God Took Me to Las Vegas
My mission with the God Took Me to Las Vegas podcast is to save lives and allow the person to Reveal the Lifestyle Champion within them.There are many different types of recovery programs, they all are aimed at helping those battling substance use disorders to transition from being harmed to being clean and sober. Anyone who’s battling a compulsive or destructive behavior wants to be healthy and they desire to live a happy and productive life. Sadly, only 1 in 10 Americans with a substance use disorder receives treatment. Why?Because it’s not safe to come forward and admit your challenges. The stigma is fueling an American public health crisis and we need to “Crush the Stigma!”Substance use disorders are associated with discrimination and social disapproval – more than any medical condition. These same people are often isolated, outcast, and even imprisoned. Stigma isolates people, it discourages them from seeking help, and even leads some medical providers to resist delivering evidence-based treatment services.
God Took Me to Las Vegas
Episode 57 - Interview with Jim Shoopack
Just over twenty years ago Jim Shoopack battled and suffered, in silence – clinical depression. He was suicidal but through his faith in God, and assistance from friends and family, he overcame the depression. Shortly thereafter, he set a goal of completing 100 marathons. To-date he has finished 21 marathons, including four in four months and three in three months.
Since overcoming his battle with depression Jim has gone on to earn his Doctorate in Education, further demonstrating how far someone can go after overcoming depression.
In this episode, Jim shares how to deal with & overcome suicidal thoughts. Also. he is very vulnerable in his willingness to talk about the debilitating depression that stole his freedom for more than three months back in 2001.
Jim’s goal is to be the “voice for the voiceless”, and often states a statistic that’s not well known in our society today – the stat is “approximately 1 in 4 people will suffer in silence with a mental health challenge”. The fact that 26.2% of the population in North America have suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, is what has motivated him to complete the 100 marathons.
He has traveled to Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico on service trips. His fluency in Spanish has been beneficial in helping to serve as a translator for the church groups he’s traveled with. As part of his journey, he and his wife, along with their three pups have traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada. Travel is part of his “self-care” journey.
You can contact Jim via email at JimShoopack@gmail.com
acourageousrecovery.com