SUPPORTING MEN TO EMBRACE RECOVERY

Over the years, substance use and abuse have been known to have many negative effects on the human brain. For men, the most common symptoms may include disruptions in decision-making and impaired executive functioning.

Men have emotions, and this should be accepted in our society as a normal thing. When a man experiences emotional turbulence due to a substance use disorder, it should be a good sign that some action in recovery needs to be taken. When a man shares his story to let his emotions be validated, it is never a weakness, but a good signal that he needs support. It is okay not to be okay, and needing support is a strength but not a weakness; it is just about being real. Men at all ages can develop and substance use disorder, and there should be no shame or guilt about it.

As a recovery ally, I am advocating for men’s mental health and encouraging all men to embrace recovery from substances as a strength. Using group activities like sports and exercise, it is easy to send a good message about recovery to men. From a disease point of view, addiction, being considered a disease of the brain, it means it can be treated and recovery is possible. We must put our efforts together to help make recovery a reality because recovery emerges from different pathways, and it calls for acceptance.

The biggest worry should not be the addiction itself, but the failure to take action when needed. When a man develops a substance use disorder (SUD), the journey to recovery should be embraced immediately by family and all available support systems. There should be a commitment to change, not forgetting that recovery is not a linear process; a man can experience periods of lapses and relapses, but those should be considered as areas of improvement and learning, not failure.