Dry January is often framed as a health reset, but for many people it becomes something far bigger. In this next quick thought, I revisit a conversation with Sober Dave recorded at the most emotionally charged point of the year, we hear how one message on the 7th of January changed the direction of an entire life. Hungover, grieving, overweight and stuck in a cycle that felt impossible to escape, Dave was invited into a three-month break from drinking. Not as an intervention. Not as a warning. Simply as support. What followed wasn’t just sobriety, but clarity, momentum and the first glimpse of a different future.

Dry January works because it removes judgement. It gives people permission to pause without having to explain themselves. In this conversation, we explore why Dry January creates that rare psychological space, why stopping “just for a month” can unlock deeper questions, and why curiosity is far more powerful than willpower. This episode speaks directly to anyone who has tried Dry January before, anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol, or anyone who has wondered what might happen if they didn’t go back to drinking at the end of the month.

This clip goes beyond counting days. It looks at what actually helps people stay stopped: community, education, self-investment and honest reflection. From weight loss and better sleep to rebuilding self-worth and identity, this is a reminder that meaningful change rarely comes from pressure or shame. It starts when someone feels invited rather than told.

If Dry January has ever made you quietly ask, “What would my life look like if I kept going?”, this episode is for you.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3VSPOw9

Spotify - https://bit.ly/402S5Hs

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver & Dave are ambassadors for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Sober Dave

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soberdave

Website - https://www.soberdave.co.uk

Podcast - Search "One For The Road" on all platforms

Follow Oliver

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#SoberLiving

#DryJanuary

#AlcoholRecovery

Ryan Phillips shares his recovery from cocaine addiction with over 65,000 followers on TikTok. In this conversation, he describes the moment his cocaine use finally collapsed under the weight of truth. After days awake on coke, surrounded by smashed glass and blood, Ryan was found by his sister while his young niece waited outside. Hearing that his niece had become frightened of him became the wake-up call that ended the secrecy and forced honesty to begin. We talk openly about addiction, cocaine recovery, relapse, accountability and what happens when denial finally breaks.

Ryan is a recovery and wellness advocate and the founder of The Deep End, a community offering therapy, coaching, yoga, meditation and breathwork. With a background in the music industry, he speaks candidly about cocaine addiction, dry sniffing, ADHD, fantasy as escapism, and the slow, uneven reality of getting clean. He reflects on growing up using imagination as refuge, moving from weed to cocaine, and how addiction tightens its grip quietly rather than all at once.

We explore the myth of the dramatic turning point, the cycle of stopping and starting, and why willpower alone never worked. Ryan explains how speaking the truth out loud became the real shift, how NA, CBT and therapy each played different roles, and why sharing publicly on TikTok helps him stay clean. We also discuss whether relapse is part of recovery, why counting days and chips can sometimes do more harm than good, and how to navigate New Year’s Eve without cocaine.

This is not a story about instant change or neat endings. It is a grounded conversation about patience, responsibility and learning to live without escape. If you are questioning your relationship with drugs, wondering whether cocaine has started to control you, or trying to understand what recovery actually looks like day to day, this episode will meet you where you are.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

3:00 A rock bottom moment

12:00 The loop of being in and out of recovery

13:45 Using fantasy as a child to escape

17:00 Moving from weed to coke

19:30 Cocaine starts to get it's claws in

21:45 Will everyone who takes coke get addicted?

25:00 ADHD & dry sniffing?

26:45 Ryan's recovery journey

32:00 NA, CBT & Therapy

34:15 Why TikTok helps Ryan stay clean

36:10 Sponsor

37:10 Does Ryan use old videos as reminders?

38:45 What do the public want from Ryan?

42:15 What is The Deep End?

46:00 Is relapse part of recovery?

48:15 Counting days & chips arent useful?!

50:00 How do you stay away from drugs on New Years Eve?

52:15 New Years Eve/Day is just another day?

54:00 Patience & gratitude

57:15 Recovery or recovered?

58:15 What do you want written on your gravestone?

Follow Ryan

Website -

https://www.wearethedeepend.com

TikTok -

https://www.tiktok.com/@ryaninrecovery

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#CocaineRecovery

#AddictionRecovery

#RecoveryPodcast

Staying sober through the festive season can feel like walking a tightrope with no safety net, especially when the mind starts whispering those familiar lies that have dragged so many people back to day one. In this next quick thought, I revisit an old episode and the most dangerous relapse lie “just one won’t hurt". If you’re trying to stay clean and sober one day at a time, this short episode will hit exactly where you need it.

