School of Rock Bottom

TV presenter, actor and Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba opens up about 30 years of addiction, childhood experiences, shame and recovery. First exposed to explicit adult material at nine, he explains how an escape became a compulsive behaviour that affected his relationships and mental health, remaining secret for decades.
From the outside, Ore appeared to have everything: a successful career and public recognition. Behind the scenes, he was living with an addiction few people knew about. He describes how the behaviour became his first relationship, a source of comfort and a way of coping with almost every emotion, from loneliness and rejection to anger and sadness.
We explore the links between childhood experiences, emotional neglect, shame and addiction. Ore describes learning to hide his behaviour and becoming a “master masker”. He explains how exhausting it was to maintain the gap between the person everyone saw and the person he was behind closed doors.
He speaks about the impact on relationships, intimacy and self-worth, the isolation and self-disgust, and repeated attempts to stop. Something that once offered relief no longer brought happiness, yet he felt compelled to return.
His turning point came in therapy. After years of silence, Ore finally found the courage to say: “I think I'm addicted.” He expected judgement and feared his world would explode. Instead, he found understanding, support and the possibility that things could change. He explains what recovery has involved, why willpower alone wasn't enough and how he protects the progress he has made.
Now more than two years into recovery, Ore discusses boundaries, practical systems and recognising triggers. We talk about social media, dating apps and the challenges of navigating a world where material connected to his addiction is never far away.
We discuss children's exposure to explicit adult material and its possible effects on their understanding of relationships, intimacy, consent and boundaries. Ore talks about his work with The Naked Truth Project and the need for better education and accessible support.
Research published by the Children's Commissioner for England found that 70% of young people surveyed had seen this material before turning 18. The average age of first exposure was 13, and 59% said it was accidental. More than half had encountered content depicting strangulation. The research also found concerning attitudes towards consent: 44% agreed that girls may say no initially but can then be persuaded. Figures reflect experiences before age 18.
This is about addiction, emotional pain, the ways we cope and what happens when an escape takes control. Although the behaviour may be different, the cycle of addiction can share striking similarities across alcohol, drugs and other compulsive behaviours.
Thank you to Ore for his honesty and courage in sharing something so many people continue to struggle with in silence.
SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by Recovery Cartel, a clothing brand celebrating recovery.
www.therecoverycartel.co.uk
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Trailer & Intro
3:30 Language disclaimer around this topic
6:30 A rock bottom moment
9:45 Is it REALLY an addiction?
14:15 Why was Ore vulnerable to addiction?
18:45 ADHD, risky behaviour & links to gambling
25:30 Dopamine & recovery
29:00 Reversing the wiring
31:15 Living as two different people
35:15 The tolerance & shame builds
41:15 Misogyny & violence
45:15 Deep fakes
47:15 Ore's recovery
52:45 Advice for young people

FOLLOW ORE
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FOLLOW OLIVER
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WATCH THE FULL EPISODE
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#AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #Recovery

Does drinking alcohol actually take the craving away, or does that first drink make you want even more? For people struggling with alcohol addiction, the answer can be frightening. In this next thought clip, I revisit a conversation with Molly McBride as we explore alcohol cravings, alcoholism, relapse and why one drink can trigger a desperate need for more. Through honest personal experience, we examine how understanding this cycle can help people stay sober and protect their recovery.
Imagine going from telling yourself you'll have just one glass of wine on a Friday to waking up in a psychiatric hospital four or five days later, with no real idea of how you got there. This is the reality of alcohol addiction, and it's a reminder of just how quickly things can unravel when drinking is no longer something you can control.
We talk about the terrifying cycle of blackouts, injuries, repeated relapses and the desperate desire to prove that you can drink normally. When alcohol is everywhere, from family traditions to birthdays, celebrations and nights out, accepting that you cannot drink like other people can feel incredibly difficult.
But one of the most powerful realisations in recovery is understanding what happens when you take that first drink. Rather than satisfying the craving, it can make you want more. The very thing you turn to for relief can leave you trapped in a cycle you were desperately trying to escape.
For years, the temptation to drink can be tied to the belief that alcohol will help you relax, quieten your mind or make you feel part of the crowd. Sometimes, staying sober means challenging those beliefs and recognising that the promise of relief doesn't always match the reality.
This conversation explores why acceptance matters, how understanding cravings can help protect your recovery, and why trying to prove you can drink normally can lead you back to the same painful place.
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About the “THOUGHT” series -
Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.
Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e
Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!
https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1
Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal
Follow Molly
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#AlcoholAddiction
#AlcoholRecovery
#AddictionRecovery

