JACKSONVILLE, Fla — A new treatment program is now open in Jacksonville. It's called Sophros Recovery and offers specialized care for people recovering from substance abuse and other behavioral health disorders.
Sophros Recovery was started by Jacksonville native and Army veteran, Nick Padlo, who graduated from West Point and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He's a two-time combat veteran.
After his time in the service, he was a successful businessman. But, he struggled behind the scenes.
"Behind what appeared to be a successful business, I was really struggling myself with alcohol use, depression and anxiety," Nick Padlo said.
Padlo returned to Jacksonville right before the pandemic with the goal of helping others in the community who have been affected by depression, anxiety, PTSD, alcohol and drugs.
"When I think about the mental health crisis that we're going through in America right now, veteran suicides are 50% greater than the risk of the average population. I've personally lost two friends in 2021 to suicide already. So, to me, it indicates two things: one, that veterans are struggling with PTSD, with trauma, with substance abuse, and also that we're not getting help."
For more information about the program, including opening dates and treatment services available, click here.
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