Is Addiction and Recovery Hard? HealthYeah!
Addiction is the most stigmatized health problem today, and costs the US $740B annually. It impacts the whole family, the workplace, and society at large.
At Excy, we love tackling hard subjects on our blog and our HealthYeah live video series. Today we sat down with Daniela Luzi Tudor, co-founder and CEO of WEconnect Health to learn more about her story and her suggestions for millions facing addiction and recovery challenges.
There is No Shame in Addiction
When it comes to addiction, it’s personal for Daniela. From trying to end her own alcohol and drug dependency, to hitting her own personal rock bottom, to understanding that this disease does not discriminate and hits everyone from all walks of life, there’s so much to learn from Daniela.
But what we loved most is the sense no one should feel shame about addiction. Daniela discussed how the more we talk about addiction, the more people will feel comfortable being open, and hopefully seek help earlier, whether its hitting their rock bottom or what she calls discovering their personal “spiritual bankruptcy.”
For Daniela, she feels a sense of responsbility to be open about her addiction and recovery. For her, talking about it is empowering. It also holds her accountable as a thought leader in the use of technology to improve recovery rates.
Addiction Recovery Doesn’t Mean Life is Over
For Daniela, it’s about helping people discover a new normal. She still has plenty of fun dancing and participating in the music scene, but without alcohol and drugs. She also exercises regularly as part of her recovery journey. We were happy to hear that exercise is an integral part of the self-help aspect of the WEconnect platform with epidemiological studies revealing that individuals who engage in regular aerobic exercise are less likely to use and abuse illicit drugs. Our job at Excy is to make access to exercise easier by connecting it to everyday life, which can be helpful for those battling addiction.
Recovery from Addiction is Possible
Three key take-ways from Daniela we found inspiring for those who are battling addiction and recovery or have a loved one who is:
- There is hope.
- There are resources, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Addiction a chronic disease similar to other chronic, relapsing conditions such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. Treat is and respect it as such.
We always ask what’s on our guest’s nightstand. For Daniela, it’s:
- Meditations with Native American Elders: The Four Seasons by Don Coyhis
- When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink
- Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
We invite you to take time to listen to the interview by clicking on the video below (it’s live, so the audio isn’t perfect, but the words from Daniela are outstanding).
For more information, visit www.weconnectrecovery.com
Follow the HealthYeah Live Video blog series by Excy.