Addiction crafts believable lies, how denial disguises itself as control, and why comparing your drinking or using to someone “worse” keeps you trapped. I unpack the real meaning of powerlessness, why it has nothing to do with quantity or frequency, and how the smallest decision can trigger a cascade of consequences that affect consumption, timekeeping, behaviour, mood and mental health. Remember, powerlessness starts when you take that first drink or drug.

We look at the internal logic of relapse, the moments where people convince themselves that this time will somehow be different, and the reason relapse often begins days or weeks before the physical act. Through humour, honesty and lived experience, I show how these patterns play out in real life and why understanding this lie one tool to long-term recovery.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3RmMvu8

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3NuVwzU

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Oliver

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#relapseprevention

#recovery

#alcoholaddiction

Today's conversation with Serena Palmer goes straight to the heart of addiction, ADHD, success and collapse, and the hidden world of high-achieving professionals who are fighting battles no one can see. If you’ve ever wondered how someone can lead global teams, excel in a corporate role, appear entirely in control, and still be unravelling behind the scenes, this episode will speak to you.

We explore late ADHD diagnosis, the link between neurodiversity and alcohol misuse. Behind the titles, she was privately battling a late ADHD diagnosis, escalating drinking, and cycles of alcoholic psychosis. Today she’s 2 years sober, deeply grounded in the work of recovery, and helping individuals and organisations understand neurodiversity, addiction, and human potential in a far more honest way.

We walk through the earlier years too: the roots of self-medication, the dopamine-seeking patterns that began with sugar and the early risk-taking. Serena explains how ADHD can push high performers into dangerous coping mechanisms and why adults diagnosed later in life are statistically far more vulnerable to addiction. Here’s the reality: adults with ADHD are three times more likely to develop addiction, and if they’re diagnosed later in life, up to 60% are already battling substance issues. Among high achievers, 1 in 10 hides an addiction behind their success and around 1 in 4 will battle it at some point in their lives.

We also discuss the end of an eighteen-year relationship, the impact of redundancy, the pressures of corporate travel, and the ways high achievers can hide addiction in plain sight. Serena brings clarity to how these dynamics fuel dependence and why some of the most capable, driven people can find themselves on the edge without ever realising how far they’ve fallen.

Before we close, Serena shares clear, practical advice for anyone trying to stay clean and sober through Christmas and offers insight for anyone who looks successful on the outside but feels like they’re collapsing internally. This is a conversation about reality, responsibility, hope and the possibility of change—delivered with truth, depth and humanity.

If you’ve ever battled addiction, questioned your relationship with alcohol, lived with ADHD, or struggled to square your internal world with the life people assume you’re living, this episode will stay with you.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:00 A rock bottom moment

10:30 Would you rewrite history if you could?

14:00 Why Serena needed pain to stop drinking

15:00 Enabling, toxic relationships & masking

18:30 Self medicating undiagnosed ADHD

22:00 Emotional dysregulation & RSD

26:00 Nicotine, smoking and ADHD

28:00 Daydreaming and fantasy

31:30 Workaholism?

33:00 Rehab and coming out of denial

39:00 Getting excited about recovery

41:50 Using hyperfocus in recovery

44:30 Cocaine Anonymous

48:20 Sponsor

49:20 Are you born with ADHD?

50:20 How addiction and ADHD interact

53:30 Tips to stay sober at Xmas

Follow Serena

Website -

https://www.serena.consulting

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thereal_hrcoach

STRAIGHT OUTTA REHAB

https://amzn.eu/d/fmvl89U

MY TWO BRAINS AND ME

https://amzn.eu/d/6p88BoM

Follow Oliver

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Also WATCH here

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#AddictionRecovery

#AlcoholFree

#SobrietyJourney

In this next quick thought, I revisit a moment with Rupert Hill as we explore one of the most misunderstood drivers of alcohol dependence: the moment your brain learns that “hair of the dog” removes discomfort. It feels harmless, even cultural, but for many it is the point where drinking shifts from enjoyment to compulsion. In this clip, we break down how the cycle begins, why it escalates so quickly, and how a seemingly small decision can shape years of someone’s life. If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol, this conversation will give you clarity.

We discuss the biology behind withdrawal, the deceptive logic of “just one to take the edge off,” and the moment when drinking stops being about feeling good and becomes about trying to feel normal. We look at how routine behaviour becomes dependence, how high-functioning drinkers hide it in plain sight, and how life slowly reorganises itself around the next drink. This is a candid exploration of compulsion, secrecy and the mental burden of planning a day around alcohol.

