Over The Counter with Mark & Ben

Mark and Ben return for the final episode of Season 2 of Over The Counter and this one was recorded completely live on TikTok. No edits, no safety net and no idea where the conversation would end up. After the weekly check in, the lads are joined live by Ange, Aish, Raj the Pharmacist and Judas for chats covering recovery, social media, life updates and plenty of unpredictable moments along the wa...

It’s the penultimate episode of the season, and things are starting to come full circle. Mark and Ben talk through the build-up to Ben reaching one year off codeine, reflecting on where their journeys first began to overlap and how that connection has shaped everything since. Ben also brings in a piece of audio he’s chosen himself, which takes the conversation in a direction Mark wasn’t expecting....

Mark and Ben kick things off with a proper check-in on where life is at right now, what’s been going well, and what’s been challenging. They then dive into a recent article that breaks down how addiction actually affects the brain, and why it goes far beyond just “choice” or willpower. It leads into an honest conversation about their own experiences and when things shifted from control to compulsi...

After a short break since Episode 6, we’re back with a proper check-in and an honest conversation about where things are heading next. Recovery will always be part of our story, but it’s no longer the whole story. In this episode, we talk about moving forward, what that looks like for us, and what it means for the future of the podcast. We also dive into a recent Guardian article on exercise addic...

Episode 6 is a different one. No guest, no holding back. Just Mark and Ben going deeper than they ever have before. From the reality of online dating in recovery to the weight of low self belief, this conversation goes into the places that are usually kept quiet. Mark opens up in a way that might surprise people, and Ben does what Ben does best by asking the questions that matter. There is also a...

Episode 5 of Over The Counter sees Mark and Ben sitting down for an honest chat about their recovery from codeine, reflecting on where they are now and what has changed since the early days. They are joined by Stevie, who listeners will remember from Season 1, bringing her straight talking perspective and lived experience to the conversation. The lads listen to an audio clip from Gabor Maté which...

Mark and Ben kick things off with a proper weekly check in. Mark opens up about dealing with an injury this week and managing it without using codeine for the first time, while Ben shares about the medication he has recently been prescribed for his restless legs and how that has been affecting him. They then dive into a fascinating study showing that people who quit smoking cigarettes are signific...

Mark and Ben kick things off with an update about a milestone Ben reached this week in his recovery journey We hear a powerful audio clip from Gabor Maté, who talks about always in recovery or is it possible to be recovered? We’re then joined by James, who shares his story of addiction and what was the real reason behind his recovery. Real conversations. Real recovery. No filters. You can follow u...

Mark and Ben kick things off with an honest check in on where they are at in their recovery journeys right now. We hear a powerful audio clip from Gabor Maté, challenging us to stop asking what’s wrong with addiction and start asking what’s right with it, opening up a deeper understanding of why we use. We’re then joined by Aish, who shares her recovery from alcohol and what that journey has reall...

Season 2 is here and Mark and Ben are back checking in honestly on their recovery journeys and where life has taken them since Season 1. This season opens up the conversation beyond codeine as we welcome Cocaine Shane, who shares his recovery journey from cocaine addiction and how he uses social media to stay accountable and help others feel less alone. We also dive into a powerful real life story...

We are back for a Christmas special. Mark and Ben bring us up to date on their Codeine Addiction Recovery journeys. Mark is now 13 months Codeine free, Ben at 8 months. We also welcome Stevie Marie back to the Podcast for a Christmas Chat. We learn how Stevie is dealing with a rise in the number of Troll comments being directed her way on Social Media! Ben has a Festive game for us to play too!! S...

For Season One's final episode we record the Podcast Live on Tiktok. We chat with past guests and people who have been part of our Recovery Journey over the past year. We will be back for Season 2 in a little while where we open the Podcast to talk about Addiciton as a whole. While we will still be talking about Codeine we just want to include other addictions people have been battling with. T...

We chat about why we both took Codeine. Interesting to hear what it was about being on Codeine that held that power to bring both of us to places we never thought possible. We chat about about a listener who has been following our recovery Journeys on our Socials. Then Trolls of the week is back and its a good one!! If you would like us to talk about a particular part of Codeine recovery please co...

We chat about are Relapse in Codeine Recovery. It can be a vital tool in becoming clean. We chat about why this is. Bens wife Donna joins the Podcast today to talk about the impact Addiction has on those closest to us. Then Trolls of the week is back!! If you would like us to talk about a particular part of Codeine recovery please contact us by our socials or email listed below. You can follow us...

We chat about are we Recovering or Recovered? Mark and Ben have two different opinions on this topic! We share a listeners story of how they came to be addicted to Codeine and the Recovery Journey they went through. Then Trolls of the week is back!! If you would like us to talk about a particular part of Codeine recovery please contact us by our socials or email listed below. You can follow us on:...

We chat about Doing Recovery Wrong? Is this possible? We also welcome Nadia AKA The Prescribed Dose on Tiktok. Nadia is a pharmacist with a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Codeine OTC and by prescription. We also have a surprise game for Mark at the end of the episode! If you would like us to talk about a particular part of Codeine recovery please contact us by our socials or email listed bel...

We chat about the role Social Media has had in our recovery journeys from Codeine Addiction. We also welcome Stevie Marie back to the Podcast. Stevie talks about Restless legs on this weeks episode. Why we get them in Codeine withdrawals and if there is anything we can do to help them. Then we have our weekly segment, Trolls of the Week!! A collection of comments left on our social media accounts!...

Life after Codeine Addiction. Mark and Ben talk about their life now that Codeine is in the past. We also welcome Abby to our Podcast. Abby recently started documenting her journey off Codeine on Tiktok. Her content has been helping many currently struck on Codeine. Then we have our weekly segment, Trolls of the Week!! A collection of comments left on our social media accounts! If you would like u...

Am I addicted to Codeine? Something we are asked all the time! Here is our take on answering that question. We also welcome Stevie Marie to our Podcast. Stevie is a Chronic Pain sufferer and became addicted to Codeine as a result. She talks about her journey off Codeine. Then we have our new weekly segment, Trolls of the Week!! A collection of comments left on our social media accounts! If you wou...

Meet Mark & Ben. Hear their stories of battling Codeine Addiction in Secret. What it almost cost them. And how life is being Codeine free.