In this episode, we explore what stigma is and the challenges it creates in day‑to‑day life, particularly for people experiencing addiction. The podcast was created to encourage open conversations about addiction and to address the elephant in the room — to break the stigma.

We are joined by the brilliant Dr Bhags Sharma, Consultant Addictions Psychiatrist at the Hounslow ARC (Addiction, Recovery, Community) service. Dr Sharma brings expert knowledge and many years of professional experience in addiction support and has been a strong voice and advocate for tackling stigma throughout our campaign.

What is stigma?

Stigma is the assignment of negative and unfair beliefs based on characteristics such as mental illness, physical appearance, social status, or, in this case, addiction disorders. It creates barriers by causing discrimination, social isolation and shame, often preventing people from seeking help. Stigma can be personal (self‑stigma), societal (public stigma) or structural.

There are many ways stigma can show up, and we want to highlight the impact this can have on people who are currently in need of support.

Stigma can have long‑term health and mental health consequences. It significantly affects confidence and can deter people from accessing or seeking support, as many fear the repercussions. It can reinforce trauma, encourage self‑isolation, and leave individuals feeling defined by their addiction rather than seen as a whole person. The impact also extends to children, families and friends.

So together, let’s bring the grey into colour. Show compassion, be open, and be kind.

In this episode, we embrace the new year with our first recording of 2026! You’ll hear our thoughts and ideas about the topic of shame and how closely it is connected to social exclusion and feelings of worthlessness. Shame has come up often in previous episodes and will more than likely surface again in the future. Today, however, we want to shine a light on it, bring it to the forefront of the conversation, and explore ways it can be recognised and addressed.

But what is shame? Shame is a deeply uncomfortable emotion that arises when we feel we have fallen short of who we believe we should be, or who others expect us to be. It often carries a sense of being “flawed,” “unworthy,” or “not good enough.” Unlike guilt—which focuses on a specific behaviour—shame affects how we see ourselves at the core. It can make people want to hide, withdraw, or disconnect from others, and over time it can shape how someone thinks, behaves, and relates to the world. Because of this, shame is not only painful but also powerful, silently influencing decisions, relationships, and self-worth.

For those who may be experiencing shame, we hope to show that you’re not alone and to offer ideas on how you can begin opening the door to exploring those feelings. For professionals, family members, friends, and residents listening, we hope to provide insight into the challenges faced by people living with addiction, and how deeply shame and stigma are intertwined.

This is the fourth bitesize episode (Bitesize with a pinch of salt) connected to Episode 3 – Celebrations. In this episode we are joined by the wonderful Stephen Buchanan, Peer Support Worker at the Recovery Day Programme ARC Hounslow. I had the pleasure of watching Stephen’s journey from afar, from homelessness to peer support worker. In this episode we focus on Exit strategies and the importance of having them and recognising when to implement them. Stephen and Christoph share their first-hand experiences of the preparations to attending or not attending an event. They discuss the risks posed, recognising the emotional, social and environmental triggers and how to overcome these with a menu of strategies. They explain how to look out for the signs and the multiple options you have available to you should you need to exit. The beauty of this episode is the tools can be used in many unplanned settings too and not just the planned events. For family, friends, residents and professionals, this will be a chance for you consider, how you can offer support to those in need, and be mindful of challenges people in recovery and active addiction face.

This is the third bite size episode connected to Episode 3 – Celebrations. In this episode we are joined by Harpreet Samra, Harpreet has lived experience and has been a driving force in the Stigma campaign, including the design of these podcasts. Harpreet is a man of many talents and has much experience to share with you all. In this episode we focus on Lapse and relapse and the differences between them. We highlight the challenges that are faced on daily basis and how to overcomes these challenges, including being self-aware and the importance of connecting with others in the community. We talk about the emotions that are attached to a lapse and relapse, and the tools available to you for overcoming them. For friends, family, residents and professionals, this is an opportunity to learn and understand the challenges that are faced with a lapse or relapse. We discuss how you can offer support to your loved ones and help them acknowledge that this is a learning opportunity and stepping stone towards their personal goals. We also discuss how this can be seen as a learning opportunity for everyone!

