Strangers in Recovery – Ep17 – Chris, part2
Chris from the UK, recovering alcoholic and compulsive gambler, Co-Host of All Bets Are Off Podcast and Trustee at Gambling Education Network is back with the second part of our discussion where he talks about his activities in recovery. He shares the journey about how he got into the podcasting field, how it allowed him to express himself and help others, and what are their plans for the future. He mentions other podcasts addressing gambling harm and talks about the Do It For Her movie that the Gambling Education Network commissioned.
We openly talk about details of gambling addiction, the various depth of it, and involved parties who suffer from its harm. His humble personality shines through in words, we can connect to his narrative and understand what helps him to be sober and bet-free these days through the various recovery activities where he’s involved.
His stories might resonate with many of us struggling with alcohol, gambling and mental health, looking for support, or feeling lost with all details of our own problems. You can follow him on Twitter @gillsy1002_, listen to the Gambling Addiction Recovery Podcast called All Bets Are Off where he’s a Co-Host and the leading impact-focused UK charity Gambling Education Network dedicated to the prevention and reduction of gambling harm.
The first part of the discussion with Chris is at Strangers in Recovery episode 16!
I appreciate you leaving your comments and thoughts on https://strangersinrecovery.club website. You can reach your host at bala@strangersinrecovery.club, follow him on twitter and instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and stick with us until the next episodes! Listen to all episodes with care and empathy. We are here to show our best selves via stories from our worst periods. We are Strangers in Recovery.
Strangers in Recovery – Ep16 – Chris, part1
Chris from the UK, recovering alcoholic and compulsive gambler, Co-Host of All Bets Are Off Podcast and Trustee at Gambling Education Network shares his experiences with drinking and gambling, brings us to the years when he has been addicted to both and the journey of how he found the way out of them by supporting tools such as honesty, connections, and fellowships like Alcoholics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous.
In the first part of this double episode, he shows moments of his life, how he built up his years in active addictions, and the moments that led him to utter surrender allowing him to start his recovery in 2017. He openly talks about details of his addictions, the various mental health issues, and the losses of his life. His humble personality shines through in words that are encouraging and relatable, we can connect to his narrative and understand what helps him to be sober and bet-free these days.
His stories might resonate with many of us struggling with alcohol, gambling and mental health, looking for support, or feeling lost with all details of our own problems. You can follow him on Twitter @gillsy1002_, listen to the Gambling Addiction Recovery Podcast called All Bets Are Off where he’s a Co-Host and the leading impact-focused UK charity Gambling Education Network dedicated to the prevention and reduction of gambling harm.
The second part of the discussion with Chris is coming on 13 February!
I appreciate you leaving your comments and thoughts on https://strangersinrecovery.club website. You can reach your host at bala@strangersinrecovery.club, follow him on twitter and instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and stick with us until the next episodes! Listen to all episodes with care and empathy. We are here to show our best selves via stories from our worst periods. We are Strangers in Recovery.
Strangers in Recovery – Ep15 – Chris
Chris from New Zealand, an individual recovering from mental health issues, shares in-depth about her depression and life challenges and the ways how she improves her life in recovery by connecting with people from all around the globe.
She shows moments of her life, how she asks for support and became able to play supporting roles too. She openly talks about what has led her to arrive at her current self. Her personality shines through in words that are encouraging and relatable, we can connect to this narrative and understand how much it takes to maintain a good life not only on the surface but underneath as well.
Her stories might resonate with many of us struggling with mental health, looking for support, or just a few motivational messages during our own recovery. You can follow her on Twitter @ChrisBzchris, on Instagram @1bzchris, visit her blog at https://chrissiestable.com and meet her at RecoveryHour meetings.
I appreciate you leaving your comments and thoughts on https://strangersinrecovery.club website. You can reach your host at bala@strangersinrecovery.club, follow him on twitter and instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and stick with us until the next episodes! Listen to all episodes with care and empathy. We are here to show our best selves via stories from our worst periods. We are Strangers in Recovery.
