Jeremy Taubman

In January 2024, I celebrated 21 years of continuous recovery from addiction. When I finally surrendered to the truth of how chaotic and unmanageable my life had become, I faced a very different kind of struggle – stigma. I knew that no matter how hard I was willing to fight to create a new future for myself, I would be subjected to negative judgment, criticism, and prejudice for my past. Fear of discrimination almost kept me from asking for help, but the fear that my life would continue to spin out of control was even greater. Fortunately, I found a community of compassionate, understanding, non-judgmental peers and professional service providers to help me build a strong foundation from which to start my new life. Stigma had been a barrier, but one that I was able to overcome with the support of people who understood my struggle, and how much courage it takes to build a brighter future after suffering so much darkness and despair.

I am filled with gratitude for all those who offered a helping hand and I have been committed to paying it forward. I returned to school to earn a graduate degree in social work and started a new career in the field of behavioral health, serving people who suffer from mental health conditions and addictions. Throughout my new career I have been an ardent champion in the fight against stigma and an advocate for the underserved on various health care reform committees. I have been awarded several grants to fund numerous stigma reduction campaigns within the health care system in an effort to reduce barriers to mental health and addiction treatment services.

I began riding motorcycles at age 15 but stopped riding for many years as my addiction progressed. Early in my recovery journey I rediscovered my passion for motorcycles. In fact, there were some who accused me of transferring my addiction from drugs and alcohol to motorcycles. It was not lost on me that being a motorcycle rider came with its own type of stigma, but as far as I was concerned this was a good trade off, since riding had become my “throttle therapy” and likely kept me sober, which meant it also saved my life.

I crave competition, but after the race is over even my fiercest on-track rivals are some of my closest friends in the paddock. I love the camaraderie, mutual support, and being part of a community of like-minded people. Over the years I have also learned that many in the community have their own history of mental health and addiction challenges, and have been drawn to motorcycle racing for the same reasons as me.

It became clear that there was something very therapeutic about riding motorcycles, but also that it was in these communities of kindred spirits where I no longer experienced the toxic stigma that had been such a challenging barrier to progress everywhere else.

In my professional career I have learned that stigma can be overcome with the right strategy, especially with the support of individuals and organizations committed to preserving the rights, dignity, health and safety of people suffering from mental health conditions and addictions. In my racing career I have had the good fortune to meet so many people who share this vision, and I firmly believe that motorcycle racing can be an effective platform to promote a message of hope and provide inspiration to join the fight against stigma of mental health and addiction.