Recovery Demystified - Secular Addiction Recovery and Harm Reduction for Queers, Neurodivergent People, and Their Allies
by Early Brunner
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- 🇳🇿NZ · Alternative Health#120500 to 3K
- Per-Episode Audience
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150 to 900🎙 Daily cadence·72 episodes·Last published yesterday - Monthly Reach
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500 to 3K🇳🇿100% - Active Followers
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200 to 1.2K
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Recent episodes
Story #41: Adam - Transforming Deep Shame into Finding Purpose
May 19, 2026
Unknown duration
RR#32: How to Stop Being So Hard on Yourself - Rewiring Your Brain to Dismantle The Inner Critic
May 12, 2026
Unknown duration
Story #40: Pepe Bandit - From Latchkey Kid to Trafficking Weed on an Airplane
May 5, 2026
Unknown duration
RR #31: Stop Fighting With Yourself - Train Your Brain to Stop Cravings
Apr 28, 2026
Unknown duration
Story #39: Mary - ADHD, Rebellion, and Finding a Home in Secular AA
Apr 21, 2026
Unknown duration
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/19/26 | Story #41: Adam - Transforming Deep Shame into Finding Purpose | In today's episode we hear Adam's addiction recovery story. His life starts with a feeling of being very different. After he found out he was adopted -- it was confirmed for him that yes, in fact, he was different. Finding alcohol gave him an initial sense of relief, and an immediate bout of consequences. Things got a lot worse before they got better. When faced with the news from his doctor that if he kept drinking, he would die -- Adam got in his car and pulled out his sleeve of nips. His survival was no small task. Adam is a testament to learning how to love ourselves, building on small successes to make big changes, and never giving up. He now works as a Recovery Coach and is the host of the Finding Purpose podcast. Check out Adam's website here! Click here to check out Adam's podcast! Want to support Recovery Demsystified? Did you know that we are a 501c3 nonprofit?? Help us help others and keep this work sustainable! Join our Patreon! You get to know SECRETS!!! Donate to our nonprofit via our website! Get some cool toad items from our merch store!! Follow us on Instagram! Subscribe to our Substack! Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 5/12/26 |  RR#32: How to Stop Being So Hard on Yourself - Rewiring Your Brain to Dismantle The Inner Critic | In today's episode of Recovery Resources we build our skills on rewiring our brains to move past our addictions. Do you ever argue with yourself about if you're going to drink/use? Do you find it exhausting to let yourself down over and over again? You're not broken, and you can rewire your brain to move past difficult thoughts. There's a reason why we have an inner critic, an inner addicted voice, and a fearful voice that's afraid of change. Today we will learn how to identify them, how to interrupt the feedback loop of addiction, and how to build new neural pathways so we can move past our addiction and into healing. Click here to book a free 20 minute recovery coaching call with Early! Click here to donate to our nonprofit! Join our Patreon! Check out our Instagram! Check out our Substack!Shop our merch store! Logo: Stevie Petet Theme Music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 5/5/26 | Story #40: Pepe Bandit - From Latchkey Kid to Trafficking Weed on an Airplane | In today's episode we hear Pepe Bandit's story. He describes growing up with divorced parents, and a lot of freedom. School never made sense to him, so he dropped out and started hanging out with older kids who opened up the world of drugs. This quickly led to acid-freakouts, weed turning on him, and it fizzled out when he found out his girlfriend was pregnant. He was only 17. Working for a living was fruitless and entirely unfulfilling, so he started selling weed to support his family. Then he started selling more weed, continually escalating until it "made sense" to buy an airplane. This episode explores the gray area of process addictions, compulsion, and watching things escalate out of control. We talk about childhood trauma, helping loved ones with addiction, and rebuilding after a total collapse. Check out Pepe's podcast - Click here to listen to Back on the Grind! Want to support this podcast? Join our Patreon! Prefer to donate to our nonprofit via our website? Click here! Check out our merch store! Follow us on Instagram! Check out our Substack! Theme music - Logan Bragg Logo - Stevie Petet | — | ||||||
