Nebraska man shares his road to recovery after years of substance use and mental health struggles [Video]

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Starting at the age of 12, David “Johnny” Mann turned to alcohol and drugs for a sense of identity.

“My life was about partying basically,” Mann said. “And trying to fit in with all the different crowds so that’s what I did. I never knew who I was.”

At just five years old, Mann said his mother and father got a divorce. For him, separating from his father was the root of his struggles later in life.

“I didn’t realize it then, but I had a lot of abandonment, I missed my dad and wanted to be with my dad.”

Amy Borchers, the Senior Director of Outpatient Services at CenterPointe, said childhood trauma is often seen in people struggling with mental health and substance use.

“Abandonment can be a huge trigger to a mental health response,” Borchers said. “It’s also an indicator of childhood trauma when …