He was the kid who hated drugs more than anyone in the room. 5 years later, he was running supply through gang territory at 17. Guest: Jon Mendonca | The Elevated Path | Recovery John on TikTok TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@recoveryjon?_r=1&_t=ZT-97Z3iI816gH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jon?igsh=MWZ2bWhtNDFiMnM4cw== Book "Life on Life's Terms": https://a.co/d/0g5cujLV ----------- Podcast: investinginsobriety | Investing in Sobriety IG: https://www.instagram.com/investinginsobriety/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@investinginsobriety?_r=1&_t=ZT-96qi3sWhcmj Website: https://www.investinginsobriety.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OxgJdxjyVrTZRNbssZtBk Jon Mendonca - 7 years sober, author of "Life on Life's Terms," and Recovery John on TikTok, sits down with us to walk through a story that starts with a white-picket-fence Connecticut childhood, nearly ends a dozen different ways. "I'M ADDICTED. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP. I HATE MY LIFE EVERY DAY." That's what Jon said standing in a courtroom at 28 - the first time he was fully honest in front of a room full of people. It took 7 arrests, 7 trips to treatment, and years in and out of some of the darkest corners of Connecticut and New York to get him there. Jon shares: • Derek Jeter was his idol. Scouts were watching. A near-death accident at 14 and Ox*Contin in his high school took all of it. • Jon stood in a courtroom at 28, facing 4 years, and said it out loud for the first time: "I'm addicted. I don't know how to stop. I hate my life every day." • Seven months sober, spiritually on fire - then one night on a date erased everything. What he quietly stopped doing in the weeks before the fall. • His brother Tyler was supposed to walk into his first 12-step meeting that morning. The doorbell rang instead. Jon stayed sober and gave the eulogy. • "My parents were ready for my funeral before they lost my brother. They were not ready for his." • The ultimatum: one year all in. If it didn't work, he was done. "THAT'S GOD TO ME. THERE'S NO WAY I COULD STAY SOBER THROUGH THAT, AND I STAYED SOBER." If you're interested in: • Real stories of long-term recovery after multiple relapses and treatment attempts • Grief and loss in sobriety - and what it takes to stay sober through the worst moments • What faith and spirituality actually look like in real, lived recovery • The mental, physical, and spiritual work that actually sustains sobriety • Addiction recovery from someone who has lived it and now helps others through it This conversation is for you. 0:00 Introduction 0:40 Meet Jon Mendonca: Recovery John, Author of 'Life on Life's Terms' 1:40 Growing Up: Baseball, God, Connecticut 3:00 His Friend's Dad Dies at 12: The Day Faith Broke 5:40 Near-Death at 14: Ruptured Spleen, One Day From a Trach 8:40 Derek Jeter Was His Idol. Then the Pills Took Over. 10:00 First Time With the Pills: 'It Was Perfection' 13:30 Full-Blown Addiction, Running Supply at 17 15:00 What Addiction Was Really Providing Him 18:40 7 Arrests, 5 Treatment Centers, 7 Trips to Treatment 20:00 Why Treatment Kept Failing: Same Person Inside 22:00 What's Missing From Addiction Treatment Today 24:00 Waterbury CT: Dead Soon or Sober Soon 25:30 Arrested in New York at 28, Facing Four Years 26:00 The Courtroom Confession: First Honest Moment 26:50 I Just Wanted Off the Merry-Go-Round 28:30 The Relapse After 7 Months: One Night, Starting Over 33:10 Rock Bottom: 'I Qualified. I'm in the Club.' 34:20 The Final Decision: One Year With God, All In 37:00 On His Knees, Praying: Seven Years Without a Craving 40:00 Sponsor: 'You'll Try Everything. You Won't Try Prayer.' 41:30 12-Step Was 70%. Fitness 80%. Meditation 90%. Career 100%. 43:40 The Spiritual Bank Account 45:00 The Daily Routine That Rebuilt Him 47:30 Tyler Was Supposed to Be There That Morning 49:00 The Day Tyler Died: 'I Stayed Sober, Man.' 51:00 My Parents Were Ready for My Funeral 54:30 Life on Life's Terms: The Book and Tyler's Legacy 57:30 7 Years Sober: Balancing Success and Staying Grounded 1:03:20 Mid-COVID: Three Friends Dead in One Week, Almost Relapsed 1:04:20 The Post That Started Everything: Recovery John 1:08:30 90210 Recovery and Life After Treatment 1:13:50 Is Community Imperative? It Doesn't Work Alone. 1:16:50 Change Everything. Do the Exact Opposite. 1:19:40 Sober 30 Days? Get Outside Your Comfort Zone 1:21:20 Closing Want to connect or share your story? Reach us at investinginsobriety@gmail.com #investinginsobriety #addictionrecovery #sobercommunity #recoveryispossible #recoverycoach

