Any behavior or stimulus can go from well-adapted and functional to maladaptive and dysfunctional, but the more we bring substance addiction into public discussion, the more that people can talk about it openly.

Addiction is a public health crisis. The more that we bring it into public discussion, the more that people can feel like they can support each other and talk about it without acting like it's something we have to hide.

Professional climber and podcaster, Kathy Karlo, hosts the For the Love of Climbing podcast, presented by Patagonia, in order to share stories about climbers choosing vulnerability and talking openly about their pain.

Conversation can break down outdated narratives and show how we are all really just shining examples of this messy human existence.

In this August 2022 episode, Karlo speaks with a fellow climber, Kyle, who works to destigmatize substance use and mental health by opening up about his own journey through recovery.

His recovery came after a two-decade-long battle with drugs and alcohol that almost took his life in October of 2021.

His fear of failure, fear of falling, and fear of inadequacy don't compare to the fear of not living a full life.

Kyle's path to being substance-free embraces some of fear's corresponding counterparts — joy, success, the exhilaration of free-fall, and the inner sanctum of the non-comparative derivation of self-worth.