Tom was reasonably academic, enjoyed music and was quite competitive in his youth but always felt a bit different, like a square peg in a round hole.  He had depressive episodes early on which were evidence of sub-clinical mental illness that would affect him later in his teenage years.Tom was curious about drugs in his early teens and joined in with a drug culture at his school, using mainly marijuana. He stopped using drugs to improve his studies but experienced a mental breakdown and was placed on anti-psychosis drugs. Tom took a while off school and during that time he experienced heroin, which led him to his first rehab. He has since been in many rehabs and detox centres, where he was exposed to the 12th Step recovery program of Narcotics Anonymous. Tom has also been in long-term rehab, on Methadone treatment and attended Smart Recovery program to address his combination of needing to treat his mental illness and stay clean.  Today, his life is manageable, but depression still poses the greatest risk to him staying drug free.If you would like to find out more about Narcotics Anonymous or need to talk to somebody, then please call 1300 652 820 at any time or go online at www.navic.net.au.Show your support to the Living Free show and keep us on air by:subscribing to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/subscribeand/or donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donateMusic played in this episode was provided by the artists, via Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (https://amrap.org.au/):Daniel J Farthing - Run Neddy Run [https://amrap.org.au/release/daniel-j-farthing-run-neddy-run] @16:34Byrd of Paradyse - Karma (Ft Uncle Kev Starkey) [https://amrap.org.au/release/byrd-of-paradyse-karma-ft-uncle-kev-starkey] @32:20Mainline – Kara’s song [https://soundcloud.com/revampd/karas-song] @54:50

Anne grew up in a family affected by intergenerational alcoholism, in which her father resorted to anger and violence. She had undiagnosed ADHD as a child, inevitably got into trouble at school, and continued to take risks in her early adult life. It was the drinking of her husband that led Anne to seek the support of Al-Anon. When she made the difficult to choice to leave her husband, taking her four children with her, she did it with confidence that despite the risks she faced, things would work out for the best, and they did. Since then, Anne has applied the principles of the 12 Steps to all of her challenges, one day at a time, to build a satisfying life for herself.If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem, then you can phone the Al-Anon Family Groups helpline on 1300 252 666 or go online at al-anon.org.au for more information.Show your support by donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donate#Alcoholism #Al-Anon #Recovery The Living Free show may involve discussion of topics such as suicide, mental illness, self-harm and family violence. Please practise self-care and care of others when listening. 

Janine grew up in a family where sharing good food was an expression of bonding and love, but when she began to experience issues with her sense of identity and belonging at school, she became concerned about her weight. She began dieting but found that after each diet she gained more weight. The pattern continued until Janine's weight gain was beyond her control and so was her preoccupation with food. Now a member of Overeaters Anonymous, Janine has accepted that she is powerless over food and that her life had become unmanageable. With the help of group meetings and regular contact with other OA members, she has experienced not only physical, spiritual and emotional healing but freedom from compulsive eating.This episode is a repeat. It was first aired in February 2023.If you are having difficulty with compulsive overeating you might like to contact Overeaters Anonymous. You can find them at oa.org.au. All meetings welcome newcomers and the only requirement for OA membership is the desire to stop eating compulsively.There are meetings listed on the website at oa.org.au/meetings - these may be face-to-face, online or hybrid meetings. Show your support to the Living Free show bysubscribing to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/subscribeand/or donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donate The Living Free show may involve discussion of topics such as suicide, mental illness, self-harm and family violence. Please practise self-care and care of others when listening.

