Hi friends! In this episode of The Cripple Chronicles, we are getting into the messy middle of recovery, spirituality and that weird line between “this happened for a reason” and “am I actually losing the plot?”

I talk about how faith and spirituality helped me survive Ilizarov frames, a broken leg that literally snapped in front of me, amputation and living in survival mode minute by minute. We also get into the darker side of faith when religious beliefs slide into psychosis, especially with TikTok echo chambers and rapture content doing laps on the algorithm.

If you’ve ever used “everything happens for a reason” as a life raft, wrestled with religious fear, or felt guilty for needing both a higher power and a rehab plan, this one is for you.

In this episode we cover:

The difference between spirituality and organised religion in real life, not theory
How faith and positive coping can help you survive medical trauma, disability and grief
When spirituality tips into religious psychosis and why that’s so dangerous
Practical spiritual “anchors” that don’t require a mountaintop or a miracle
Blurring lines between faith, responsibility and victimhood in recovery
How humour, community and tiny rituals kept me alive when I wanted to give up

Content note:
This episode includes mentions of suicidal ideation, medical trauma, religious themes and religious psychosis. Please take care while listening.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome back
00:42 – Introduction and where this episode came from
05:10 – What is spirituality and why does it matter?
11:45 – How faith and positive coping interact
15:28 – The dark side: when faith becomes psychosis
18:30 – Practical ways to cultivate spiritual anchors
28:43 – Blurring lines between faith and personal responsibility
35:04 – Closing thoughts and reflections

Related episodes

Euthanasia deep dive episode:
I mention this around 01:40 in the episode. You can watch/listen here:
https://youtu.be/1jLtSo6LtCk

Alcoholism, Al-Anon and loving someone who drinks:
For more on higher power thinking, boundaries and detaching with love:
[https://youtu.be/zcq9WQoRen4

Support links mentioned

Al-Anon Family Groups (UK & Eire) – support for anyone affected by someone else’s drinking. Helpline 10am–10pm, 365 days a year.
Website: https://al-anonuk.org.uk

Worldwide Al-Anon / Alateen site – information and meetings in other countries.
Al-Anon Family Groups
Website: https://al-anon.org

Nacoa – National Association for Children of Alcoholics (UK) – support for children and adults affected by a parent’s drinking.
Website: https://nacoa.org.uk

If anything in this episode brings stuff up for you, please reach out to a trusted person or a mental health professional in your area.

Connect:

Instagram & TikTok: @cripplechroniclespod
Email: cripplechroniclespod@gmail.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, share it with a friend and leave a comment about how spirituality has shown up in your recovery. It keeps my one-legged heart very happy.

until next time,
Byeeee