The Truth About Addiction

In this powerful episode with the Founders of Experience Strength, we explore how lived experience can become one of the most impactful tools in addiction recovery.

Join Scott Bellinger and Josh —two advocates who have turned their personal struggles into a movement challenging the stigma around addiction. Together, they unpack the importance of honesty, living principles, and using real-life experience as evidence that recovery is possible. 

https://experiencestrength.com.au/ 

Instagram @experience_strength 

Are poker machines designed to keep you losing?

When Neil Walshe discovered that poker machines are designed without losing sounds, he realised the silence wasn’t accidental — it was engineered. What followed was a radical and eye-opening mission: from purchasing an illegal machine through organised crime channels to experimentally adding a simple losing sound to test how awareness shifts behaviour.

In Australia alone, poker machines drain approximately $16 billion annually — but the real cost is measured in broken relationships, shattered integrity, and lost self-worth.

In this explosive episode of The Truth About Addiction Podcast, Neil reveals:

 • Why poker machines don’t make losing sounds
 • How winning sound conditions players to keep spinning
 • How a simple losing sound could disrupt a billion-dollar system
 • What YOU can do to raise awareness and create change

If you or someone you love is battling gambling addiction, this conversation could change everything.

🔗 Take Action & Sign the Petition:
www.losingsound.com

In this powerful episode with Andrew Carpenter, we dive deep into Australia’s broken systems of child protection and legal reform. Together, we expose the long-standing failures surrounding institutional abuse, the lack of accountability, and the lifelong impact on survivors and their families.

This is a raw, honest conversation about justice, reform, and the courage it takes to speak out.

If you or someone you know has experienced abuse and would like to explore your legal options and trauma-focused support, please reach out.

👉 It’s time to have the difficult conversations. Change starts with truth.

In this episode, Ron sits down with Elliott Hagen — former Australian rugby union player and currently founder of the Mind Your Head podcast.

“The moment I started loving myself truly was the moment I could love others fully as well.”

Elliott opens up about his journey from experimenting with drugs during his sporting career to realising that the answers he was searching for were not external, but within himself. He shares the lightbulb moment that led him to seek help and the importance of normalising conversations about mental health, including seeing a psychologist.

Through his own platform, Mind Your Head, Elliott creates a space where people can speak openly about their struggles and experiences with mental health. 

You can find Elliott’s podcast, Mind Your Head, on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Meet Daniela, a distinguished lawyer at the prestigious Whitehall & Associates. She is more than just a lawyer, having worked with individuals facing trauma, mental health issues, homelessness and other challenging circumstances. 

In this episode, Daniela and Ron explore the connections between trauma, addiction and mental health.  They also discuss the resources Whitehall and Associates provide to support their clients throughout the claim process and post-settlement. The victims are listened to and their experiences are validated.

If you have suffered emotional, physical or sexual abuse, speaking up is an act of bravery and can ultimately bring closure to the incidents. 

“There is no closure for many survivors who have gone through this civil claim and national Redress process.”

Also not many are aware that you can re-open the deeds. For help with your claims and to learn about services offered by Whitehall & Associates, visit their website

whitehallassociates.com.au 

If you'd like to connect with me or have any recommendations for my show, please click here:
www.instagram.com/thetruthabout_addiction/      www.thetruthaboutaddiction.com.au 
Thank you for your support. One day at a time. 

Anna faced the challenge of overcoming a gambling addiction that threatened both her personal and professional life. To take control, she voluntarily excluded herself from gambling venues through a self-barring scheme.

In this episode, Ron and Anna delve into the highly profitable gambling industry.

“It’s a predatory industry with a predatory product.”

Anna recounts her path to recovery, from attending Pokey’s Anonymous meetings to confronting other struggles, including food addiction. Today, she is a proud attorney and a key advocate for The Untangled Project, where she and a group of like-minded women provide a safe, non-judgmental space for women seeking help with gambling-related issues.

