There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” As the year draws to a close and we are all about to take a much-deserved break for the holidays before the start of a new year, I think about this proverbial wisdom and how it applies to ADAA’s work in 2022. I think about how grateful I am that ADAA has the support, contributions and collaboration of our professional members as well as members of the public. I think about how thankful we are for our allies, influencers, donors, and corporate and community partners. And I think how we have achieved so much this year because of all of you, together.  

Our mission, our commitment to our members, our dedication to the public, and our brand have all flourished this year. While things were not “slow” by any means, we did take a deliberate step back to really evaluate where we were and where we are going. We remained steadfast in the purpose of our work but took a more focused and intentional approach to collaborating, partnering and communicating with like-minded people, organizations and business providers.  

As our 2022 Impact Report highlights, we were very busy this year, creating a mental health career center, now up and running, laying ground work for a new Major Depressive Disorder peer-to-peer online community subgroup as well as one for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (both launching in 2023), and finalizing the new and enhanced Find A Therapist Tool, which will also be available next year. Our annual conference took place in Denver in March, and we are gearing up for the 2023 conference in Washington, DC in April, for which I must thank our amazing conference committee and all those who submitted. It’s going to be an inspiring event and we are looking forward to being together again. 

ADAA has always understood the importance of togetherness. We work tirelessly and passionately to disseminate information and raise awareness, provide research, and highlight new treatments to help those in need. People who suffer from conditions like anxiety and depression fair far better when they are not, or do not feel, alone. And with the help of our board, our members, our partners, our staff, and the shared experiences of the public, we will continue to ensure that anyone who suffers does not have to do so alone.