Recovery Is A Way Of Life

Rock bottom is not always dramatic, but sometimes it is brutally clear. We talk about the moment you realize the road only ends in jail, an institution, or death and what it actually takes to choose something else.

Gully and I dig into addiction recovery with the kind of honesty most people never hear. We unpack why recovery meetings feel “far away” to families who have never needed them, how stigma keeps people silent, and why the first real milestone is simply admitting there’s a problem. Gully shares his path from relapse-prone thinking to two years clean, including the hard truth that you cannot half-commit to sobriety and expect your life to change.

We also get into the everyday battle of reintegrating into society: friends who still drink every weekend, office Christmas parties that turn into trigger zones, and the awkward pressure of explaining why you are saying no. We talk dating, identity, and the fear of being judged, then the shift that happens when you stop trying to manage other people’s comfort and start protecting your recovery.

Finally, we break down practical support systems for relapse prevention, especially accountability. From recovery houses and structured planning to programs like AA, NA, and Project Exodus, we explain how sponsors and “wise counsel” can help rebuild honesty, stability, and trust. If you care about mental health, substance abuse education, and real-world sobriety tools, this one is for you. Subscribe, share the show with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find a way out of the gully.

Transcript

Welcome To The New Podcast

SPEAKER_01 0:00

At the gully with Gully. Stephanie, how are you, bro? I'm good. You well? Actually, keen for the Saturday. I told you before this what I gave up, what would I give up to be here?

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Fair enough. And I and I appreciate you for that.

SPEAKER_01 0:17

I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_02 0:19

No, I think I think this has been a long time coming, man. Um yeah, we're finally here, finally doing it. Um, so yeah, at the Gali with with Gali. Um, it's gonna be a cool series, or cool, cool podcast, I think, and just enlightening people about a lot of different aspects of of life.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

Bro, so what do we hear about, Doug?

SPEAKER_02 0:39

A lot. No, I'm kidding. Um, yeah, I think basically what I've kind of wanted to do was just like enlighten people about recovery and addiction. Um, I think that there's been a stigma with regards to addiction recovery just in general in life. Um, so like I just want to bring up a little more awareness to people.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Um you do raise a good point, Doug. Like, no one no one really knows about recovery. Um because it's it's so out of their way.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

100%, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

And I think kind of grasping the reality of um you you you have to physically take yourself to a meeting for you to get better. Yeah. Um, and and and and I think it doesn't process, so they don't even want to explore deeper into actually at those meetings, what are you doing there?

SPEAKER_02 1:29

100%, yeah. And I think I think besides getting to the meeting, because that's probably like one of the biggest steps, I think for me personally is actually acknowledging that you have an issue. I think that's I think that's one of the biggest things. And I think that this postcast will give a lot of people, uh, family members, mothers, sisters, cousins, aunties, grandmas, people um that have loved ones who suffer from addiction more of an insult.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

It actually makes me want to ask. Although, although I feel like I've heard remnants of it before, um, given that uh we both are on the recovery journey. But um, yeah, I can never it it's it never gets old. That's the beauty of a testimony.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

But yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

Can you share a bit about your recovery journey? Um, you know, like what initially inspired you to seek help? What initially said to you, I can't do this on my own anymore.

