and follow all the suggestions that you can take. And don’t be resistant. Just go with the flow. People are willing to kick doors open for you to help you.”
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