He made the conscious decision to drink after 8.5 years clean. The second he got a buzz, he was already planning next weekend. 🎙 Guest: J-Mac | https://www.instagram.com/the_backstah/ Rise Above Sober Living: https://www.riseabovenh.com Process Recovery Center: https://www.theprocessrecoverycenter.com 🎧 Podcast: / investinginsobriety | Investing in Sobriety IG - / https://www.instagram.com/investinginsobriety/ Tik Tok - / https://www.tiktok.com/@investinginsobriety?_r=1&_t=ZT-96qi3sWhcmj Website: https://www.investinginsobriety.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OxgJdxjyVrTZRNbssZtBk In this episode of Investing in Sobriety, J-Mac - graffiti artist, recovery advocate, and group facilitator at The Process Recovery Center and Rise Above Sober Living in New Hampshire & Massachusetts - walks through a fear-based childhood, a relapse after 8.5 years clean, and the friend's death that finally brought him home. "I CAME IN AT 23 WITH A DRUG PROBLEM, AND I STAY IN RECOVERY WITH A ME PROBLEM." This isn't a clean redemption arc. It's a real conversation about identity, guilt and shame after long-term relapse, and what walking back in with one day clean actually looks like. J-Mac shares: • Growing up in fear: evictions, chaos at home, always being the new kid - and never feeling like he belonged • How graffiti writing and early addiction ran together - adrenaline as his first drug before any substance • The conscious decision to drink after 8.5 years - and why the first buzz had him planning next weekend • Guilt and shame after long-term relapse: "about as strong as the drugs" • Walking back in with one day clean - cold turkey, sweating, crying - on the night of his friend's wake If you're interested in: — Real stories of relapse after long-term sobriety and what it takes to come back — Identity in recovery when your time resets — How early trauma and lack of connection show up in addiction — Peer support and treatment work as a career from lived experience — What sober housing and recovery community look like from the inside This conversation is for you. 0:00 Introduction 1:11 What Is "Bragging Backwards"? J-Mac on Recovery's Biggest Blindspot 3:47 Growing Up in Fear: No Stability, No Roots, Always the New Kid 8:50 What Recovery Gave Him That Childhood Never Did 11:00 Graffiti Writing and Early Addiction: Running Together From the Start 12:18 Adrenaline as the First Drug: Before Any Substance, There Was the Rush 14:40 Denial and the First Moment of Clarity in Active Addiction 16:20 Jails, Institutions, or Death: The Three Paths Out 17:10 First Time in Treatment at 23: Not Ready to Buy In 20:20 Louie Diaz and the Graffiti Photo Album That Planted a Seed 22:10 Skills at 23 - and How He Built Recovery on What He Already Had 24:50 First Halfway House: The Overnight Slip and What It Cost 26:40 Back to Rehab at 25 With Real Understanding of How Recovery Works 28:50 Painting "Experience, Strength, and Hope": When Art Became Recovery 31:10 Recovery at 25: Locked In, Still Painting Illegally, Building Streetsmart 36:00 Why Graffiti and Recovery Give You the Same Feeling: "I Was Here" 39:10 "I Came In at 23 With a Drug Problem. I Stay in Recovery With a Me Problem." 40:10 Eight and a Half Years Sober - and What Started to Slip 42:00 The Conscious Relapse: The Decision to Drink After 8.5 Years Clean 44:00 Guilt and Shame After Long-Term Relapse: Why It Keeps You Out There 49:30 What Finally Brought Him Home: A Friend's Death and November 9, 2016 50:00 "Me vs. Everyone" in Addiction vs. "Me vs. Me" in Recovery 52:00 Walking Back In With One Day: Cold Turkey, Sweating, Crying in a Meeting 59:30 Nine Months Clean and the First Step Into Treatment Work 1:00:50 "I Work in Treatment and I'm an Addict in Recovery" 1:03:40 Why J-Mac Could Come Back When Others With Long-Term Sobriety Couldn't 1:05:10 "You Can't Fuck Up Your Truth": Identity in Recovery Beyond Your Time Count 1:07:50 Matching and Surpassing 8.5 Years: The Ego, the Milestone, the Addict Math 1:11:10 What Bothers J-Mac Most About the Treatment World Today 1:13:30 Old-School Recovery vs. New Trends: What J-Mac Thinks Actually Works 1:18:00 Running a Diverse Group: Getting People to See What They Have in Common 1:20:10 The Only Disease Where We Look at Others to Say "They're Worse Than Me" 1:24:20 "Recovery Is the Evolution of Self That We Do With Others" 1:25:50 Non-Negotiables: The Daily Structure That Keeps Everything in Place 1:27:30 Goals He Once Prayed For - and What It Actually Takes to Achieve Them 1:31:20 "Recovery Is Not Only Possible. It's F***ing So Badass." 