Episodes
Young Lee: Heroin, Acid House & Smuggling - Spiritual Surrender and Healing
Matt is in conversation with Young, whose powerful and chaotic journey through addiction began at just 11 years old and spiralled into a life fuelled by crack, cocaine, alcohol, and eventually heroin. Immersed in the Acid Hou...
Dame Carol Black: UK Drug Policy, Addiction Workforce Challenges, Mental Health Integration & Trauma Informed Care
Matt welcomes back Professor Dame Carol Black for her second appearance on the Believe in People Podcast. Dame Carol, recently awarded the prestigious Grand Cross, the highest level in the order, and is awarded rarely and rec...
Ruth Bean: Alcohol, Cancer & Relapse - Drinking Diaries & Brutal Honesty
Matt delves into Ruth's courageous journey battling alcohol dependency while facing the formidable challenge of a cancer diagnosis. From the casual indulgence to the grip of addiction, Ruth candidly shares her experiences, detailing her use of alcohol diaries to unravel her triggers and pave the path towards recovery. Ruth's unwavering commitment to maintaining sobriety amidst the adversity of her illness serves as a profound source of inspiration. Her story illuminates the virtues…
Claira Hermet: Social Anxiety, Sex & Sobriety - Eating Disorders, Misogyny & Recovery
Matt and Claira embark on a profound exploration of the human experience in this episode, delving into the intricate dynamics of social anxiety, navigating sober nights out, and grappling with a decade-long battle against an ...
John Thurston: Injecting Heroin Into His Penis, Prison & Survival
Matt delves into a heartfelt conversation with John, a resilient Hull native whose journey transcends addiction to embody the essence of resilience. Now serving as a Harm Reduction worker, John's decade-long battle with heroi...
Robin Ince: ADHD, Anxiety & Suicide - Comedy, Addiction & Mental Health
Matt delves into Robin's remarkable talent for blending comedy with science, all while championing rational inquiry through candid discussions on pressing societal issues. Robin's unique approach bridges the gap between humour and serious topics, as he fearlessly tackles subjects such as homelessness, addiction, suicide, and the pervasive stigmas surrounding them. Robin Ince is a multi-award winning comedian, writer and broadcaster. As well as spending decades as one the UK’s most …
Kevin Kennedy: Coronation Street, Alcohol & Fame - From Soap Star to Recovery Leader
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt is joined by Kevin Kennedy - actor and musician best known for playing Curly Watts for 20 years on ITV’s long-running soap Coronation Street , and now ...
Bea Wood: Addiction, Transgender & Tourette’s - Neurodiversity, Stigma & Living In A Wheelchair
Matt is joined by Bea, a Transgender woman, former Miss Transgender UK, and activist for Trans, neurodiversity, and disability rights. In this candid conversation, Bea opens up publicly for the first time about her struggles ...
Pete Garner: Heroin, Drug Culture, The Great Binge & The Hierarchy of Drug Users.
Matt is joined by Pete and they candidly discuss the journey throughout his addiction to heroin and his lifestyle in recovery, They discuss the modern history of addiction, drug culture, heroin chic and how his personal exper...
Nadine Balmer: 17 Years of Heroin - Motherhood, Methadone, TikTok & Surviving Addiction
Matt is joined by Nadine and they candidly discuss the journey throughout her addiction to heroin and her lifestyle in recovery, including; becoming a new parent, understanding her autism and sharing her lived experiences wit...
Michelle Heaton: Fame, Relapse & Reality TV - Liberty X, Menopause & Rebuilding Sobriety
Matt is joined by Emmy and BRIT Award-winning singer Michelle Heaton , best known as a member of the pop group Liberty X. In April 2021, Michelle bravely entered rehab to confront her battle with addiction — a decision that m...
Darren: The 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous, Opiate Addiction & Finding Recovery
Matt talks to Darren about his journey from taking his first substance aged nine - right through to present day and his time with Narcotics Anonymous (NA). NA offers recovery from the effects of addiction through working a tw...
Mark Moody: Scotland’s Heroin Epidemic - Leading the UK’s Largest Drug Charity
Matt is joined by Mark Moody, CEO of the UK's largest Drug & Alcohol Charity, Change Grow Live. Mark candidly discusses his rise from an entry level position with only 40 people in the organisation all the way to being responsible for over 4,000 employees. Mark and Matt discuss: The impact of Dame Carol Black's independent review on drugs The public's perception of Change Grow LiveGrowing up in Scotland during the heroin epidemic Click here to text our host, Matt, dire…
Millie Gooch: Sober Dating, Sober Sex & Sobriety - Building the Sober Girl Society
Matt talks to Sober Girl Society's founder, Millie Gooch, about why she quit drinking - and how it's changed her life. They discuss; binge drinking, labels, alcohol temptations, therapy, mental health, how to deal with sobriety, being a safe drinking ambassador, sober dating, sober sex, Sober Girl Society events, being an Instagram & TikTok influencer and her Sober Girl Society handbook. Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, plea…
Dame Carol Black: Heroin, Crime & UK Drug Reform - Stigma, Treatment & the Future of Recovery
In 2019 Dame Carol was commissioned by the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care to undertake a 2-part independent review of drugs, to inform the government’s thinking on what more can be done to tackle the...