Nov 17, 2025 | Mental Health, Patient Stories
Each November, National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) invites Canadians to come together to reduce stigma and promote understanding around substance use, recovery, and mental health. This year’s theme, “Inspiring Change Together,” reminds us that every story of recovery helps shift perceptions and encourage compassion.
At Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH), we are proud to share one such story from Robert Roberts, one of the clients featured in our organization’s impact film, More Than Medicine. Robert continues to demonstrate courage, honesty, and hope in his recovery journey — reminding us that healing often begins with the willingness to grow through discomfort and connect with others.
One of the first things I was taught in recovery was to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. This really was at the core of my disease. I was always uncomfortable in my own skin and would do anything to numb that feeling. I had to learn how to work through my own discomfort without running away from it with something external. I had to find my comfort, to learn how to be content with myself and my life from within.
That brings me to Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s 'More Than Medicine' film and with it, this wonderfully uncomfortable journey the team has given me the opportunity grow and be a part of. Just over a year into my sobriety, I was pleasantly greeted one morning to an unexpected message. Dan, my counselor from withdrawal management, said the hospital had this idea to do some small social media posts to bring awareness to programs they had. I jumped at the opportunity; another thing I was taught in recovery was that you don’t get to keep this unless you give it away. This was my first real chance to give back, show my gratitude to the people who so freely gave this gift to me, and with any luck inspire someone to step out of the fear and shame of addiction and take that helping hand.
Just before Christmas I had a chance to meet the director of communications, Nicole. She explained what they were trying to do and I told her about my journey. This was the first time I shared this with someone who wasn’t directly part of my Healthcare team or someone who was dealing with the same struggles as me. This was my first opportunity to get uncomfortable. I survived, this wasn’t so bad, I might even be excited to do this.
From there things were quiet about this project and my old negative thoughts of self-doubt had crept in. I figured the meeting hadn’t gone as well as I had imagined. Then I got the email: “We have an exciting idea we would like to discuss, no more social media posts, let’s make a documentary!”
Things just got a lot more uncomfortable, but I didn’t think long about it, I knew this was this was the right thing I needed to do. At this point, my addiction and recovery was kept quiet. Unless you were a part of my immediate family or a member of one of my groups, I did not show this vulnerable side of me. I was still full of shame; it was still my dark secret.
I realized it was time to start speaking openly about my recovery- I couldn’t keep hiding. I didn’t like the idea of people I knew finding out because they watched this documentary or heard, “Hey, did you know this about Robert?” So it was time to get really uncomfortable.
I went to work and told my boss, and a few select colleagues I was close to that I was an alcoholic in recovery, and that I was going to be a part of this project. Surprise, surprise- I was met with nothing but compassion and understanding, not the horrible judgement I had imagined.
Shortly after this the team at Media Street began filming my interview. Part of this included asking if my daughter, Ruby, could be involved in some footage to tell the story of life in recovery. Ruby was a big motivation in my journey, and this gave me the opportunity to have some very hard, but very important conversations with her. I didn’t want her to be like me, ashamed of mental health struggles, or afraid to ask for help when she needed it.
As we neared the end of this uncomfortable adventure it was time to screen my part, audio only, so I could give my approval to use it. Nicole and her team had one last uncomfortable surprise left to truly push me out of my comfort zone for good: the documentary would premiere at WIFF (Windsor International Film Festival), on a big screen. And why not invite just about everyone you know and love, to see it. Actually, that last part was my idea, I was finally starting to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
I am so grateful to have been a part of this project and to share the screen with four other families who courageously shared their stories of strength and hope with all of us. I still struggle with those old negative thoughts; just because I put down the bottle doesn’t mean my disease went away. But with the help of HDGH and their ongoing encouragement to keep growing, I can say I’m proud of myself and I’m grateful for everything in my life- including my struggles, because without them I wouldn’t be on this journey to become happy, joyous and free.
Oh yeah, Nicole had one more opportunity for me to get comfortable being uncomfortable. “Think you could write a blog for us?” So here I am, sharing my story- not because it’s easy, but because every time I do I grow a little stronger.
At HDGH, we believe that every recovery story — like Robert’s — reminds us that healing is a shared journey. As we mark National Addictions Awareness Week, we honour the courage of those who step forward, speak openly, and help inspire others to seek help and find hope.
Robert’s journey is one of the stories featured in More Than Medicine, a film that captures the deeply personal stories of five patients, clients and families whose lives were forever changed by the HDGH’s specialized services. Watch the full film now on YouTube.