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56 maconmagazine.com | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2023 66 percent of them opioid-related. 71 percent of Georgia's 2,390 overdose deaths were attributed to opioids. Bibb County had 33 overdose deaths that year with 75 percent linked to opioid use. Efforts to put a dent in these stats are compounded by highly motivated dealers and easy access to users. Deadly forms like fentanyl can be infused into marijuana and other cheap consumable products and bought at low prices, Cody said. It's a massive challenge requiring an even bigger collective effort to turn the corner. "We all have to work together to address this. It's going to take as many people as possible to make an impact here," Cody said. THE TIPPING POINT One of the tipping points — among many — that led to Glenn Otis Brawley's drug use was being informed by his father that he didn't think that Brawley was his biological son. Brawley felt defeated. Hopeless. Guilty. Ashamed. These low points proved to be too much for the 64-year- old Kansas native, who arrived in Macon in 1994. Brawley found himself looking for relief in drugs. Crack cocaine was his primary drug of choice, but opioids — namely speed, barbiturates, LSD, and acid – became a go-to form of escape as well. "Drugs are drugs. I lived to use and used to live," he shared. "Whatever I could access to alleviate the mental and psychological pain I was in was fine by me." No one is safe, warned Brawley. He was a military child from a state mostly known for its conservative midwestern family values and production of corn and cattle. But when what he described as the "triangle of self-obsession" (anger, fear, resentment) kicks in, it's a power cocktail demanding comfort. Vivian Spivey succumbed to drug addiction in 1993. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Spivey developed post-traumatic stress disorder while serving as a soldier during Operation Desert Storm. The retired, disabled Army military policewoman said her experiences in a violent war zone, coupled with returning to a hero's welcome, led to her experimentation with drugs in a party atmosphere. "The drugs caused me to forget my way. I stopped grooming myself and even stopped bathing and eating. My goal became recapturing my initial high," said the 64-year-old mother of two. "It was bad. Thankfully, I literally today don't look like what I've been through." Recovering addict Franky Tripp can relate to Brawley and Spivey. Now sober for four years, the 55-year-old Macon-born and raised Tripp, like Spivey, used opioids recreationally but warned that drug addiction is drug addiction, no matter what drug it is or what situation it's used in. Tripp began as a recreational user of marijuana as a teenager and graduated to methamphetamines in his mid- 20s. Drug use and other personal choices led to eight years in prison and more time when he hit 40 years old. While he didn't use opioids extensively, Tripp saw what drugs did to people in his circle of addiction who were more reliant on them. "The pain these guys were going through when trying to come off opioids was incredible," Tripp said. "Seeing that is one of the reasons I'm against all illegal drug use now." SOBER HANGOUT SPACES BY JULIA RUBENS For many people in recovery, socializing without the pressure of alcohol and drugs around is important. And for those undertaking a Dry January or other brief break from substance use, this list may be a useful way to have fun and stay sober. For Casual First Dates VIBEZ Macon | 401A Cherry St. VIBEZ has a $30 All-You-Can-Eat Brunch on Sunday afternoons, often with live music or a DJ involved, that will be a great conversation starter. Mixologist Marshall Talley is known for his zero-proof cocktails, so you'll be able to partake in the fun without feeling awkward. When you go, ask for him! For Fun in the Sun Rosa Parks Square | Corner of Poplar and First Streets Rosa Parks Square hosts programming from a ChicNiq picnic brunch to outdoor movies to TEDx talks in a beautiful, centrally-located park that values free speech. Alcohol is prohibited in the space. For Mocktails with Sipping Friends Quill at The Woodward Hotel | 350 Second St. Don't want to miss meeting friends who do imbibe? Quill offers literature-inspired craft cocktails in an elegant setting that includes both an indoor lounge and a rooftop patio with handcrafted murals. There is a list of nonalcoholic cocktails tucked in the menu. For All-Ages Adventures Macon Rocks | 527 D.T. Walton Sr. Way Go to the climbing gym and see if you can beat a friend to the summit and beyond! Macon Rocks is kid- friendly, alcohol is not served, and if you're scared to get on the ropes, there are classes to learn more. For a Conversation Starter The Sweet Gum Trail at the Museum of Arts and Sciences | 4182 Forsyth Rd. Explore an ecological resource that lives on the campus of the Museum of Arts and Sciences. The plants along the trail are managed and identified by local Master Gardeners, and there are unique birds and aquatic life in the pond. Use the app iNaturalist to identify plants and animals. Pair an afternoon trail walk with an evening play at Macon Little Theatre next door!