Jonathan Niziol

Hi Rashad, I’m Jonathan Niziol. I began my career as a lacrosse player, drafted 31st overall by the Arizona Sting in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft and playing professionally for three years in Canada. Today, I celebrate a successful 15-year journey as an international model, working with global brands like Men’s Health Editorial and Hugo Boss. Alongside modeling, I've been a certified personal trainer for 14 years and a real estate investor in Dallas/Fort Worth for the last three. Sharing my story is my way of offering hope to others facing similar struggles. My resilience drives me to empower others on their path to recovery and mental well-being.

My journey has been marked by profound loss and personal struggles. A 15-year spiral into alcoholism, drug abuse, exercise addiction, severe anxiety, panic disorder, and clinical depression began with the sudden death of my mother, the loss of close friends, and a harrowing incident of sexual assault during a modeling casting. Despite a facade of success on social media, my life was a hidden battle.

Growing up on a farm east of Toronto, I enjoyed a serene, carefree environment with hardworking parents who instilled values of work ethic and sustainability. However, returning home from college at age 20, I faced the devastating loss of my mother just before my 21st birthday. This triggered a downward spiral into anxiety, depression, and alcohol abuse, leading to panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.

A turning point came when a near-death experience with acute pancreatitis resulted in a month-long hospital stay, five blood transfusions, and a 60-pound weight loss. This forced me to confront the severity of my alcohol addiction.

A year after leaving the hospital, I signed with my first modeling agency, Sutherland Models, and began traveling internationally, working in multiple markets including Cape Town, Miami, New York, LA, Seattle, London, and Dallas. However, the path to recovery was fraught with challenges. An early trauma from a sexual assault in Miami further intensified my struggles, leading to an eight-year battle with an eating disorder and functional bulimia. My coping mechanisms escalated to habitual marijuana use.

Life in Toronto became characterized by isolation, excessive weed smoking, and substance abuse, including a dangerous cocktail of medications. I was abusing Adderall, using nitrous oxide, and taking muscle-relaxing pills called Robax (methocarbamol) in extreme amounts — each pill contained 500g of methocarbamol, 200mg of ibupofen. I was taking 100 pills a day, everyday which equates to 50,000g of methocarbamol and 20,000mg of Ibuprofen.

Through therapy, I gained the tools to navigate life without addiction. My journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance transformed me into a beacon of hope. Now, 17 years sober and seven years free from drugs, I use my social media platform to share my story, hoping others can draw strength from my experiences. My mission is to break the stigma surrounding mental health struggles, addiction, eating disorders, and sexual assaults, offering support to those who feel alone in their battles.