As part of National Recovery Month, students, staff and family members participated in Family Recovery Night sponsored by Wexford Health Services. Students who participate in Addiction Recovery Services were able to invite their family members into the facility to listen to the life story of Mr. Giselbach.
Steven Giselbach was previously a student at Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility (PNJ) and shared his journey of drug addiction with current students. Steven shared how a robbery initially landed him at PNJ and described to the students the rooms that they currently sleep in is where he once laid his head. Steven stated that after his release from PNJ he graduated high school and joined the Army as a way to resolve additional criminal charges. Steven was medically discharged after two years due to an injury and states this is when his addiction to pain killers grew. Following his discharge, Steven found himself with an additional attempted robbery charge and time in an adult correctional facility. After his release, his journey was not over. Steven was stabbed three times, spending nine days in a coma, from a physical altercation that took place during a night out with friends. These injuries only fueled his addiction to pain pills. When asked by a student how he knew it was time to change his life, Steven described being hit by a drunk driver while driving his motorcycle with his wife, who was 8 months pregnant, as his passenger. At the time of the accident, Steven was high on opioids causing him and his wife to have their kids removed from their home. Steven said it was during that process that his mother stepped in and told him that it was time for them to receive professional assistance with their drug addictions.
Steven was proud to share with students that he is no longer addicted to drugs, has his children back in his home and is currently attending college to become a Substance Abuse Counselor. He advised the students that his journey has not been easy. His third child was born pre-mature and he would often think that opioid use would relieve the stress and pain of watching his wife and son in the hospital, However, his desire to become a better husband and father persevered. Through this hard time, he was able to regain the trust of his family and friends.
At the end of his discussion, one student raised his hand and asked Steven how he is able to continue on a positive path and not return to drugs. Steven stated by "playing the tape through". He explained that when he is faced with a stressful event he thinks about the entire situation and how it is likely to end stating that "if drugs are involved it never ends good".
**Pictured Steven Giselbach speaking with students at Pendleton Juvenile
Background
Governor Holcomb issued a proclamation designating September as Recovery Month in Indiana, in conjunction with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Recovery Month. This year is the 30th anniversary of National Recovery Month.
National Recovery Month was created to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who recover. The 2019 theme is Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger.
Recovery Month aligns with the Governor’s NextLevel Recovery initiative to combat the drug crisis and is focused on increasing awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrating people who enter recovery.