Welcome to ALERT Addiction and mental health awareness.#addictionawareness

HI all, Today Patrick talks through a highlighted version of his journey to addiction, through addiction to recovery. Touching on his emotional fragilities in youth to his struggles with suicide and suicidal ideation. Love or lack of it and all things in between. He talks about some of the different organisations and paths to his recovery. Please feel free to listen and comment. #wedorecover #earl...

We will try and let this one speak for itself

Recovery isn’t always a linear journey – and for many, the early stages bring a surge of hope, energy, and optimism often called the "pink fluffy cloud" effect. In Episode 10 of Alert Podcast, we dive into what this phase looks like, why it happens, and how to prepare for the challenges that can follow when reality settles in. We discuss our experiences with the pink fluffy cloud – from feeling in...

Dry January is more than a break from alcohol — it’s a chance to check in with your mental health. In this episode, we talk honestly about Dry January, addiction, and mental health, exploring how alcohol affects anxiety, mood, sleep, and emotional wellbeing. We discuss what comes up when drinking stops, why it can feel difficult, and how awareness can be the first step towards recovery. Whether yo...

Today we discuss envy. As individuals recovered or recovering from substance use disorder(s) do you envy people who can use without causing mayhem. For instance individuals that are big drinkers but do not present as alcoholics and just appear to have a good time when they are drunk and then go back to "normal " everyday life.

HI all, Today we discuss some of the pressures we can face around this time of year. Family dynamics, spending time with people we may not chose to. Navigating others who will be over indulging, the expectations of a "Great Christmas". We introduce the hula hoop tool which we use all year round but is an excellent tool for this time of the year. Take a step back when it feels like its getting too...

Were here again and as we say in our addiction recovery "We're here to stay". Today we start the  talk with the subject of reduction and as always drift into our personal stories here and there.  Reduction has two facets, one is  reducing and staying at a reduced level and the other reducing with a view to gaining complete abstinence. If you are suffering with addiction and mental health problems...

Welcome to Episode 4. We all talk from a lived experience viewpoint as that is what and who we are. What would you class as functioning in addiction? When does this no longer become the case.? Ae we emotionally functioning in addiction? When it comes to our mental health are we functioning or are we surviving? We also touch on labelling and vocabulary. Do you consider yourself an addict, an alcoho...

Welcome to Episode 3. Here we discuss our past addictions and mental health struggles. What we wish we and others knew about or battles. Our emotions and feelings and those of others around us during our substance use disorder era.  A little around the language used and stigma around addictions and mental health. #MakingRecoveryVisible #mentalhealthawareness #addictionawareness #youarenotalone 

Today we ask, was there a turning point? Maybe the addiction and or the toll on your physical, emotional and mental health was just too much to pay. Or maybe it was something else. Please don't forget to like, subscribe and share. Together we do beat this. #addictionawareness #mentalhealthawareness #youarenotalone #endthestigma

Today we all talk frankly and honestly about our relationships with our addictive substances. "Our destructions of choice"