FRC Weekly Articles

Deaths of despair: A loss of hope

05/07/2022

Cathy Brownfield

Many of us remember the great recession of 2008. Others of us lived through the Economic Malaise of the late 1970s into the 1980s. (Economic Malaise was a gentler term than Great Depression.) How terrible it was for the families who depended on the steel mills for their livelihoods. And then everyone learned about ‘ripple effect.’ Contractors who worked for the steel industry were devastated as the dominoes continued to fall. Local stores were stricken when there were fewer customer dollars. You were fortunate if you could afford to have what you needed. Homes – and everything else families had worked hard to possess – were lost. And the quality of life declined. There was no stigma attached to the free lunch program at school.

Depression About

When you recognize depression

04/02/2022

Cathy Brownfield

A friend called me. I always perceive this person as positive, upbeat, with a sense of humor, a beautiful person. In fact, when Caller ID flashes the identity of this friend, I am immediately happy to hear the voice and talk for a while. So, when this friend said depression was a problem and asked if I could recommend someone to talk to, I was surprised. Given altruistic leanings, I immediately felt the need to help.

Depression About

Understanding: Diseases of despair

11/13/2021

Cathy Brownfield

These are the diseases or deaths of despair … what can happen when one has no hope, when they feel completely lost.

Drugs Depression Alcohol

In a situation … what do you do?

09/04/2021

Cathy Brownfield

I made a business call. The young man who took my phone call was very willing to help me to get the information that I was looking for. But it took only a moment for me to think something might be terribly wrong. The speaker’s words were slurred, sometimes to the point that I couldn’t make out what he was saying. And when he had to put my call on hold, he breathed into the phone as if he were having trouble with the task.

Drugs Depression About

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A special event for a special place

7/30/2022

The day of the groundbreaking was a wet one, but a tent covered the gathering. Reporters and photographers were going about their business of collecting information and photographs to forever mark the historic event. There were dignitaries from the local level all the way to Columbus and points in between who participated in the first physical step for this pilot project of Family Recovery Center, including the woman that the facility was named for, Luceille Fleming. We are talking about the big yellow house that love built behind Lisbon McDonald’s. It was a big day.

Balancing out relationships

7/28/2022

Sheila hadn’t expected the day to start quite that way. But Herb had fallen coming in the house late the night before. She felt a lot of demands on her and little appreciation. From anyone. So, when he tried to blame her for his fall, she exploded. And when he tried to make her feel guilty for his fall, she gave him to know that he was mistaken, and why.

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