Scranton native Boland shares recovery journey in recognition of National Recovery Month

Chris Boland knew he had a problem with alcohol at 24.

By that time, he had been charged with DUI and lost a good job in finance. But Boland did not stop drinking for another decade.

“Alarm bells should have gone off then. They didn't, and certainly after getting in legal trouble, but you're hanging out with friends, and it didn't seem that far out of the norm,” said Boland, who now works as the director of alumni relations at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

The Scranton native got help at Geisinger Marworth Treatment Center in Waverly in 2009. As National Recovery Month comes to a close, Boland wants others struggling with addiction and substance abuse disorder to know it’s never too late to get help.

Boland’s recovery journey

One of Boland’s family members struggled with addiction. Boland, who grew up in Scranton and attended various Catholic schools including Scranton Prep, stayed away from alcohol in high school.

Then, he left home for Villanova University and started to experiment.

“There were enough of us [doing this] that it didn't seem odd, and then after college, a lot of people were able to dial it back. I certainly did a little bit, but not enough,” he said.

After leaving the Philadelphia suburbs with a lost job and a DUI, he moved around the country and pushed his addiction to the back of his mind.

“I knew I needed to stop, but I was incapable of it. I tried all the tricks everyone tries: I won't drink before this time, I won't do shots, I'll only drink on the weekends — and you know it's all kind of kicking the can down the road from what you know you really ultimately need to do, which is stop,” he said.

Then after more than a decade, Boland came home from a weekend away watching Notre Dame football in Pittsburgh not knowing his life was about to change.

On Nov. 16, 2009, his loved ones staged an intervention.

“It was arguably, besides being born, the most important day of my life,” Boland said.

“They gave me an opportunity to get healthy, and I was relieved, honestly, because I knew I had to do it, but I didn't know how to,” he continued.

His older brother, who he coached basketball with at the time, drove Boland to rehab at Geisinger Marworth, where he stayed for the maximum of 28 days. He asked his brother to call his team and be open with them about their coach getting help.

“I want them all to be able to process it. And first of all, know I'm not dead because I'm going to be off the grid for a month. But, also so they can think about it, I want them all to be able to help me and to be able to think about it when I get out,” Boland said.

That day changed his life for the better, despite the turmoil that led up to it.

“For some people it's a terrible day. For me, it was an opportunity to get healthy, and that's what I've been doing ever since. Just one day at a time,” he said.

Now in his 50s, Boland lives a life he’s honored to have, as a father to two little boys, a husband, a professional and a mentor for those in the community facing their own struggles with addiction. He also serves on Geisinger Marworth’s advisory council. He still attends AA meetings occasionally, especially when people reach out to him as a mentor and confidant.

“It gave me great perspective. I think that I was lacking on what's important. I'm definitely a better coach and a better brother and son and everything. It's been everything to me to have that opportunity,” he said.

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Chris Boland wants people to know there's help available if they are struggling with addiction.

Robb Malloy / Geisinger

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Chris Boland is now a father and husband and says he 'couldn't be happier.' Boland has been in recovery since 2009.

Submitted by Geisinger

Supporting others through recovery

Boland expressed immense gratitude for his loved ones through his recovery.

“If I had to make the choice on my own, I don't know if I ever would have, because I knew for years that I needed to. Honestly, not to be dramatic, I don't know if I'd be alive. So the support from my family and loved ones was essential to my recovery, to getting it even started,” he said.

He wants people to understand addiction is not a choice, both those living with it and those not.

“Alcoholism is actually a disease. It's not something I chose. It's not because I liked Miller Lite a lot. It's something that when I turned that switch on by starting to drink in college, it had a different effect on me than it did on many others, and that's okay,” he said.

Boland choked up talking about how lucky and fortunate he considers himself because of his recovery journey.

“When I think of the people who are still out there and questioning whether or not they can get healthy and whether or not there's hope and help and whether or not they're worth it. I'm here. There's millions of us ready and willing to help whoever needs it,” he said.

He knows the kindness and grace of both his loved ones and strangers helped him through his addiction.

“That's been a blessing to me is to get the opportunity to help friends and family and strangers, many strangers like the strangers who helped me when I walked into my first meeting,” he said.

Boland shared one simple message to anyone in a similar situation he was in until 2009: “There's help out there.”