Matt Haig on Depression, Autism and My Disruptive Past

Matt Haig on Depression, Autism and My Disruptive Past

From On The Mend by High Performance

May 25, 2026 · 1h 9m · Season 3 · Episode 44

About this episode

Matt Haig discusses his experiences with depression, autism, and addiction in a candid conversation.

Matt Willis sits down with the celebrated, bestselling author Matt Haig for a deeply personal conversation on the cost of living without a map. From a life-altering breakdown at 24 to navigating a late-in-life diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, Matt explores how a lack of understanding of his own brain led to decades of exhaustion, masking, and misdirected pain. The discussion dives into the realities of mental collapse and the quiet return of addiction. Matt shares why he slipped back into drinking after eight years of sobriety and how his neurodiversity diagnosis finally provided the "why" behind his impulses. It’s a raw look at how addiction often wears different clothes at different ages, serving as a crutch for unmet needs. Ultimately, this episode explores the liberation of finally finding the language for your own experience. It’s an essential listen for anyone seeking to move past the stigma of "brokenness" and understand themselves better. This episode covers the following themes: Neurodiversity, Identity, Sobriety, Breakdowns, and Resilience. Matt Haig's latest novel The Midnight Train is out now: https://amzn.eu/d/0gxsyrqe Better Help 👉 Join Matt in Saying It Louder with…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Willis

Guest: Matt Haig

Topics covered

  • Neurodiversity
  • Identity
  • Sobriety
  • Breakdowns
  • Resilience

Keywords

  • depression
  • autism
  • ADHD
  • addiction
  • sobriety
  • neurodiversity
  • mental health

Sponsors

Better Help

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Postcode Lottery

Books & works: The Midnight Train

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