1:32:40 Closing: Rise Above Sober Living, Process Recovery Center, How to Follow J-Mac Want to connect or share your story? Reach us at investinginsobriety@gmail.com #investinginsobriety #addictionrecovery #sobercommunity #recoverystories #recoveryispossible

His mother found him mid-overdose. That still wasn't enough to stop. 🎙 Guest: Cameron Breen | https://www.instagram.com/cam_breen/ 🎧 Podcast: / investinginsobriety | Investing in Sobriety IG - / https://www.instagram.com/investinginsobriety/ Tik Tok - / https://www.tiktok.com/@investinginsobriety?_r=1&_t=ZT-96qi3sWhcmj Website: https://www.investinginsobriety.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OxgJdxjyVrTZRNbssZtBk In this episode of Investing in Sobriety, Cameron Breen — a Harm Reduction Specialist and Drug Checking Technician at Liberation Programs in Connecticut — walks through years of overdoses, three DUIs, and a larceny charge before getting sober in 2017. "AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL I WAS SEEKING WAS JUST HUMAN CONNECTION." This isn't a clean redemption story. It's a real conversation about why abstinence-only treatment costs lives, what harm reduction actually looks like on the ground, and what it means to do this work on the same streets where you once used. Cameron shares: • Starting at 11, and why drugs gave him the first real relief from social anxiety • Three DUIs, a larceny charge, and a Xan*x blackout he has no memory of • Why jail felt like relief — because at least there'd be people to talk to • Every recovery attempt that failed, and what finally worked • Becoming one of Waterbury's first Overdose Response Technicians with a criminal record • What the spectrometer finds in today's drug supply — and why the original substance is nearly gone • People denied services for not being abstinent, who died as a result • His testimony before the Connecticut Senate for overdose prevention centers • What he would say to the person still using right now This episode explores addiction recovery, harm reduction, overdose prevention, the drug supply crisis, abstinence vs. harm reduction, connection and addiction, and what recovery actually looks like — without glamorizing the past or softening the truth. If you're interested in: — Real stories of addiction and long-term recovery — Harm reduction as an alternative to abstinence-only treatment — The drug supply, and what drug checking actually reveals — The link between isolation, identity, and addiction — Building a career in harm reduction after addiction — Overdose prevention advocacy and policy in the US This conversation is for you. FULL EPISODE TIMELINE 0:00 Introduction 1:10 Cameron Breen: Harm Reduction Specialist & Addiction Recovery Story 1:50 What Is Harm Reduction? Liberation Programs in Connecticut Explained 2:50 Starting Drugs at 11: How Early Addiction Begins 4:30 From Recreational Use to Addiction — When It Stops Being Fun 6:25 Addiction Stigma: Being Made to Feel Less Than Human 8:00 Social Anxiety and Addiction — Using Drugs to Feel Normal 12:50 Rock Bottom: 3 DUIs, a Larceny Charge, and a Xanax Blackout 14:00 Isolation and Addiction: "Jail Felt Like Relief — At Least I'd Have People to Talk To" 15:10 Suboxone, 12-Step, and SMART Recovery: Why Nothing Worked 20:40 Getting Sober in Jail: 18 Months of Recovery Behind Bars 22:20 From Felony to Overdose First Responder — Building a Career in Recovery 25:50 What Overdose Response Really Looks Like on the Ground 28:50 Working in Harm Reduction While in Recovery — The Real Challenge 34:10 What Does a Harm Reduction Coordinator Actually Do? 40:45 Harm Reduction vs. Abstinence: Which Approach Actually Works? 