Learning To Live Sober Around Others

SPEAKER_02 2:23

Yeah, it's funny you say that. Um, that you can't do this on your own anymore. I think for me, a lot of my life was kind of doing it on my own. Um, so you always kind of have that that feeling of like you don't need anyone because you're so used to not having anyone in your life uh that helps you with certain things um and actually being there um for you. But yeah, for me, it I'm two years in recovery now on Wednesday, the 28th, it'll be my two years. So that's super cool um reaching that milestone. Um yeah, but by all means, it hasn't been easy. It's super difficult to reach those milestones. And and I admire people who who attempt to to um to obviously go on the journey of recovery. Um but yeah, for me, it's just I I think the the part of my life where I I wanted to seek help was was definitely when I was sitting in a prison cell, man, and I was like, you know what, this is this is a part of my life that I can see is not going to end well. Um it's either I'm gonna stay in jail or I'm gonna be in an institution or I'm gonna die. And for me, those were those were really scary thoughts running through my mind. And then you kind of go through your childhood and and go through all your life, life experiences and life journeys and and what you wanted to aspire to in life and all of those aspects. And then you find out where you currently are and and you yeah, you just you I kind of sat with myself and I and I really looked at myself and where I was, and I was like, yeah, no, this is this is definitely not where I want to be, and I want to change my life. And and at that moment, I I prayed and and I asked God to change my life, and and thankfully He has. So yeah, man, I think that was definitely the defining point for me. And I had been in recovery prior to that. Um I've been in recovery for about three years, I've been clean for two years. Um, but uh yeah, the the first year that I was in recovery, I was uh being me, I always think I know better. So it's like, yeah, no, no, don't worry, man. I'm I'm I'm gonna be fine. Like, yeah. And how the rest of the book. Yes. Uh I'm here because I don't want to do that, but like I'll still do other things. Um, and then I quickly found out that that's not how it works. So um, but yeah, I think I think the journey is it's taught me so much. Um, it's been it's been really good ups and and and some downs, but uh ultimately I'm living such a better life um for for where my recovery journey has brought me. And I actually just want to, this is the reason why I'm doing this, man. It's just to show people that life is is is so different if you if you want it to be, you know. Um if you apply yourself, if you if you go through the right channels, if you seek help, like life, as dumb as it may look in in your recovery and your active addiction, um, there's always lights at the end of the tunnel, man. Um and I'm a living testimony, you're a living testimony to that. So that's what I'm trying to encourage people to do and and and kind of have faith in. So hopefully that uh throughout this this journey of this podcast, it gives people some motivation to definitely um change their lives. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

Hey Doug, and you know, you know, as we're talking, made me think of something. Like, do you do you do you ever get the feeling, bro? Um I sometimes wrestle with it, of like almost not being part of society during this protest, or which which which I think does fall into some of the stereotypes of recovery. Kind of like you you become this different human being, or all of a sudden you can't do human things. Yeah, like the normal things. Yeah, yeah. You know, obviously, because at the beginning hanging out becomes hard because you need to be out of those places where where where most of your addictions were were were at their peak. You you kind of can't have normal conversations at at the start. Like that do you do you do you feel that or do you feel well integrated into society? You don't you don't you don't sit like in a circle and feel like oh snap, you know, like I'm gonna do that. All these people can drink and I can't, or all these people can do whatever they want, use if they use, but I can't.

SPEAKER_02 6:24

Um yes, definitely. And in the beginning that was it was super, super difficult because a lot of my friends currently, and I I struggle to say this, but like they are an act of addiction because they drink every weekend or they drink every whatever, they go outstore to pubs and they do this, and some still smoke weed, and some are still doing certain things. So for me, it's it was difficult because I couldn't hang around with those people in the very first beginning phase of my recovery. Yeah, because it's too early to hang around with those, to with to obviously be in those environments. I think that's where I was saying like recovery has been had its ups and downs. I think in some down moments, it's like you can't you want to share those, your, your life with your friends or the people that you've grown up with, or whatever the case may be, but you know you can't, and you have to subject yourself to that environment because of you know how dangerous it is for yourself. And I think recovery, what we always encourage is is that like you it's a selfish thing. You got to be selfish for yourself. Um, so for me, yeah, it's integrating into society was was quite difficult because it's you come into like a uh a recovery house. I was in a recovery house, and um, you know, you obviously stay in there for a couple months, and then now you have to try and integrate into like finding a job and getting out there, and then you you do do that, but then you're still super cautious about like who you who you're kind of into interacting with and and hoping. And then like you ask random questions that you wouldn't be asking people like on a normal, like, hey, do you drink? Like who asks who? Like, when last time someone asks you if you drank, you know what I mean? Like, it's just like an that's what I'm seeing, like you were saying, it's like a norm. Like everyone drinks, mate. Like, what do you mean do you drink? Like everyone drinks. So it's like trying to kind of gauge with asking those type of questions to people, and that kind of can be weird. Um, but for me, luckily, I'm I'm like a people's person. So hopefully people don't notice it really when I ask those type of questions. But it's just trying to be aware of the of those type of things and then obviously being aware of of the environments that you put yourself in. Um, and I mean now in December for me was was quite difficult. Uh it's my first December outside of the recovery house being by myself. And um, I had like some challenges. Uh, we had like a couple work functions, office Christmas parties and things like that. And and those are those are quite triggering um because certain people don't understand that you're on your recovery journey and and and so like when you're at the Christmas party, it's like, hey, have a drink, hey, the shooters, like, hey, and then like you have to say no. And and why are you saying no? Because, you know, there was like um, I forget what they call it, like that drive, you know, like those companies that kind of like drive you home when you're drinking. Like, yeah, so there should, and I'm like, oh, I'm driving. Well, we've got this thing, you know, like you don't need to drive, you know. So to find the excuses became became a little bit more difficult. Yeah. But um, yeah, I think just integrating into those societies and trying to trying to stay calm and trying to trying to be yourself in those environments still, um, with without without feeling guilty or horrible that like, you know, you you're diff you're different. Um, but I think it just becomes a way of life. Um and for me, it's just literally become a way of life. And and in the beginning, you I felt that like people would judge me if I don't drink or um uh and then like it's like oh I'm in recovery, oh, why you're in recovery, then they look at you differently, and then you don't kind of want to share why you're in recovery. And then I got to a point in my recovery journey where I'm like, I actually really don't care. Like, I really don't care. Like, if you're not gonna bring any positivity or goodness to my life, then you're clearly not meant to be a part of my life. And if my recovery journey makes you feel a certain way, or like, oh, Gully used to do that, then okay, cool, mate. I did used to do that. I'm I'm I'm gonna be open and honest about it. I wanna hide it. Um, but I'm not that individual anymore. And I think that's where the the huge shift changed for me is because I kind of was still like, oh my word, I used to do those things, or I was that that gent. And and through my recovery journey, I've transformed myself into such a different human being, um, like mentally and and and and and work work-wise and and just in general and and like my goals in life. And for me, it's like I'm not gonna be, I'm not gonna feel guilty for what I want in my life because of how it's gonna make you feel, because it's not about you, mate. I'm doing what I need to do. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

