Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Recovery rally tackles addiction's stigma

A Murfreesboro resident’s inspiring story in successfully battling an addiction has led to his selection to attend a national “recovery rally” in New York City today.

“It is a daily struggle,” said 51-year-old Richard Soper. “You just take it one day at a time.”

Soper practices psychiatry primarily in the Nashville area and is president of the Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine. He will be one of 51 delegates as thousands of individuals and families in recovery, treatment partners and advocates form a human chain across the Brooklyn Bridge.

The Recovery Rally, organized to take place during National Recovery Month in partnership with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, will mark the launch of The Recovery Project, a multi-year initiative of A&E Network, federal agencies and leading nonprofits to help raise awareness that addiction is a treatable disease and that recovery is possible.

“We reviewed a couple of finalist delegates from Tennessee and Richard’s story rose to the top not only because of the intensity of his struggle, but what he has achieved and given back to the community,” said John Hartinger, a spokesman for A&E Network.

Soper said he had engaged in “self-destructive behaviors” and has been in remission for 17 years.

In addition to his private practice, he authored a 14-page document in 2006 which requested comprehensive review of state statutes dealing with substance abuse and addiction.

He gave it to the Tennessee Medical Association, which took it to the Tennessee Legislature “to ask them to conduct a comprehensive review to bring into the 21st century statutes on the Tennessee books that are still punishing and stigmatizing people and to educate law enforcement, child services and other entities regarding alcohol, substance abuse and other disorders.”

Soper hopes events such as the rally help remove the stigma of addiction.

“It ruins lives and families,” he said. “(But) only a few people get treatment because of the punitive mindset of society. Money can be saved, people’s lives can be returned to health and functional daily activities.”

Following the symbolic bridge to recovery, a public rally will be held at City Hall park in Manhattan. The entire rally will last about five hours.

“I think it is an honor,” Roper said. “Hopefully, this something that will remove the stigma.”

More Treatment & Detox Articles

10 ways to detoxify your body

It is necessary to detox your body if start feeling sluggish, have aches, pains, skin and digestive problems and start straying from your healthier health habits. Below given are 10 ways to detoxify your body. Firstly, it is recommended to eat plenty of foods that contain fiber. This includes foods like brown rice, fresh fruits….

Addiction Basics

Understanding the basics of substance abuse and addiction can help you to better understand when it’s time to get help. Though it may be overwhelming to attempt to keep up with everything pertaining to addiction, the latest trends in treatment and the latest drugs, you can keep up with the basics. This is especially essential….

Binge drinking injures 500,000 annually

The habit of college students to over-indulge is no youthful prank, say health experts Universities and colleges are “missing the mark” in their fight against binge drinking on campus, which a new study says leads to 500,000 injuries in one year in the U.S. alone. The research suggests that blanket efforts, such as cutting down….

Abstinent Alcoholics And Postural Sway

Excessive sway during quiet standing is a common and significant consequence of chronic alcoholism, even after prolonged sobriety, and can lead to fall-related injury and even death. A new study of residual postural instability in alcohol-abstinent men and women shows that alcoholics improve with prolonged sobriety, but the improvement may not fully erase the problem….

5 Ways Parents Can Prevent Teenage Drinking

Teenage drinking is such a health risk that pediatricians are now being told to screen all teenagers—and even sixth graders—for alcohol use. That new policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics can be a powerful tool for parents to help their children avoid trouble with alcohol. But first, parents need to learn to give teenagers….