Anyone affected by substance abuse knows that knowledge of the problem alone can’t help beat the disease.
For Todd Crandell, it took three drunken driving charges and 13 years of consequences to decide to get sober despite that he lost both his mom and uncle to addiction.
Crandell's mugshot. Image via Racing for Recovery.
He knew that turning things around wouldn’t be easy, as it often isn’t when we rely on something to help us function or, ironically, escape. Facing the world with wounds open and learning to live life all over again is no easy task.
So how did he do it? He stopped running from himself and started running toward something more meaningful.
Image via Racing for Recovery.
There’s plenty of evidence that points to the benefits of fitness for preventing relapse, with preliminary studies noting that regular exercise leads to better health outcomes for those susceptible to substance abuse. It's also known to help tackle stress, anxiety, and depression, all challenges associated with recovery.
There are a lot of theories as to why it works. It could be the social component, the distraction it offers — boredom is the enemy of sobriety after all — or the neurobiological impact (ever hear of a "runner’s high"?).
"Not only does it help improve our physical condition, it is a mental, spiritual, and emotional enhancer as well ... it also helps to reduce cravings for drugs early in addiction," Crandell says.
It’s a path many have taken; an addictive personality can thrive when pushing limits and enduring physical intensity.
Image via Racing for Recovery.
Determined to take a different route, Crandell looked for healthy outlets to sustain him and invested his energy in a healthier lifestyle, with physical fitness being a major part of his recovery.
The chemical rewards of exercise can be an amazing rush and help boost self-confidence, too.
"With each step, pedal of bike, or swim stroke, or doing yoga, I am improving physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually," he explains. "It allows me to be my best for myself and others."
It was after his fourth Ironman triathlon in New Zealand that Crandell caught the attention of local press. "The response was overwhelming," he says.
Image via Racing for Recovery.
Realizing he was onto something, he literally ran with it, starting a nonprofit called Racing for Recovery in 2001.
The organization aims to prevent substance abuse by promoting a healthy lifestyle for people affected by addiction.
"I get to help both recovering people and their families," he shares, "and to watch heartbreaking situations evolve into healing is awesome."
In the years since its founding, Racing for Recovery has evolved. The organization hosts 10 support groups weekly, 5Ks and 10Ks galore (running or walking, whichever is your speed), social events for connecting with others in recovery, educational groups, counseling, film screenings, and much more.
At the heart of it all? A passion for health, a commitment to recovery, and Crandell’s determination to help others find both.
Image via Racing for Recovery.
"If I can do this, so can you," Crandell says.
"Asking for help is not weakness, but rather it is giving yourself the opportunity to live the sober life you deserve."
Crandell hopes the organization will grow from here. Residential housing is in the works, programming continues to expand, and he wants to bring the approach to other cities and countries where it’s needed.
Crandell has seen firsthand the transformative power of fitness for those struggling with addiction and trauma — something he’s both lived as a survivor and witnessed as a licensed chemical dependency counselor and licensed professional clinical counselor.
Image via Racing for Recovery.
Substance abuse is an incredible challenge, one that millions of adults face every day in this country. Even so, Crandell’s journey is undeniable proof that there’s still hope and that dependency isn’t destiny.
The first step is often the most difficult. But for Crandell, that first step has taken him all around the world, affecting countless lives along the way. If that’s not a reason to be hopeful, I don’t know what is.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."