Genius Recovery

Our Journey:
From Pain to Purpose

Genius Recovery was born out of a mission to change the way the world understands and supports addiction recovery

Meet Joe Polish

Joe Polish’s life was profoundly shaped by his struggles with addiction. Like many, Joe found himself battling substance abuse at a young age, searching for an escape from underlying pain and trauma. By the time he was 18, addiction had nearly taken everything from him—his health, his relationships, and his hope for the future. It was in these darkest moments that Joe discovered something that would change his life: the root of his addiction wasn’t a lack of willpower or a moral failing, but rather a response to unresolved pain. This realization became the catalyst for his healing journey.

As Joe navigated his path to recovery, he encountered the stigmas and misunderstandings that often surround addiction. He saw firsthand how society isolates and judges those struggling, and how this only deepens the cycle of shame, driving many to stay hidden in their struggles. Joe began to feel a strong urge to address this misunderstanding—to transform how people view addiction and to help others see it not as a failure, but as a response to life’s deepest wounds.

Joe’s career as a successful entrepreneur taught him the power of connection and community. He realized that these principles could be incredibly impactful in the recovery space. What if those struggling with addiction could access a supportive, non-judgmental network? What if there was a place where addicts, caregivers, and advocates could find resources, encouragement, and empathy? Driven by these questions, Joe founded Genius Recovery to create a new paradigm in addiction support.

Genius Recovery reflects Joe’s vision for a compassionate approach to addiction. It’s a space where people from all walks of life can come together, free from stigma, to understand addiction and support each other on their journeys to healing. Joe hopes that through Genius Recovery, people can find the strength and resources to rebuild their lives and that society can learn to view addiction through a lens of empathy and compassion. He believes that with the right support, education, and connection, recovery is possible for everyone.

"Addiction isn’t a failure—it’s a response to pain. When we address the trauma, we unlock the potential for true healing."

Our Mission at Genius Recovery

Our mission is to change the global conversation around addiction through compassion, education, and connection. At Genius Recovery, we provide trusted resources, expert insights, and a supportive community for addicts, caregivers, and advocates. Together, we’re creating a world that views recovery with understanding and hope.

Compassion

Empowerment

Education

Community

Healing

How We're Changing Lives

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An Open Letter to Anyone Struggling with Addiction

First, I want to say how sorry I am that you or someone you love is struggling with addiction. I know first-hand how painful it is. Addiction nearly killed me when I was 18 years old.

What I’ve learned since then is that almost all addiction stems from trauma. This can be difficult for some people to understand; they assume trauma has to mean a person was beaten, molested or in a life- threatening accident. But we all have different levels of sensitivity.

Addiction is something you are driven to do—anything you crave that gives you temporary pleasure or relief but then causes negative consequences. Addiction is something you are unable to give up, despite the suffering it causes.

The challenging thing for people that don’t have this craving to understand is how someone could have that craving in the first place. They wonder why the addict can’t just make a better choice.

I’m of the belief that addiction is not a choice. Once the addict goes into a craving state, it’s beyond willpower or intelligence. Intelligence can actually be a detriment because the smarter people are, the more they believe they can think their way out of the problem.

What many don’t understand is that addiction isn’t a problem—it’s actually a solution. If you’re in pain, angst, anxiety, fear, rage, depression, sadness, loneliness or experiencing any other form of suffering, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be out of that pain. It’s how we go about scratching that itch that causes the issue.

Ultimately, addiction is a connection disorder. It’s feeling incredibly disconnected and uncomfortable in your own skin. You just want to numb out or escape. You want to feel something—anything except the dread that comes with that craving state…a state that always has compulsivity or impulsivity attached to it.

Looking at addiction from a state of compassion, as opposed to judgment, is critical. We cannot punish or beat addiction out of somebody. Sure, we can throw people in prison, scold them or run away from them, but that doesn’t help make the cravings go away. Love and compassion are critical—though, of course, those can be difficult emotions to embrace when dealing with addicts. The symptoms of addiction can be ugly; they often involve activities like cheating, disrupting, lying, stealing and other egregious acts. That’s because addicts will do anything to get out of the pain they are in. The addict brain has an appetite for destruction and is fueled more by chaos than harmony. In other words, it’s hard for addicts to feel okay. And it’s not easy to feel compassion for someone who’s leaving shrapnel in their wake. But the more you can understand that the addict is in pain and just trying to get out of it, the easier it can be to deal with the recklessness and chaos that comes with it.

Addiction is also biochemical. You are dealing with serotonin and dopamine. Once you quit the drug or behavior, you may have to fix and repair the gut. You have to get the body back to a state where it produces “feel good” chemicals in order to cope with the uncomfortable feelings. This means exercise, yoga, meditation, float pods, the right nutrition, and more. The issues are in the tissues, and if you can incorporate movement and communities, it can help heal. Building a rapport by being around other addicts is critical. It doesn’t have to be a 12-step meeting; you just need a community—an ongoing, consistent community.

It’s a lot of work—but not nearly as much work as active addiction. And if you’re willing to do the work, there’s freedom on the other side that most addicts and their families probably haven’t ever experienced before. The bottom line: help is available. There are many people and resources available at little or no cost.

Testimonials

Real Stories of Recovery

Anna's Story:

Anna describes her addiction as not just substance use, but the overwhelming mental burden of self-obsession and anxiety. Her recovery included recognizing distortions in her thinking, learning to manage her anxious thoughts, and challenging extreme emotions. She stresses the importance of patience and realizing that feeling aren't always facts.

Tony's Story:

Tony shares his journey from addiction to long-term sobriety, highlighting how alcohol dominated his life. He describes multiple car wrecks and brushes with death, ultimately leading to a turning point where he considered suicide. A moment of divine intervention led him to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), where he found hope and connection that changed his life. For over 37 years, Tony has relied on his faith, AA, and a support system to maintain sobriety. He emphasizes that recovery requires daily commitment and reaching out for help when needed.

Annie's Story:

Annie's story centers on her 23-year struggle with addiction, where she was unaware of her issues until hitting an emotional bottom. Her recovery began when she sought connection with herself and something greater, finding healing through practices like yoga, art, and animals. She emphasizes the need for self-care for loved ones of addicts and stresses that recovery is possible if a person is still alive. Annie is passionate about helping others, particularly women, find recovery, and she works in advocacy and treatment.

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