Find The Untangle Project on Instagram @theuntangleprojectaus
Website: https://theuntangleprojectaus.carrd.co/ 

If you'd like to connect with me or have any recommendations for my show, please click here:

www.instagram.com/thetruthabout_addiction/      
www.thetruthaboutaddiction.com.au 

Thank you for your support. One day at a time. 

“There is always some sort of hope in the room somewhere. You just have to look.”

Jackie has consistently explored different modalities and therapies to find effective solutions for her personal well-being. Her journey led her to become a certified Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner and counsellor, where she discovered not only emotional stabilities for herself but also the profound therapeutic value of supporting others on their paths of healing. 

Today, Jackie is the founder of Hinterland Health Retreat, located on the stunning Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Her retreat offers cutting-edge neuro-technology for mental health, addiction recovery and health optimisation through a unique combination of research-based therapies. With its grand opening scheduled for November 2024, Hinterland Health Retreat is set to become an exciting and transformative destination for many.

For more information, visit hinterlandhealthretreat.com 

If you'd like to connect with me or have any recommendations for my show, please click here:
www.instagram.com/thetruthabout_addiction/      
www.thetruthaboutaddiction.com.au 
Thank you for your support. One day at a time. 

With a self-explanatory Instagram handler @madmikebeingmad, the former Barnsley, Salford and Southport player, Mike Phenix has earned an influx of followers for his genuine takes on life, mental health and addiction recovery.

In this episode, Mike candidly shares his heartfelt story right from the beginning including personal tragedies starting at a young age and the highs and lows in his football career. His journey is a powerful narrative of resilience, with significant struggles between medical issues and substance abuse that ultimately led to his early retirement with a four-year drug ban.

Mike speaks about the discovery of the fellowship and the profound impact his recovery journey had on himself and the people around him.

‘I help others today and that’s what keeps me well’

Instagram @madmikebeingmad 

If you'd like to connect with me or have any recommendations for my show, please click here:
www.instagram.com/thetruthabout_addiction/      
www.thetruthaboutaddiction.com.au 
Thank you for your support. One day at a time. 

As a Certified Transformative Coach, Jason emphasises the importance of a holistic approach to healing, integrating somatic investigation, and recognising the interconnectedness of body, mind and spirit. 

Jason was highly medicated in a psychiatric institution by the age of 10. As a child, he used food as a coping mechanism, which later escalated to heroin addiction during his teenage years. 

“I spent 12 years in 12-Step Meeting calling myself an addict, but I don’t believe that’s true now.”

Join Jason as he guides you through his experiences with trauma, addiction, and mental health challenges, sharing his unconventional coaching approaches in the groundbreaking treatment program, 'The Infinite Recovery Project.'

https://www.wideworldcoaching.com/about/  

If you'd like to connect with me or have any recommendations for my show, please click here:
www.instagram.com/thetruthabout_addiction/      
www.thetruthaboutaddiction.com.au 
Thank you for your support. One day at a time. 

Writer/ Director Gary Smith has been very open about his struggles with alcoholism and his sobriety journey. Through his personal narrative of recovery, relapse, and filmmaking, Gary demonstrates that recovery is attainable and that there are multiple paths to achieving it.

Gary got sober on July 11 of last year. His latest feature film, SkyFly, which was recently released, mirrors his own story. The lead character shares Gary's passion for skydiving and motorcycles, and a similar battle in addiction. 

Do not miss this exceptional feel-good comedy-drama! I enjoyed it immensely. Available on Amazon, YouTube, Apple TV, and Google Play. 

Follow Gary on Instagram @garysmith700 and @skyflythemovie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpm_EHNPG34

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15076784/

If you'd like to connect with me or have any recommendations for my show, please click here:
www.instagram.com/thetruthabout_addiction/      
www.thetruthaboutaddiction.com.au 
Thank you for your support. One day at a time.