Injured Soldier’s Path: From Pain Pill Addiction To Rediscovering Himself With Psychedelics || Jonathan Lopez

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Summary of Jonathan’s story

Jonathan Lopez, a United States Army veteran, shares his personal story of overcoming physical and emotional trauma. After sustaining severe injuries, including the loss of his arm and traumatic brain injury, Jonathan struggled with addiction to pain medication and even attempted suicide. Rediscovering purpose through his involvement with the veteran community, he later found profound healing in a transformative psychedelic retreat using ayahuasca. This experience helped him forgive himself and others, enhancing his relationships and leading him to provide support to his peers.  Jonathan continues his journey by working with Healing Frontline Heroes and connecting with indigenous tribes to promote holistic and tribal medicine, while advocating for the importance of integration and peer support. 

I was able to forgive myself, forgive other ones and just be able to live free
-Jonathan Lopez

  

Watch: Injujured Soldier’s Path: From Pain Pill Addiction to Rediscovering Himself With Psychedelics

Tell us about your experience leaving the military and finding psychedelics

Jonathan:
My name is Jonathan Lopez. I’m a United States Army Veteran, and I’m also the Outdoor Programs Coordinator and Peer Support Specialist for Healing Frontline Heroes. I had a pretty good life growing up. I was very loved by my grandmother. I left home early. Joined the military at 17, went down the pipelines, infantry school, airborne training, graduate indoctrination program, all the way through special forces selection.

Unfortunately I was injured while I was stationed in Germany, and fell without a purpose for a while.  I’ve never really been into drugs, like it’s not my thing, and  all of a sudden,  I  started taking a large amount of pain medication. 

I lost my arm, had multiple injuries to my left leg, traumatic brain injury.

I was involved in a really bad accident, and  I just wanted to mask the pain to be able to get back up again.  now I know that actually the pain wasn’t as much physical as it was emotional. But, nonetheless, I,  became addicted to pain pills. It was, took me down a very, dark spiral.

A few years later ended up in a suicide attempt.  

After that,  I became very involved, once again, with the military, our veteran community. I  started  doing a lot of obstacle course races to help  endurance races, ran a skydive program for veterans

When 2020 hit, There were no more activities.  And we were losing people left and right. And I lost someone that was really, close to me.

I knew there was something that needed to be done.  I heard of psychedelics.  A good friend had offered  me a spot in a retreat for ayahuasca. Never heard that word before.

Jonathan’s First Ayahuasca Experience

A friend’s invitation to an ayahuasca retreat sparked curiosity, despite initial skepticism. Jonathan’s first experience with ayahuasca opened doors he had long kept locked, allowing him to confront and release deep-seated guilt and pain. This experience led to a profound sense of forgiveness towards himself and others, including his father and late former partner.

What changes did Jonathan make after the ayahuasca experience

Jonathan emphasizes the importance of integration post-retreat. For him, this meant mending his strained relationship with his father and reconnecting with his children’s maternal family. He realized that healing is not just a personal journey but involves restoring broken connections.

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