HOW TO RECOVER OUT LOUD SO WE STOP SUFFERING IN SILENCE

Welcome back to The Truth About Addiction! Today's episode is a powerful story of how one man used his addiction to completely change the trajectory of his life. More than that, he is disrupting the way people think and feel about addiction and is an unconventional thought-leader in the sober community.
Michael Fiore is the Outreach Coordinator for Voices for Awareness and Project Facing Fentanyl (Home of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, August 21). Michael is C.E.O. & Founder of Inspire 2 Inspire providing resources to addicts in recovery nationwide. Michael was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y.C., and now resides in California.
Addiction was a common theme throughout Michael's life. His parents were both addicted. He lost two grandmothers to alcoholism, a grandfather to heroin, and his uncle to heroin. Michael's parents were good people. They provided for and loved him but were not always present in his life, making it easy for him to begin experimenting with drugs.
Michael was looking for validation from the outside world because he didn't get it at home. He became a "people pleaser" in hopes that everyone would be his friend. Michael couldn't find value in himself, lying and manipulating to get people to like him. Using drugs allowed him to suppress those feelings. Drugs were the solution to the problem.
Michael's drug use lasted 20 years. In 2009 Michael lost his father to aids. He lived in and out of jails and institutions. After 12 years of using high doses of Methadone, Michael detoxed off Methadone in 2021. Just a couple of weeks after detoxing, on Thanksgiving 2021, Michael's mother died from aids. Michael was living in treatment at the time. While in treatment, Michael started his nonprofit Inspire 2 Inspire, working to support the recovery community. He is now a resource for addicts across the country. Mike graduated from treatment in May 2022. Twenty years of living in active addiction have given Mike a unique perspective. He has a "life education" that cannot be taught through formal education. Michael understands the value of a person's story and believes that our stories lie in what we overcome, not what we have done.
Michael has a passion for public speaking. His inspirational talks have become well-known in the recovery and fentanyl prevention communities. His high energy and positive attitude have been an asset to growing
his advocacy portfolio. As Community Outreach Coordinator for Voices For Awareness Foundation and Project Facing Fentanyl, he successfully brings families affected by fentanyl poisoning together with people in recovery, building an army for his " 1 Voice Project". Working in the recovery community has given him experience working with churches, nonprofits, the homeless, human trafficking victims, and domestic violence victims, and his job as a Group Facilitator.