You will also hear how everyday situations become logistical challenges when you cannot be away from a drink, why mornings become the most dangerous time, and how the brain’s survival instincts can quietly drive destructive habits. It is an honest account of progression, denial and the tipping points people rarely talk about.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3zqqR2J

YouTube - https://bit.ly/45UHYWv

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

For anyone struggling with these topics Rupert suggests reading Alcohol Explained by William Porter.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Rupert

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Twitter/X - https://x.com/RupertHill

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X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#functioningalcoholic

#recovery

#alcoholaddiction

There are some stories that force you to rethink everything you believe about addiction. This is one of them.

Terry Devine was five years old when a teacher humiliated him in front of a class — a single moment that buried him in shame so deep he carried it for decades. That shame became the soil everything else grew from: the drinking, the chaos, the emotional collapse, and eventually heroin. Not because he wanted to get high, but because heroin felt like a parent he never had. Warm. Safe. Comforting. Until it wasn’t.

In this conversation, Terry reveals the parts of addiction that almost never make it into public view. The night he pushed a burning poker into his own arm. The moment heroin stopped working and withdrawal hit with a force that made death feel easier. The sickening realisation that he was no longer chasing pleasure — only running from pain. And the brutal truth that there are two kinds of rock bottom: the physical one everyone imagines, and a far more dangerous spiritual one that no one can see coming.

Terry talks openly about how undiagnosed ADHD shaped everything: the impulsivity, the emotional intensity, the constant sense of being wrong in his own skin. He explains why he believes ADHD is one of the most overlooked drivers of early substance use, and how it became the invisible gateway that made heroin feel inevitable.

What Terry describes here is the real machinery of addiction: the obsession that silences logic, the withdrawals that feel like your insides are being torn out, the distortion of identity, and the terrifying moment when a person realises they’ve crossed a line they can’t uncross. He explains how shame becomes a worldview, how trauma rewrites the brain, and how addiction convinces you that you are beyond saving long before anyone else realises you're in trouble.

And then, somehow, he rebuilt a life and you'll find out exactly how he did it. Terry met the love of his life in recovery and learn how they both stayed sober during tragedy, why the 12 steps having only small success rate is false, why and how cross addiction happens, how heroin lead him to alcohol and what it really means to be clean and sober.

More on Terry -

Today, he’s a lecturer in forensic science at the University of the West of England, a clinical addiction hypnotherapist, a recovery coach, and the founder of Devine Recovery Solutions. He’s dedicated to helping others break free from addiction.

Terry is also a committed fundraiser in memory of his son, climbing mountains and volcanoes across the world — from Ecuador to Kilimanjaro. He’s now approaching 13 yrs clean and sober.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK - support here: https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode!

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:40 A rock bottom moment

9:30 Shame, not feeling good enough and heroin

14:35 If drugs are the answer what is the question?

15:00 ADHD was the gateway drug

18:10 Alcohol to heroin was fast

21:30 Heroin withdrawal

25:15 Heroin addiction leads to stealing

27:00 Addiction Vs dependency

28:40 Cross addiction & relapse

32:20 Do you have to give up all drugs?

33:20 How did Terry get clean and sober?

37:30 12 Steps has a 5% success rate?

41:30 Staying sober during tragedy

48:30 Embracing vulnerability & courage

50:20 Sponsor

51:20 Can you have a relationship early in recovery?

Follow Terry

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/terry__devine

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@terry_devine

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#AddictionRecovery

#HeroinSurvivor

#MentalHealthAwareness

What happens when love turns into obsession and connection becomes dependency? In this next quick thought, I revisit one of the most revealing moments from the podcast with Livvie May.

This is an honest conversation about sex and love addiction, fear of abandonment, obsessive attachment, and the emotional patterns that quietly shape who we choose and why. If you have ever lost yourself in someone else or found yourself repeating the same relationships, this clip will feel uncomfortably familiar and deeply important.

We explore how relationships turn into sex and love addiction, how obsession can mask itself as intensity, and why the same relationship pattern can repeat itself for years. The conversation examines the fear of abandonment that drove her choices, the distress of losing her identity within someone else, and the moment she realised she had been shaping relationships around control, shame and fear. It also follows the three-week relationship cycle she found herself trapped in, the grief that reshaped her understanding of connection, and the moment of clarity that arrived when she stepped into sobriety.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/4euLvi3

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3XrV0Zj

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

For anyone struggling with these topics Livvie suggests reaching out to:

SLAA - https://slaauk.org

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Livvie

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/maylivvie

Follow Oliver

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#loveaddiction #slaa #recovery

Kaitlin never spoke about her addiction because she thought she would lose her kids. So, what happens when alcohol, coke and weed stop being fun and start taking over your life and threaten everything you hold most sacred and precious? What happens when addiction changes from keeping you safe to making you vulnerable to assault?

