PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) – Marietta native Shawn Bowman mentioned he’s been surrounded by crime and medicines for his entire existence.
“That’s all I ever knew, you know?” Bowman reported. “I didn’t comprehend recovery. There was normally this one issue that was missing for me. I could under no circumstances uncover out why I was distinct from absolutely everyone else. And then that’s just form of where by I fell in. That is where I located my ease and comfort at. And I just took the effortless way.”
It wasn’t prolonged in advance of he commenced employing medicines and promoting them to assist his own habit. In 2021, Shawn was arrested and charged with possession with intent to produce.
“I was so worried, actually,” Shawn stated about his knowledge getting arrested. “I mean, it was my 1st time heading to jail. Currently being in jail alone wasn’t really where by the dread was, it was, like, the not understanding.”
Two years afterwards, Shawn is sober and on probation. He’s doing work as a behavioral well being technician at the Clean and Distinct Restoration Benefit Recovery middle in Parkersburg to support those who still wrestle with habit. “I get to aid people today proper on the entrance lines,” Shawn mentioned of his operate at Clean and Very clear. “I’m proper there. As before long as they occur out of jail, or as before long as they walk in the doorway for cure, I’m proper there. And it gives me a chance to actually use my expertise that I have had and convert a large amount of discomfort into intent.”
Shawn reported his journey toward recovery started off when he acquired arrested, and that he would not be the place he is these days without the Parkersburg Drug Court. “I recognized that there is a great deal of people in this group that want to support men and women, and that’s truly terrific,” Shawn stated. “I’m truly blessed to be aspect of the Wooden County Drug Courtroom. The reality that I obtained arrested in Parkersburg is a blessing from God. For the reason that if I was arrested in a whole lot of other spots I would’ve went to jail there would’ve been no alternative sentencing. The simple fact that we have that here in this group and there are people who guidance that? It is amazing.”
Shawn said he ultimately wishes to pursue do the job as a therapist. “Mental wellness truly is the precursor to addiction,” he mentioned. Like, let’s get down to it. We are living in a local community in which positions are scarce, and that can be depressing for people. And I think that if we definitely get down to wherever it all commences, I consider which is how we’re going to make the adjust.”
Shawn explained that if there is one concept he’d want to share with people who are currently having difficulties with dependancy, it’s not to get rid of faith, and that aid is out there. “There are people in this article,” Shawn claimed. “We’re ready for you. We want to assistance you. And all you have to do is access out. And I know that me and numerous of my shut friends will do everything we can to assistance individuals like that.”
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