Recover Out Loud
John Cunningham began a new journey in prison. In 2012, John was arrested for multiple burglaries and suffered from 15 years of addiction. In prison, he attempted to join other inmates in doing push-ups, and when he only completed 9, he was promptly teased. John wasn’t discouraged—this moment helped him discover the outlet for change he needed. After release in 2014, John’s path of recovery followed his passions, interests, and independent self-discovery rather than multi-step programs.
Due to his unconventional approach and need for reconnection with the sober community, John created Recover Out Loud to help those recovering from substance use disorder connect with a community that supports personal development and long-term growth. Founded in 2018, Recover Out Loud not only motivates the mind and spirit, but also encourages physicality for a holistic healing process.
A New Outlook
While not directly dealing with addiction, John’s wife Meagan is no stranger. Both of her parents used substances, and Meagan gained intimate familiarity with how addiction affects lifestyle. She has held multiple positions to assist in the field of substance use, her most recent as Region Coalition Coordinator for the Indiana Trafficking Victims Assistance Program. Following the end of a three-year relationship with someone with substance use disorder, Meagan hit an emotional low. Looking for answers and hoping to find the missing pieces for recovery, Meagan attended some Recover Out Loud meetings. Meagan says “So when I stepped into Recover Out Loud for the first time and they’re asking me about my story, it was about my dad’s story, my mom’s story. And someone just looked at me and said, ‘Well what about you?’” This question prompted Meagan to internally reflect and start her own healing journey in the process. She now sits on the Recover Out Loud Board of Directors and is a co-founder of the R-FIT program with John.
Substance Use and The Brain
To put in perspective the various effects of substance use on the brain, the use of addictive drugs can increase dopamine production up to tenfold, desensitizing its use over time. This is why many who are addicted struggle to enjoy activities they used to love. Substance use also substantially activates or impairs other parts of the brain. The amygdala, responsible for emotions like fear and anxiety, becomes hyperactive while the hippocampus, the memory and learning center, becomes impaired and struggles to perform. Furthermore, the prefrontal cortex shrinks, making self-control and rational decision-making much harder. As John voiced during the 2023 IU Rural Conference, addiction isn’t a “moral failing”, rather it’s the significant rewiring of a person’s reward system that makes it extremely difficult to stop usage and begin recovery.
Addiction isn’t a “moral failing”, rather it’s the significant rewiring of a person’s reward system that makes it extremely difficult to stop usage and begin recovery.
There is data that supports a positive correlation between recovery and exercise. Exercise promotes blood flow and increased oxygen circulation, which boosts the healing process, specifically with the prefrontal cortex. With exercise, learning, growth, and rationality improve at a faster rate during recovery.
Rat Park
One of the foundational concepts for Recover Out Loud can be traced to a series of psychological studies widely known as “Rat Park.” The studies compared the self-administering of oral drugs between a rat in isolation and rats in social environments. The study found that rats who had companions stopped self-administering oral drugs whereas the isolated rats did not.
“The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it’s connection."
-John Cunningham
Using this mindset, Recover Out Loud was designed to create these social interactions to support and maintain long-term recovery.
Adaptation and Growth
Like many other organizations, the COIVD-19 pandemic forced drastic changes. For Recover Out Loud, forced isolation was highly concerning and increased risks of relapse. Knowing their entire mission was in jeopardy, John and Meagan had to be creative. The two hosted small groups for workouts, cookouts, bonfires, and zoom meetings for the greater recovery community. During these efforts, John and Meagan discovered the substantial benefits of exercise in combatting depression, anxiety, and isolation. This reinforced their early ideas about the connection between physical activity and recovery.
The Recovery Fitness Program (R-FIT) came with its own set of struggles and evolved many times over since its launch in 2020. The first pilot program failed to take off due to gym closures and an overall lack of publicity. They launched again in the summer of 2021, making it more inclusive by reducing the commitment. Although those changes were positive, it lacked the structure and education necessary for the program to be effective. Relying on grants and the aid of a financial partner, Recover Out Loud attempted to open a sober gym for recovery and fitness, but unforeseen circumstances led to its permanent closure.
The New R-FIT Program
After three failed attempts, John and Meagan took a step back to fully analyze the situation. Undeterred, they state the key to success in a grassroots operation is to “Stay humble, keep your eyes on the prize, and stay focused on the vision.”
They spent the next five months reformulating and establishing a complete program that encouraged commitment, connection, and personal growth. Thus, the current R-FIT program model was born. Hosted by Jase Robinson and Deathproof CrossFit, the newly designed program is cohort-based with twelve members, ensuring optimal quality and attentiveness for everyone. There are 36 sessions over the span of 12 weeks. Each session is 1.5 hours, including an educational session beforehand. The program is incentive-based, aiding in the identity shift from negativity to empowered and confident individuals.
All coaches are L-1 CrossFit trainers and are undergoing training as peer recovery specialists for a dual certification approach. There are standards for the community, leaders, volunteers, and mentors that reinforce safety and positivity throughout the program.
Future Plans
John and Meagan have hopes for the future of Recover Out Loud and R-F IT. Their top priority is to collect data from the cohorts and work towards a fully-fledged evidence-based R-FIT program. Establishing R-FIT as a science-backed program would open a new realm of possibilities ranging from certifications for coaches, further refinements, and program packages so others can run R-FIT programs in other locations. The two co-founders are also exploring youth programming focused on substance use prevention rather than recovery.
After facing a multitude of challenges, John, Meagan, and the rest of the recovering active community continue to persevere and encourage others to join the effort.