43:30 Denied Addiction Treatment for Not Being Abstinent — and People Died 45:51 Gabor Maté on Addiction — Why Punishing People With Consequences Doesn't Work 47:20 Drug Checking Programs: What's Actually in the Drug Supply Right Now 50:50 Gabor Maté and Johann Hari — What Recovery Actually Feels Like 52:20 Gabor Maté's Trauma Framework: Big T vs. Little T and Addiction 1:02:40 The Iron Law of Prohibition Explained 1:07:50 What Are Overdose Prevention Centers? The Fight for Senate Bill 195 1:12:00 Why Addiction Treatment Fails: A System That Makes You Hit Rock Bottom First 1:17:50 "Clean vs. Dirty" — The Recovery Language That Hurts People in Addiction 1:23:50 What to Say to Someone Still Struggling With Addiction Right Now 1:25:10 Harm Reduction, Sobriety, and the Power of Human Connection Want to connect or share your story? Reach us at investinginsobriety@gmail.com #investinginsobriety #addictionrecovery #sobercommunity #harmreduction #recoveryispossible

After being sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, Johnny Bartolomeo spent nearly three decades inside — Navigating Violence, Addiction, Identity, Loss, and Survival. In this episode of Investing in Sobriety, Johnny speaks honestly about what life inside prison was really like, his time connected to the Hells Angels, and the hard truth about addiction: "THE DRUGS PROMISED EVERYTHING. IN THE END, THEY LIED". This isn’t a motivational redemption story. It’s a real conversation about Discipline, Routine, Consequences, and the slow internal processes required to change after long-term incarceration. Johnny shares: + What 27 years in prison actually does to a person + How addiction and violence become tools for control and survival + Why routine — not motivation — saved his life + The mental shift required to stay sober after prison + Losing his brother to addiction while incarcerated + Why recovery doesn’t start with hope, but with structure + Reentry, identity, and rebuilding life after decades inside This episode explores recovery after prison, sobriety, addiction, criminal justice, discipline, routine, and personal accountability — without glamorizing the past or softening the truth. If you’re interested in: + Life after Incarceration + Addiction Recovery + Sobriety and Discipline + Prison Psychology + Long-term prison sentences + Reentry after Prison + The reality behind outlaw culture + How people actually change + This conversation is for you. FULL EPISODE TIMELINE 0:00 Introduction 0:18 East Boston Roots, Identity & Community 5:30 Masculinity, Conflict & Early Worldview 12:00 Anchoring Moments, Confrontation & Consequences 14:40 First Exposure to Drugs & Early Acceptance 17:00 Addiction Awareness, Family Influence & Sobriety Mindset 19:00 Escalation Into Hard Drugs & Addiction Progression 21:30 School Trouble, Work Culture & Early Adulthood 23:00 Injury, Drug Dealing & Attempts at Getting Clean 27:00 Nightlife, Clubs & Environmental Influence 30:06 Hells Angels, Loyalty & Street Identity 37:28 Abstaining From Drugs, Violence & Self-Control 47:27 Steve Kessler, Prison Enemies & Friends 51:26 Loss of Brother Ronnie & Emotional Impact 1:02:17 Emotional Growth & Relationship With Self 1:08:00 Reentry After Prison & Community Support 1:09:40 Entering Addiction Recovery Work 1:11:30 Working With Justice-Involved Individuals 1:13:40 Staying Sober in the Real World 1:16:00 Discipline, Routine & Physical Health 1:17:50 Recovery Organizations & Giving Back 1:21:00 Humility, Perspective & Long-Term Recovery 1:22:20 Advice for Addiction, Prison & Recovery 1:25:00 Closing Reflections & Final Thoughts 🎙 Guest: Johnny Bartolomeo | https://www.instagram.com/official_johnny_bartolomeo/?hl=en 🎧 Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/investinginsobriety/ | Investing in Sobriety Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@UC1vSbtYGKTyIUZPNEWnUidg Website: https://www.investinginsobriety.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OxgJdxjyVrTZRNbssZtBk?si=f7e1c97e8022473d 📍 Filmed in Boston at https://www.instagram.com/santarpiospizza/ (Santarpio’s Pizza, East Boston) 👕 27STR8 Apparel | https://www.27str8apparel.com https://www.instagram.com/27_straight_apparel/ represents everything Johnny’s been through — 27 years inside, the discipline it took to survive, and the mindset required to rebuild life on the outside. + It’s not prison merch. IT’S ABOUT RESILIENCE, ROUTINE, AND DOING THE WORK, NO MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM OR WHAT YOU’VE FACED.

