September is National Drug Recovery Month. Wednesday, UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor and The Maria House Project hosted a vigil for those our community has lost to addiction.

“We really want to raise awareness on the impact substance abuse has on folks. Also, we want to give a safe space to individuals who have lost somebody to mourn and come together,” said Jessianne Montie, Substance Use Program Director at Safe Harbor.

It's a somber, but hopeful, gathering, especially for people like Dr. Jason Loflen. “About eight years ago, I, too, struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism, and I found it very difficult in the beginning to talk about it,” he said.

Loflen shared his personal struggles with addiction. Some in attendance, recovering addicts themselves. He explained what addiction is like. "It's very subtle, and that's what makes it so dangerous. It feels like a very normal thing for a very long time. It just feels like what you're doing and feels like another day,” he said.

In Pennsylvania, overdose deaths rose by 16.4% in 2020. Deaths continued rising last year, with over 5,000 reported overdose deaths in 2021.

“Especially since the pandemic, we've seen an increase in folks losing their lives in substance related causes. The data is showing the rates of overdoses have increased, especially in the last couple of years,” said Montie.

Loflen gives this advice to people currently battling addiction “Ask for help. It's the hardest thing to do in the world. My pride, my ego kept me from asking for help for a very long time. It's probably the best thing I ever did, to ask for help."

Help is there for people seeking resources to fight addiction. Visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline for more.