WARNING This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and suicide among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content emotionally distressing. Viewer discretion is advised.

Story:

Chris Cull is a twotime cross Canada Cyclist, Motivational Speaker, Founder of Inspire By Example, Creator of Surviving Addiction and a recovering opioid user. After losing his father to suicide, Chris fell into an opioid addiction that lasted 8.5 years. At his lowest point, he was 139lbs, stealing food to eat, went 2 years without heat or hot water and was on a high dose of methadone that seemed impossible got of off.

In finding his passion within his experience with addiction, Chris was able to overcome his addiction and rode his bicycle to across Canada twice to raise awareness about opioid addiction and filmed a documentary about the impacts of the opioid crisis across the country.

Chris has advised numerous institutions and organizations in the field of mental health and addiction strategy. His advising includes, but not limited to, the Federal Minister of Health, the 2017 Canadian Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Chronic Non Cancer Pain, Ontario Health, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Municipality of Durham Region Opioid Task Force.. Chris also serves on the CSAM Policy Committee and the Board of Director's of the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.

In episode 1, Chris shares his journey from tragedy to triumph.

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chriscull6558828a
Instagram:   / chriscull   (@chriscull)

Surviving Addiction:

Surviving Addiction is an interview series that highlights the real people who are impacted by addiction and the lenses which they experience it through. Whether it's the healthcare professional, community leader, family member or the person who has lived with a substance use disorder, addiction impacts the lives of everyone it touches. In this series, we learn of the humanity of those that addiction has touched and the profound lessons learned through their experiences.

Resources:

Canada wide suicide hotline: Dial 988

Partners:

Inspire By Example: https://inspirebyexample.ca/

Inspire By Example shares the stories of lived experience related to addiction with the goal of reducing stigma and providing hope to those in need.

Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine: https://csamsmca.org/

CSAM is a national society of medical professionals and scientists committed to helping Canadians understand and recover with dignity from substance use disorders.


Durham College Social Impact Hub: https://durhamcollege.ca/about/office...

The Social Impact Hub at Durham College builds community collaborations needed to undertake socially innovative applied research activities informed by those with lived experience. A key activity is supporting knowledge mobilization within the walls of the college, our region, and beyond.