What happens when we stop numbing and start fully living? Investing in Yourself is a raw, revealing journey into personal transformation—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This trailer previews the turning point: when people stop running and begin rebuilding. Through honest interviews and powerful insights, we explore what it really means to show up for your life—fully present and intentional. This isn’t about giving something up. It’s about gaining clarity, health, connection, purpose, and freedom. 🎥 Watch full episodes on our YouTube channel or listen on Spotify. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/investinginsobriety TikTok: @investinginsobriety 👉 Subscribe and join the conversation. #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #healingjourney #mindsetshift #transformyourlife #recovery #investinginsobriety #authenticliving #clarity #addictionrecovery #investinyourself #soberlife #addictionrecovery

I’m honored to introduce TJ Aitken. TJ didn’t slip into addiction — he ran straight toward the fire. By 18, he was already deep in the streets, moving product, bouncing in and out of rehabs, and losing people he loved. The chaos only escalated from there. A high-school relationship that spiraled into scandal, using hard substances, stolen guns, arrests, time inside, and nearly ten rehabs by the time he turned 22. Eventually, TJ did the hardest thing a person can do: he stopped running from himself. He committed to recovery — fully, honestly, relentlessly. Today, he’s a father, a husband, a certified recovery coach, the Young People & Family Services Manager at CCAR, and the host of the Recovery Matters podcast. TJ is living proof that even from the darkest corners, there’s always a way back to the light. Key Topics: Early Childhood, Identity & the Roots of Addiction Chaos, Loss & the Early Spiral Selling, Using & the Pull of Peer Influence First Treatment Attempts & the Circle of Influence Hard Substances, Needles & Full-Blown Addiction Prison, Consequences & the Cycle Repeating Spiritual Bankruptcy & the Turning Point Detox, Early Sobriety & Building New Friendships Becoming a Recovery Coach & Serving Others Letting Go of Victim Mentality & Stepping Into Leadership Understanding the Recovery System Fear, Fatherhood & Unconditional Love Spiritual Connection, Purpose & Living in the Present Healthy Habits, Fitness & Becoming a Better Man The Blueprint for Long-Term Sobriety Advice for Anyone Struggling: Don’t Quit Before the Miracle Full Episode Timeline: 0:18 – Introduction to TJ Setting the scene and honoring his journey into recovery. 1:33 – Where TJ Stands Today Personal life, professional growth, and his current recovery mindset. 4:10 – Recovery as a Way of Life Relationships, community, and what long-term recovery actually looks like. 5:19 – Childhood, Identity & the Early Spiral Origins, early chaos, grief, and the gradual slide into addiction. 9:17 – Actively Seeking Substances Nature vs. nurture, predisposition, early friendships, selling and using. 14:54 – The Circle of Influence & First Attempt at Treatment Learning (and ignoring) early lessons; first time in a program. 19:35 – Needles at 19 Crossing the line into full-blown addiction, prison, treatment cycles, routines, and process-driven living. 23:25 – Deep in Addiction Selling and using, losing jobs and relationships, declining physically, felonies, brief freedom, and repeating patterns. 29:15 – Spiritual Bankruptcy & Breaking Point Inability to cope without substances and the emotional collapse that followed. 31:08 – Detox & the Last Attempt One more detox, committing to recovery, finding sober friends, intention vs. action. 37:31 – Becoming a Recovery Coach Volunteering at CCAR, doing the next right thing, 12-step work, taking accountability, “fake it till you make it.” 42:44 – Letting Go of Self-Pity Dropping the victim mentality and stepping into leadership supporting younger people in recovery. 