This is our second instalment of our bite sized episodes, connected to episode 3 – Celebrations. In this episode we are joined by Shiv Sharma – Recovery Day Programme Manager and Group Facilitator lead at ARC Hounslow and within this episode, we talk about Mutual Aid. Mutual Aid comes in various shapes and sizes, and as highlighted it’s all about dipping your toe in the water and finding out which group suits your needs. You will hear about the history of mutual aid, the different types available, what to expect, how to manage any anxiety and how simple it can be to find a group near you. Mutual aid has been around for many years; it has continued to develop over those years and remains prominent within the community. The saying that comes to mind is ‘if it aint broke then don’t fix it’. It has been in the community doing incredible things, and the reason it has remained for so long is because it works! It offers the chance to learn from others, connect with people of similar experience and is a great way to start or continue your journey. If after this episode you still want to know more, I have put links below to the websites, this will help you find your local groups. Also, this is not just for people in recovery or active addiction, some of the groups are open for others attending, this gives you the opportunity to listen and learn. There are also family and friend groups available, and we hope to cover more on this in future episodes.

Self-Help Addiction Recovery | UK Smart Recovery

Home - Alcoholics Anonymous Great Britain

Welcome to UKNA | UKNA | Narcotics Anonymous in the United Kingdom

- Cocaine Anonymous CAUK Area

Online meetings of Crystal Meth Anonymous UK

This is our first additional bitesize episode attached to episode 3 – Celebrations. In this episode we will focus on planning and preparation, how to plan ahead for an event, what options are available for you and consider the risks posed to attending or not attending. In this episode we are joined by Gurpreet Dhillon, fresh from attending recent events. Gurpreet shares his lived experience, which includes the challenges he faced, how he approached with honesty and the specific tools he used. The episode acknowledges the differences people will face when planning ahead for an event and the challenges that come with attending or avoiding. We also highlight there is no shame in avoiding an event, the choice is available to you and your wellbeing remains the priority. For family, friends, residents, and professionals, this shows the challenges faced when attending for someone in recovery or active addiction. We hope this displays the need for compassion, encouragement and support to someone you know.

Episode 3 focusses on celebrations, events and the challenges faced for people in recovery or active addiction. The timing of the release of episode 3 would suggest our focus is with Christmas and New year, however this episode should be considered for all types of events, gatherings, anniversaries and birthdays throughout the year. Maintaining your well-being and recovery in today’s world has its challenges on an everyday basis, and the inclusion of attending a celebratory event can instil anxiety, a sense of pressure and shame to either attend or not attend. In this episode we discuss those feelings, highlight all possible avenues to maintain your well-being whilst still having the freedom to enjoy celebrations in a safe way. Our wonderful lived experience focus group has also decided to add additional episodes, offering advice and guidance on how to navigate challenges that can arise when events arise. However, like all of the previous and future episodes, this is not just about guidance and support for those in recovery or active addiction. These episodes are also for friends, family, residents and professionals that want to learn, understand the challenges faced and be open to support. This is about working together as a collective, creating a community of compassion rather than travelling in silo.

Episode 2 focusses on language and its importance within addiction. We aim highlight how language can have a negative and positive impact on a person’s wellbeing and confidence. We discuss how we learn language, its meaning and how we can develop our self-awareness. Using the right words can reduce stigma, whilst poor choice of language can make people who use or have used alcohol and other drugs feel unwelcome and unsafe and stop them from seeking the services they need, negatively impacting their health, wellbeing, employment and social outcomes.​

In this episode, we introduce our Anti Stigma campaign, including what we want to achieve and why we are doing this. You will also learn about us as hosts! This campaign is all about Addiction, focusing on drugs and alcohol specifically. We aim to drive honest conversations, bring real lived experience to the fore front of the conversation and improve awareness and understanding. I believe this podcast is for everybody, whether you’re a person looking to learn, a family member wanting to help, someone in active addiction wanting to connect with others or just interested. I believe you will get something from this!