For years, George Alexander, a union brother out of Local 14 in Philadelphia, has been a driving force behind mental health awareness within the Insulators trade. A passionate advocate for recovery and wellness, he has championed initiatives focused on substance abuse, addiction, and supporting fellow union members through their struggles.
On June 25, 2026, Alexander celebrated a major personal milestone: 10 years of sobriety. Today, he dedicates his free time to helping others navigate their addiction struggles and recovery. Yet despite his role as a trusted mentor and resource, Alexander recently learned an important lesson. Those who help others also need help themselves.
“I can get in my head that I don’t need help, because I’m helping so many people,” Alexander said. “But I was wrong. I was lying to myself for quite a bit.”
Over the last year, Alexander found himself in an increasingly unbearable environment. This left him holding on to the false hope that it would improve, as he was reluctant to walk away from the relationships and connections he had built.
Then, it all came to a head one week in June 2026.
That Monday and Tuesday, he received separate messages from two friends asking if he was mad at them because he had either been short with them or unresponsive. George perceived this as odd. He did not notice these changes, so their messages continued to linger in his mind.
“What it all boiled down to is, I didn’t realize what was going on inside of myself over the course of this last year,” he said.
Then, on Wednesday, a workplace incident became his final straw. Alexander went to his superintendent, explained the situation and relayed that if the issue were not fixed by Friday, he wouldneed to leave the company to prioritize his mental well-being.
On Friday morning, during Alexander’s meditation routine, he experienced a moment of clarity.
“I started to receive this message, and the message was, ‘You’ve been isolating George. That’s why those two guys messaged you,’” he said. “You always hear, reach out to your friends if you haven’t heard from them. Well, thank God these two gentlemen reached out to me.”
In that moment, Alexander recognized something he had not fully acknowledged: thoughts of suicide had quietly resurfaced over the last few months.
Later that day, he called Youturn Health’s Insulators Member Assistance Program (IMAP) hotline and talked to someone for an hour about what was going on in his life.
“I don’t want to kill myself, but I also shouldn’t be thinking about that right after a hard day’s work,” he said. “I shouldn’t be thinking that I’d rather be dead than deal with this nonsense again and again, day after day. Who knows, maybe it would have led to that, or it would have led to a relapse.”
The conversation provided immediate relief.
After calling IMAP, Alexander reached out to his Business Agent, who shared advice on how to approach a conversation concerning his mental health with his employer.
“I was able to transmit to the company that I was having mental health issues and that I needed some time off,” he said. “With that, my Super told me, ‘That’s the least we can do, George.’”
Since then, he has had numerous sessions with counselors and has continued focusing on his recovery and well-being. He says thoughts of suicide have not returned.
His experience serves as a reminder that mental health challenges can affect anyone. Even those who spend their lives helping others.
Fortunately, there are many resources that union sisters and brothers can utilize to get help. Alexander’s source, YouTurn IMAP, is a free, confidential, 24/7 service providing mental health and substance abuse support for union members.
Local 2 Business Manager, John Stewart, has also worked closely with Alexander over the last few years, promoting and facilitating the Heat and Frost Recovery Group. The group meets every Thursday night over Zoom to create a space for union members to share recovery stories and promote paths to sobriety.
For Alexander, the message is simple:
“It’s okay to ask for help. Reach out to YouTurn, reach out to your union,” he said. “Everybody has your back. You are not alone.”