Meeting Mitch: Reflection on Recovery and Shared Struggles

I only met Mitch once, during a brief encounter on my way to the local gym near where I was staying while unhoused. In that short time, we spoke about recovery and rehab. He’s a sweet boy, and he told me about the repeated crisis management checks he faced—checks that often feel weaponized against people like him and me, those of us who have been through recovery. These checks only make sense to people who have been in rehab or treatment, where the system sometimes uses them as a way to control or monitor rather than support. It’s a harsh reality that adds another layer of challenge to the already difficult path of recovery. If Mitchell was living in Section 8 housing or back in rehab or in treatment, there would be nothing different about the people or the situation; it’s just scaled—more people, more stories, more struggles packed into one place. Despite meeting him just once, his story stuck with me, highlighting how similar our struggles are, no matter where we find ourselves.