50:46 – Learning to Use the System “I did the same program nine times before it finally stuck.” 56:48 – Living in Fear & Becoming a Father Parenthood, unconditional love, and developing spiritual intuition through sobriety. 1:02:58 – Healing Spiritual Distortion How substances distort spirituality, finding real connection, living in the moment. 1:08:03 – What Recovery Looks Like Today Healthy habits, the gym, becoming a better man, doing things that feel good without substances. 1:11:23 – The Blueprint for Sobriety What keeps him grounded, consistent, and growing. 1:16:03 – Final Advice “Don’t quit until the miracle happens.” Compassion, understanding, and the importance of staying connected. This episode is about more than addiction — it’s about recovery, resilience, and refusing to stay who you used to be. TJ’s journey from destruction to becoming a coach, father, and leader shows that no matter how far you fall, there is always a road back. If you need/want help visit CCAR: https://ccar.us 👉 👉 Subscribe to our channel for more real recovery stories 👉 Share this episode with a friend, family member, or someone struggling with addiction or in recovery 👉 Follow us for more Instagram: / investinginsobriety -- https://www.instagram.com/investinginsobriety TikTok: @investinginsobriety - https://www.tiktok.com/@investinginsobriety Facebook @investinginsobriety - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575318042264 Visit our website & let's connect: https://www.investinginsobriety.com RECOVERY IS A PROCESS, NOT A DESTINATION #SoberStory #FromAddictionToRecovery #RecoveryCoach #PrisonToPurpose #RedemptionStory #Recovery #Sober #Sobriety #Rehab #AddictionRecovery #Soberlife #RecoveryisPossible #RecoveryJourney

Brian Dolan — Professional Counselor, Addiction Specialist, and a man in Long-term Recovery. For over 8 years, Brian’s been in the fight. Featured on ESPN and national outlets, he’s managed Sober Living Houses, launched Collegiate Recovery Programs, and earned advanced clinical degrees. But before all that? His life was chaos. A passion for sports spiraled into gambling and drugs — bookies hunting him down, double lives unraveling, bridges burning — until one final Hail Mary sent him to his last rehab. This is the story of bottoming out, clawing back, and turning pain into a blueprint for recovery. Today, Brian dedicates his life to helping others find freedom. Get ready — because Brian’s journey isn’t just about surviving addiction. It’s about redefining what recovery can look like. BRIAN'S WEBSITE | https://www.briandolancounseling.com 🌀 What We Cover in This Episode: We dive into the raw journey of addiction, gambling, and recovery—from childhood sports and victim mentality, to bookies chasing him down, purgatory-like relapses, and the breaking point of his last bet. We explore how recovery truly began: rehabs, sober living, managing recovery houses, and letting go of obession, image and ego. Finally, we unpack the gambling industry today, its dangers, and the blueprint for building a meaningful sober life. 🗂️ Key Topics: Childhood, Sports, and Victim Mentality Gambling, Substances, and Identity Struggles College, Rehab, and the First Attempts at Recovery Relapse, Dark Times, and the Last Bet Sobriety, Sober Houses, and Counseling Gambling Addiction vs. Gambling Abuse The Modern Sports Betting Industry Reflections, Therapy, and Life Today 🗂️ Full Episode Timeline 0:00 – 🎤 Introduction | Excitement to Share His Story Setting the stage and intention for the conversation. 