On Dec. 12, Buffalo Grove resident Amy Voss will host a public screening of the documentary “Generation Found,” a powerful story about the residents of Houston, Texas, who come together to help create youth addiction recovery services.
The screening is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside Regal Lincolnshire Stadium 21 and IMAX, 300 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire.
Sadly, drug addiction can take place anywhere — even here in Buffalo Grove. The Voss family can attest to that.
Amy and her husband, Andy, lost their son, Jared Voss, on Oct. 16, 2015, following an overdose. Their journey to try and help their son overcome addiction was a long and painful one.
As a host of the documentary screening, Voss wanted to share her experiences and maybe give some help — and hope — to those who might be struggling with addiction. I am grateful that she answered my questions thoughtfully and honestly ahead of the event.
I believe she is a true inspiration and incredibly brave to share her story.
Q: How did you get involved with sponsoring this movie?
A: I had heard about “Generation Found” and its predecessor, “Anonymous People,” and decided I needed to see these powerful stories. “Anonymous People” is available on YouTube. In order to see “Generation Found,” you need to be a movie captain and host a screening. Much like a GoFundMe, the movie has to reach a certain level of ticket sales. My minimum was 60.
Q: What can you tell me about Jared’s story?
A: Jared was away at boarding school at age 13, due to his difficulty obeying our rules regarding homework, studying, etc., when he first smoked pot. The school came highly recommended. … Shortly after he arrived, a teacher was arrested for smoking pot with some students. Jared was not involved in that incident. A couple of months later, Jared and his roommate were caught smoking pot and they were asked to leave. That episode was the first of many attempts to get Jared back on the right path.
I believe he went to more than 12 schools, recovery centers, wilderness and residential treatment centers, where he would do well initially (but) then turned to pot. Ultimately, he found other things that could be purchased at pharmacies and abused. Once he turned 18, we were pretty helpless about getting him good care. He resisted therapy and medications to treat his anxiety and depression but self medicated with drugs. I believe pot was Jared’s gateway drug. He had a predisposition to addiction.
Q: What advice can you offer someone who is trying to help someone suffering from addiction?
A: Be compassionate, not punitive! So much has changed since Jared started his addiction. I believe the person with substance use disorder (we no longer call it the addict) has to have the desire to get help! The new model calls for harm reduction, raising awareness, reducing the stigma and providing access to compassionate care.
It’s a family disease. The entire family unit is in crisis, and it’s vital that they seek help, too, in order to understand this chronic relapsing brain disease. We spent so many years misguided and confused — and lonely. When family or significant others start to change their opinions and let go of the judgment, change often becomes apparent in the person with the disease.
Q: What advice can you share with someone who has lost a loved one to addiction?
A: My personal experience has been to be vocal about what happened. I find comfort from speaking with those who have also lost a loved one to overdose. While other people try to understand, they simply cannot comprehend the depth of this type of loss.
This disease most often has been an ongoing struggle for us. It’s very different from losing a child to a different illness or a tragic accident. There are many painful and conflicted emotions that are difficult to discuss.
Every day is a challenge but I decided early on, I wasn’t going to just curl up and hide. I hope that I can share my personal tagline and it will resonate with them — joy trumps grief. We have to find a way to be happy again in spite of our losses. Our lost loved ones wouldn’t want us to be sad. They lived with a lot of shame and guilt in their lifetimes. I believe Jared would be proud of my new view and happy to know I’m trying my best to help those that I meet.
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For further questions or information about the screening, Amy Voss can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 847-858-5551.
Aileen Simons is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. Reach her at [email protected].