On The Mend

This week’s guest is Arron Crascall, who shares his raw journey from struggling with addiction and low self-esteem to finding hope and transformation through surrender and honesty.

Arron talks about how he never felt comfortable in his own skin, always changing to fit in, and how his first drink at 17 gave him the feeling of being “alive” for the first time. He opens up about the long battle with alcohol, how he tried therapy, hypnotherapy, and changing environments, but nothing worked until he reached a breaking point, a family meal that made him realize he was about to lose everything. That moment became his turning point, and he found a higher power in a quiet voice telling him, “You ain’t gotta do this anymore, but you need help.”

This episode dives into the transformative power of the 12-step program, how Arron’s practice of gratitude helped shift his mindset, and the struggles he still faces, including guilt for missing parts of his kids’ lives.

This episode covers the following themes: addiction, identity, surrender, guilt, recovery, and helping others.

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/

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

This week’s guest is Amy Dowden, who shares her powerful journey through breast cancer, fertility struggles, and mental health challenges, a story of resilience that’s messy, ongoing, and real.

Amy talks about returning to Strictly Come Dancing just months after chemotherapy, only to realise she was burying her trauma. When health complications forced her off the show, she hit rock bottom, lower than during her cancer treatment, but this became the turning point for true healing.

She opens up about the hidden battles she faced: sepsis, fertility decisions just weeks after marriage, and the cruelty of online trolls. But through it all, Amy found unexpected perspective shifts, learning to live with Crohn’s disease without constant anxiety, and discovering that recovery isn’t solitary, it’s built on community and connection.

Amy chose to share her journey publicly, not as a perfect survivor, but as someone still figuring it out. This episode is about falling apart, hitting rock bottom, and slowly finding your way forward through small wins, honesty, and refusing to face it alone.

This episode covers the following themes: cancer, recovery, vulnerability, and strength.

Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu are heading on tour as part of 'Amy and Carlos Reborn' later this year. To purchase tickets, click here: https://www.amyandcarlostour.co.uk/

Get Amy's book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dancing-Rain-story-courage-resilience/dp/0349442045

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

This week’s guest is Davinia Taylor, who challenges the traditional narrative of addiction and opens up about her journey from shame and self-doubt to embracing recovery on her own terms.

In this episode, Davinia talks candidly about her realisation that addiction isn’t always tied to trauma, and how understanding the biochemical and genetic basis of her struggle, low dopamine, ADHD, and even Viking ancestry, helped remove the shame she once carried. She reframes addiction from a moral failing to a biological reality, offering a powerful shift in perspective.

Davinia also shares the truth about recovery: it’s messy, it’s imperfect, and it doesn’t always follow the rigid rules we’re told to follow. She opens up about the constant negotiation of active addiction and the exhaustion it creates, and the surprising discovery of true energy, not from alcohol, but through biohacking and ketones, which have become her source of fuel to live, not just survive.

Honest, raw, and deeply human, Davinia’s story is about rebuilding beyond perfection and finding peace in being imperfectly present for the people who matter most.

This episode covers the following themes: addiction, shame, self-acceptance, and vulnerability.

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

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

This week’s guest is Sam Ryder, someone who knows the struggle of chasing a dream for years, only to face the crushing reality of near-misses and setbacks. For over 15 years, Sam toured the world in tiny vans, scraping by with borrowed hope, never knowing if success would come. But when the door finally cracked open, it did so with an unexpected, life-changing shift.

In this episode, Sam talks candidly about the long grind and how he found peace with failure before success even arrived. He shares the moment he made peace with the idea of never “making it,” the power of redefining what success truly means, and how, after years of struggle, he embraced gratitude as his new driving force.

This is a raw, honest conversation about the non-linear journey to success, the dangers of “okay jobs,” and why comfort can kill creativity. Sam reveals his decision to get sober and the importance of protecting his voice, his gift, while rejecting the toxic hustle culture that fuels so much of the music industry.

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

Recovery isn’t a straight line, and Matt Willis reflects openly on what that reality has meant for him.

In this solo episode, Matt speaks candidly about addiction, recovery, and the long process of learning to live differently. He explores the moments that forced him to confront himself, the challenges of trying to change alone, and the ongoing work required to stay well.

Rather than offering simple answers, Matt discusses the uncertainty, setbacks, and searching that shaped his recovery, alongside the role of responsibility, trust, and fatherhood in helping him find steadier ground.

This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about resilience, accountability, and what it really means to commit to change, without shortcuts, and without pretending recovery is linear.

Simba mattresses 👉Great recovery starts with great sleep. That’s why On The Mend is powered by Simba. Start your 200-night trial & experience the Simba difference:
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Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.