The choice of a person's occupation may be influenced by a multitude of factors—family traditions, books we read, people we meet who impact us, etc. But sometimes our job chooses us. And when it does, it does so for a reason. Meet Eric Paskin, founder ofRestore Health + Wellness Center, premier addiction rehabilitation facility located in Los Angeles. Eric got into the "helping business" through a combination of all the above, and mostly through his own experience. He knows firsthand about addiction, having battled with it much of his life and having gone through the recovery process. The years of painful struggle coupled with the growing sense of calling to help those in need have resulted in what is now one of the best rehab centers in Southern California. Eric won his personal battle against addiction and created something that is bigger than his life, to help guide others in need towards winning their own personal battle.
"The last thing I wanted was to work in treatment after getting sober. I believe it chose me. For most of my life I didn't consider myself a 'helper.' But once it happened and I saw how much good I was providing, it got very easy. It's the passion for helping people that keeps me going because it's a tough industry. There's great joy in seeing someone who didn't have hope, take their life back. All these years later, I'm still passionate about helping people seek treatment because I know that it can change their lives," confesses Eric of his motivation.
The knowledge of the pain he suffered for years makes him the best in his business. Eric knows there are no quick fixes for addiction—it takes months, sometimes years, to get over it. He compares the recovery process to a marathon. "I'm clean for over 13 years and I still have to work on my own personal recovery. Sometimes I feel like I'm gliding along and everything is going smoothly, other days it's an uphill climb and things feel really hard," he elaborates.
While 2020 was a hard year for everybody—lockdowns, stay-at-home restrictions, and limited social contact all took a heavy toll on millions of people—it caused a lot of people to turn to alcohol, drugs, and other substances, which for many turned into abuse. Such institutions as Eric's Restore Health + Wellness Center, are there to offer a way out.
Each patient has a unique set of biological, psychological, and social attributes that are thoroughly assessed by the Center's specialists before embarking on a treatment. The result is a rehabilitation program tailored to meet each individual's unique needs. What's equally important is to prevent a recovered patient from falling back into the chaos of addiction once the treatment is over, and Restore Health + Wellness Center makes sure that does not happen. Eric, being the living proof that addiction can be stopped, and life changed for the better, is inspiration for thousands of people in need.
