Betty's Circle Outreach for Recovery and Harm Reduction

08/10/2025

August 10 – The Role of Peers

🌟 Theme: Help from those who’ve been there.
💜 Fact of the Day: Peer support specialists often have lived experience with substance use and recovery, making them uniquely trusted by the people they help.
📊 Stat: Peer recovery services reduce hospital readmissions by up to 40% and increase treatment retention.
🛠 Harm Reduction Tip: Connect with a peer — or become one. Shared experience is a bridge to trust.
💌 Love & Light Message: Sometimes the person who understands you best is the one who’s walked the same road.
📍 Resources:
National: Faces & Voices of Recovery –

Advocate. Act. Advance. Welcome, we are the nation's leading non-profit recovery advocacy organization. We walk side-by-side with recovery community

08/09/2025

August 9 – Safe Supply Saves Lives

🌟 Theme: Quality control for safety.
💜 Fact of the Day: A “safe supply” means legal, regulated access to drugs of known quality and strength, reducing overdose risk.
📊 Stat: Countries with safe supply programs (like Canada) report zero fatal overdoses from participants’ prescribed doses.
🛠 Harm Reduction Tip: Advocate for safe supply — it’s a proven prevention tool.
💌 Love & Light Message: People deserve to live long enough to recover — safe supply makes that possible.
📍 Resources:
National: Drug Policy Alliance –

The Drug Policy Alliance advocates that the regulation of drugs be grounded in evidence, health, equity, and human rights. Learn more.

08/08/2025

August 8 – Overdose Myths

🌟 Theme: Facts over fear.
💜 Fact of the Day: Giving someone naloxone does not encourage drug use — it encourages survival.
📊 Stat: In a survey of naloxone recipients, 90% reported using it to save someone else’s life, not themselves.
🛠 Harm Reduction Tip: Share accurate information. Myths can be deadly; facts save lives.
💌 Love & Light Message: The truth is powerful — and in your hands, it can save a life.
📍 Resources:

National: CDC Overdose Prevention –

Preventing drug overdose and reducing substance use-related harms is a CDC priority.

08/08/2025

The Dirty Facts About M**h Use

1. It hijacks your brain’s wiring – M**h floods your brain with dopamine, but it’s not a “little boost” — it’s a neutron bomb. Your brain can’t naturally make that much pleasure again without the drug, so life feels flat and miserable without it… at first.

2. It rots you from the inside out – Not just teeth (“m**h mouth”) but blood vessels, heart, skin, immune system, and even your bones take a hit.

3. It rewires your personality – Paranoia, aggression, impulsivity, and obsessive behaviors aren’t just “bad moods.” They’re your brain literally glitching.

4. Sleep becomes a joke – M**h rips away natural sleep patterns. Some people go days without closing their eyes, which fuels psychosis.

5. The crash is brutal – Depression, exhaustion, hunger, and suicidal thoughts are common in the first days off. This isn’t “weakness” — it’s your brain’s chemistry bottoming out.

6. S*x drive swings – Early on, m**h can make people hypersexual. Later, it can completely kill libido.

7. Paranoia doesn’t stop immediately – Even weeks or months clean, you might still feel watched, followed, or unsafe. That’s brain healing in slow motion.

8. It can break your teeth without sugar – M**h constricts blood flow to gums and jaw tissue. It’s like cutting off the plumbing to a house — everything crumbles.

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The Dirty Facts About Recovery

1. Early recovery is hell… but not forever – For m**h, it’s common to feel emotionally numb for months. This is called anhedonia — your brain relearning how to feel pleasure without the drug.

2. Cravings can hit years later – A random smell, song, or place can light up old brain pathways. That’s why “just one time” is a trap.

3. PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) is real – Fatigue, brain fog, irritability, and anxiety can linger for 6–24 months. The timeline isn’t fair, but it’s survivable.

4. Your memory takes time to rebuild – M**h damages hippocampal neurons. Forgetfulness and trouble learning new things are normal in recovery. They get better, but patience is key.

5. Support is oxygen – People who recover and stay recovered almost always have a network — meetings, therapy, support groups, mentors, or a “ride or die” person.

6. Relapse isn’t a death sentence – It’s a warning light on the dashboard, not the end of the road. The danger is shame, not just the drug itself.

7. Joy feels foreign at first – Real happiness without m**h might feel uncomfortable. Your brain has to practice feeling good without chemical help.

8. Recovery changes your face – Skin clears, eyes brighten, weight normalizes, and facial muscles relax. You literally look like a different person.

08/07/2025

✅ You can still call 988 in the U.S. — it's the official national Su***de & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential, and available 24/7 for everyone, including LGBTQ+ individuals.

🚨 The post going around is misleading. While it's true that some specific LGBTQ+ support lines lost federal funding, 988 is still very much available and trained to support all communities.

📞 Also helpful:
🏳️‍🌈 The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ youth
📱 Call: 1-866-488-7386 or Text: START to 678678
🌐 www.thetrevorproject.org

📞 The Canadian number shared (1-877-330-6366) does work, and it’s beautiful that our neighbors care — but you don’t need to call Canada to get help in the U.S.

💜 Kindness and empathy have no borders — but facts matter when it comes to getting people the right help. Share resources, not confusion.

The Trevor Project is a non-profit su***de prevention organization that provides 24/7 crisis support services, research, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ young people.

08/07/2025

August 7 – Recovery is a Spectrum

🌟 Theme: Every step counts.
💜 Fact of the Day: Recovery doesn’t always start with abstinence. Safety, stability, and connection often come first.
📊 Stat: People engaged in harm reduction services are 5x more likely to enter treatment than those without access.
🛠 Harm Reduction Tip: Celebrate small wins — fewer risks, more stability, healthier choices — they all matter.
💌 Love & Light Message: Progress is progress. One safer choice today can change the rest of your life.
📍 Resources:

Local: Betty’s Circle Outreach – Peer support & harm reduction

National: SAMHSA Helpline – 1-800-662-4357

08/07/2025

✨️ Thankful Thursday ✨️

Today, I’m reflecting on how far I’ve come — not because life is easy, but because I’m not the person I used to be.

I’m thankful for:
💜 A second chance to live, not just survive
💜 The people who stood beside me when I was figuring it all out
💜 The strength I found in recovery and the courage to speak out
💜 The growth that came from the struggle
💜 And this community that keeps showing up for each other — no judgment, just love

Healing isn’t linear — it’s raw, real, and full of lessons. But every step forward matters. Every single one.

Tell me what you’re thankful for today — big or small. Even if its just waking up.

08/07/2025

The Dirty Facts About Prescription Medication Use

1. “Prescription” doesn’t mean “harmless” – Opioids, benzos, ADHD meds, and sleep aids can hook you just as hard — or harder — than street drugs. The label just means someone signed for it.

2. Dependence can sneak up on you – You might start taking it for pain, anxiety, or sleep… and realize months later you can’t function without it.

3. Doctors can be part of the problem – Some overprescribe without explaining the risks. Others cut people off suddenly, pushing them toward street drugs like fentanyl or he**in.

4. Mixing meds can be lethal – Opioids + benzos, or benzos + alcohol, slow your breathing until you don’t wake up.

5. Tolerance grows quietly – You won’t notice the dose creep until you’re taking way more than prescribed.

6. Withdrawal can be brutal – Opioids bring the flu-from-hell. Benzos can cause seizures and death if stopped cold turkey. Stimulant withdrawal can drop you into deep depression.

7. “Doctor shopping” is a real trap – Going from clinic to clinic to keep the supply flowing often spirals into legal trouble and street sourcing.

8. Pill form doesn’t make it safer – Overdose is still overdose. Just because it’s scored and stamped doesn’t mean it can’t kill you.

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The Dirty Facts About Prescription Medication Recovery

1. Detox needs to be tailored – Benzos and some sleep meds require slow tapers to avoid seizures. Opioids can be supported with buprenorphine or m**hadone.

2. The shame is real – People often think, “I’m not like them, I just take what’s prescribed.” That shame can keep you from seeking help until it’s bad.

3. Cravings can be sneaky – Because the drug was once “approved,” you might rationalize going back if life gets hard.

4. Your brain chemistry needs time to level out – Sleep patterns, mood, and energy can take months to stabilize after stopping long-term use.

5. The system can work against you – Some doctors refuse to prescribe any meds after you’ve been flagged for misuse, even if you genuinely need them for a medical reason.

6. You might have to face your original pain/anxiety head-on – The thing you were medicating doesn’t magically go away in recovery. It has to be treated in healthier ways.

