CINCINNATI — Matt Ionna knows firsthand that addiction loves isolation.
Ionna, who has been in recovery for years, said if there were ever a time for people to be under attack by their disease, the time would be now.
With stay-at-home orders and closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Ionna said virtual services for people in recovery are more important than ever.
“It could take just a few days for someone for isolation to set in … and then old patterns aren’t creeping in anymore, they’re breaking down the front gate,” Ionna said.
Ionna manages Findlay Yoga in Over-the-Rhine, where he teaches yoga to people in recovery. Those classes are usually donation based, but starting next week, Ionna plans to host the classes online via Zoom free of charge.
Related: Once a drug user, NKY man now teaches yoga to people in recovery
“For the recovery and yoga classes, there’s a collective consciousness that happens there. If we gather like that to share our differences and ideas, we really combat that disease," Ionna said.
For people in active addiction who need help, the Center for Addiction Treatment, located at 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. in Cincinnati, is open to care for people in residential treatment and detox.
Dr. Deborah Frankowski, vice president of medical services, said in a news release that the facility’s medical staff has the necessary personal protective equipment to keep staff and patients safe.
“We know that quick access to assessment, detox and treatment for those in active addiction or those who have recently relapsed could mean the difference between life and death. We have been here for our community for 50 years, and we’re still here,” she said.
If you or someone you know needs treatment, call the Center for Addiction Treatment at 513-381-6672.
Here are more virtual services for people in recovery:
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Nar-Anon Family Groups(if you search for meetings, some are offered via Zoom)
- Northern Kentucky Area of Narcotics Anonymous
- In The Rooms(an app for all types of recovery)
- Virtual NA (available via phone and online)
- Findlay Yoga (recovery classes via Zoom offered next week)
Numbers you can call for support:
- Greater Cincinnati Area Hope Line: 513-820-2947
- Northern Kentucky Hope Line: 859-429-1783
- Indiana Addiction Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
If you know of any virtual services for people in recovery, email Abby at abby.dawn@wcpo.com.