Strangers in Recovery – Ep13 – Adam from Mind Body & Sole
Adam, a UK-based recovering addict, founder of Mind Body & Sole non-profit organization shares in-depth about his mental health, the ways how he gets support from the communities around him, and the struggles that challenge him.
He shows moments of his life, how he supports others via his non-profit clothing brand, and openly talks about what has led him to arrive at his current self. His personality shines through in words that are encouraging and relatable, we can connect to his narrative and understand how much it takes to manage his organization physically and mentally and how can we be part of its goals.
His stories might resonate with many of us struggling with mental health issues, looking for support, or just a few motivational messages during our own recovery. You can follow him on Twitter @MindBodySoleUK, on Facebook @MindBodySoleUK, and on Instagram @MindBodySoleUK, visit the website at https://www.mindbodysole.uk and if you’re able to, support the brand by ordering from the collections or send your donations via PayPal by clicking directly on this link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7523N48GSH9RW
“I started looking at YouTube, and looking at meditations and watching all these videos on Dr. Joe Dispenza. And it was like he was talking to me personally, how resetting your mind set into your brain and stuff and like your body’s an engine and your brain is the catalytic converter and just weird things and it all clicked. I took up meditation, I started doing it all the pressure inside me. It just wasn’t there. I use the Headspace, which I still use to this day. And I used an app called Sober Grid. It’s for recovering addicts, alcoholics, drug addicts. And also my dad. We used to just go out for walks my dad used to live 20 miles away, but he’d always drive, pick me up on you know, sat in the carpark not even talking, just enjoying each other’s company. And then we go for a walk. So probably nature, meditation, and just speaking to people, anonymously, helped me and helps me to this day to be honest.”
I appreciate you leaving your comments and thoughts on https://strangersinrecovery.club website. You can reach your host at bala@strangersinrecovery.club, follow him on twitter and instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and stick with us until the next episodes! Listen to all episodes with care and empathy. We are here to show our best selves via stories from our worst periods. We are Strangers in Recovery.
Strangers in Recovery – Ep9 – Keith, part1
Keith, a London-born and bred compulsive gambler talks about his life, in a very detailed manner in the part1 episode where we can follow his journey through several major relapses, how he has gone through many businesses which were successful and then crashed, pointing him to the ultimate surrender which will be discussed at part2, next Sunday. His experiences with in-and-out of Gamblers Anonymous over decades and talking briefly about Narcotics Anonymous too shows an addict’s lifelong learning process that has several points which we can relate to and find ourselves in his shoes.
In the first episode, he focuses on moments of his life in active addictions, using a format of NA to tell his full truth which might sound intimidating. He mentions several points that will be discussed more in-depth in the second episode. His personality shines through his words that are relatable for all addicts at any stage of life (in active addiction, early recovery, in a severe relapse, back to recovery, and so on), we can easily connect to his narrative and understand how much it takes to be honest and show a full picture of addiction.
He is currently addiction-free for over 7 years and regularly attends recovery meetings.
“I kept believing in some way, that I can control it. I didn’t believe I was suffering from a sidious disease, which is incredibly patient, which will wait for as long as it needs to wait, and will as sometimes like light will go on, at the moment of weakness: this voice will tell you that you’re cured. Now I believe that I cannot be cured. My disease can be arrested. But, I will always have it. I was too arrogant. I went into meetings and by the end, asked myself: who are these people, why do I need to listen, what the f*ing hell they can tell me? I don’t need to hear their stuff anymore. I heard that, I got it, I will find another way. This is good for them, this is what these people need. And this attitude kept me in addiction. And I decided to bet again.”
I appreciate you leaving your comments and thoughts on https://strangersinrecovery.club website. You can reach your host at bala@strangersinrecovery.club, follow him on twitter and instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and stick with us until the next episodes! Listen to all episodes with care and empathy. We are here to show our best selves via stories from our worst periods. We are Strangers in Recovery.
