How do you change the social norms about what it means to be sober? Can you enjoy dinner out without drinking? Why is laughter so important? What kinds of activities will Untoxicated be organising when COVID-19 restrictions are eased?

And Big Daddy and Ade dial in to let us know how they have been managing in isolation.

If You Need Support:

If you hear something on-air or in this podcast that may be causing you distress or may have raised uncomfortable feelings then visit https://joy.org.au/support/ where you can find a number of people and organisations you can turn to for support at a time like this. Looking for support is a healthy way of dealing with your feelings, and is a powerful way to help you get back on top of things. Everyone needs to talk sometimes!

The post Finding your social identity without alcohol – Faye appeared first on Hooked!.

Now seemed like a good time to revisit this great interview we did in June 2019 with Dr Grant Blashki, the Lead Clinical Advisor for BeyondBlue. We hope you are keeping well, and that you enjoy this encore podcast.

Grant joins us for a chat about the myriad ways that BeyondBlue provides support to all Australians, and shares his views on the value GPs can add to our mental health, and we identify the options available for engaging with BeyondBlue. Grant also explains that BeyondBlue advocates strongly for the LGBTIQ+ community because improving LGBTIQ+ outcomes improves mental health outcomes.

Is there a connection between anxiety and addiction? What does it mean to develop a mental health or suicide prevention strategy? What might a visit to your GP about mental health issues look like? How can you support a friend as they deal with their anxiety or depression?

BeyondBlue provides dedicated resources for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex, and bodily, gender and sexually diverse people. We recommend you explore them all.

We learn about some powerful and effective online tools: BeyondNow App (for suicide safety planning), myCompass (online tool for managing depression and anxiety), and MindSpot Clinic (online assessment and treatment for anxiety and depression).

If You Need Support:

If you hear something on-air or in this podcast that may be causing you distress or may have raised uncomfortable feelings then visit https://joy.org.au/support/ where you can find a number of people and organisations you can turn to for support at a time like this. Looking for support is a healthy way of dealing with your feelings, and is a powerful way to help you get back on top of things. Everyone needs to talk sometimes!

The post Encore: Strengthening mental health outcomes for LGBTIQ+ Australians – BeyondBlue appeared first on Hooked!.

If You Need Support:

If you hear something on-air or in this podcast that may be causing you distress or may have raised uncomfortable feelings then visit https://joy.org.au/support/ where you can find a number of people and organisations you can turn to for support at a time like this. Looking for support is a healthy way of dealing with your feelings, and is a powerful way to help you get back on top of things. Everyone needs to talk sometimes!

The post Finding a way out of self-harm – Tosh appeared first on Hooked!.

How might you choose a psychotherapist? What could you expect if you went to see Torrey? Why do people struggle to talk to a therapist?

The post Exploring underlying issues in therapy – Torrey appeared first on Hooked!.

Big Daddy, Maddie and David value the role that 12 step recovery programs have played in their recovery. They join us in the studio where Russ leads a simulation of a 12 step recovery meeting for alcoholics. It’s a great way to debunk the myths of recovery programs.

What is a recovery meeting like? Who are they for? Why would you attend them?

The post Finding support in recovery meetings – Big Daddy, Maddie and David appeared first on Hooked!.

We’re so glad to be back!

In our first episode for 2020, we have a great chat with Jeremy and Daniel from Q Health, a free counselling and support service for people who would like to talk about the concerns or impacts of their alcohol and drug use in a confidential, non-judgmental and queer-affirmative space. It’s for LGBTIQA+ people, couples or families living in the Moreland, Brimbank, Darebin, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Wyndham or Yarra areas.

Why is it important to have counsellors who are from our community? How does this service complement other addiction support programs? Is it really free and unlimited?!

And we hear from a listener about the joys of marching ‘Clean and Sober’ in the Midsumma parade.

The post Person-centred support – Jeremy and Daniel from Q Health appeared first on Hooked!.

Russ, Paul and David get together and reflect on the wonderful 16 episodes we’ve shared since April.

What have we learnt? Which episodes should you go back and listen to again? And what do we think about the idea of beer-flavoured tea?!

We’re taking a break for a few months. We look forward to sharing more stories about addiction in the LGBTIQ+ community when we return in December 2019.

The post Looking back on another 16 episodes – we’ve learnt so much appeared first on Hooked!.

In May, we interviewed Stu Fenton about the work he does at R12, a rehabilitation facility dedicated to LGBT+ clients. We now chat to Stu’s colleague – Casey Lucarelli – about the support she provides for lesbian women. We explore the struggles with addiction and shame that are specific to the lesbian community. What is the impact of internalised homophobia? In what areas are lesbian women most likely to develop addictions? How does R12 work with clients when in Thailand and then as alumni once they have returned home?

In the news, we review an article that captures personal stories of those effected by gambling addiction. We look at the online advertising practices of opioid manufacturers, and a story describing one woman’s personal experience of opioid addiction driven by her GP relationships. And we review a further update coming out of the coronial inquest into music festival overdoses.

The post Addressing the specific challenges for lesbian women in recovery – Casey Lucarelli and R12 appeared first on Hooked!.

Will Lanting, from The GLLO Show, joins us as guest and co-host to reflect on his 10 years of sobriety. Will shares his journey from drinking 12-18 cans a day to his first experience of rehab, the pain of withdrawal, and the ongoing struggle that is sobriety. Is 10 years of sobriety something to celebrate? How do you celebrate without alcohol? What are the tools that can help you stay sober? And why should you look for friends who are more like ambulance drivers and less like rock climbers?

Will wants you to know that overcoming addiction is possible.

In the news, we review community responses to the presence of safe-injecting rooms in Richmond, Victoria. We reflect that addiction can affect anyone, as demonstrated by Bomber Thompson’s confession that he is an ice addict. At a time of rising global opioid use, we note that June 26 is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. And we ponder about the effectiveness of a new treatment for video game addiction, an addiction only recently classified as a disorder by the World Health Organisation.

The post 10 years sober – Will’s journey, and his suggested tools to support recovery appeared first on Hooked!.

Dr Grant Blashki, the Lead Clinical Advisor for BeyondBlue, joins us for a chat about the myriad ways that BeyondBlue provides support to all Australians. Grant shares his views on the value GPs can add to our mental health, and we identify the options available for engaging with BeyondBlue. Grant also explains that BeyondBlue advocates strongly for the LGBTIQ+ community because improving LGBTIQ+ outcomes improves mental health outcomes.

Is there a connection between anxiety and addiction? What does it mean to develop a mental health or suicide prevention strategy? What might a visit to your GP about mental health issues look like? How can you support a friend as they deal with their anxiety or depression?

BeyondBlue provides dedicated resources for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex, and bodily, gender and sexually diverse people. We recommend you explore them all.

We learn about some powerful and effective online tools: BeyondNow App (for suicide safety planning), myCompass (online tool for managing depression and anxiety), and MindSpot Clinic (online assessment and treatment for anxiety and depression).

In the news, we share some ABC news stories about the link between the colour of your alcohol and your hangover, the semi-synthetic drug Krokodil appearing in Australia and the AFL’s alleged gambling problem. And we shine a light on the example provided by Faye Lawrence, who founded her own non-drinking social group to support her sobriety.

The post Strengthening mental health outcomes for LGBTIQ+ Australians – BeyondBlue appeared first on Hooked!.