We explore what life and motherhood really looks like in the haze of drink and drugs - not from a place of judgement but from lived experience. This is about the reality of addiction, the behaviour that comes with it, and the long process of learning who you are without the substances you once relied on. It’s not about perfection, but about honesty — the kind that comes after everything has fallen apart.

We talk about losing ourselves to drinking and drugs culture, the friendships that faded, and the dangerous moments that pushed things too far. We dig into the shame that keeps people stuck — the stories that feel too humiliating to tell, and how sharing them can become the first act of freedom.

This is a conversation about emotional immaturity, about using alcohol and drugs to avoid feeling, and the strange peace that comes when you finally stop running. We break down what a relapse really is the data around around relapse rates and why rehabs don't keep you sober.

You’ll hear what it’s like to rebuild from the ground up: getting your weekends back, repairing relationships, rediscovering ambition and joy, and learning to sit with yourself without needing a drink, spliff or a line to take the edge off. It’s also about empathy — how surviving addiction can give you a deeper understanding of human beings, and why the pain you go through can become the very thing that allows you to help others.

Kaitlin has been sober over three years and proves that asking for help doesn’t make you a bad parent—it makes you a better one. A mum of three, she speaks honestly about the highs, the lows, and everything in between, living one day at a time with love, humility, and the support of her 12-step program.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:00 Kaitlin's rock bottom moment

5:30 Not safe and feeling shame

7:30 Fear of letting secrets out and losing children

10:30 Anything you put before recovery you will lose?

13:30 Are the words disease and addict a help or a problem?

20:00 Relapse leads to death?

23:00 What is a 'real' alcoholic?

26:00 How drugs and alcohol progressed from teens

30:20 Was your favourite weed, coke, pills or booze?

33:25 Sponsor

34:30 Relapse or blip?

36:45 The gift of desperation

38:15 What is the real relapse rate?

42:00 The first 30 days are awful!

44:00 Finding balance again

45:30 Going sober and losing friends

47:20 Why is The 12 Steps the last thing most people try?

50:45 What about tradition 12?

53:30 When are you ready to get sober?

54:30 Why rehab doesn't keep you sober

55:30 Quitting weed was the hardest for me!

Follow Kaitlin

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soberasamotherfocused

TikTok -

https://www.tiktok.com/@kaitlinissober

Follow Oliver

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Please subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment!

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#AddictionRecovery

#SoberMum

#AlcoholFree

When you stop drinking, what do you really gain? In this next quick thought, I revisit my first conversation with Issy Hawkins about what happens when alcohol is no longer in control — and how sobriety isn’t just about quitting, but about finally getting to know yourself. Issy opens up about losing weekends to binge drinking, the shame spiral that followed, and the freedom that came with getting sober at just 21. We talk honestly about identity, self-awareness, and how sobriety gave her a deeper understanding of life, relationships, and purpose. You’ll hear how alcohol can rob you of time, relationships, and ambition — and what’s possible when you get all of that back.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3QKAQWg

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3R9GHoz

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Issy

Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@issyhawkins_

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/issyhawkins_

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7

Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#alcoholic #sobercurious #recovery

For anyone sober curious or identifies more as a binge drinker rather than an alcoholic - this episode is for you! Most people think rock bottom is dramatic — losing everything, waking up in a hospital, or worse. But what if it’s quieter? What if it’s your partner saying, “I can’t do this anymore”? This week, I’m joined by Henry Beercock, who spent 17 years stuck in a cycle of binge drinking, binge eating, smoking, vaping and unhealthy habits before one moment changed everything. In just two years, he’s lost seven stone, gone vegan, and built an inspiring alcohol-free community in Hull called Alco-Hull-Free. He’s now brewing his own alcohol-free beer and proving that life without alcohol isn’t dull — it’s full of purpose, joy and real connection.

In this episode, we explore what binge drinking really looks like in the UK, why so many people quietly hit their limit during lockdown, and the truth about sober curiosity. Henry opens up about the moment he nearly lost his marriage, how he rebuilt his health and identity, and why alcohol-free beer became part of his mission.

We talk about what kind of people go sober, what Henry might have lost if he didn’t stop, why alcohol-free beer matters — and whether it’s safe for people in recovery from alcohol use disorder. We also discuss how long it really takes to feel better after quitting drinking, whether the UK has a national drinking problem, sober holidays, why binge drinkers quit even without a “classic” rock bottom, and how to start if you’re sober curious!

This conversation will change the way you think about drinking, connection, and what it means to really live.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:45 Henry's rock bottom moment

7:10 Lockdown leads to coke use

10:15 Lockdown or lock in?!

13:00 What actually is binge drinking?

14:30 What kind of people go sober?

18:00 What could have Henry lossed?