Strangers in Recovery – Ep6 – Edward
Edward, a Canada-based Hong Kong-born volunteer first responder in mental health talks about his experiences in living with childhood trauma and the way how he decided to help others by sharing his own views.
He shows moments of his life in recovery, how he supports others to use available resources to heal, and openly talks about what works for him may not work for someone else. His personality shines through in words that are encouraging and relatable, therefore we can connect to his narrative and understand how much it takes to build up our own boundaries and why it’s a key in recovery.
His stories might resonate with many of us struggling with mental health issues, looking for motivations and examples of how others deal with trauma and being early or already advanced in recovery. You can follow him on Twitter @Maahokgit.
He suggests reaching out to these organizations in case of looking for affordable therapy: https://openpathcollective.org (Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is a non-profit nationwide network in the United States of America of mental health professionals dedicated to providing in-office and online mental health care – at a steeply reduced rate – to individuals, couples, children, and families in need) and https://affordabletherapynetwork.com (The Affordable Therapy Network is a Directory of Therapists offering Low Cost and Sliding Scale rates across Canada).
“I’m more than happy to tell what works for me because my situation is helpful, but I don’t know what works for you. I’m glad to help you look for different alternatives where we can talk about it. Sometimes, I know in my personal experience, when I talk about my issues with my peer support, I actually fix my own problem. It’s weird because you can type all day long, but when we actually verbalize, vocally speaking out, it makes more sense: oh, yeah, I need to do this.”
I appreciate you leaving your comments and thoughts on https://strangersinrecovery.club website. You can reach your host at bala@strangersinrecovery.club, follow him on twitter and instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and stick with us until the next episodes! Listen to all episodes with care and empathy. We are here to show our best selves via stories from our worst periods. We are Strangers in Recovery.
Strangers in Recovery – Ep3 – Tiffany
Tiffany, a US-based recovering problem gambler and recovery advocate talks about her addiction, the challenges that she faces in her recovery, her passion for being an active member of the recovery community, and her roles in organizations helping compulsive gamblers. She’s a co-host of Gambling got the Girls podcast, where their goal is to bring awareness to the public about gambling addiction and how to seek help. She’s also a board member of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey for the second year.
She shares moments of her life when she was actively gambling and how she recognized that she has a problem with gambling. She’s open about unexpected challenges in her recovery journey that led her to experience anxiety and how she found Gamblers Anonymous and Higher Power the keys to keeping her on track.
Her stories might resonate with many of us being compulsive gamblers regardless of age, origin, or gender, struggling with mental health issues, and being early or already advanced in recovery. You can follow her on TikTok @tiffany_sherese, on Instagram @tiffany_sherese, and contact her podcast at gamblinggotthegirls@gmail.com or send your direct email to her at tsk4ga@gmail.com.
“I gambled recklessly. Because of the so many changes that happened, I couldn’t deal. I gambled a lot more, but the losses didn’t hurt me. Before and at the beginning of my addiction, I used to be mad and upset losing money, and I’ve been upset longer. It was just oh I bounce back like it’s nothing or just not feeling anything at all. And I think that’s important: the value of money. I had none at this point. I was just chasing that feeling of escape, the dopamine, and the big shot – in real life, I’m pretty conservative and relaxed, but in my addiction: I was all about it, I’m the boss, look at me. I got to the point where I started to lose the money that my parents had left me and started to feel really bad, and thought to myself, it’s the physical representation of them and I’m blowing it. That’s when I had the Higher Power moment in May 2019.”
I appreciate you leaving your comments and thoughts on https://strangersinrecovery.club website. You can reach your host at bala@strangersinrecovery.club, follow him on twitter and instagram.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and stick with us until the next episodes! Listen to all episodes with care and empathy. We are here to show our best selves via stories from our worst periods. We are Strangers in Recovery.