The Lonely Chapter

What does it take to believe in yourself when you’ve grown up feeling like the problem?
For Corrie Mustafa, a small sense of purpose began in the 24-hour gym opposite his temporary accommodation. Boxing brought routine, friendship and people who wanted him to do well.
In this episode of The Lonely Chapter, Corrie joins Sam Maclean to reflect on growing up with ADHD, autism and Tourette’s, his experience of emotional neglect, and the loneliness of feeling misunderstood. We talk about how childhood experiences shape self-worth and relationships, finding belonging through boxing, and dealing with setbacks when you’ve put everything into something.
Corrie also shares what supporting other people now means to him, how his partner has helped him understand himself, and why having direction doesn’t mean the difficult days have disappeared.
Follow Corrie on Instagram (@coza_boxing) and LinkedIn.
Read Between the Chapters on Substack for my reflections on the ideas and stories from the podcast.
If someone came to mind while listening, send them this episode.
Follow The Lonely Chapter wherever you listen for more conversations about the chapters that change us.

Being told to talk isn’t the same as being heard.
In this conversation, consultant clinical psychologist Martin Seager returns to The Lonely Chapter for episode 121.
We explore masculinity, emotional wellbeing and the difference between encouraging someone to talk and helping them feel understood.
From boys’ experiences at school to men’s groups and male-friendly therapy, we discuss listening, loneliness and belonging. I also ask whether the pressure to provide can leave men tying their self-worth to what they do for others, and why male victims of domestic abuse can struggle to be heard.
Listen to our first conversation:
Why Men Struggle in Silence | Martin Seager on Men’s Mental Health.
Explore Martin’s work through The Centre for Male Psychology and his article, Making better connections with men and boys.
If this brings someone to mind, share it with them.

Some truths are hardest to tell the people we love.
LBC presenter Iain Dale hears them on live radio. In this conversation with Sam on The Lonely Chapter, he reflects on the trust that leads callers to share things they have never told their partners, friends or families.
We begin with Constance, a regular caller approaching her 102nd birthday, who wondered whether she would speak to him again. Her call opens a conversation about listening, empathy and the human connection between a radio presenter and someone they have never met.
Iain discusses coming out to his parents at 40, finding his opportunity at LBC at 48, and the online abuse that left him tearful on the train home. Sam draws on his experience volunteering with Samaritans as they explore emotional boundaries and what it means to listen to someone in distress.
They also discuss social media anger, refusing to manufacture a rant for a clip, the future of radio in the age of YouTube, and Iain’s memoir, Have I Said Too Much? My Life in Politics & the Media.
Follow The Lonely Chapter for conversations about the chapters that change us, and share this episode with someone who would value it.
Iain’s podcasts, book and website
Where Politics Meets History — with Iain Dale and Tessa Dunlop
Iain Dale All Talk
Have I Said Too Much? My Life in Politics & the Media
Iain’s website
X / Twitter
Instagram

Someone can look as though they’re coping while carrying pain other people don’t see.
For Suicide Awareness Month, I’ve brought together moments from seven previous episodes of The Lonely Chapter about struggling privately, feeling heard, and what helped people through.
Dr Susie Bennett begins by exploring the pressure some men feel to appear fine. Brandon Day shares the gap between outward success and private distress. Martin Seager and Lisa Sugarman consider what it means to listen well. Jason Kubiak recalls practical support during divorce and homelessness, while Liz McConaghy reflects on losing the identity and belonging military life had given her. We return to Susie to consider immediate safety and longer-term support.
This compilation moves from hidden pain to the relationships, conversations and practical help that mattered in people’s lives. I hope it helps you understand yourself, or someone you know and love, a little better.
Content note: This episode discusses suicide, suicidal thoughts and mental health struggles. Please take care of yourself as you listen.
SUPPORT
If anything here feels familiar, support is available. In the UK, you can call Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123.
Samaritans support information:
https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
ORIGINAL EPISODES
Find these titles in The Lonely Chapter’s back catalogue, listed in the order their extracts appear:
Why Men Hide Their Pain Until They Break | Dr Susie Bennett | #107
When High Performance Leads to Burnout | Brandon Day | #105
Why Men Struggle in Silence | Martin Seager on Men’s Mental Health
How to Start Difficult Mental Health Conversations That Really Help - Lisa Sugarman
Why Strong Men Don’t Always Ask for Help | Jason Kubiak | #110
Why Peace Was Harder to Survive Than War | Liz McConaghy | #111
The Hidden Epidemic of Male Suicide | Dr. Susie Bennett

Follow The Lonely Chapter for more conversations about the chapters that change us.

Sometimes you can do everything right and still lose.
You can prepare properly and still fail. Treat someone well and still be left. Work hard for an opportunity and receive no answer. So how do you live well when effort cannot guarantee the outcome?
In this solo episode, Sam explores Stoicism as a practical philosophy for the moments when reality refuses to cooperate. Drawing on ideas from Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, he examines the difference between what we can control, what we can influence and what we eventually have to accept.
Through stories about relationship boundaries, rejection, a triathlon in which almost everything went wrong, fear in the fire service and lessons learned while volunteering with Samaritans, Sam considers how easily we add painful interpretations to difficult facts.
He also explores the difference between emotional regulation and emotional suppression, why resilience can become harmful endurance, and how modern Stoicism is sometimes used as an excuse to avoid vulnerability. The episode ends with a practical reflection involving control, acceptance, the four Stoic virtues and memento mori: the reminder that our time is finite.
This is an episode about responsibility without certainty, overthinking, emotional wellbeing and deciding what deserves your limited attention.
Read Between the Chapters on Substack:
https://lonelychapterpodcast.substack.com/