Paul Sculfor is widely regarded as Britain's first male supermodel. Behind the fame, success and glamorous lifestyle, he struggled with addiction for years. Now more than 22 years sober, Paul opens up about cocaine addiction, alcohol, anxiety, shame, denial and the moment he finally asked for help.
From the outside, Paul had a life many people dream of. His international modelling career brought success, financial independence and incredible opportunities. Yet beneath the surface, he battled insecurity, anxiety and low self-worth. Alcohol and drugs initially helped him feel accepted, but his relationship with substances became increasingly destructive.
Paul describes the moment he discovered he had spent the money he had worked so hard to earn. Despite promising himself he was finished with cocaine, he found himself using again just days later. He recalls the frightening events that followed, the exhaustion that brought him to his knees and the moment he finally asked for help.
We explore the anxiety and self-consciousness Paul experienced growing up, his desire to fit in and how a painful experience early in his modelling career affected his confidence and sense of safety. He explains how he tried to hide that pain behind outward success.
Paul also discusses functioning addiction, how someone can appear successful while struggling behind closed doors, and why fame and money couldn't resolve his unhappiness.
He speaks candidly about rehab, the shame he carried and the moment he seriously considered ending his life. A conversation with a friend helped him see another possibility. Paul explains how recovery changed his life and how returning to acting helped him rebuild his confidence.
More than two decades into recovery, Paul reflects on the role of the 12-step programme, why he continues attending meetings and how recovery can help us change destructive thought patterns. He explains how the same obsessive thinking that once caused suffering can become a positive force.
Today, Paul helps others affected by addiction through the Stride Foundation and hosts This Is Powerful, exploring mindset, mental health and recovery.
Paul's story reminds us that outward success doesn't tell the whole story, and recovery can offer far more than simply putting down drugs and alcohol. It can help us build a life that feels meaningful from the inside.
Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK. Find support here:
https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e
SPONSOR: RECOVERY CARTEL
A clothing brand celebrating recovery.
Website: https://www.therecoverycartel.co.uk
SUPPORT SCHOOL OF ROCK BOTTOM
Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Trailer & Intro
4:00 A rock bottom moment
12:00 Anxiety, hyperactivity & low self-esteem
16:30 Early drinking
19:00 Childhood & early career
24:30 Coke and alcohol at 11am
28:00 When did addiction start?
30:45 Early modelling career & anxiety
35:00 Coming out of denial
37:00 Mountain tops can be painful too
38:30 Not wanting to live
41:00 Being able to look the world in the eye
44:00 How Paul stays sober
50:45 Cross addiction?
FOLLOW PAUL SCULFOR
Instagram: https://instagram.com/paulsculfor
This Is Powerful: https://www.instagram.com/this_ispowerful
Stride Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/stride.foundation
FOLLOW OLIVER MASON
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WATCH OR LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
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#PaulSculfor
#AddictionRecovery
#Sobriety

