In mid-June, I joined an old friend and mental health advocate in an interview about my personal journey through alcoholism to my life in sobriety. His questions took me deep, quickly.
While we have known each other for many years, our paths rarely crossed, and our conversations were superficial. When our cursory chats turned to his work in raising awareness around mental health challenges, we found our common ground.
In my early career, I was an Occupational Therapist. I worked in both long-term and acute care psychiatric facilities. Witnessing the frailty and truth about mental illness in all its conditions, diseases and manifestations opened my mind and my heart. It is through my own addiction that I understand emotional death, the power of radical honesty and self-reflection, and the vital role of supportive relationships and community.
There has been societal progress in understanding and accepting the reality of mental illness. Not enough. I respect the traditions of 12 Step Recovery groups, and yet I choose to break my anonymity as a recovering alcoholic if I feel it will help someone or challenge the stigma that still exists.
Please take a few minutes to listen to the podcast – No Magic Bullet. Bobby K’s questions excavate radical honesty, personal growth lessons and the necessity of deep connections.