Michael has come back on the show, now with another 6 years of sobriety, and talks about the impact of his drinking on himself and his family, and what eventually brought him into Alcoholics Anonymous.Michael discusses the profound transformation that he went through because of understanding that his problem was his thinking and not his drinking, which was merely a symptom. AA fundamentally changed the way he considered himself and others, and he realized that his future depended on not trying to control his drinking or the way others thought of him. He didn’t realize that he could live without alcohol and today he just lives life and no longer thinks about alcohol.If you would like to find out a bit more about alcoholism for yourself or a friend, then you can give Alcoholics Anonymous a call on 1300 222 222 or check out their website www.aa.org.au.If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem, then you can phone the Al-Anon Family Groups helpline on 1300 252 666 or go online at al-anon.org.au for more information.Michael’s previous podcasts from 2020 (recorded in 2017) and 2018: https://www.3cr.org.au/livingfree/episode-202006181300/alcoholics-anonymous-chrissy-and-michaelhttps://www.3cr.org.au/livingfree/episode-201804191300/alcoholics-anonymous-michael-and-kirbyYou can show your support to the Living Free show and keep us on air by:subscribing to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/subscribeand/or donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donateMusic played in this episode was provided by the artists, via Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (https://amrap.org.au/):@18:02 - Drew Wilson - Slow motion (https://amrap.org.au/artist/drew-wilson-2)@33:52 - The Redeemed - Summer Surprise (https://amrap.org.au/artist/the-redeemed-1)@53:21 - Nasman Donovan - I Like the Way & You're Gold (https://amrap.org.au/artist/nasman-donovan-1)

John grew up in a normal family but got into alcohol and dope in his early teens, hating the taste of alcohol but loving the effect it had in helping to fit in.  He was in youth detention early, but it wasn’t till he was in and out of the adult justice system that he got a taste for heroin, then speed and amphetamines.  John went through rehab many times and found out about Narcotics Anonymous but didn’t really take recovery seriously until after he had been clean for a couple of years and was a single parent of his two sons.  During his last relapse, when the drugs no longer had the desired effect, he decided to give NA a proper go. Even with an unexpected stint in prison John didn’t relapse as he’d finally lost the obsession with drugs John has now been clean for over 18 years and has been enjoying being part of society again. He is also involved with Voices for Change (https://voices-for-change.org/), a self-advocacy group for people with acquired brain injury and experience of the criminal justice system. John helps spread the message by sharing his lived experience of drugs and prison through talks to groups of school childrenYou can also listen to john’s earlier interview from February 2019: https://www.3cr.org.au/livingfree/episode-201902281300/narcotics-anonymous-johnIf you would like to find out more about Narcotics Anonymous or need to talk to somebody, then please call 1300 652 820 at any time or go online at www.navic.net.au.Show your support to the Living Free show and keep us on air by:subscribing to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/subscribeand/or donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donateMusic played in this episode was provided by the artists, via Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (https://amrap.org.au/):Saritah - TRULY [https://amrap.org.au/track/saritah-truly] @20:52Saritah - TAKE A LITTLE TIME [https://amrap.org.au/track/saritah-take-a-little-time] @33:34Karen Law - Three Guests & Coral Coast [https://amrap.org.au/track/karen-law-three-guests & https://amrap.org.au/track/karen-law-coral-coast] @56:08

Erin grew up with her three siblings in a family where alcoholism had affected several generations. She describes her family as 'fractured' as each member coped as best they could with the discomfort they felt. Erin herself sought solace in alcohol, sugar and unhealthy relationships, until she found, through Al-Anon and other 12 Step Fellowships, better ways to manage her life and overcome the trauma that had kept her bound in unhealthy habits.If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem, then you can phone the Al-Anon Family Groups helpline on 1300 252 666 or go online at al-anon.org.au for more information.Show your support by donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donate#Alcoholism #Al-Anon #Recovery The Living Free show may involve discussion of topics such as suicide, mental illness, self-harm and family violence. Please practise self-care and care of others when listening. 

Trigger Warning - mention of sexual assault and course language.  Young walks us through his introduction to Drug and Alcohol culture in Nigeria, and how it differs from Australia. 

