In Part 1 of Cecil's story of addiction recovery and neurodivergence/ADHD, he talks about how childhood trauma, poverty, and emotional suppression lead to his addiction to alcohol. ACEs, or adverse childhood experiences, have been shown to have a dramatic affect on a person's chance of developing addiction. Cecil reflects on his upbringing in a trailer in podunk Arkansas with an abusive father who drank to excess. He quickly learned that showing emotions was unwelcome, and learned how to stuff them down. As a teenager he found that drinking with his cousins led to the human relationships he had longed for as a kid. He signed up for the military at age 17 as a way to escape. Tune in next week for Part Two!

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Logo: Stevie Petet

Theme Music: Logan Bragg

Dry January can be more than a break from alcohol. It can be the beginning of the path to long-term secular addiction recovery, especially when our focus is on healing ourselves with science and community instead of shame and dogma.

In this episode, Early shares their highlight reel of secular addiction recovery books and podcasts for sober curious folks exploring sobriety outside of the traditional 12-step or religious frameworks. These authors and podcasters explore recovery through the lenses of neuroscience, intersectional feminism, indigenous wisdom, and harm reduction. Addiction doesn't exist in a vaccuum; it's shaped by intergenerational trauma, capitalism, colonialism, gender race, and access to care.

Whether you're doing Dry January, are sober curious, practicing harm reduction, or seeking sustainable recovery without religion, we got you! It is time to bathe our brains in a soup of new information.

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JT returns for a follow-up conversation on ADHD and addiction recovery, exploring how ADHD affects cravings, emotional regulation, school, and daily routines. We discuss building structure, finding purpose in recovery, and navigating grief and emotional overwhelm. This episode also touches on social media's impact on mental health, and some very nosey questions from Early about dating in recovery and the asexual/aromantic spectrum. Tune in if you've been struggling with executive dysfunction with ADHD/neurodivergence, want tools for emotional regulation, or are learning how to manage cravings in recovery.

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Logo: Stevie Petet

Theme music: Logan Bragg

In this episode, Benji shares the story of dating a partner in addiction recovery and the loss that followed from a fentanyl overdose. Through the lens of a queer relationship, they discuss the reality of loving someone in recovery, navigating mental health struggles, and coping with the grief in the aftermath of addiction. The episode also incudes harm reduction education, addressing the dangers of fentanyl, why recovery can be fragile, and how stigma impacts people seeking support. We explore the complexity of addiction recovery, queer love, mental health and the importance of compassion, education, and community in reducing harm.

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Logo: Stevie Petet

Theme music: Logan Bragg

Trying to find addiction recovery support can feel overwhelming when you're poor, neurodivergent, or have never had to navigate the world of mental healthcare. In this episode, we talk honestly about how to look for a therapist when money is tight, the system is confusing, and the process itself can be overwhelming or retraumatizing. We also unpack something that doesn't get talked about enough: how to balance your emotional needs between yourself, your community, and a therapist.

This episode explores:

-Why and how we can balance community support, professional help, and emotionally regulating ourselves

-Step by step how to find, narrow down, and choose a therapist

-How to get insurance

-Options for people who cannot get insurance

www.psychologytoday.com

www.healthcare.gov

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Logo: Stevie Petet

Theme music: Logan Bragg

In part 3 of Hana's miraculous addiction recovery story, she breaks down the step-by-step reality of going from homelessness to rehab, sober living, and long-term stability. She shares how she managed triggers, avoided relapse during chaotic jobs, and stayed sober while building her business and buying a home. All the while, she follows her intuition through every growth phase, confronts the reality of being a felon, and unlearns the shame society projected onto her. This episode explores setting boundaries with family, including the painful decision to cut off her mother, and what it actually takes to protect sobriety in real life.

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Connect with Hana @pickle_de_chip

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Let's take a deep dive into a neurodivergent, radical perspective on surviving the holidays with practical addiction recovery skills. We discuss tools that foster empowerment, nonviolent communication, healthy boundaries, and harm reduction that are specific to the unwanted pressure society puts on us this time of year. Family dynamics can cause added stress that fuels cravings. We talk about addressing and sitting with our loneliness without shame. You'll learn how having somatic awareness of your own nervous system can save you from getting overwhelmed. If you've been looking for an off-the-beaten-path view on holiday survival, you're in the right place.

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Theme music: Logan Bragg

Logo: Stevie Petet

In this episode, Hana shares her raw and unflinching story of addiction, trauma, and survival. We dive into Part 2 of her story with a harrowing tale of being held at gunpoint by a drug dealer, followed by stories of a near-amputation, sex work, and homelessness in Seattle. She was in and out of jail and treatment. One day she heard another addict tell their story of addiction and recovery, and had a lightbulb moment. Recovery was possible for her. She found her path to sobriety and has been off drugs for 8 years. She now owns her own home and business, and gives special credit to her cat, Smash, the unsung hero of her story.

This episode is for anyone seeking hope for their own addiction recovery, trauma recovery and healing, harm-reduction approaches, or alternative recovery paths. Hana's miraculous story is a testament to resilience, radical honesty, and the possibility of building a life worth living.

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Logo: Stevie Petet

Theme music: Logan Bragg