20:30 Why Henry loves alcohol free beer

22:30 Is alcohol free beer safe for those with alcohol addiction?

29:30 How did Henry go sober?

33:00 What is Alco-Hull free?

37:15 How long till you feel better when you stop drinking?

38:25 Does The UK have a drinking problem?

41:00 Sober holidays?

44:20 Sponsor

45:20 Why would a binge drinker quit alcohol?

47:30 Quit drinking to help food addiction?

49:40 The food F IT Button

53:15 First steps if you're sober curious

Follow Henry

https://www.instagram.com/henrybeercock

Follow Alcohull Free

https://www.instagram.com/alcohullfree_

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

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Please subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment!

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#SobrietyJourney

#Sobercurious

#AlcoholFreeLife

What if the thing that saves your life is something you’ve always hated?

In this next quick thought, I revisit a conversation with Oliver Newton who opens up about years of living with crippling OCD — waking up paralysed by intrusive thoughts, trapped inside his mind, and feeling like life had become impossible. Then one morning, everything changed. A pair of old trainers, a desperate decision to run, and a five-minute moment of silence that saved his life.

This conversation isn’t about miracle cures. It’s about finding your version of recovery — whether that’s running, talking, medication or finally allowing someone in. We talk about how intrusive thoughts can destroy relationships, the role of exercise in mental health, and why personal recovery can be just as valid as the clinical route.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3RaNm1C

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3x4WOg7

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

For anyone struggling, Oly recommends

Hub of Hope (alonside your GP) -

https://hubofhope.co.uk

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Oly -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/run4yourmind/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oly-newton/

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

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Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#ocd #depression #anxiety

Can you have rock bottom moments when sober and IN recovery? Today, I sit down with actor and content creator Issy Hawkins, who has been sober for a decade, to talk about burnout, identity, and the side of recovery no one likes to admit. We explore what it’s really like being diagnosed as an adult with ADHD in sobriety, the truth behind the “addict voice,” and why even years into recovery, the mind can still turn against you.

Issy first joined the podcast in episode 33, sharing her journey through alcoholism, rehab and how she got sober at 21, but this episode goes further into what happens when recovery itself feels overwhelming.

In this conversation, we explore into what it means to confront the “addict voice,” how ADHD interacts with addiction, and the ways that burnout and self-judgment can sneak into recovery. Issy shares how she stepped back from everything to reconnect with herself, exploring meditation, self-reflection, and facing long-buried shame. We discuss the complex interplay of identity, impulse control, and emotional regulation, and why sobriety doesn’t automatically solve the deeper challenges of the mind.

This episode is for anyone in recovery, whether you’re new or have been sober for years, and for anyone interested in the human experience of coping with trauma, mental health, and the constant negotiation between external achievement and internal wellbeing. It is honest, reflective, and a rare insight into the real work that continues long after alcohol is gone. The twist is that through this new dark period came an unexpected present - a spiritual awakening.

More on Issy -

Issy Hawkins is an actor and content creator with over 150,000 followers on social media.

After graduating drama school into the pandemic in 2020, Issy decided to focus on her advocacy work as a means of encouraging other young people with addiction issues to ask for help, taking to social media to share her experience and she hasn’t looked back since. Issy navigated nearly her entire 20's sober after a stint in rehab at age 21 and is passionate about dismantling the stigma. She is also the child of a recovering alcoholic.

Issy is an Ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and most recently won The National Diversity Awards for the category Role Model for Age.

Oliver & Issy are ambassadors for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

5:45 Issy's sober rock bottom moment

11:45 Is the "addict voice" you?!

14:30 Is severe addiction different?

19:30 What is the addict voice?

21:30 Is it all about survival and self love?

27:45 Recovery tools in tough moments

30:45 Replacing alcohol with other unhealthy things

33:15 Fear of abandonment?

34:45 ADHD

39:00 Dropping the ADHD mask

39:45 WhatsApp & DM's!

42:45 ADHD, dopamine and addiction

45:00 Low impulse control and no long term consequences

45:45 Emotional dysregulation

47:39 Sponsor

48:40 ADHD diagnosis

52:45 A spiritual awakening during the rock bottom?

Follow Issy

Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@issyhawkins_

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/issyhawkins_

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

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Please subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment!

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#RecoveryPodcast #ADHDandAddiction #alcoholrecovery

What if loneliness wasn’t just an emotion — but a symptom of something deeper? In this next quick thought, I revisit a conversation with Darren - a powerful and painfully honest moment about loneliness, love addiction, and why so many of us confuse validation with connection. This clip explores what it really means to feel lonely, even when surrounded by people, and how learning to sit with that feeling — instead of running from it — can become one of the most healing acts of self-awareness.

