For years, Sam believed he was simply battling depression. He was called lazy, struggled to keep jobs, couldn't understand why everyday life felt so much harder than it seemed for everyone else, and spent a decade believing he was broken.

Then came an ADHD diagnosis.

In this incredibly honest episode of Breakdowns & Breakthroughs, we're joined by Sam, vocalist of Sleuth Gang, as he opens up about growing up feeling different, losing his dad at just 21, living with undiagnosed ADHD, masking his way through life, and finally understanding the person he'd always been.

We discuss:
🎙️ Growing up being labelled "lazy"
🧠 Adult ADHD and late diagnosis
💔 Grief, depression and emotional processing
🎭 Masking and creating different identities
🎵 How music became both an escape and a home
🤘 Finding belonging in the metal community
⚡ The reality of ADHD beyond social media stereotypes
🎸 Life as the frontman of Sleuth Gang

This is one of our most raw conversations yet—about identity, loss, creativity, and what happens when the answer you've been searching for finally arrives.

If you've ever felt misunderstood, different, or like you were fighting a battle nobody else could see, this episode is for you.

🎧 Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0QBxPs5p2xW8RsW6B2GxaK?si=ZMfBUnjjSnKfUa0WWxdwOw

▶️ YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@SleuthGang

🎵 TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@sleuth_gang

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/sleuth_gang/

🎙️ Breakdowns & Breakthroughs is where heavy music meets mental health. Every week we have honest, unfiltered conversations about ADHD, neurodiversity, grief, anxiety, addiction, parenting, music, and everything in between.

Whether you're a lifelong metalhead, navigating your own mental health, or simply looking for real conversations without the filters, you're in the right place.

Turn it up. Let's talk. 🤘

Check out Sleuth Gang

Our First Ever Live! 🤘

We finally took Breakdowns & Breakthroughs live... and yes, we were all over the place!

In this relaxed first livestream, we officially welcome Chris "Coop" Cooper to the Breakdowns & Breakthroughs team before diving into a chat about Download Festival 2026.

We talk about:

• 🤘 Coop's journey into heavy music
• 🎸 First albums, first gigs and guilty pleasures
• 🔥 Parkway Drive's incredible live show
• 🎪 Our Download Festival highlights
• 🎤 Festival vs arena gigs
• 🧠 The connection between heavy music, neurodiversity and mental health
• 🤔 Can you separate the art from the artist?
• 🍻 Funny festival stories and questionable behaviour in the campsites...

No script. No plan. Just three friends talking about the music they love.

If this is your first time here, welcome to Breakdowns & Breakthroughs a podcast where heavy music meets honest conversations about mental health, neurodiversity and life.

Turn it up. Let's talk. 🖤

Episode 9: Tiny Humans & Emotional Damage (Part 2)

Nobody is a perfect parent, despite what social media might have us believe.

In Part 2 of Tiny Humans & Emotional Damage, Chris and Mari continue their honest conversation about the realities of parenting, co-parenting, mental health, and the emotional weight that comes with raising children in today's world.

We explore parenting guilt, separation and divorce, breaking generational cycles, childhood trauma, and the pressure many parents feel to get everything right. From custody arrangements and co-parenting challenges to the constant mental load carried by mums and dads, this episode shines a light on the struggles that often happen behind closed doors.

Mari shares her experiences of mental health, therapy, and learning to parent differently from previous generations, while Chris discusses the challenges of co-parenting, navigating judgement, and staying focused on what matters most: your child's wellbeing.

We also talk about self-care, emotional resilience, and why looking after yourself isn't selfish—it's one of the most important things you can do for your children.

Whether you're a parent, step-parent, grandparent, co-parent, or simply someone trying to break unhealthy patterns from the past, this episode is a reminder that struggling doesn't make you a bad parent. It makes you human.

Topics discussed:
• Parenting and mental health
• Co-parenting after separation
• Divorce and family life
• Parenting guilt
• Single parenthood
• Breaking generational trauma
• Childhood experiences and parenting styles
• Self-care for parents
• Emotional resilience
• Raising happy, healthy children