On The Mend

Matt Willis sits down with the celebrated, bestselling author Matt Haig for a deeply personal conversation on the cost of living without a map. From a life-altering breakdown at 24 to navigating a late-in-life diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, Matt explores how a lack of understanding of his own brain led to decades of exhaustion, masking, and misdirected pain.

The discussion dives into the realities of mental collapse and the quiet return of addiction. Matt shares why he slipped back into drinking after eight years of sobriety and how his neurodiversity diagnosis finally provided the "why" behind his impulses. It’s a raw look at how addiction often wears different clothes at different ages, serving as a crutch for unmet needs.

Ultimately, this episode explores the liberation of finally finding the language for your own experience. It’s an essential listen for anyone seeking to move past the stigma of "brokenness" and understand themselves better.

This episode covers the following themes: Neurodiversity, Identity, Sobriety, Breakdowns, and Resilience.

Matt Haig's latest novel The Midnight Train is out now: https://amzn.eu/d/0gxsyrqe

Better Help 👉 Join Matt in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-betterhelp-au 

AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/onthemend to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt sits down with world-renowned therapist Marisa Peer to dismantle the self-sabotaging loops that keep us stuck. If you’ve ever felt like your brain is working against your recovery, this conversation provides the ultimate manual for reclaiming control.

We explore the "Ladder of Looping Thoughts" and the powerful truth that you weren’t born broken, you learned it. Marisa explains the link between creativity and addiction, showing how high suggestibility can lead to deep-seated shame. Healing is framed as stripping away these learned layers to reactivate your original sense of self.

This discussion also provides practical tools like the AAA Method (Aware, Accept, Articulate) and simple language shifts to resolve internal conflict.

This episode covers the following themes: Language, Beliefs, Worth, Addiction, and Self-Awareness.

Marisa Peer's new book 'Your Mind, Your Rules,' is out now: https://amzn.eu/d/08ebrG3Y

Need Support?

Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Narcotics Anonymous: na.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Shout: https: giveusashout.org

IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

Better Help 👉 Join Matt in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-betterhelp-au 

AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/onthemend to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs

Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-postcode-au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honour of Mental Health Awareness Week, this special compilation episode curates life-changing insights from people who have faced addiction, grief, anxiety, and personal struggle firsthand. 

Featuring conversations with Tony Adams, Roy Stride, John Robins, Matt Haig, Marisa Peer, Simon Thomas, and other leading voices, this episode explores what it really means to recover, rebuild confidence, and find hope during difficult moments.

From radical honesty and vulnerability to practical tools for improving mental resilience, these stories highlight the importance of connection, self-awareness, and asking for support. Together, they offer a powerful reminder that while recovery is never easy, change is possible and healing can begin with a single conversation.

This episode covers the following themes: Mental Health, Vulnerability, Sobriety, Resilience, Honesty, and Healing.

Need Support?

Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Narcotics Anonymous: na.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Shout: https: giveusashout.org

IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

Better Help 👉 Join Matt in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-betterhelp-au 

Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-postcode-au 

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/au3-OTM20

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special roundtable episode explores the vital role of mental fitness in reaching and sustaining peak performance. 

In this special roundtable episode, in partnership with BetterHelp, hosts Jake Humphrey, Spencer Matthews, and Matt Willis reframe therapy as an essential "performance tool." By comparing mental maintenance to physical training, the trio highlights how proactive support is key to navigating the pressures of modern life and sustaining peak performance.

This conversation explores personal breakthroughs, from Jake’s experience with "Pure O" to Matt’s discovery of the power in asking, "How do I feel?" They discuss the value of having a "mental adult" in the room, a confidential professional who allows you to offload internal noise without the fear of burdening friends or family.

Whether you are facing a crisis or simply seeking self-understanding, this episode demonstrates that therapy provides the clarity needed to show up as your best self. It is a raw, unscripted reminder that seeking support is a proactive choice for anyone committed to long-term resilience and growth.

Better Help 👉 Join Matt in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy - CLICK HERE

Need help?

If you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E now

If you need urgent help for your mental health, get help from NHS 111 online or call 111: https://111.nhs.uk/triage/check-your-mental-health-symptoms

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. You will not be wasting anyone's time.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scouting for Girls frontman Roy Stride achieved global fame and number-one albums, but behind the scenes, he was wearing a mask. For 25 years, he used alcohol to bridge the gap between his public persona and a deep-seated feeling of never being "enough," eventually spiraling into a high-functioning nightmare of secret drinking and pre-show panic attacks.

