Anyone can suffer from drug addiction, as evidenced by Safford, Arizona City Council Member Chris Taylor. Taylor is a combat veteran, a father of two, and an accomplished politician who was running for US Congress in Arizona. He suspended his campaign on Monday after a relapse and drug overdose.
In a statement, Taylor said:
“Today, I have suspended my campaign for the US House of Representatives and am seeking treatment for substance abuse disorder… I don’t know what went wrong. I recently relapsed after having so many solid years in sobriety.”
Taylor also stated:
“I’m not going to hide from this. I’m not ashamed of what happened. I wish to sincerely apologize to the amazing people who have supported me… I have to figure out where I went wrong.”
Taylor’s brave words bring us to the next lesson we can learn from his story:
You should not be ashamed to seek treatment.
The politician’s humility and willingness to change should be inspiring for anyone struggling with drug addiction. Throughout his campaign, Taylor has been open about his past addiction to drugs, acknowledging that he self-medicated with opioids after 2 combat tours in Afghanistan left him with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“The horrors I witnessed on the battlefield came home with me,” says Taylor in his earnest congressional campaign video.
Much of Taylor’s campaign was dedicated to combating the opioid crisis and helping veterans and other individuals recover from drug addiction. He founded the Desert Eagle Addiction Recovery nonprofit to help his community cope with the debilitating disease.
Get Help Today
Like Taylor, we understand that addiction can stem from various sources. That’s why our team at Decision Point Center offers a variety of therapies and programs. Whether you are recovering from trauma, a breakdown of communication within your family, or another root cause, we can help you get to the bottom of your addiction and recover.
To take your first steps towards getting better, call us at (844) 292-5010 or contact our facility online.
Remember, addiction can happen to anyone. You have nothing to be ashamed of.