3:27 – 👦 Childhood | Life Before Addiction Growing up, early warning signs Victim Mentality, Sports Obsession, and Identity Through Performance 5:42 – 🎭 Substances, Golf, Gambling & Image Becoming “The Party Guy” Tiger Woods, Hank Haney, and bookies chasing him Obsession with External validation vs. Internal conflict 10:57 – 🎓 College & The Reality Check “What are you going to do now?” Living for Today, Lying, and Manipulating 14:08 – 💊 Rehab, Gambling & Early Sobriety Attempts Mountside Rehab in Connecticut AA vs. GA meetings First 90 days in a Brooklyn sober house Relapse, Guilt, and Keeping Up Appearances 20:23 – ⚫ Dark Times | Relapse & Purgatory Relapsing on Substances and Gambling Feeling stuck in “Purgatory” Bookies, Relapses, and the Breaking Point: THE LAST BET! 28:16 – ✨ One More Shot | A Path to Recovery Higher Power—but still dictating terms Williamsville Wellness in Virginia Things start coming together, doing the right thing 32:21 – 🏠 Managing a Sober House in Florida Letting go of Ego and Impostor Syndrome Learning accountability, wisdom, and the value of structure Falling in love with the stories of recovery 36:50 – 💡 Doing the Right Thing When Nobody Is Looking Meetings, Reflection, and Difficult but necessary Decisions Letting go of old relationships, building new ones Becoming a counselor and working in collegiate recovery 45:10 – 🔄 Back to Connecticut | Commitment to Recovery Gratitude, Navigating Stigma, and Managing sober houses Witnessing recovery in others, balancing college, and building resilience 55:14 – 🎲 Focus on Gambling Cases 2018 Supreme Court ruling on sports betting legality Coaching athletes and young men on gambling struggles Leaving collegiate recovery and expanding into private work 58:38 – 🔍 Gambling: Abuse or Full Addiction? Evaluating cases clinically and professionally Family systems, Finances, and Deep Insecurity Misconceptions about gambling and the “Liar’s Mindset” 1:06:44 – 🏟️ Sports & The Betting Industry Today Sports Culture, Money Culture, and Betting Ads Athletes promoting gambling, worsening ignorance The dangerous marriage of sports and gambling 1:10:04 – 🌱 Final Reflections & Blueprint for Success Balancing Sports Passion with Gambling Addiction Recovery 12-Step world, Therapy, and Active Recovery Impostor Syndrome, Outside Help, and life Today This episode is about more than addiction — it’s about Recovery, Resilience, and Rewriting your story. Brian’s journey from chaos to counseling is proof that no matter how far you fall, Never count a person out — redemption is built in the dark. 👉 👉 Subscribe to our channel for more real recovery stories 👉 Share this episode with a friend, family member, or someone struggling with addiction or in recovery 👉 Follow us for more 🖤❤️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/investinginsobriety TikTok: @investinginsobriety Facebook @investinginsobriety Recovery is possible. Neutral is forward. You’re not alone. #recovery #sober #sobriety #addiction #gamblingaddiction #addictionrecovery #soberlife #recoveryispossible #wedorecover #harmreduction #recoveryjourney

🎧 From NYU and The Drums to Ralphie May and rock bottom, Charles Narwold spiraled into Addiction, Kissed Death, and Clawed his way Back through Sobriety, Recovery, Entrepreneurship, & launching Motoriot. This is his Raw, Unfiltered, Badass Story. 👇 Full story, topics, and timeline below 👇 🔥 Episode Summary: Charles Narwold went from West Hartford, Connecticut to NYU and into the heart of the NYC indie rock scene—spiraling deeper into addiction along the way, through near-death experiences, and eventually into long-term sobriety. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Charles shares the full arc of his journey: from chasing chaos in Manhattan clubs and touring with The Drums, to tour managing for comedian Ralphie May, losing everything, and holding on for dear life. 🌀 What We Cover in This Episode: We break down the darkest points of Charles’ story—methadone clinics in South Central LA, hustling for every dollar, a kiss with death, and waking up in a hospital bed with reconstructive surgery and a feeding tube. We then discuss his process-driven claw back—through rehab, sober living, therapy, and structure—ultimately rebuilding a grounded, fulfilling life through business, real connections, and long-term recovery. 