Losing someone to addiction is one of the worst experiences a family member can go through. And if you’re in the public eye, the pain can often feel even more intensified. But to the credit of Chris Cornell’s widow Vicky, that pain has now been channeled into a powerful resource that aims to help others who are dealing with dependencies.
Chris, of course, was the famed frontman of the band Soundgarden and lost his life to suicide back in May 2017. He openly struggled with addiction and it is believed that it may have contributed to his final actions.
To help avoid that scenario for others, Vicky Cornell has now set up the Addiction Resource Center for Chris (also known as ARC). It is an online resource where individuals and families struggling can reach out and connect with clinicians and recovery advocates.
She also has backed an Addiction Resource Line (ARL), which is a special phone number available for people in need. The goal is to not only steer people away from addiction, but also the negative suicidal thoughts that may go along with it.
“Addiction is a preventable and treatable disease,” Vicky explained in a statement.”While it’s too late to bring Chris back, it’s not too late for millions of other people who are struggling with addiction. These resources are designed to connect people to the help they need—help that is often way too difficult to find—in the hope that other families are spared the loss that my family is experiencing. There is no better way to honor to Chris than by saving lives.”
Though it’s not commonly stated, there have been many links discovered between suicide and addiction. Chris, himself, was found with several drugs in system when he made the decision to end his life.
ARC and ARL co-founder Jessica Nickel echoed Vicky’s sentiment, emphasizing the primary purpose of this movement is to save lives (whether it’s from an overdose or a suicidal action).
“Only 11% of those with substance use disorder receive treatment. The ARC and the ARL are designed to change that,” Nickel added. “By giving individuals with substance use disorder, and their families, a website to go to and trained professionals to talk to, we believe we can connect people to the help they need and save lives.”
You can click here to visit the official ARC website, or if you feel the need to reach out by phone, the toll-free ARL line is 1-833-301-HELP.
