Chris
Chris
You are in charge of the rest of your life
I feel much more in control of my daily life and have a road map to follow to make the most of what lies ahead for me.
For many years, Chris was a heavy drinker. He also struggled with anxiety and depression. Despite his issues, he was always able to put on a calm exterior to prevent detection. He felt that if nobody else saw the problems inside his head, the issues would go away.
A few years ago, however, Chris could no longer hide. His drinking caused liver failure, and he began treatment for alcoholism—including spending time at an ICU. The experience turned his life around.
During my treatment at McLean’s Signature Recovery program, I learned tools to live a successful life without drinking.
In the years that followed, I have kept my sobriety, but I’ve coped with my anxiety and depression in different, unhealthy ways.
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Learning to find healthier ways to cope led him to more treatment at McLean. During his most recent time at the hospital, he began to treat his anxiety with medication. He also began intense therapy to get to the root causes and triggers for his anxiety.
At McLean, the doctors taught me that life does not have to be difficult and that our secrets do nothing but negatively impact our health.
I feel empowered to be honest about the issues I face because I have a team ready to provide me ways to treat the issues with an honest and compassionate approach.
These days, Chris continues his treatment, and he speaks out about mental health issues, including through his on-air appearances on sports talk radio.
I work in sports radio, where we target men age 25 to 54. I feel that I have an impactful story to tell this group of people who are trained from a young age to view mental health struggles as a weakness.
I want to share my strength—which I gained from others who were being treated—with an audience that needs help.
“Help is out there, only a phone call away. A great future awaits you.”
By sharing his personal story, Chris wants to inspire his audience to confront mental health stigma—a powerful force that holds back many men from getting the help they need.
The stigmatization of mental health issues causes those who are suffering to remain silent and not seek needed medical attention for serious problems in their lives.
Stigma costs lives and delays needed medical care for the most vulnerable people in our society.
Chris believes that when people break through the stigma, they can get on a path to a more meaningful life.
You are in charge of the rest of your life. A better, more fulfilling, and honest world awaits you when you gain the courage to confront the serious medical problems you are dealing with.
Help is out there, only a phone call away. A great future awaits you.