So yeah, if that answers the question, I think Doug, like and I think, and I think there's there's there's so many challenges, especially around society, because most of active addiction is happening deep within society, deep within society, if if even sometimes you do get out of the society when you go deeper and and heavier, but like it's always something I still wrestle with today. Like um I struggle, I struggle with reckoning with my past, because there's some things on my past when I was active that I found like you said earlier, there were some things you thought you could still do. And and for me, the biggest thing, I came from a place where I really liked the girls, and I really loved the whole the whole dating game and all this stuff. So and there was also this certain micro man put across. So when Chris was like, Oh, you don't drink, it gets hard to be like, I feel like if I say yes though, it just put me in better books of her.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

Yes, yeah, and it's like nah, actually. But that that mansions had to happen within yourself. It had to happen. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Each time, each time I was kind of like getting so close to saying yes and realizing that oh no, I have to the compromise is way too big now. Correct. Um for me to think. So like obvious challenges, honestly, I think, I think are to be expected coming into recovery spaces. And and and sometimes sometimes you also don't hear that.

SPEAKER_00 12:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Because I mean, we all like you said, bro, you you touched rock bottom, and at rock bottom you kind of have your hands up like this mostly. Yeah, like I can't do anything no more.

SPEAKER_02 12:31

Yeah, not alone. Yeah, not alone, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

Yeah, and it's funny, I feel like until until I got into the rooms, recovery rooms, or or program and and and circles like that. For me, I felt like I was unique to my friends, you know. Hey, hey, I've been in prison, bro. You know, I've I've spent time in prison. So like, oh nah. Addiction really is criminal in its DNA. You know, it it it really it really does destroy you inside that you would land up in places you never would have expected yourself to be.

SPEAKER_02 13:07

100%.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

So so in that in integrating society, what what what have your favorite or best support systems been?

SPEAKER_02 13:19

I think for me, um, and my recovery journey definitely was the accountability. So somebody to be held accountable to. Um it's super vital, vitally important.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

Unpack that for me a little, bro. Like accountability.