This is a replay of an interview with El and Summer about recovery from compulsive addiction through Narcotics Anonymous recorded on 29 November 2019El didn’t have an idyllic childhood as her parents separated when she was 12 years old, and her mum was unwell. She suffered physical and emotional abuse and turned to drinking and smoking marijuana in her early teens to cope with the anxiety, fear and shame. El’s drug taking escalated quickly and she moved to amphetamines and heroin and contracted Hep C. Her mum and sister helped her to get into rehab and her first exposure to Narcotics Anonymous. However, El continued using for some years until; with two young children she had a moment of clarity and sought help again in NA. Now with over 18 months clean her life is better than ever thanks to the support from members of NA.Summer also had a difficult childhood as her parents separated when she was just 2 years old, and she lived with her mum.  She was severely bullied at school and started drinking excessively and smoking weed in her early teens, progressing to ice and party drugs in her late teens. Summer eventually admitted she had a problem, and her mum helped her to get into rehab where she was introduced to NA. She finally found where she belonged and has been clean for over 16 months.If you would like to find out more about Narcotics Anonymous or need to talk to somebody, then please call 1300 652 820 at any time or go online at www.navic.net.au.Show your support to the Living Free show and keep us on air by:subscribing to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/subscribeand/or donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donateMusic played in this episode was provided by the artists, via Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (https://amrap.org.au/):Ray Ramon - Move Your Body [https://amrap.org.au/release/ray-ramon-move-your-body] @16:47Madison Daniel - NIRVANA [https://amrap.org.au/release/madison-daniel-nirvana] @34:54Mark Howard – Scarlette [https://amrap.org.au/release/mark-howard-scarlette] @55:40

Laura has come back on the show, now with 9 years of sobriety, and talks about the impact of her drinking on herself and her family, and what brought her into Alcoholics Anonymous.Laura discusses the transformation that she went through and how it fundamentally changed the way she thinks about herself and others. She also discusses the spiritual concept of AA and her podcast “That’s Not in the Book”.If you would like to find out a bit more about alcoholism for yourself or a friend, then you can give Alcoholics Anonymous a call on 1300 222 222 or check out their website www.aa.org.au.If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem, then you can phone the Al-Anon Family Groups helpline on 1300 252 666 or go online at al-anon.org.au for more information.Laura’s previous podcast from 2023: https://www.3cr.org.au/livingfree/episode/alcoholics-anonymous-laura-16mar2023You can show your support to the Living Free show and keep us on air by:subscribing to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/subscribeand/or donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donateMusic played in this episode was provided by the artists, via Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (https://amrap.org.au/):@16:10 - JC and the Tree - Already Free (https://amrap.org.au/track/jc-and-the-tree-already-free-already-free)@33:33 - Rustyn - Beating for You [Featuring Xtina Louise] (https://amrap.org.au/release/rustyn-beating-for-you-feat-xtina-louise-1)@53:07 - Michael Cristiano - Anima Antica (https://amrap.org.au/track/michael-cristiano-anima-antica)

This is a replay of an early interview recorded remotely in the Covid-19 era in April 2020, as we struggled with new technology to keep the show on-air.Drew started gambling in his mid-teens, starting out with a small bet on a horse, graduated to other sporting events and eventually it snowballed into gambling on virtually anything. He started gambling to fill a void in his life and it seeped into every aspect of his life and he was unable to separate gambling from his work, family and social activities. Drew started looking for help when he got found out by his mum and she recommended that he seek treatment. He found help and understanding in Gamblers Anonymous but recovery didn’t come easily. He has been in and out of GA a few times and now realizes that he can’t do it alone without the help of his GA friends.If you’re having trouble with gambling, or has a friend or family member that does, then maybe Gamblers Anonymous could help – phone (03) 9696 6108 or visit their website gaaustralia.org.au for information and to see a list of local meetings.You can show your support to the Living Free show and keep us on air by:subscribing to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/subscribeand/or donating to 3CR https://www.3cr.org.au/donateMusic played in this episode was provided by the artists, via Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (https://amrap.org.au/).

Join Mitch as he finds out what ten years of sobriety from compulsive gambling looks like.   For help with compulsive gambling -  https://gaaustralia.org.au/meetings/?tsml-day=any&tsml-region=vic