Statistics demonstrate that children raised in wealthy families and affluent communities are more likely to develop depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. They experience vast pressures to overachieve, meet societal expectations and have resources to access substances. While money can be a tool to access high-quality treatment, it can also protect natural consequences and allow behavioral health issues to worsen.
Affluence and Addiction is an educational film that chronicles the journey of the O’Connor family, who navigated the behavioral healthcare system on behalf of their youngest son, Christopher O’Connor. Chris started his journey with substances at the age of 12, and despite having close to five years of sobriety, Chris died of an accidental overdose in July of 2018.
Through conversations with Chris’s family, friends, and experts serving ultra-high-net-worth clients, Affluence and Addiction offers insight into what makes wealthy families more vulnerable to addiction, what can be done to prevent stories like Chris’s, and valuable resources to aid families affected by substance use.
