Addiction is a crippling disease, and with the rise of opioids and prescriptions pills, substance abuse is becoming an all too common problem in American families. Addiction doesn't discriminate. It targets all people from all walks of life, often shattering the lives of everyone involved. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 19.7 million American adults (aged 12 and older) battled a substance use disorder. Addiction costs the country more than 740 billion dollars annually due to healthcare expenses, lost productivity, and costs directly tied to drug-related criminal activity. It is a hard battle, but substance abuse is a fight that cannot be fought alone.
Social media influencer and entrepreneur Christopher Ferry understands this all too well. A New Jersey native, Christopher struggled with drug addiction on and off throughout his young adult life. During his teens, Christopher had a passion for ice hockey; he thrived off the rush that sports gave him and was even offered a chance to try out for the USA National Team Development Program. While a student at Stockton University, unfortunately, Christopher turned to drugs and walked away from it all. Without the rush of athletics, Christopher turned to more self-destructive ways to deal with his energy and emotions.
After a period of self-reflection and two stints in rehab, Christopher realized that a life of sobriety is about channeling focus and energy in the right ways. He maintains his sobriety by finding support groups and establishing a constructive routine to find a way out of addiction. Christopher explains, "Whenever I want to quit, I had a routine that I go back to so I can get my mind right." Christopher has the first-hand experience on what it is like to rebuild a life spiraled out of control due to substance abuse, a carryover from his time as an athlete. Six years sober and motivated by a passion for helping others, Christopher founded Boca Recovery Center to help other struggling addicts live a clean and sober life.
The Boca Recovery Center is one of the most highly recognized addiction treatment centers in the country, located in Boca Raton, FL. Their mission is all about employing an individualized process to help addicts rebuild their lives on a foundation of health and well-being. "I'd argue that nearly every American family has been impacted by drug abuse," Christopher explains. He is extremely passionate about Boca Recovery Center's mission because it's personal. "I pursued my passion by founding an addiction treatment center because I've lived through addiction. I know how harmful it can be." Driven by sobriety, he is now in the unique position of helping others gain the same perspective.
Christopher's reach expands even further than the founding of his life-changing treatment center. He is an influencer for the Clean and Sober-Addiction recovery support group. A Facebook group with over 65,000 members, Clean and Sober is a place for recovering addicts to go to for support, helping each other solve their common problem through the community. He is also working with rapper Riff Raff to help spread awareness about addiction and educate the public on how to get help. By opening up about his past and presenting it alongside his passion for sober living, Christopher Ferry is conquering addiction for himself and others.
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