| 4/28/26 |  RR #31: Stop Fighting With Yourself - Train Your Brain to Stop Cravings | In today's episode Early discusses how and why we have addictive cravings, and why we tirelessly argue internally with ourselves about whether or not we are going to drink/use. Are you sick of broken promises to yourself? Sick of fighting an exhausting internal battle at every twist and turn? Fortunately, once we understand why our brain is like this, we can train our brain through neuroplasticity to stop cravings in their tracks. Click here for a free 20 minute 1:1 recovery coaching consultation with Early! Donate to support our nonprofit! Get some toad swag at our merch store! Check out our Substack! Follow us on Instagram! Study showing 75% of people recover from their addictions! Logo - Stevie Petet Theme music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 4/21/26 | Story #39: Mary - ADHD, Rebellion, and Finding a Home in Secular AA | Today we hear Mary's addiction recovery story. She grew up with both parents in recovery and doing direct care work for people in crisis with their alcohol addictions. A fierce inner critic ruled the landscape with fear and shame -- something that she found only alcohol could quiet down. Her drinking spun out of control while she worked as a flight attendant, and after a co-worker called her out at a bar, she put down the drink and never looked back. During her three decades of recovery she has learned how to love herself, how to quiet down the inner critic without alcohol, and most importantly she honors her own authenticity by not listening to other people's dogmatic projections. She is passionate about an empowering secular approach to recovery and her wisdom will leave you with a lot to chew on. Click here to learn more about 1:1 coaching and book a free 20 minute consultation! Click here to join our Patreon! Click here to donate to our nonprofit! Click here to get some sick merch! Click here to check out our Substack! Click here to follow us on Instagram! Logo - Stevie Petet Theme music - Logan Bragg Mary's Contributions: Send Mary an e-mail - secularaa@gmail.com Website for more information - https://www.aasecular.org Recommended podcasts: Secular AA speakers/panels: https://secularaa.buzzsprout.com/ Rebellion Dogs Radio: https://rebelliondogspublishing.com/rebellious-radio Beyond Belief Sobriety: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondBeliefSobriety Recommended Readings: One Big Tent: AA Grapevine stories from 1964 to 2018 of atheists and agnostics https://www.aagrapevine.org/store/one-big-tent?srsltid=AfmBOopMICJPNr2rQkkGyQHVmMuO0HnDaQ8_FXpltG-0ugBUycBLP4t6 Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life, by Rebellion Dogs Publishing https://www.amazon.com/dp/0988115700?ie=UTF8&sr=8-6&linkCode=sl1&tag=rebeldogspubl-20&linkId=0a5f1ca06a67508187859a0ebe9d5e88&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl Staying Sober Without God: The Practical 12 Steps to Long-Term Recovery from Alcoholism & Addiction, by Jeffery Munn https://www.amazon.com/Staying-Sober-Without-God-Alcoholism/dp/1733588000 We're Not All Egomaniacs: Adopting the 12 Steps for people with low self-esteem, by Beth Aich https://www.amazon.com/Were-Not-All-Egomaniacs-Self-Esteem/dp/1098362624/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WBGRRX3RS9SA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Vp5ZUlR9urY0lYC7VW4IJw.wZE34XSD3nWRavOyaSZp0RgQD5yxB45Nx4-v46Os1Mk&dib_tag=se&keywords=We%27re+not+all+egomaniacs&qid=1776466802&sprefix=we%27re+not+all+egomaniacs%2Caps%2C326&sr=8-1 | — | ||||||
| 4/14/26 |  RR #30 - Why AA/12 Step Didn't Work for Me as a Queer, Neurodivergent, AFAB Heretic | In today's episode I talk about being queer, neurodivergent, AFAB, and living with religious trauma while trying to be involved in AA/12 Step programs. I discuss exactly how and why I felt worse after being involved in Alcoholics Anonymous, not better. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) claims that their simple program works for everyone -- provided the person is capable of being completely honest with themselves. When the 12 steps didn't work for me, I was told that "It works if you work it. Keep coming back." The shame I felt about my failure only grew, causing my addiction to feel hopeless. It turns out that the 12 steps were created by and for a very select group of people, and I wasn't one of them. I have never believed in God; I hated the idea of declaring myself powerless; and I simply will not be considering myself to have "character defects." I am so grateful to be at a place in my recovery where I have found answers outside of a one-size-fits-all program, where I have created a life I no longer need to escape from, and where I love myself and feel whole. Readings from books include: Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker and First in the Family by Jessica Hoppe Click here to learn more about my coaching practice and to book a free 20 minute consultation! Click here to sign up for the Patreon! Click here to check out our Instagram! Click here to check out our Substack! Click here to donate to our nonprofit! Click here to buy some truly iconic RD swag! Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 4/7/26 | Story #38: Sierra - Adopted and Raised in a Cult, BPD, and Losing a Someone to Addiction | Today we hear Sierra's story. She talks about growing up with an addicted mother, and then being adopted into a strict religious family. She describes how these polar-opposite childhood traumas created a foundation of trauma and mental instability in her life. Later she gets into a difficult partnership that is characterized by intense substance use. We talk about weed induced panic attacks, using cocaine pretty regularly while getting a degree in addiction studies, working at a homeless shelter, and the tragic loss of her ex-partner. She highlights the importance of harm reduction in her life and shows that we don't need to hit rock bottom to address our use of substances! Check out our merch store! Donate via our website! Deep dive into our Substack! Connect with us on Instagram! Join our Patreon! Logo - Stevie Petet Theme music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 3/31/26 |  RR #29: The #1 Skill You Need to Be Bulletproof in Recovery - How to Be Comfortable in Any Situation | Recovery Resources is a series about skills and addiction recovery resources that actually help. Feeling lost? Tried everything? Buckle up, because this episode is going to introduce an idea that will set you free. Today Early talks about their most important resilience-building skill in addiction recovery -- being comfortable with being uncomfortable. Once mastered, this essential skill will make you completely bulletproof in your recovery. Every time we survive being uncomfortable without suppressing our feelings, we grow stronger and stronger, until we are able to feel steady in every situation. Triggers? Cravings? Mere bumps in the road! Early recovery can feel overwhelming, and when we are used to stuffing down every uncomfortable feeling with substances, doing something new can feel nearly impossible. We can build our skills over time by nurturing our basic needs to increase our baseline resilience when we focus on things like sleep, nutrition, and movement. This foundation matters more than you think. The next layer involves learning how to recognize and regulate our emotions. This is a skill that is infinitely beneficial and can be learned by turning the gaze inwards to observe our emotional landscape and sensations in the body. The third layer addresses nervous system overwhelm, and we discuss various tools that we can practice to guide our body out of fight or flight mode. The amazing thing here is that you are in control of so much more than you think. Stress, cravings, and triggers can become small and insignificant in our lives by practicing this method. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable just might be your new superpower! Study showing 75% of people recover from their addictions! Click here to join our Patreon! Click here to donate via our website! Click here to visit our merch store! Click here to check out our Instagram! Click here to visit our Substack! Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 3/27/26 | A Special Message for New Listeners! | 12 Step doesn't work for everyone! Freaks and weirdos are welcomed! In this introduction, Early discusses what you can expect here at the Recovery Demystified Podcast. We tell stories of people who use harm reduction, people who came back from the brink and rebuilt their lives, and people who returned to controlled use. We also talk with people who quit before it got bad. You do not need to hit rock bottom in order to address your use of substances! We also hear stories from queer and neurodivergent people in addiction recovery. Early also puts out solo episodes discussing addiction recovery resources that actually work. Whether you're looking for secular recovery outside of the 12-step model, queer and neurodivergent community, or a place where you are fully accepted as your weird self -- you're in the right place. We advocate for harm reduction, not purity politics. We foster an environment of empowerment, growth, and healing. Do you hate being told what to do? So do we. You're in the right place. Join our Patreon! Donate to our nonprofit via our website! Check out our merch store! Follow us on Instagram! Check out our Substack! Holler at us in the email - info@recoverydemystified.com Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 3/24/26 | Story #37: Jacob - How Anxiety, AuDHD, and Chronic Pain Lead to Addiction, And How Music Brought Him Back | Jacob's story of addiction and recovery reveals how ancestral trauma, chronic anxiety, autism, ADHD and chronic pain can intersect in ways that push people toward substance use -- and how healing is still possible. In this episode, Jacob shares how opiates initially felt like a miracle solution to all of his problems, temporarily easing a lifetime of overwhelming anxiety and chronic pain. But what began as relief then escalated into dependence, leading him from prescription pills to IV heroin and fentanyl. After developing a life-threatening blood infection that required open heart surgery, Jacob faced a turning point. He eventually stopped using heroin with the help of Suboxone and began rebuilding his life through harm reduction, self-understanding, and playing the drums. Study showing 75% of people recover from their addictions! Want to support this work? Join our Patreon! Want to donate to our nonprofit? Click here to donate! Check out our merch store! Click here for toad shirts! Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/recoverydemystified/ Substack! https://substack.com/@recoverydemystified Holler at us in the email! info@recoverydemystified.com Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
