By: Jon M. Tynjala
September is Recovery Month. It is a month to learn about, engage in, and celebrate recovery. The emphasis of Recovery Month is on recovery from addiction to substances, but the principles of recovery can be applicable in many areas of mental health. Despite much progress, addiction and mental “illness” have often been thought of as an individual moral failing. This designation only adds to the shame and feeling of hopelessness that is associated with the cycle of addiction and the reality of mental health conditions generally. If someone has cancer, we do not describe their illness as a moral failure. Nor should we do so for those that are suffering from addiction or other mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism.
When I decided to get sober, I was very worried about how others would see me and relate to me if I admitted that I had a problem with alcohol. That stigma and that fear kept me locked in the darkness of addiction for a long time. When I finally made the decision to make a call to Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers to ask for help, I felt a sense of palpable relief. I also found hope for the first time in a very long time. I became open to a solution that was not my own. I was connected to other lawyers in recovery, and they helped me to get and stay sober. I am still connected to many of those same lawyers (others have since died – most of them died sober). They are my friends. I feel connected to them in ways that I cannot adequately describe in words. They are my accountability partners. They keep me grounded and sane. They keep me sober.
It has long been my non-scientific belief that meaningful relationships are the real answer to addiction. And, as it turns out, science agrees with me. Loneliness and isolation are at the root of addiction and other mental health concerns. It has been said that the opposite of addiction is connection. If that is true, then the first step is to get connected. And once you are connected, recovery in all forms becomes possible. For me, I found that connection in the rooms of recovery. So, this Recovery month, if you are in recovery, I recommend that you double down on your recovery connections. Call someone that helped you in your early recovery and see how they are doing. If you are not in recovery but are curious as to what that might look like for you, call us here at LCL. We can connect you to others that have been where you are and understand intuitively what you are going through. Recovery is a beautiful thing. It can also seem daunting. We are here to walk with you as you consider your next steps to leave the darkness of addiction and walk into the sunshine of recovery. Happy Recovery Month!