SPEAKER_02 13:37

Yeah, so basically having having somebody to to well having accountability would be having somebody preferably not so in in recovery, it's it's like we don't have your wife or your mom or somebody who's seen you suffer an addiction to be your your accountability partner. Having somebody to hold you accountable for um is is basically like your whereabouts, you know, um making sure you're at groups uh every Monday or Tuesday or whatever group you're attending. Because I mean there's there's there's Project Exodus, there's AA, there's NA, there's there's G A, there's there's many different obviously um recovery rooms um that are that are happening. Um but obviously depending on on where you're at is is is finding somebody within those rooms that can that can hold you accountable. Um so yeah, man, I'm I'm woke up this morning, I'm going to work. Okay, cool. You're at work, maybe um you have uh found me if you have an iPhone, whatever the case, maybe, or an application, whatever the case may be, an early addiction, you need to have all of those things in in place to hold you accountable. Because for me, it's so easy to be able to lie about where I am, what I'm doing. Because I used to lie for the last 15, 20 years that I've been using drugs. So for me, lying is not a start like I had to unteach myself to stop lying, you know, even when I didn't need to, even in recovery, I'm lying. And then I found myself like, dude, you don't need to lie about that, you know, that's those type of things. But yeah, it's just about having somebody to hold you accountable for for your day-to-day life. Um, and then obviously, depending on what what program you're on, um, the program that I'm on, which is Product Exodus, is that you have something called a wise council. So you have like multiple people um that can hold you accountable for different aspects of your life. So you have like a spiritual wild council, you have um just a normal day-to-day accountability partner, which some people would tell is like a sponsor. Um then you have like a financial uh wise council, so somebody who can hold your finances accountable. So there's many different aspects of that. Um, but for me, it was luckily I was in a recovery house, and um the person who ran the recovery houses is a really, really great guy. Um, and he he um would obviously hold me accountable uh to where I am and and what time I'm coming home. And you know, you can't just go anywhere on a weekend, you know, there needs to be structured and planned, and you can't come to him on a Thursday and say, yo man, I'm going out on Saturday, because now that is like it's kind of repeating old patterns of I'm only making plans on a Thursday, Friday, what are we going to do on the weekend? Like it's too quick. It's and then you're making dumb decisions at that moment. So on Monday, you should know what you're doing. But Tuesday, Wednesday, you should know what you're doing on Saturday and Sunday, mate. You know what I mean? You can't come to me on Thursday and say, I'm doing some, I'm doing something on Saturday. It just doesn't, it doesn't just, yeah. I'm taking it. Yeah. So um, yeah, it's just having somebody uh uh that's able to hold you accountable for for for aspects of your life.

SPEAKER_01 16:25

So so you can say accountability is like really done it for you because because you you know you know you know why as well, bro. It's nice to highlight the biggest thing within your journey is because each person's journey is different. And I and I feel like I feel like the tools make more sense to you according to the person you are.

SPEAKER_02 16:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

So if if lying was your biggest thing and manipulation, accountability is gonna be your biggest tool. 100%, yeah. You know, if if if um being emotionally abusive and everything, maybe it's gonna be counseling of of certain sorts of where do you go to vent? Who do you vent to? 100%, yeah. You you're an emotionally charged being. I I don't think an emotionally charged being will have the best accountability relationship because half the time it's all woe is me.

SPEAKER_02 17:18

Exactly.

Why The Show Focuses On Kids

SPEAKER_01 17:18

I'm emotionally charged, so I'm I'm literally feeding on my emotions the whole time. You know, whereas whereas um you find your tools. Yeah, I think that's what I've enjoyed about the journey. But to to pick your brain a little more, Jack. Um I think it brings us here.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

To being in this space, knowing that there's recovery rooms, knowing there's what has inspired you to then now put a name to it out the gully? What what what has made you be inspired inspired enough to say, let me start a podcast?

SPEAKER_02 17:57

Yeah, I think I don't know if I mentioned a little bit earlier, but I I I think it was it was basically me being in the in the recovery space and coming into the journey and and me just being a normal human being, as you may know, I'm a very outspoken, funny guy, whatever the case may be. And and I think that sometimes people can relate to me. Um, and I relate to a lot of people because I've obviously had a lot of life experiences, etc. Um, but but for me, it was definitely being in the recovery space and just kind of analyzing and looking at at the outside world and and everything and how little people had knowledge of recovery. Like there's such a little bit of knowledge about it. Um and I was like, nah, man, that can't be. And this is why we're having such a such a such a hard time with regards to addicts and and people doing drugs and drinking and things getting out of control. Um and and I think that we take it likely that our kids go out to uh a pub or whatever on a Friday night or whatever, because that Friday night then becomes there wanting to do that every Friday night. And then it becomes Friday and Saturday nights, and then all of a sudden when they're an adults now in varsity, then it's Friday, Saturday, and Sunday because they're off on Mondays, and then it starts to become they're now on a Saturday pubs, it's totally all right. Exactly, you know. So yeah, but for for me, it was definitely um, it was definitely the aspect of people don't know about this enough. And I had the privilege of of um going to my my old school, so I go to Panzan Boysha. And uh in my recovery journey, I was approached by by somebody who currently works there, and they were like, hey, listen, you're in recovery, that's super amazing. Like, don't you want to come and speak to the kids about it? And I was like, that is actually the most beautiful thing that I could have ever done in my recovery journey, um, is being able to go back to my old school and be like, hey guys, listen, I was once here, and this is what like happened in my life, and this is where I am now. And if I had when I I always say this, when I was in high school, if I had somebody that came to a high school and spoke to me about act uh about addiction and recovery, I'm not saying I would have not done drugs or whatever the case may be, but I would have been a lot more aware, if that makes sense. Um because like in general, people like don't do drugs. Okay, why? Oh, they're bad for you. Uh like I don't understand how they're bad for me. Like, what do you mean they're bad for me? Because when I do them, then they feel good. So I don't understand what's bad. You know what I mean? Like, there's no one really like indulging on, oh, well, when you do drugs, then you're gonna end up losing everything and losing your job, and you're gonna be late for work eventually. Then eventually you're gonna be late for work, then you're gonna start bunking work, and then when you start bunking work, you're gonna get warnings, and then you're gonna end up getting fired, and then you're gonna to sub to subdue those feelings and emotions. You're gonna go to the pubs every day and drink, and then you're gonna end up crashing your car, and then you're gonna end up crashing your car and then getting caught drinking and driving, then you go to prison and then do this, and then do that, and then you're gonna end up stealing because you don't have a job. And then it's like a ripple effect, you know, of certain things. So, yeah, when I was a kid, people used to tell me don't do drugs, okay, but I don't understand why I mustn't do drugs. Tell me why I mustn't do the drugs, you know? Um I think we were the same kid, bro, because like for me, don't do drugs was go try that.

