Patrick J. Kennedy. Photo courtesy of Hinson Ltd
For many, the battle against addiction is a lifelong struggle.
But for Patrick Kennedy – nephew of President John F. Kennedy, and a speaker in the 2016-17 Jefferson Series – as for countless others, it’s a battle worth fighting.
Kennedy first encountered addiction when he was 12 years old, and he fought it for some 32 years before he finally got sober in 2011, on what would have been the 79th birthday of his late father, longtime U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy.
“I was scared and angry, and didn’t know how to make sense of my emotions,” says Kennedy. “Like a lot of people, I self-medicated. I guess you could say I’ve been taking steps forward – and steps backward – in recovery ever since.”
Kennedy, a mental health advocate and former U.S. Representative from Rhode Island, realized that he needed to get sober during the last year of his father’s life, a time when his father was surrounded by friends and family, “people who truly loved him,” says Kennedy. That’s when Kennedy realized he wanted that for himself.
“I decided I wanted a life of love and relationships,” he says. “I realized that if I didn’t change, I wasn’t going to have the life I wanted.”
For those struggling with addiction, Kennedy says the key is not to get discouraged, no matter what.
“You might do well in recovery for a while, then have a relapse,” Kennedy says. “It’s not the end of the world. Pick yourself back up and start counting your days again.”
Kennedy maintains, though, that it’s important to have a healthy, physical outlet and maintain consistency in that outlet.
“I am a huge proponent of a healthy diet and exercise. I run every day,” says Kennedy. “It’s essential for blowing off steam. It doesn’t matter what form of exercise you choose, but find something you enjoy and stick with it until it becomes second nature.”
Finally, Kennedy mentions the importance of surrounding oneself with loved ones. For him, that includes his wife and four children.
“My wife, Amy, is my North Star; she and my kids give me a reason to wake up in the morning. Our children also give me a sense of purpose,” says Kennedy. “I want them to grow up in a world where diseases of the brain – like opioid addiction or bipolar disorder – are treated the same as illnesses of the body, like cancer and diabetes. We have to break the silence and fight the stigma that surrounds behavioral health issues; that’s the cause of my life.”
Kennedy speaks at the Jefferson Series Feb. 1.
Amanda DePerro is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