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| 3/17/26 |  RR#28: Addiction Recovery Resources That Actually Help - Epigenetics & ACEs, Healing Relationships w/ Attachment Theory, Queer and Punk Community | Recovery resources that actually help, build your own recovery with secret resources you probably never heard of. Addiction recovery community support... incoming!! Looking for addiction recovery support outside traditional programs? In this episode, Early shares recovery resources that will actually help you build a sustainable recovery community and find meaningful addiction recovery support in your everyday life. We explore how science and relationships shape recovery, starting with the impact of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and epigenetics of addiction, trauma, and healing. Understanding how early experiences affect the brain and nervous system can be a powerful step toward compassionate self-understanding and long-term addiction recovery support. We also talk about healing relationships through attachment theory -- how learning about secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment can help people become self-aware and strengthen their relationships in order to build healthy recovery community around them. Healthy relationships are one of the most powerful forms of addiction recovery support. If you're just starting your recovery journey, you might like to try the simple and accessible "un-f*ck" yourself books that introduce personal growth, emotional regulation, and practical tools for building stability. These kinds of beginner resources can provide immediate addiction recovery support while taking off the pressure to read something too over-complicated. Early also recommends several podcasts that offer ongoing addiction recovery support and help listeners feel less alone in the process. Included are a podcast focused on storytelling and neuroscience, a queer harm reduction podcast, and a folk punk recovery community adjacent show. Books: The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris Attachment Theory by Amire Lavine and Rachel Heller Unf*ck Your Addiction and Unf*ck Your Brain by Dr. Faith G. Harper Podcasts: Queering Up Harm Reduction by Meesh The Addicted Mind by Duane Osterlind Back on the Grind by Pepe Bandit Help Support This Work! Join our Patreon! Donate to our nonprofit via our website! Check out our merch store! Contact & Connect with us! Substack! Instagram! Email us! info@recoverydemystified.com Logo: Stevie Petet Theme Music: Logan Bragg Every fkn thing else: Early Brunner | — | ||||||
| 3/10/26 | Story #36: Katy - Growing Up in a Meth House, Becoming Enlightened & Un-Enlightened, and an Easy Way to Quit Nicotine! | Katy's story is a powerful look at addiction, trauma, and recovery outside the traditional 12-step model. Growing up in a meth house surrounded by hard drugs and instability, she experienced firsthand how addiction can shape a childhood and ripple into adulthood. She shares how those early experiences influenced her relationship with substances, identity, and the search for meaning. After what most people would perceive as a minor mistake, Katy turned fully inwards and experienced a period of enlightenment. It didn't last forever, and unfortunately she lost that sense of clarity and grounding, and at some point beer and cigarettes took its place. Instead of waiting for rock bottom, Katy recognized the patterns forming and chose to quit before things spiraled further. We also explore Katy's brilliant discovery on how to quit smoking cigarettes -- the easy way. If you're interested in non-12-step recovery, harm reduction, trauma-informed healing, or are simply looking for a story that will lend addiction recovery support, this episode is for you. Study showing 75% of people recover from addiction! Donate to our nonprofit! Join our Patreon! Check out our Substack Check us out on Instagram! Check out our online merch store! Want to tell your story on this podcast? Have feedback? Send us an email! info@recoverydemystified.com Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 3/3/26 | Story #35: Joey Part 2 - The Part of Recovery Nobody Talks About, Accountability & Sobriety After Causing Harm | In Part 2 of Joey's story, we talk about accountability in sobriety and what it means to stay sober after causing harm. Accountability in addiction recovery isn't just about stopping substance use, it's about taking responsibility and working on our growth and healing. Joey discusses the things that he tried after his accountability process, which included therapy, self-education, and exploration of abolitionist frameworks through his zine writing. He emphasizes the importance of being met with love instead of shame, and how that created fertile soil for him to grow. We also talk about the importance of community in addiction recovery, and how our connections to each other foster an environment of collective healing. Joey's Accountability Reading List: Books on Radical Compassion: I Hope We Choose Love by Kai Cheng Thom How to Go Mad Without Losing Your Mind by Lamar Bruce Communism of Love by Richard Gilman-Opalsky Joyful Militancy by Carla Birgman & Nick Montgomery Books on Substances and Harm: This Naked Mind by Annie Grace Towards a Less Fucked Up World by Nick Riotfag Books on Accountability Processes: Creative Interventions Toolkit by Incite! Toward Transformative Justice by Generation Five How to Be Accountable by Joe Beil & Faith Harper After Accountability by The Pinko Collective Conflict