7. Support is still critical – People recovering from prescription misuse need the same networks as any other addiction — meetings, therapy, and accountability.

8. Your life can get better than before – Once you’re off the rollercoaster of dose, crash, refill, repeat, your energy, memory, and mood can surpass what you thought was possible.

08/06/2025

🎯 HARM REDUCTION IS NOT ENABLING — IT’S LIFE-SAVING 🎯
💥 You Can’t Recover If You’re Dead 💥

At Betty’s Circle, we meet people exactly where they are — with compassion, resources, and no judgment.

🛑 We don’t shame people.
🛑 We don’t turn them away.
🛑 And we definitely don’t give up on them.

✨ What we DO:
✅ Provide clean supplies to prevent disease
✅ Distribute Narcan to reverse overdoses
✅ Offer mental health support & community
✅ Build trust — because connection is the first step to recovery

📢 Harm reduction is NOT saying “go use.”
It’s saying:
👉 “I care whether you live or die.”
👉 “You deserve help — even if you’re not ready to stop.”
👉 “We’ll be here when you are.”

💬 Want to help? Want to learn more? Want to be part of som**hing real?
Join the conversation. Share the message. Save a life. Recovery and Harm Reduction , we want you there. We want you here. You matter. We do recover.

🌀 Betty’s Circle Outreach Where Healing Never Ends. Where You Always Matter. Where We Recover Loudly Together 🫂 FULL CIRCLE.

08/06/2025

August 6 – Stigma Kills

🌟 Theme: Replace judgment with compassion.
💜 Fact of the Day: Stigma and shame keep people from accessing life-saving care.
📊 Stat: People who feel judged by healthcare providers are twice as likely to delay or avoid care — including overdose prevention services.
🛠 Harm Reduction Tip: Speak about substance use without shame. Use person-first language (“person who uses drugs” instead of “addict”).
💌 Love & Light Message: Words can heal or harm. Choose the ones that build bridges, not walls.
📍 Resources:

Local: Betty’s Circle Outreach – Stigma-free harm reduction services

National: Shatterproof – shatterproof.org

08/06/2025

The Dirty Facts About M**A Use

1. It’s not just a party drug — it’s brain surgery without anesthesia – M**A dumps massive amounts of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine into your system… then leaves your brain scraped clean and depleted.

2. The comedown is real – Depression, anxiety, irritability, brain fog, and zero motivation can last for days. That’s your brain struggling to restock serotonin.

3. Your brain can run out of “happy” – Repeated heavy use can cause long-term serotonin system damage, making it harder to feel joy naturally.

4. It messes with your memory – Chronic use can impair short-term memory and learning. You might “forget the night” for more than one reason.

5. It cooks your body from the inside – M**A can cause dangerous overheating (hyperthermia), especially in hot clubs or festivals, which can lead to organ failure.

6. It wrecks your sleep – Stimulant effects can keep you awake for 24+ hours, messing with your body clock and immune system.

7. Your pills or powder are probably not pure – Street “Molly” is often cut with m**h, coke, ketamine, synthetic cathinones (bath salts), or even fentanyl — raising overdose risk.

8. Jaw clenching, eye twitching, and teeth grinding – Not just annoying — can cause permanent dental damage and TMJ issues.

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The Dirty Facts About M**A Recovery

1. The depression after quitting is no joke – Some people feel “flat” for weeks or months because their serotonin system needs time to heal.

2. PAWS can happen here too – Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome can bring mood swings, fatigue, and anxiety for months after heavy use.

3. Sleep takes time to normalize – Insomnia or vivid nightmares can persist while your brain chemistry resets.

4. Hydration habits matter – Overdrinking water (common in club culture) can cause hyponatremia (water intoxication), and in recovery, rebalancing electrolytes is important.

5. Your brain needs real nourishment – Omega-3s, protein, and nutrient-rich foods help rebuild damaged neurotransmitter systems.

6. Triggers are sensory – Certain lights, beats, smells, or even hugs can spark cravings for that M**A “loved-up” feeling.

7. Therapy helps – Many people used M**A to escape social anxiety, trauma, or loneliness. Without healing the root cause, cravings often persist.

8. Your joy will come back — but differently – It won’t be that synthetic flood of love, but it will be more real, stable, and sustainable.