What happens when you’re raised in chaos, start drinking heavily at 13 whilst navigating autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADD & PTSD, plus wanting to get sober before you’re legally allowed to drink then stopping at 18?!

I sit down with actress, dancer and reiki healer Scarlett Alice, who opens up about growing up with two parents addicted to alcohol and drugs, the trauma that shaped her and the moment she chose sobriety at just 18. Then comes the flip - her parents enter recovery and give her the inspiration to join them on the path to joy and serenity! 12 years later she's still sober and strong. Her story is brave, emotional, and proof that it’s possible to rewrite the script — no matter how it starts.

Scarlett shares what it felt like growing up in a household that looked perfect on the outside but was riddled with dysfunction behind closed doors. We talk about being a kid who could sense addiction before she even understood it, and how that shaped her early need for escape and intensity. She shares her earliest drinking memories — from getting drunk on trampolines at 13 to blacking out in nightclubs by 17 — and what finally pushed her to make a decision most people wouldn’t at any age - let alone as a teenager. Scarlett doesn’t glorify addiction — she talks about the coldness, the shame, the emptiness, and why it’s never just about the substance. It’s about the feeling underneath that needs soothing and how hard it is to let go of something that once made you feel safe — even when it’s killing you.

We get into how getting sober isn’t the end of fun — it’s actually the beginning. Scarlett shares how she handles awkward questions at parties, how she deals with FOMO and what sober dating really looks like when everyone else is still romanticising chaos. She gives practical advice on coping without numbing, how to spot when a ‘treat’ is actually a trap and why not all recovery paths look the same. Whether it’s the sober-curious movement, microdosing mushrooms or complete abstinence, Scarlett believes recovery should be flexible, honest and rooted in self-awareness. Her advice for young people is honest, unpatronising and grounded in lived experience. Scarlett is warm, funny, unapologetically honest and says the quiet parts out loud. I'm so grateful she made the trip from Brighton to share her story with us!

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

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

Topics -

0:00 Intro

2:40 Scarlett's rock bottom

4:10 When did drinking start?

10:00 Excuses & last straw moment

11:40 Why did you stop drinking at 18

13445 How my parents helped me get sober

17:30 Peer pressure at 18 from friends?

20:25 Sober? The fun has just begun!

21:55 Dealing with awkward questions at a party

24:10 Did you feel like you were missing out?

25:10 What do you make of being sober curious?

27:30 Unhealthy coping mechanisms

28:45 Microdosing mushrooms?

31:05 Sponsor

32:05 Navigating sober dating

35:00 There are many routes to recovery!

37:30 Navigating neurodiversity, PTSD and addiction

44:40 Advice for young people struggling with addiction

Follow Scarlett

https://www.instagram.com/scarlettalicewellness

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“I want to fill my soul up, not my void up!”

Former Love Island star, speaker, author and all-round amazing human Malin Andersson opens up about the darkest corners of her life — from losing a parent, surviving an abusive relationship, and losing her daughter — to discovering an inner strength that can’t be explained but is undeniably real.

We talk about what happens when the distractions & addictions are stripped away, when you're left with the void you've been so desperately trying to fill with addiction and when the only way out is through finding purpose and inner healing.

We explore what it means to confront your shadow, to stop running, and to sit still long enough to hear what the pain has to say. There’s something here for anyone who's ever felt broken, stuck, or lost — and wondered if they had what it takes to keep going. Whether you're in recovery, soul-searching, or simply need a reminder that you’re not alone — this is for you. If you're ready to stop filling the void up and start filling your soul up — stay with us!

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.

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

Follow Malin

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#loveisland #bingedrinking #recovery

[TW: sexual violence & child sexual abuse – discussed from the start] I sit down with a survivor of sexual violence Madeleine Black, who shares her extraordinary journey — from the silence she held for years, to the shame that followed her through school and the deep impact it had on her sense of identity. She speaks openly about the PTSD she didn’t know she had, the physical toll it took on her body, and how trauma can remain locked in our cells long after the event.

We explore how she began to heal — through therapy and confronting the memories she had once buried. She shares how her body would shake, cry, and throw up during sessions — and how, despite all of it, she found her way through. What’s remarkable is how forgiveness entered her life, not as a decision, but as something she describes as “accidental.” She didn’t seek revenge. Instead, she chose to heal — not for anyone else, but for herself.

We also look into the cultural side of this story — the rise in misogyny and violence towards women, the danger of men like Andrew Tate and why we need to talk about how to educate young men. Shows like Netflix’s Adolescence are doing important work in this space, and we unpack how early conversations about consent, boundaries, and empathy can change everything.

This episode is a powerful, intelligent and moving looking at what it really takes to heal, why shame is so powerful — and how survival is never simple, but always possible.

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

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

Topics -

0:00 Intro

3:30 Madeleine's rock bottom

6:15 Why didn't Madeleine tell anyone?

7:30 Reputation at school

9:00 Do you blame alcohol?

11:30 Are rape survivors more likely to be raped again?

12:30 No one asked me if I was OK

14:00 What caused Madeleine to stop eating and drinking?

16:10 100% of rapes are caused by rapist's

17:20 Revenge?

19:30 I'm an accidental forgiver

21:30 Forgiving & healing yourself

23:40 I'm from a family of survivors

26:25 Trauma was locked into my cells

29:00 Healing PTSD

30:30 Strength in private moments

35:30 Letting go of shame

36:30 Lessons from Netflix's Adolescence & Andrew Tate

40:20 Sponsor

41:20 How do we educate young people?

42:30 Why young men become incels

Follow

46:30 Going in to get out!

51:40 What do you want written on your gravestone?

Follow Madeleine

Website - https://madeleineblack.co.uk

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#PTSDRecovery

#SexualAssaultSurvivor

#ToxicMasculinity