is Not Abuse by Sara Schulman Books on Abolition: Becoming Abolitionists We Will Not Cancel Us by Adrienne Maree Brown Resources for Supporting People Who Have Caused Harm: As if They Were Human: A Different Take on Perpetrator Accountability (zine) What About the Rapists? (zine) Supporting Harm Doers & Building Accountable Communities (Video Series by Banard Center for Resesarch on Women) Study showing 75% of people recover! Sexual assault hotline: 1-800-656-4673 https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/ Joey's zine distro! Click here to join our Patreon! Click here to donate via our Donorbox! Connect with us on Instagram & Substack @recoverydemystified Holler at me in the email! info@recoverydemystified.com Logo: Stevie Petet Theme music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 2/24/26 | Story #34: Joey Part 1 - (New Intro) Punk Rock & Harm Repair, Alcohol Addiction and How We Can Do Better | In today's episode, Joey shares his journey from a kid longing for attention to a touring punk musician immersed in a culture that normalizes alcohol addiction. Passed around between family members growing up, Joey learned how to adapt, perform, and fight for belonging. He finally found a place to belong in the punk community, but a life of touring and party culture slowly sunk him into deep alcohol addiction. We talk about attachment wounds, punk culture, and how he ultimately caused harm to someone while drunk. Joey's road to healing was not perfect, and not linear, and it showcases how and why we need better methods of holding each other accountable when harm is caused. National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/parenting-translator/202307/do-trigger-warnings-do-more-harm-than-good Want to support this work? You can donate in any amount to our nonprofit and we would be forever thankful! Click here to donate! Want to be interviewed on this podcast? Have feedback? Send an email to info@recoverydemystified.com Connect with us on Instagram & Substack! @recoverydemystified Logo: Stevie Petet Theme Music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 2/17/26 | Replay: Story #6: Jakob - Weed Addiction, Cannabinoid Hyperemesis in the ER, & Raw Dogging the Shit Out of Life | In today's episode Jakob tells his addiction recovery story. Jakob's story begins with supressing deep traumatic grief with the use of substances- something he saw demonstrated by adults in his life. His story moves through dabbling and being addicted to a variety of hard drugs, alcohol, and weed. Kratom and cocaine ultimately landed him in a not very classy rehab, which he left after three days, and then returned to. He spent a while being Cali-Sober (only using weed products) until that landed him in the emergency room, with a near death experience. He tested the waters on weed again, resulting in a second round of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. After that he decided to leave it all behind, raw dogging the shit out of life, and he has never looked back. In today's episode we also discuss the ultimate question: How DO you pronounce "kratom"????? Want to be interviewed on this podcast? Send an email to info@recoverydemystified.com Want to help support this work? Your tax deductible donations can be made via our website! Click here to donate! Connect with us on Instagram and Substack @recoverydemystified Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 2/10/26 | Replay: Story #2: Sara - From Meth in a Lightbulb at Age 15 to Spontaneous Sobriety | In this episode we hear Sara's addiction recovery story. Her life starts with being raised in a party environment, picking up cigarette butts at the age of 7, and using alcohol and every drug under the sun before graduating high school. After a series of awful relationships and worsening addiction to drugs and alcohol, Sara's life imploded and she ended up stuck in the psych ward. After she got out she decided she wanted to "try something different"- and moved on forever. Want to be interviewed on this podcast? Send an email to info@recoverydemystified.com Want to support this work? Tax decuctible donations can be made via our website! Click here to donate! Connect with us on Instagram and Substack @recoverydemystified Logo - Stevie Petet Theme Music - Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 2/3/26 |  RR #27: When No One Else Could: How Pets Support Us in Addiction Recovery | Recovery Resources that actually help, build your own recovery with secret resources you probably never heard of. Addiction recovery starts with survival. In this episode, Early shares how their relationship with their dog Cheyenne helped them survive addiction and have a reason to live. They share how even during times of complete isolation and social rejection, their dog propped them up and gave them unconditional love. They also discuss the importance of our ability to learn how to tolerate discomfort and how this emotional skill is fundamental to a strong recovery. Grab a box of tissues and buckle up. Want to support this work? Sign up for our Patreon by clicking here! Or donate to our Donorbox in any amount by clicking here! Check out our merch store! Click here! Want to be interviewed on this podcast? Send us an email! info@recoverydemystified.com Connect with us on Instagram & Substack @recoverydemystified Theme music - Logan Bragg Logo - Stevie Petet | — | ||||||