SPEAKER_01 21:01

Like it translated as go try the kid. It's still the same mentality of don't touch the stove. When you when you're a kid, yeah. When you're a kid. And then your parents know that that's as much as they can do is don't do that because one way or the other, you're gonna go find out for yourself.

SPEAKER_00 21:18

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

You know, but then from there, then they start saying they they keep saying it, don't touch that stove. Don't touch that stove. So you start processing with okay, no, the adults are saying this thing burns, and I did feel it burnly.

SPEAKER_02 21:32

So I'm not gonna touch it.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

Yeah, let me let me let me say I'm learning because you can still choose to go and touch it. Yeah, you can touch it again, but there's someone that's there constantly. But with don't do drugs, it's it's it's one speaker a year in school, or it's one person that comes to your church.

SPEAKER_02 21:48

Oh, no one spoke about it in my school, to be honest. That's why I was like, Yeah, no, that yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

So I think that's that's all the schools.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

Panton should have been the one, man.

SPEAKER_01 21:57

And because the boys are bad, Pantown is.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

Drug central. Exactly. Exactly. So um yeah, it's just so that was definitely one of the motivating points for me was to obviously be able to go and share share that with the kids. I I I want to do a couple more schools and and go and speak awareness at schools and and obviously in in not just in the suburbs, but in rural areas as well.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

What in you? Or what about what we're doing? Having a conversation about recovery, starting a you starting a podcast and and you charging in to this world. Um you know what's the roots of it? And I think you did you did highlight, and one thing I do see in you um this form of entertainment is is is a is a nice comfort space for you. You have you have the talent for it. Um but beyond talent, I'm I'm curious on on the heart, you know, like because everyone also does recovery podcasts.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:57

I mean everyone else does, hey, did you know 50% of running down the green screen? Yeah, yeah, whatever. But to you, what's what's you what's your heart behind starting a podcast?

Regret Trauma And Honest Stories

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Yeah man, to be to be honest with you, it is it is to help kids that don't quite understand what what addiction does to you and to be able to prevent to prevent it from happening. And look, I know I'm not gonna save every kid. I know that I'm not gonna save every human being on on the earth. It was on my heart, man. And I think I was actually sitting at youth. Um, so I used to serve at at youth, and um the one day I was just sitting and I was and I was seeing the kids and how happy they were and how life was, and I was like, yo, man, uh God kind of convicted me to like help kids. Um uh and I think that's where that's where kind of started of having the feeling like, okay, well, how can I change kids' lives, or like how can I do something different? Um, and I thought that being able to speak about my journey could motivate or can relate to another person who's currently going through those things. Oh, when he was 18, he also went through this, or when he was 21, he also went through this type of thing. Um, and obviously you're gonna have many different episodes about many different things. Um, but like another one, another strong point was is relationships and not just relationships with like uh uh a partner, but relationships with your mom, your dad, your sister, your friends, um, relationships in general in life and and what that should should look like. Yeah, um, and what it consists of. So yeah, I think it's just it was something that that was on the heavy on my heart, and and I just wanted to do it um to bring awareness and and to to help save to save save some kids, man. Um, and from people making the same mistakes that I did. So that's basically dude.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

You you like answered all the curiosity in my brain, the short curiosity actually just in us kicking off and and and and and getting into different um things. And I think there are some topics you touched on that will be to come.

