John Cardwell of Christchurch, New Zealand, shares his lived experience to highlight the urgent need for understanding, accountability, and long-term recovery support in mental health and addiction.
CHRISTCHURCH, NZ / ACCESS Newswire / May 4, 2026 / Mental health and addiction continue to impact communities across New Zealand, with substance use and psychological distress affecting thousands of individuals and families each year. Clinician and counsellor John Joseph Cardwell is stepping forward to raise awareness around the realities of addiction recovery and the importance of long-term support grounded in lived experience.
Cardwell, who has been clean and sober since October 2021, is using his personal journey and professional work in mental health and addiction services to bring attention to the challenges many individuals face when navigating recovery.
"My journey through addiction cost me everything," says Cardwell. "My identity, my relationships, my employment roles and my sense of purpose."
According to New Zealand's Ministry of Health, approximately 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year, while substance use disorders remain a significant contributor to long-term health and social challenges. Despite this, many individuals do not seek or receive the support they need, often due to stigma, lack of access, or fear of judgment.
Cardwell believes that greater openness and accountability are key to changing that.
"I was exposed for my behaviours in the public eye whilst in active addiction for the whole world to see," he says. "It was a massive failure in my life. But the success was to see it, be accountable, and commit to change."
Now working as a clinician and counsellor, Cardwell specialises in alcohol and other drug (AOD) support, using both evidence-based practices and culturally grounded frameworks such as Te Whare Tapa Whā and the Fonofale Model. His work focuses on holistic wellbeing, particularly within Māori and Pasifika communities.
"I apply a culturally grounded approach," he explains. "It's about holistic, whānau-centred wellbeing and building trust first."
Cardwell emphasises that recovery is not a quick process. It requires consistency, community, and a willingness to change.
"Recovery wasn't instant," he says. "It was built through pain, honesty, and resilience. The decision to keep going when it was hard."
His experience reflects a broader reality. Studies show that long-term recovery outcomes improve significantly when individuals have access to peer support, stable environments, and ongoing care, rather than short-term interventions alone.
Cardwell credits mentorship and community as critical factors in his own journey.
"I found and surrounded myself with people who had walked in my shoes before," he says. "They role modelled a better way to live."
Today, he is focused on using his story to support others and to shift how addiction is viewed in society.
"Shame and guilt are a strength of mine today," he says. "Because I can speak to it openly and honestly and give back to the community I once took from."
Cardwell is also advocating for a broader understanding of recovery as a lifelong process, not a single event. He highlights the importance of personal responsibility alongside community support.
"My success was to rise from the ashes," he says. "Owning my part in life and committing to change."
Building Awareness Through Everyday Actions
Cardwell encourages individuals to take simple, meaningful steps to support mental health awareness in their own lives and communities:
Stay open to conversations about mental health and addiction
Reflect on personal habits and behaviors with honesty
Support others by listening without judgment
Stay connected to community, family, and purpose
Continue learning about mental health and recovery
"Break things into small steps and just start," he says. "Focus on your why and stay consistent."
As mental health and addiction challenges continue to affect communities across New Zealand, voices like Cardwell's highlight the importance of lived experience in shaping more effective and compassionate approaches to recovery.
"My story is no longer about struggle," he says. "It's about giving back and helping others see that change is always possible."
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About John Joseph Cardwell
John Joseph Cardwell is a Christchurch-based clinician and counsellor specialising in mental health and addiction. With lived experience and multiple years in recovery since October 2021, he combines evidence-based practices with culturally grounded frameworks to support individuals, couples, and groups. A graduate in Health Science (Mental Health and Addictions) and a member under DAPAANZ ( Drug and Alcohol Practitioner's Association of Aotearoa New Zealand) the professional body for addiction treatment practitioners in NZ, Cardwell is committed to fostering long-term recovery and holistic wellbeing within diverse communities across New Zealand.
Contact:
SOURCE: John Cardwell Mental Health New Zealand
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