| 1/27/26 | Story #33: Cecil Part 2 - "Shame Is the Antagonist Here" — Escaping Addiction Through Emotional Processing | In part two of Cecil's story, he opens up about how continued emotional suppression and ADHD contributed to his worsening addiction to alcohol. He also shares about porn addiction, self-harm, being cheated on, and another tragic suicide attempt. He was ultimately kicked out of the military after seeking mental healthcare for his struggles. After spending sometime homeless and living in his car, he found a path to lasting healing by learning how to deal with his emotions in a healthy way, and hashing out his childhood trauma with a therapist. Want to support this work? Donate via our Patreon by clicking here! Or, donate via Donorbox on our website. Click here! Want to be interviewed on this podcast? Send us an email! info@recoverydemystified.com Connect with us on Instagram and Substack @recoverydemystified Logo: Stevie Petet Theme Music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 1/20/26 | Story #32: Cecil Part 1 - How Childhood Trauma, Poverty, and Emotional Suppression Lead to Addiction | 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! Want to be interviewed on this podcast? Send us an email! info@recoverydemystified.com Want to support this work? Join our Patreon here! You can also donate to our Donorbox (less fees for us as a 501c3 nonprofit!) Click here to donate! Connect with us on Instagram/Substack @recoverydemystified Logo: Stevie Petet Theme Music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 1/13/26 |  RR #26: Secular Dry January Resources: Indigenous Wisdom, Intersectional Feminism, and Neuroscience | Recovery Resources that actually help, build your own recovery with secret resources you probably never heard of. 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. Click here to sign up for our Patreon! Click here to donate via our website! Click here to check out our merch store! Want to be a guest on this podcast? Send us an email! info@recoverydemystified.com Logo - Stevie Petet Theme music - Logan Bragg Connect with us on Instagram and Substack @recoverydemystified | — | ||||||
| 1/6/26 | Story #31: JT Part 2 - Coping With ADHD in Addiction Recovery, Managing Cravings and Emotional Regulation to Prevent Relapse | 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. Want to donate to our nonprofit? Click here! Sign up for our Patreon and get fun gifts! Click here to join the Patreon! Connect with us on Substack/Instagram @recoverydemystified Want to be interviewed on this podcast? Send us an email! info@recoverydemystified.com Logo: Stevie Petet Theme music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 12/30/25 | Story #30: Benji - Loving Someone in Recovery and the Grief of Losing Them to Fentanyl Overdose | 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. Want to tell your story on our podcast? Send an email to info@recoverydemystified.com Want to support our nonprofit? Donate here! https://www.recoverydemystified.com/donations/ Connect with us on Instagram/Substack @recoverydemystified Logo: Stevie Petet Theme music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 12/23/25 |  RR #25: How to Find a Therapist If You're Poor and/or Neurodivergent and in Addiction Recovery | Recovery Resources that actually help, build your own recovery with secret resources you probably never heard of. 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 Want to support this work? Check out our donation page on our website! Every little bit helps. https://www.recoverydemystified.com/donations/ Check out our merch store! Click here! Join our Patreon! Click here! Want to tell your story on our podcast? Send an email to info@recoverydemystified.com Connect with us on Instagram/Substack @recoverydemystified Logo: Stevie Petet Theme music: Logan Bragg | — | ||||||
| 12/16/25 | Story #29: Hana Part 3 - Rebuilding a Life From Scratch After Addiction: Managing Triggers, Avoiding Relapse, and Deciding to Cut Off Her Mother | 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. Want to tell your story on this podcast? Send an email to info@recoverydemystified.com Want to support this work with a tax-deductible donation? Click here to donate! Connect with us on Instagram and Substack @recoverydemystified Connect with Hana @pickle_de_chip Theme music: Logan Bragg Logo: Stevie Petet | — | ||||||
| 12/9/25 |  RR #24: Sober for the Holidays: Practical Skills for Coping with Loneliness & Fostering Empowerment Through Self-Inquiry | Recovery Resources that actually help, build your own recovery with secret resources you probably never heard of. 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. Want to support this work? We welcome tax-deductible donations in any amount! Click here! Check out our merch store! Click here! Sign up for our Patreon! Click here! Connect with us on Substack & Instagram @recoverydemystified Want to tell your story on this podcast? Have thoughts or feedback? We would love to hear from you! info@recoverydemystified.com Theme music: Logan Bragg Logo: Stevie Petet | — | ||||||
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