🗂️ Key Topics: + Growing up in West Hartford, Early Struggles, Identity + NYU, the NYC Music Scene, and Chasing Chaos + Heroin, Pills, and the Slow Unraveling + Methadone, hospitals, suicide, and rock bottom + Sober Living, Daily Structure, and Redefining Purpose + 7 years sober: Discipline, Entrepreneurship, and Launching Motoriot 🎧 Full Episode Timeline: 0:00 – 🎤 Introduction | Early Sobriety + Charles Narwold Intro + Life in Sobriety Today + Early mental chaos and delusions of control 5:58 – 👦 Childhood, Identity & High School Isolation + Growing up in West Hartford + ADHD, Masculinity, Falling Through the Cracks + Homogenized Culture and the early pull of substance use 12:48 – 🎸 NYU | Indie Rock Dream | Rise of Chaos + Moving to NYC and NYU + Finding identity in NYC’s mix of scenes and chaos + Indie rock, Performing, Partying, Oxy, and the early stages of addiction 25:08 – 💊 Addiction Deepens | Cracks Begin to Show + Heroin use and ritualized highs + Touring with The Drums and using on the road + Losing Identity, the Band, and Control + Attempts at Treatment, Denial, and Early Realizations 37:55 – 🧨 Rock Bottom | Ralphie May | Collapse + Identity crisis and return to Bushwick + Los Angeles, Managing for Ralphie May, Escalating Drug Use + Meth, Death, Food Stamps, Heroin & Hallucinations + Why showing up to 12 Step meetings was not enough + Hospitalization, Reconstructive Surgery, and a Kiss with Death 57:05 – 🛠️ Turning Point | The Climb Back + Winter in Bridgeport, CT | Sober Date + Rehab, Silver Hill, and NYC sober living + First Year of Sobriety: Therapy, Fear, Structure + Ego, Self-exploration, Learning to be Alone + Discovering purpose through Real Estate, Routine, and Mindset Shifts 1:11:10 – ⚖️ Spinning Plates | Sustaining Sobriety & Redefining Success + Living sober day to day | Playing My Hand + Structure, Entrepreneurship, and Motoriot + Emotional Balance, Radical Accountability, and Long-term Change 1:19:30 – 🌱 Final Reflections | Evolving Identity + Building a life beyond sobriety + Who Charles is Today #Sobriety #Recovery #Addiction #MentalHealth #IndieRock #NYC #Podcast #SpiritualGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Investinginsobriety

🎧 The Double Life of Derek Benson | From Purdue Football to Hofstra, NYU Real Estate to Wall Street—with a Relentless Craving for OxyContin and Appetite for Alcohol & Substances He Could Hustle, Party With, or Get His Hands On—Derek’s Double Life Spiraled into Addiction, Legal Chaos, and Nearly Cost Him His Life. He lives it. Owns it. Stands on it. 10 years sober. This is his, unfiltered story. 👇 Full story and episode timeline below 👇 Derek Benson went from a top recruit to Purdue Football’s black sheep as partying and addiction took hold. Somewhere between full-ride scholarships, a transfer to Hofstra, Finance and Wall Street ambitions, a double life emerged—the polished gentleman on paper masking the chaos of a hustler and addict in real time. It was a volatile mix of D1 football, Pills, Arrests, and Fast-Talking Finance. It was always Another high. Another fall. But after hitting rock bottom, Derek didn’t stay there. Now, 10 years into recovery, he shares what it took to rebuild from the inside out—how Structure, Service, Discipline, and Identity gave him something the drugs never could: a Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Purpose. 🌀 What We Cover in This Episode: + The rise: D1 Football, Military School, & Elite Private Programs + First exposures: Painkillers, Parties, and Early Warning Signs + Life at Purdue: Addiction behind the scenes of College Athletics + Arrests, Bar Fights, and a transfer to Hofstra + $50K+ in pills, and a crash landing on Wall Street + Identity crisis, Shame, and a Long-overdue Surrender + Rebuilding through Service, Real Work, and Community + Why life got harder sober—but also more meaningful + Mind, Body, Spirit integration—and what 10 years sober actually looks like