We talk about the HALT method — hungry, angry, lonely, tired — and why recognising these emotional triggers can change the way we respond to pain. Loneliness, as you’ll hear, isn’t just about being alone. It’s about the ache of disconnection, the search for validation, and the quiet pull of old patterns that can keep us trapped. Love addiction often hides in plain sight, disguised as romance, attachment, or the pursuit of affection. But behind it can lie the same cycle of craving and withdrawal that drives any addiction.

This episode asks a difficult but essential question — what happens when we stop trying to fill the void and simply face it? Sometimes, being alone is less painful than staying in something that keeps us small. Sometimes, sitting with discomfort is where real recovery begins.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3QsOSf5

YouTube - https://bit.ly/4a3ajKK

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Darren -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/creativedazzle

Podcast - https://theatreaudiencepodcast.com/

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

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X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#loveaddiction #slaa #recovery

What happens when a woman who never touched a drug until the age of 29 ends up addicted to crystal meth, gambling and living in a crack den? This is not the story you expect — but it’s the one you need to hear. Today, I sit down with Charlotte Jackson, a holistic coach and healer who has rebuilt her life after years of chaos, addiction, and near-death moments. Five years clean, she speaks with brutal honesty about loneliness, survival, and finding freedom on her own terms.

Charlotte shares how her darkest moments wasn’t just about drugs or homelessness — it was about being trapped in toxic relationships, feeling invisible and using addiction as a way to escape overwhelming loneliness. We talk about how meth takes hold, why community matters in recovery, and how spiritual awakenings, journalling, and connection can light the way out of the madness.

And then, just when she thought her story couldn’t turn, Charlotte experienced something she can’t explain: a sightings and messages from a friend who had passed away. That encounter revealed itself as a signpost, guiding her towards sobriety and showing her that recovery was possible. It’s a moment that changed everything — and it might just change the way you see life.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

3:45 Charlotte's rock bottom moment

6:00 Loneliness and constantly moving

8:00 Drugs became my family

10:00 From no drugs ever to living in a crack den

16:00 I felt safe in a crack den!

18:00 What is crystal meth?

22:00 Sleep deprivation

23:30 Stereotypes of drug addiction

24:30 Addiction progression

28:00 What is addiction?

29:15 Loneliness leads to gambling and meth

32:30 Sponsor

33:30 Becoming "indifferent" to drugs

36:45 Finding your own recovery path

39:15 Journalling

41:15 Charlotte's spiritual awakening

42:45 Drugs are the solution to a problem

45:20 Messages from dead loved ones?!

51:00 My friend saved my life

54:15 Is anything possible?

58:45 I'm not scared - I'm excited!

Follow Charlotte

https://www.instagram.com/iamcharlottejackson

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7

Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

Please subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment!

YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/ys56s8dv

Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3Z0Pr1r

Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3

#AddictionRecovery

#SobrietyJourney

#SchoolOfRockBottom

How do you stay sober through unimaginable pain? In this next quick thought, I revisit my conversation with actor Tom Clarke-Hill who lived through the devastating loss of his wife after 28 years together — and still didn’t pick up a drink.

This powerful clip isn’t just about recovery, it’s about what it really means to live one day at a time, to face pain without numbing it, and to discover strength you never knew you had. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can get through the darkest moments without alcohol or drugs, this episode is for you.

We also explore what it means to survive bereavement without alcohol, why sobriety is never “one drink away,” the reality of emotional sobriety, the importance of living fully in the present moment, and how sponsoring others in recovery creates an extra layer of protection.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3w5RtEI

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3Q4p60n

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Tom -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tomclarkehill

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

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Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#12steps #recovery #sobercurious

Do you really need to hit rock bottom to get clean and sober, or is that just a myth? Today’s guest is living proof that the story isn’t so simple. At 15 years old, Tihani was already using cocaine, experimenting with ADHD meds from the street, blacking out and carving tattoos into her own skin in drug-fuelled hazes. By her twenties she was on benders, remembering the days of the week by counting how many pills she'd taken since the weekend. Yet despite the chaos, she built a successful creative career, performing on global stages and working with brands like Vogue and Red Bull. But behind the glossy exterior was a dangerous secret: addiction was eating her alive.

Eight years cocaine free & no hard alcohol or pills and 2 years completely sober, Tihani reveals the truth about addiction most people never hear. We talk about the illusion of control, the rituals of cocaine use, and why “dry sniffing” was just as destructive as the binges mixed with whiskey. She explains what it felt like to shift that obsessive intensity into wellness, how self-help and trauma therapy saved her, and whether addicts are actually the lucky ones for being forced to confront life’s hardest questions around why we are here and if life has any meaning.

This conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew about recovery. Do you really have to give up everything at once? What about nicotine? What is the actual root cause of addiction? And when the highs fade away, does life without drugs have any real meaning? For anyone who has ever questioned their relationship with substances, this episode is more than a story — it’s a wake-up call and one of my favourite conversations ever. If conversation can be 'art' then this is it.

More on Tihane -

She a genre-blending artist, creative director, and storyteller who’s spent her life chasing truth across continents and soundscapes. Her debut album The War on Love blends vintage R&B, tribal rhythms, and cinematic textures into healing anthems that hit deep. She’s performed on global stages from TEDx to SXSW, and led creative work for Vogue Italia, RedBull, and NY Fashion Week and beneath the success is an honest story about pain, shame, healing — and learning to create from who you really are. Huge thanks!

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Tihane recommends this book -

https://tinyurl.com/5wn4s8e6

Oliver mentions Sober Dave -

https://www.soberdave.co.uk

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:00 A rock bottom moment

7:30 Is a rock bottom required to get into recovery?

10:00 Addiction is on a spectrum!

12:15 Using coke at 15

16:00 Street ADHD meds

17:35 Dry sniffing?

21:10 "Downers weren't for me!"

24:15 Shifting intensity into wellness

26:45 Giving up drugs and alcohol one at a time

30:00 Self help and trauma therapy

34:15 Are addicts lucky?

36:30 Does life have purpose and meaning?

43:20 Cocaine was the ultimate permission slip

45:15 Does Tihane miss cocaine?

47:30 Do you have to give up EVERYTHING at once?

50:15 Sponsor

51:15 What about nicotine?

53:00 What is the root cause of addiction?

55:45 First steps to recovery

Follow Tihane

https://www.instagram.com/tihane___?

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7

Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

Watch here -

YouTube - TBC

Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3Z0Pr1r

Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3

#AddictionRecovery

#SobrietyJourney #SchoolOfRockBottom

When someone you love is suicidal, what do you say?
In this next quick thought, I revisit a conversation with Jon Salmon exploring the truth of reaching the edge — and the power of direct questions that can save a life. Suicide remains one of the hardest subjects to talk about, but silence can be deadly. Here, we uncover how asking the right question at the right time could change everything, and why conversation, therapy, self-awareness and daily check-ins are vital tools in recovery. This moment is about turning pain into understanding, and showing that hope exists even at our lowest point.
The discussion takes us inside the experience of suicidal thoughts, the stigma that still lingers around talking about it, and why it is so important to break that silence. We hear how therapy, CBT and medication supported early recovery, and how small daily routines — from making a cup of tea to going for a run — became lifelines. It’s a reminder that support does not always have to come from family, but can be found in friends, colleagues and unexpected places.
This clip also shows how self-awareness becomes a form of protection. By learning to check in with ourselves each day and honouring our limits, we can avoid sliding back into the darkness. Hitting rock bottom changes how we see the world, but it also teaches us boundaries, empathy, and how to better support others when we notice they are struggling.
Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE
YouTube - https://bit.ly/3VSr4Fd
Spotify - https://bit.ly/3ISQlHl
Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ
For anyone looking for further support, Jon recommends -
Hub of Hope - https://hubofhope.co.uk
Shout - Text 'SHOUT' to 85258
Samaritans - Call 116123 or email jo@samaritans.org
About the “THOUGHT” series -
Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.
Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e
Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!
https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1
Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal
Follow John -
Website
www.jon-salmon.com
Social Media Accounts
www.linkedin.com/in/jcsalmon
www.twitter.com/jonsalmon
www.instagram.com/j0nsalmon
www.youtube.com/@JonSalmon
www.twitter.com/speakerscollect
www.linkedin.com/company/speakers-collective-uk
www.instagram.com/speakers.collective
www.facebook.com/SpeakersCollective
www.youtube.com/@speakerscollective
Follow Oliver
Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv
Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r
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#SuicidePrevention

#MentalHealthAwareness

#SchoolOfRockBottom

My guest today is someone who brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to the conversation around addiction and recovery.

Today I sit down with Taner Hassan, an actor, psychotherapist, and addiction specialist who is 18 years sober, to explore the darkest and most transformative moments of his life. Taner opens up about terrifying drug-induced psychosis, drinking and using cocaine and weed, and how substance use started as a teenager and spiralled into chaos. He shares what it was like to lose his mind - the fear and confusion of losing touch with reality, and how he eventually got clean and sober at 25.

