After living with mental health challenges for years, Chris got a second chance at life.
Chris is a paid spokesperson for Bristol Myers Squibb.
Chris lived with mental health challenges for many years, cycling through doctors and searching for answers that eventually led to a diagnosis. His journey shaped how he thinks about mental healthcare today.
Determined to pursue his dream of becoming an actor, Chris moved to Los Angeles and landed roles in TV series such as The Good Place and Westworld, but he continued to struggle behind the scenes. Chris explored a wide range of pharmaceutical and holistic approaches. His search even took him to China, where he practiced meditation.
Eventually, Chris reached a breaking point and admitted himself to a hospital where things started to turn around. With renewed energy and focus, Chris wrote a screenplay and teamed up with his brother, John, to develop a casting app.
Not long ago, Chris could not imagine any of this would be possible. Today, his story serves as an important reminder that people living with mental illness can pursue meaningful goals and live full lives.
I had a psychotic episode in front of the doctor, and she said, “in the 28 years that I've been doing this, I've never seen someone so sick.” I'm Chris, I have a brother and a sister. I'm from Rhode Island and I really like real-time strategy games. I originally went out to LA to be an actor. I was getting on sets as an extra and doing short films. But I was getting these cognitive distortions and I was self-destructing. So it seemed like people would give me a hand and try to help me with my career, and then the affliction would make me burn bridges with those people.
We tried different medicines and went through many different doctors. And I eventually was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. I started getting self-destructive thoughts. What if I get fired? What if I get evicted? And eventually that ended up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. I just started spiraling out of control for many years. I reached a breaking point, I was severely depressed. My great Aunt Bernice pulled me off the streets of South Central in my mid-20s and gave me a second chance at life. I eventually checked myself into a hospital.
Thankfully, after putting up a bit of a fight, things are looking up, which is pretty cool. I noticed there was a problem in Hollywood where this affliction was only shown in a negative light. I made a short film about schizoaffective because I wanted to change the public perspective of this condition and inspire others.
That's why We Won't Lose.
Because your story can help inspire another.
If you're successfully managing your condition, we'd love to hear about your experience. It could make a difference for someone else.
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