SPEAKER_02 24:59

100%, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

I love I love that you've got supporters on your heart. You know, I I I can't wait to see a supporter sitting on this side. Yeah, they definitely will be dating to really see what the other side kind of looks like. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because because in some way or form, we get them into addiction um and and and and an emotional addiction.

SPEAKER_02 25:19

100%.

SPEAKER_01 25:20

You know, because this person now, like when you're okay, they have a problem now. Exactly. You know, and so we we walk, we walk each other.

SPEAKER_02 25:29

Just in the name itself, out of the gully is is I find myself I was like in a gully in active addiction. I was so deep in in a place where like it felt so foreign to come out and see light. Um, so yeah, just being out of that is is such a such an amazing privilege, and I'm so blessed. Just a couple things that like for me, like this is the third time I'm starting my life over, you know. Um, so you have a life, you grow, you buy furniture, you do this, you do this, and then your life falls apart because of active addiction, and then you lose that, and then you do it again, and then you lose that. And I think like one of the craziest things that I that I did in active addiction was I sold my car for crack. Like, yeah, like legitimately, like I drove to Phoenix, I was like, yo, man, give me some premium, dude. Yeah, you know what I mean. So it was like, yeah, and that that was the extent of how, and in my brain, what I was doing was okay. And like that's how far I had gone in my active addiction to be like, yeah, no, selling my car for crack is fine because I'm gonna sell my car and then I'm gonna buy a back, which is more economically fuel efficient. So, yeah, and my girlfriend has a car, so I don't understand why we need two cars. Like, that was my mentality. Like, that's what I lied to myself. Like, it's crazy. Like a legend at this time. Like, yeah, I gotta figure it out. But before I went and bought any back or anything, the first thing I did was literally caught a taxi from there straight to Durban, bought crack, smoked crack. I think I came home at like three, four o'clock in the morning. And I had like, I don't know, I think it was like 20 something thousand on me. And I was just like, it was it was it's those type of things that are so mind-boggling that it's just like, wow, he like, how did you do that, mate? And till this day, I can't tell you. I was sitting at home and I wanted to smoke crack, so I wanted some like it's funny, but it's not funny, you know what I mean? So um, but yeah, there's there's there's obviously a lot of a lot of aspects of of active addiction that that we all have and a lot of things that we've all done that we regret, and but that have taught us such such valuable lessons in love. And um, for example, I suffer from from really, really difficult abandonment issues. So, like me smoking drugs is not gonna like change the fact that my family left me, or a family member left me, whatever the case may be, um, or that my dad left on R3. It's not gonna bring them back, you know. So, as much as you're trying to subject those feelings, it's not gonna change what has happened. So, what you need to do is have a conversation about those things. And I think that this platform gives people, will give people a chance to to be able to find helplines. I'm really, really looking to-taking people out the gully, man. I like it, yeah, yeah. So that's that's what I'm gonna do. Um, and luckily I've I have the most supportive uh partner and uh she definitely pushes me to to um to be better. Um and uh she's been super, super stoked for for this podcast to happen. So yeah, yep, uh I take a let. Yeah, so um, so yeah, man, it's just just just wanting to have fun. Um, obviously speak about really, really serious stuff, um, but at the same time acknowledge that life is life, man, and and we go through ups and downs, and there are going to be horrible times and they're gonna be really, really good times. Um, but just to never never never give up on yourself, never, never look down upon yourself and always just understand and know that there are people who are able to help and that are willing to help. And uh I think that's just so vital. Um, because if I had that, I would have I would have used that. So yeah, definitely, definitely look forward.

Closing Thoughts And Share Request

SPEAKER_00 28:50

Looking forward to the next episodes, man. So yeah. Thank you. Thank you for letting me experience this. You know, um always thank you for being my co-host. Yeah, yeah, bro.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

I always love hearing your story, David. The the the the chemistry you bring out of people when you socialize with them is really cool. So so um I'm excited to see what this podcast is gonna bring. And uh yeah, man. Until next time.

SPEAKER_02 29:15

Until next time, man. Please share that.

SPEAKER_01 29:17

Shout out.

SPEAKER_02 29:18

Cheers, guys.