We also discuss the deeper reasons behind addiction: how Taner used substances to fill a void, the impact of fame, validation, and rejection, and why family interventions can sometimes help—or hinder—the recovery process. Taner offers an honest look at recovery, tackling questions like whether addiction is really a choice, the truth about dry drunks, total abstinence, and the best ways to get sober. This episode is raw, honest, and impossible to ignore, full of lessons for anyone struggling with overthinking, addiction, or feeling stuck in life. He’s someone who doesn’t just talk about change — he helps people live it.

More on Taner -

Taner was pursuing a career within the entertainment industry as a trained actor, presenter & musician including making it to the finals of the TV show Popstars where addiction took hold. He is 18 years sober, and in that time he’s become one of the most respected voices in the field as a psychotherapist, addiction specialist, and currently Head of Service at Rehubs, a pioneering online treatment provider. He’s also a certified sex and porn addiction therapist & performance coach.

Over nearly two decades, he has worked across the full spectrum of addiction and mental health services — from NHS units and prison programmes to private clinics and community outreach. But what makes him stand out isn’t just his qualifications — it’s how he brings trauma-informed, person-centred recovery into everything he does.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:35 One of Taner's rock bottom moments

6:35 What is a drug induced psychosis?

8:20 Coke, weed & booze

11:40 Getting clean and sober at 25

12:50 Drinking and using as a kid

14:40 Why Taner was filling the void

21:20 Fame, validation, rejection and addiction

33:20 Do family interventions work?

36:35 How Taner got recovery

38:05 What's the best way to get sober?

44:50 Is the dry drunk real?

49:25 Sponsor

50:25 Total abstineence?

52:35 Is addiction a choice?

Follow Taner

https://www.instagram.com/tanertherapy

The Recovery Cartel

https://www.instagram.com/therecoverycartel

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

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Please subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment!

YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/3whvvb8d

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Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3

#AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #SobrietyJourney

What does it really take to walk away from crack cocaine after 15 years? In this next quick thought, I go back to an incredible conversation with Jennifer Joseph - you’ll hear the truth of someone who not only used but was deeply embedded in that world—making it, distributing it, and living in constant danger. And yet, one life-changing choice set them free.

WATCH OR LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW ON

YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/5fnsdr7x

Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/mw5btxfc

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

At 16, actor Jennifer Joseph was coerced into a life of drug dealing. Quickly she rised to the very top and was known as The General, travelling the world as a generator and importer of narcotics - with connections to all the major players including "The Cocaine Godmother" Giselda Blanco. Jen thought she was invincible, whilst also battling a daily crack addiction and, eventually, was caught at Gatwick airport with hundreds of thousands of pounds of marijuana and was sent to prison at aged 39.

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Jen

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gemzgirl

Follow Nubian Co-heARTs

https://instagram.com/nubiancohearts

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

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Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#AddictionRecovery

#SchoolOfRockBottom

#SobrietyJourney

What happens when success comes at the cost of your sanity? At 24, Dorothy Herson had achieved the dream: a training contract at one of London’s most elite law firms. But behind the polished exterior was an insecure overachiever battling bipolar disorder, addicted to validation, fuelled by long hours, and quietly self-medicating with Adderall, Xanax, and alcohol. That path led her to a psychiatric hospital and the question: how do you rebuild when everything you worked for collapses?

This conversation is not just about addiction. It’s about the hidden cost of ambition, the culture of workaholism, and the courage it takes to move from shame into recovery. Dorothy and I also explore what it really means to be an insecure overachiever, the reality of addiction for young people in high-pressure careers, and how stereotypes about the 12 steps can hold people back from getting help. We talk about the journey of moving beyond shame, why Gen Z are already redefining the way work and stress are managed, and what true sober inclusivity in the workplace could look like.

More on Dorothy -

Dorothy Herson is a former lawyer turned journalist, mental health advocate, and editor for a Cambridge University Press journal focused on mood disorders. She is the author of The Rag Doll Contract and is about to begin a PhD in Literature and Medicine, where she will explore the intersection of narrative and mental health. Dorothy has written about addiction amd mental in various newspapers around the world.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

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Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:15 Dorothy's rock bottom moment

6:00 Addiction to work & validation

8:45 Dealing with having neurological episodes as a child

10:15 Adderall was my gateway drug!

12:55 Xanax & wine to come down

15:00 Using drugs and alcohol to function

17:40 Prescription drugs & sleeping tablets

20:30 WE ARE NOT DOCTORS & FREE LAPSE!

23:30 Finding recovery & healing

26:00 Addiction doesn't discriminate?

28:30 Stereotypes of 12 step fellowship & managing bipolar

34:15 What is an insecure overachiever?

40:15 Gen Z, work and managing stress

43:45 Addiction and young people

47:05 Sponsor

48:10 Sober inclusivity in the workplace

52:45 The Rag Doll Contract

54:00 Moving on from shame and guilt

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