For Eliot Leyenhorst, addiction care is about empathy.
“Being understood in a society where you are an addict - it’s difficult,” says Eliot. “People think it’s a choice and I don’t often think that’s a truthful statement.”
As a recovering alcoholic and person with a substance use disorder, he realizes it’s a disease that, at times, can seem insurmountable.
“It’s hard to get clean. It’s hard to stop using out in a society that puts these things right out in front of you, you know?”
Eliot originally went to theatre school and tried to get into the movie and TV scene in the Toronto area.
“That was pretty detrimental to my mental health. Which probably led to some of my drug use and substance abuse.”
Realizing the need for change, he went back to his passion.
“I’ve always loved bikes, I’ve always love fixing them.”
Eliot used to compete in mountain biking at the national level, so starting a career as a bike mechanic made sense. He went back to school and moved to Tofino British Columbia where he managed, and was the lead mechanic, at a bike shop.
“I love it. I would love to continue doing it. But I couldn’t stop drinking. I couldn’t stop using drugs – mostly weed.” Eventually, it got to be too much.
“I blew my life up and had to move back home.”
Eliot found his way to KHSC’s Detoxification (Detox) Centre. It’s the only one of its kind in southeastern Ontario: a free, confidential and voluntary service designed to provide short stays, to help people start their recovery, or prevent them from relapsing. It combines clinical and non-clinical resources with an abstinence-based methodology. He’s one of 635 who have come to Detox since January this year.
For Eliot, and the others that arrive at the centre, it’s the place where you can find empathy.
“It’s everything,” says Eliot, tearing up. “It’s a safe, caring place to feel supported. In a world that doesn’t really understand what addiction is, or why we are the way we are, they do.”
In his experience, you get out what you put in. “It’s easy to go through the motions, but [Detox] is more than that. They give you the tools necessary, maybe not all the tools, but the beginning, the start…this is a great place to start changing your life.”
It takes courage, persistence and introspection to start recovery and maintain sobriety and, upon leaving detox, Eliot is resolved to reconnect with what matters. “I need to connect with nature, with community. They often say the opposite of addiction is connection. I need to make sure I don’t isolate myself.”
He’s returning to a sober living facility, connecting with his sponsor, working through his steps and will be attending AA and NA meetings.
He’s optimistic that his experience can help people understand a bit more about addiction.
“We’re still human. We just have struggles that are a little misunderstood and all we need is a little bit of understanding and a little bit of love and empathy. And I don’t know why people are so afraid of us... maybe there’s something we can teach other people.”
To learn more about KHSC’s Detoxification Centre here.
