Troy Colmer: Navigating the Maze of Mental Health and Sobriety

Hey everyone, I'm Troy Colmer, the guy behind Men United. I wanted to share a bit about my journey – the messy, real, and sometimes downright tough road from feeling lost to finding a sense of purpose.

So, rewind to my teenage years. I always felt this weird uneasiness about my own worth. It's like there was this nagging guilt hanging around, and I had no clue what to do with it. That's when I stumbled onto my first coping mechanism at just 14 – alcohol. It was my quick fix, my way of drowning out those nagging feelings. Little did I know, this was just the beginning.

As I got older, booze became my crutch. Social anxiety hit, and I found comfort in the numbing effect of alcohol. Mental health? Honestly, I hadn't even heard of it at that point.

Fast forward to June 2006 – the month that changed everything. I lost my mom, and grief hit me like a freight train. Combine that with a job I no longer enjoyed, insane working hours, and the pressures of providing for a young family, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

The years around 2009-2010 were the darkest. I felt trapped, suffocated, and honestly, just lost. It was like I was sinking, and I couldn't see a way out. I hadn't really dealt with the loss of my mom, and everything just came crashing down.

Then came 2014, the year I decided to turn things around. I kicked alcohol to the curb and took the plunge into Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). But let me be real with you – recovery ain't no smooth sailing. I tried personal counseling, group therapy, intensive day treatment – the whole nine yards. Yeah, there were times I stayed sober, but there were also plenty of relapses. Letting go of my ego and admitting I was powerless over alcohol? Man, that was a battle.

It wasn't some miraculous overnight transformation. It was messy, filled with setbacks, and at times, downright frustrating. But bit by bit, I started finding myself again.

See, the thing about recovery is it's not linear. It's a rollercoaster with twists, turns, and loop-de-loops. The key is not giving up, even when you stumble – and stumble I did, more times than I'd like to admit.

Today, I'm still on this journey, but I've learned a few things. Founding Men United was my way of turning my struggles into something positive. I want to be there for others facing their own battles, let them know they're not alone, and that there's always hope.

So, if you're in the thick of it right now, just know – it's okay not to be okay. Take it from someone who's been there. It might not be easy, but with a little grit, a support system, and the willingness to face your demons, you can find your way out of the darkness. And trust me, there's light on the other side.