Breaking the Cycle - A Conversation with Ryan Chaffins

LDC Wellbeing: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what brought you to where you are today? 

Ryan: I was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, and come from a really normal upbringing. As I entered my early teenage years, I started suffering from depression and anxiety that seemed to only get worse as I began high school.

When I first tried alcohol at 15, it was the first time that I was able to cover those feelings and fill a void with something that I thought was harmless. After I realized the effect alcohol had on me, I turned to harder drugs (pills, cocaine, etc.) as well to numb the ongoing struggles I had with my mental health. This led me into full-blown alcoholism and addiction that would send me down a path over ten years including six inpatient treatment programs, two years in state prison, and eventually homelessness.

I hit my bottom while in a meth psychosis wandering the streets and ending up in the hospital. While in the emergency room, I decided to enter a program where I could learn a new way of thinking and surround myself with people who wanted to change in the same ways I did.

LDC Wellbeing: Did you have a support system (family, friends, etc) as you were going through your struggles?

Ryan: I had family support through most of my addiction and stints in jail and prison. Eventually, though, my family realized that they were only hurting me by giving me money, paying for treatment, hotels, my cell phone, etc., and had to cut off communication. My family was always there though, when they saw me genuinely attempting to change my situation and it's one of the reasons I had so much support coming out of my addictions.

LDC Wellbeing: Was there any type of assistance in the prison system for those dealing with addiction and/or mental health issues?

Ryan: There are programs in prison that can help with addiction, but as far as my experience, being in a program in prison was looked at as a weakness. So a lot of inmates who may benefit from such programs did not seek the help due to the stigma attached to the inmate population. I was one of the inmates who chose not to seek help while incarcerated.

LDC Wellbeing: Can you tell me more about the work you are currently doing at Royal Life Centers?

Ryan: Basically, my role with Royal Life Centers and Aliya Health Group is to educate my community on the services and levels of care we offer throughout Washington, and the United States, for substance use. When I get calls throughout a work day, 90% of the time it's someone in crisis or a family member of someone in crisis. My job is to act fast and get the individual and family the correct resources based on their geography, insurance coverage, and levels of care needed after assessing the individual's use and mental health status.

LDC Wellbeing: You are a true example of someone whose past did not define their future. For those dealing with substance abuse or mental health issues who do not see any way out, what advice would you give to them?

Ryan: I would let anyone know who is currently struggling with mental health or substance use that there is absolutely a way out of your situation. Reach out to the correct people and find out what resources are available in your area. Surround yourself with professionals and people who have been through the same struggles and have made it out and take their advice. It is not an easy road when making significant life changes, but if you just look at your progress a day at a time and persevere through difficult days early on, you will develop a life-changing sense of gratitude and confidence that wasn't there before.