In this episode, Roy pulls back the curtain on the exhaustion of the "secret life." He reveals the extreme lengths he went to hide his addiction, from filling non-alcoholic cans with real beer to drinking 30 units a day while on tour. 

Roy also discusses the moment his dream became a prison, his initial skepticism of recovery, and how leaning into the "weirdness" of AA saved his marriage, his career, and his life. This is a powerful exploration of why life in recovery is infinitely better than the "belonging" found in a bottle.

This episode covers the following themes: Addiction, High-Functioning Anxiety, Recovery, and Finding Belonging.

'Scouting for Girls' new album These Are The Good Days' is out now

Need Support?

Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Narcotics Anonymous: na.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Shout: https: giveusashout.org

IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/au3-OTM20

Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-postcode-au 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas delivers one of the most raw and honest accounts of grief and addiction ever shared in the public eye. Following the sudden death of his wife, Gemma, Simon faced a years-long battle with secret drinking while navigating the pressures of public life and parenthood.

In this episode, he exposes the "release valve" of alcohol that promised an escape but led to a darker reality. Simon also shares the complexities of finding love again with his partner Doina, the crushing weight of "being strong," and the powerful realization that while life will never be the same, it can, and will, be good again.

This episode covers the following themes: Grief, Addiction, Resilience, Fatherhood, and Recovery.

Need Support?

Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Narcotics Anonymous: na.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Shout: https: giveusashout.org

IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/au3-OTM20

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arsenal legend and former England captain Tony Adams joins us to reflect on 30 years of sobriety, and the moment he realised that despite having everything, he didn’t know who he was.

He opens up about the reality behind the legendary football career, the blackouts, the hidden struggles, and the breaking point where he no longer wanted to be alive. Tony also shares the specific, raw moment of surrender that finally led him to an unexpected encounter, offering him a sense of peace he’d never known. This is a conversation about identity beyond the pitch and the daily work of recovery, proving that one decision can change the trajectory of a life forever.

This episode covers the following themes: Addiction, Identity, Sobriety, Recovery, Mental Health.

Tony will run the London Marathon on 26th April for The Forward Trust, where he is the new Chair, helping people overcome addiction and offending.

Read more on Tony's work with Six here: https://www.sixmha.org/staystopped

‘1996: Reflections on the Year that Changed My Life’ by Tony Adams is out now: https://amzn.eu/d/07jIgx95

Randox Health 👉 Take care of your health today and into the future. Save 20% on all health checks now with the code OTM20 at: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Randox_yt2 

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/au3-OTM20

Need Support?

Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Narcotics Anonymous: na.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Shout: https: giveusashout.org

IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TV personality, author and radio presenter, Vicky Pattison, discusses her journey through self-care, addiction, and healing from the trauma of being a child of an alcoholic.

She opens up about how her mantra “you can’t pour from an empty cup” became crucial for managing anxiety, and the pain of realising she’d been an enabler to her father. Vicky also talks about using her second chance on I’m a Celebrity to reshape her life and break free from shame, encouraging others to speak out about addiction.

This episode covers the following themes: addiction, family trauma, self-care, stigma, and transformation.

Need Support?

Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Narcotics Anonymous: na.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Shout: https: giveusashout.org

IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

Randox Health 👉 Take care of your health today and into the future. Save 20% on all health checks now with the code OTM20 at: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Randox_yt2 

Saily 👉 Download SAILY in your app store and use our code mend at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/mend

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/au3-OTM20

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special golfing and sobriety chat this week brings us into the life of Peter “Tubes” Dale, who turned to golf as a way to keep up socialisation with his friends after making the brave decision to give up alcohol and stop drinking. In this episode, he opens up about the moment when he decided to switch out alcohol for finding a hobby, how he landed on golf, and how having an addict's mentality is both a blessing and a curse.

This is a grounded conversation about addiction, mental health, and a personalised, thoughtful approach to recovery - not as a straight line, but as something messy and ongoing.

YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL EPISODE WITH TUBES HERE

00:00 Best Day on the Course

00:52 How Golf Replaced Drinking

02:06 Everyone in Recovery Needs a Hobby

03:05 Using Golf as an Excuse to Drink

04:21 Becoming Obsessed with Golf

05:02 The Addictive Personality Explained

06:06 Why Golf Helps Mental Health

07:25 Addiction vs Mental Health Differences

08:18 Replacing Alcohol with Something Better

10:01 Connection, Friendship and Staying Sober

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here:

https://highpfrmc.com/OTM20

Need Support?

Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Narcotics Anonymous: na.org

Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Shout: https: giveusashout.org

IAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.