This CEO Wants to Remove the ‘Number One Barrier’ to Addiction Recovery

John Driscoll, president and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers, argues that addiction should be treated like any other medical condition, not a moral failing. He believes stigma and shame are the biggest barriers preventing people from seeking help, despite substance use disorder affecting an estimated 54 million Americans while only a fraction receive meaningful treatment. Drawing from decades of experience, Driscoll emphasizes that addiction is a chronic brain disease requiring comprehensive, long-term care—not short-term interventions. Through Caron’s approach and his own career journey, he highlights how proper treatment, persistence, hope, and gratitude can transform lives and families, and he sees reducing stigma as his most important unfinished work.

Read the Women's Health article here: Researchers Just Uncovered A Silent Epidemic In Older Adults That We All Need To Be Talking About