From the Founder: Real Conversations About Recovery
““I honestly believe that most people don’t really want to be dead. They might think they want to die, but they don’t want to be dead.
Staying in that place for any longer feels so unbearable that it seems like the only escape. Most true drug addicts and alcoholics, if we’re left alone long enough, get to a point where dying feels like the only way out. It doesn’t mean I really want it. It’s just the only option I can see. But when you’re given the opportunity to wake up and see that there are other options in front of you, then maybe, just maybe, it could work.””
— Jason Chane, Founder of Augustine Recovery
Suicidal thoughts are one of the most misunderstood aspects of addiction and early recovery. Families often hear statements that sound like a desire to die, when what is really being expressed is unbearable emotional pain. In this video, Jason Chane explains what he has seen repeatedly over decades of recovery work. Most men do not want their lives to end. They want the suffering to stop. Understanding this distinction changes how treatment, support, and hope are offered at critical moments.
Why Trauma-Informed Addiction Treatment Is Essential for Suicide and Relapse Prevention
For many men, suicidal thoughts are not driven by a desire for death, but by an inability to imagine continuing life as it is. When substances are removed without addressing trauma, despair, or emotional overwhelm, those feelings can intensify. Trauma-informed addiction treatment focuses on safety, emotional regulation, and restoring perspective when men cannot see alternatives on their own. Through time, structure, and therapeutic support, men begin to recognize that other paths exist. This approach reduces both relapse risk and self-harm risk by helping men build stability, resilience, and hope.
If you are worried about a loved one who feels hopeless, isolated, or overwhelmed in recovery, early intervention matters. Augustine Recovery offers long-term, trauma-informed addiction treatment for men in Florida, focused on emotional safety and lasting change. Speak with our admissions team to explore whether our program may be the right next step.