What if the person you're angry with isn't the problem? What if your anger is exposing something you've spent your entire life trying to hide?
In recovery, I discovered something deeply uncomfortable: beneath my anger was often a fear that I wasn't good enough, that people didn't love me, or that I didn't matter. I wanted to control everyone around me because, deep down, I couldn't bear feeling out of control myself.
Then, in early recovery, a friend failed to call me back. I was furious. I made it personal. I convinced myself he didn't care about me.
But when I finally discovered what he was going through, I felt physically sick.
Because his world was falling apart, and somehow, I'd made it all about me.
In this episode of School of Rock Bottom Thought Series, Oliver Mason explores the hidden connection between anger, addiction, ego, fear and self-esteem... and why the need to control other people can leave us trapped in our own suffering.
What if the thing that's making you angry has absolutely nothing to do with you?
And what if letting go of that need to control everything could be the very thing that sets you free?
Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE
YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/bdc5dvfc
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3Z0Pr1r
Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3
About the “THOUGHT” series -
Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.
Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e
Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!
https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1
Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal
Follow Oliver
Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv
Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r
TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9
LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7
Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah
X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds
#AddictionRecovery
#AngerManagement
#MentalHealth

Adam Lancashire survived a cardiac arrest after decades of alcohol and cocaine addiction. In May 2024, his heart stopped for 26 minutes. After weeks in intensive care, he woke up with hypoxic brain damage and faced the challenge of rebuilding his life. He had to relearn basic skills, including how to walk and talk, confront the consequences of his addiction and find a way forward without drugs or alcohol.
Now more than two years sober, Adam joins me to share his extraordinary story for the first time, covering addiction, survival, recovery, family breakdown and learning to live again.
What happens when addiction takes you to the edge of death? And how do you rebuild your life when you wake up to discover that even the simplest everyday tasks have become a challenge?
Adam's story is one of survival, resilience and a second chance. His childhood was marked by instability, and he discovered drugs at a young age. By 15, he was using cocaine.
What began as a way to escape and feel more confident developed into years of alcohol and drug use, with serious consequences for his relationships, family life and wellbeing.
Despite periods of apparent success, Adam struggled with addiction behind the scenes. Relationships broke down, family connections suffered, and the cycle of drinking and cocaine use became increasingly difficult to escape.
Then, in May 2024, everything changed. After playing football, Adam collapsed on his way back to the station. He suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated before being taken to hospital. After weeks in intensive care, he woke up with hypoxic brain damage.
Surviving the cardiac arrest was only the beginning. Adam faced the enormous challenge of rebuilding his physical and cognitive abilities, learning to walk, speak, eat and carry out everyday tasks again. Alongside his rehabilitation, he also had to confront the addiction and personal struggles that had shaped so much of his life.
Adam explains how he found his way into recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous, the importance of friendship and fellowship, and how helping others gave him a renewed sense of purpose. He speaks honestly about his approach to the 12-step programme and why he believes recovery does not look the same for everyone.
Adam also opens up about guilt, shame and the pain of family relationships affected by addiction, including his estrangement from his son. He reflects on the temptation to romanticise the past, even when that past caused so much damage, and the difficult process of learning to forgive himself.
His experience of recovering from brain damage while maintaining his sobriety brings another dimension to the conversation. Adam describes the frustration of losing abilities he once took for granted.
Adam's shows that recovery does not have to follow rigid rules or a single prescribed path, and that rebuilding a life can begin even after the most devastating setbacks.
Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK, support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e
Sponsor -
www.gavinsisters.co.uk
promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!
Support us -
https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1
Topics -
0:00 Trailer & Intro
3:20 A rock bottom moment
8:25 Do you need a dramatic rock bottom?
10:35 The Invisible Line!
11:35 Money, travel and a morphine drop
16:35 Drinking leads to coke
19:35 Getting high on your own supply
22:50 Stealing & affairs
27:35 Estranged from family and giving up on yourself
31:05 Addiction progresses
35:50 A moment in The ICU
37:35 The recovery starts
41:05 Cravings return
42:20 Struggling with higher power in AA
44:05 Friendships in recovery
46:50 Can you do fellowship your way?
Follow Adam
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adamcamehome
https://www.instagram.com/adam_lancashire
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#CocaineAddiction #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety