The Insulators Membership Assistance Program (IMAP) marked a significant milestone at the 2025 Insulators International Officers Conference, held July 21-24 in Pittsburgh.

With a focus on mental health awareness and support for union members and their families, IMAP’s presence at the conference, through representatives from YouTurn Health and the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT), underscored the union’s commitment to holistic well-being throughout the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers.

In 2001, I came into recovery with intention. I thank God everyday, for my 12-step recovery pathway. But make no mistake, the message was (and still is) clear: There is one way to recover. I heard that from people in the meetings, from the professionals that I saw along the way, and from the media. It all centered around 12-step recovery.

Of course, I was dead wrong. Over the years I have come to understand the fulness of recovery. I have come to embrace multiple pathways of recovery.  At Youturn Health, we champion and celebrate all pathways to recovery.

Hollywood has really done a disservice to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), as my first meeting was not like the ones I saw in When a Man Loves a Woman or 28 Days. It was a lot less intimidating, I was not singled out and I did not have to speak if I didn’t want to. For an introvert like me, if I had been called out, I would have run for the hills. Instead, I still go back each week and have for many years.

My intent here is not to debate the harm or good that AA has done. My hope is to provide a glimpse into what meetings are like and what you can expect to experience as a newcomer. For that, I’ll go back to my first meeting.

For those of us who have lost someone to suicide, we can feel a tremendous amount of survivor’s guilt, which is normal, but we cannot let it consume us. It is important that we try not to spend our time in the past focusing on the “what if’s” – we need to find people we can trust to help us process everything, share our loved one’s story, and, when we are ready, help to educate ourselves and others on suicide prevention techniques.

The notion that seeking help for mental health issues is a sign of weakness is a pervasive stigma, particularly among men who consider themselves “tough guys.” But let’s be honest—trying to handle everything on your own is like trying to build IKEA furniture without the instructions. Sure, you might eventually get there, but it’s going to be a lot harder and probably involve a few unnecessary trips to the hardware store.

There is a strong relationship between substance misuse and suicide, and it’s not common for people to seek treatment for either. So what can we do about it? Addressing the myths around both conditions may help us be more prepared to support those who need it.