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Supplimental Study Guide

https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/comedy

In this episode, host Dr. Dallas Bragg welcomes Alex Parsons, a standup comedian, improviser, and actor from Asheville, North Carolina, who shares his raw and honest journey through crystal meth addiction and recovery. Alex, who identifies as neurodivergent with an ADHD diagnosis (and a previous misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder), traces his path from his first use in Boston in 2010 through years of active addiction that included psychosis, the "Tina Honeymoon" phenomenon of intense early connections while using, and the isolating cycle of chasing that initial high. After moving to Asheville in hopes of leaving his addiction behind, Alex discovered standup comedy at an open mic night just one week after arriving—a pivotal moment that created a crucial tether to reality and gave him something beyond substance use to commit to, even as he continued using for two more years.

The turning point came in August 2024 when Alex hit rock bottom after gambling away his rent money and spending five days in active addiction. Standing on a bridge contemplating suicide, an anxious thought about potentially harming a random cyclist saved his life, leading him to contact his boss and enter Oasis Recovery Center for 35 days. Now in active recovery, Alex uses standup comedy not just as personal healing but as a platform for accountability and community dialogue about addiction in the queer population. He emphasizes the importance of doing the therapeutic work privately before bringing stories to the stage, noting that comedy provides psychological distance from trauma and decreases shame—both for himself and his audiences—while being careful not to glorify war stories. His approach demonstrates how creativity can serve as both recovery tool and public service, stripping addiction of its power through truth-telling wrapped in laughter.

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