For former NBA point guard Chris Herren, putting on a Boston Celtics jersey should have been the highlight of his career. Instead, he remembers it as one of the most painful moments of his life.
“I had never felt so much shame in my life getting that jersey,” Herren said. “Everyone in the room is smiling, and I’m up there holding that jersey saying like, ‘This is going to end quickly.’”
The Fall River native was once one of Massachusetts’ most celebrated basketball prospects. By 18, he was a freshman at Boston College and appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated. But his life changed after trying cocaine.
Substance use disorder affects people from every background, yet the negative stigma around addiction often remains.
“Part of the challenge with shame is that people begin to see their behaviors as part of their identity,” said Mass General Brigham psychiatrist Dr. Ash Nadkarni.
Herren’s addiction escalated during his professional career. After being released by the Celtics in 2001,
Today, Herren shares his story with students and runs Herren Wellness, a recovery center in Seekonk that has helped thousands of people struggling with addiction.
“I think the beauty of living in recovery is you get a win every day,” Herren said.
Mental health experts say the conversation around addiction is slowly changing.
“I certainly have seen a change,” Nadkarni said. “There’s some stigma left, but there’s no question that stigma around addiction has changed.”
played overseas, where he used heroin for the first time. Later, after moving back to the U.S., he overdosed just blocks from his home.
In 2008, he got sober.
Today, Herren shares his story with students and runs Herren Wellness, a recovery center in Seekonk that has helped thousands of people struggling with addiction.
“I think the beauty of living in recovery is you get a win every day,” Herren said.
Mental health experts say the conversation around addiction is slowly changing.
“I certainly have seen a change,” Nadkarni said. “There’s some stigma left, but there’s no question that stigma around addiction has changed.”
