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Drug addiction and the loneliness and mental health struggles that often precede it are highly talked about issues facing our country right now, but that wasn\u2019t always the case. Back in 2006, when author Alicia Cook\u2019s cousin, Jess, died of an overdose, death from drug addiction was often swept under the rug. While it\u2019s become much more of a frontline policy talking point in the years since, people like Alicia are still determined, maybe now more than ever after the year we\u2019ve had, to tell the stories of families plagued by the dual issues of drug addiction and mental health.\xa0\nOn this episode of The Sidewalk Talk podcast, Traci sits down with Alicia, author of the wildly beloved book of poems, Sorry I Haven\u2019t Texted You Back, to discuss the biggest lessons Alicia\u2019s learned about drug addiction and loss throughout her journey, the intention behind her book, and the policy changes around drug addiction and mental health both women hope to see happen in the near future.\xa0\nAlicia\u2019s journey of becoming a voice to this voiceless population of people affected by drug addiction really started when her cousin Jess overdosed at the age of 19. Alicia takes a few minutes to honor Jess during this conversation, sharing the other stories that have touched her the most in the process. Traci and Alicia\u2019s conversation concludes with Alicia\u2019s mission to give voice to the loneliness of our generation, and her word for you: everything is temporary, sometimes we just have to wait for the sun to come up on a new day. This is a vitally important conversation, don\u2019t miss it.\xa0\n\xa0\nEpisode Milestones\n[00:07] Intro\xa0\n[03:02] Meet Alicia\xa0\n[06:50] Honoring Alicia\u2019s cousin, Jess Cook\xa0\xa0\n[11:33] The biggest lessons Alicia has learned on her journey\xa0\n[14:56] The stories that have touched Alicia the most\xa0\n[20:04] Alicia\u2019s intention for Sorry I Haven\u2019t Texted You Back\xa0\n[26:55] How Alicia has fun amidst writing about a lot of heavy stuff\xa0\n[29:46] Giving voice to loneliness\xa0\n[34:35] Policy changes around drug addiction and mental health\xa0\n[41:09] Alicia\u2019s self-care routine\xa0\n[45:26] Alicia\u2019s word and poem for you\n[48:12] Outro\xa0\n\xa0\nResources Mentioned\nSorry I Haven\u2019t Texted You Back\nI hope My Voice Doesn\u2019t Skip\xa0\nStuff I\u2019ve Been Feeling Lately\n\xa0\nStandout Quotes from the Episode\n\u201cThere wasn\u2019t a voice for these families, and I inevitably became that voice.\u201d\u2014Alicia Cook\xa0\n\u201cIt\u2019s always so scary to put something so vulnerable and personal out there into the world. But what I\u2019ve learned is, it\u2019s necessary.\u201d\u2014Alicia Cook\xa0\n\u201cDismantling the stigma\u2014the number one weapon we have to do this is our storytelling.\u201d\u2014Alicia Cook\xa0\xa0\n\u201cAdvocates are born the minute someone they love dies.\u201d\u2014Alicia Cook\n\u201cOur mental health, whether we\u2019re in a good state or a bad state, touches so many parts of our lives, and it\u2019s impossible to compartmentalize, even though the world tells us we need to compartmentalize.\u201d\u2014Alicia Cook\xa0\n\u201cWhen someone wants to recover, and wants to begin that journey, there needs to be a bed for them. They need help immediately\u2014they can\u2019t wait another day.\u201d\u2014Alicia Cook\xa0\xa0\n\u201cEven if you feel like things can\u2019t get any worse, that things won\u2019t get better in your life, you need to just hold on, because everything is temporary. Sometimes you just have to wait for the sun to rise and a better day to begin.\u201d\u2014Alicia Cook\xa0\n\xa0\nConnect:\nFind | Sidewalk Talk Podcast\nAt sidewalk-talk.org\nOn Instagram: @sidewalktalkorg\nOn Twitter: @sidewalktalkorg\n\xa0\nFind | Traci Ruble\nAt Traciruble.com\nOn Instagram: @TraciRubleMFT\nOn Twitter: @TraciRubleMFT\nOn Facebook: @TraciRubleMFT