Matthew Fiorenza has been a Firefighter/Paramedic in Southern California for 18 years. After ten years on the job he began having issues with anxiety, stress, and depression and was later diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In an effort to self-medicate, he began misusing alcohol.
Additionally, Matthew sustained a back injury on the job, which required surgery. The post-traumatic stress, alcoholism, anxiety, and depression presented the perfect storm for Matthew as he found himself spiraling out of control with pain medication and alcohol while he continued to struggle with anxiety, PTSD, and depression.
Matthew thankfully reached out for help and entered an intensive treatment program for drug and alcohol dependency and co-occurring mental health issues. His journey of resiliency and healing is one he desires to share with others so that they too can obtain optimal wellness and safely return to their community service careers.
Today Matthew is a sober mentor to men and woman in the First Responder community and a volunteer at the Save a Warrior program. He has found sobriety by doing the next right thing.
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