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Hello everyone. As mentioned last week, I am expanding The Reset. That means an extra couple of newsletters a month - with interviews, recommendations, bits and bobs of advice and more of the usual sharing about mental health, booze, addiction, recovery, sobriety and all that other good (and bad) stuff.
The current Friday newsletter and Wednesday podcast will remain free for everyone. But I am going to offer some extra stuff for a small monthly subscription fee.
I’m doing this because I want to devote more time to this stuff (time I really should be earning money by doing less fulfilling things).
For a monthly subscription of £6 (£5.04 per month if you subscribe within the next three days) you will get
A minimum of six newsletters a month
An uncut, ad-free version of the weekly Reset podcast - sent to you a day before general release.
A monthly video live-stream that will feature an interview with someone dead interesting plus an interactive Q&A.
A new discussion forum for subscribers that I hope will be helpful, inspiring and, at least sometimes, a bit of a laugh too.
I want to build this into more of a community - a place where you feel you can share your own stories as well as reading about mine.
Because sharing our stories and experiences is one of the most powerful thing any of us can do.
When I was first struck with depression and serious anxiety in my mid thirties I didn’t know what to do. What initially felt like just an off-day soon mutated into an off week. I couldn’t stop worrying, couldn’t really sleep, felt constantly on the verge of tears and didn’t have any idea why any of it was happening.
I was confused, panicked and ashamed. I didn’t even want to tell my wife because I thought it would upset and burden her.
If I’d known then what I know now it would have been so much easier to cope with my situation.
The truth is everyone has bad times where their mood and their mind goes to a dark place. When it happens to you there is no need to feel ashamed about it because it happens to the best of us. And there is no need to panic because, although it feels scary and weird to suddenly be shitting yourself 100% of the time, there is a way out.
There are, in fact, multiple ways out. People have been suffering from mental health problems throughout the history of human civilisation. Along the way we have come up with all sorts of smart ways to combat those rough times. But no-one can help you if you don’t tell them how you’re feeling.
I started this newsletter to shows people that they are not alone. That life can feel tough even for people (like me) who have relatively privileged lives, a superficial confidence and a lot of love around them. Nobody is immune to this shit.
When my older brother Dom opened up to me about his own mental health problems in a very matter of fact way it opened my eyes to the fact that I was not alone. It was a massive moment in my life because it made me feel able to chat about the mad shit going on inside my head without fear of judgement.
I want to pass that on.
I want people who are struggling with booze and drug problems, like I once did, to know that you can get better. That there is sympathy and love for you out there, however bad your problems have become. That you really can get sober and stay that way. And that sober life is not boring. In fact, it’s the best fun you’ll ever have.
I am not an expert and I don’t have answers to everything. All I am is someone who has been through a load of shit - and who still has bad and miserable moments. I am only to happy to share all of it with you in the hope it will make you realise you are not weird, you are not imagining stuff, you are not alone and you are not a whinger: you are just a human being, with all the same feelings and thoughts and flaws and weaknesses as the next dickhead.
I hope the new stuff I will be doing with The Reset will help accomplish all of this. Let’s try and build this community into something that can help and inspire. Let’s all get to know and support each other better. And, you know, just cheer each other up.
The Reset Podcast Episode 21 - Chris Difford
“The devil came and took me, from bar to street to bookie.”
Chris Difford has written some of the greatest pop lyrics of all time. And this one, from Up The Junction, speaks to those of us who have let bad habits derail our lives at times.
The legendary Squeeze star joined me on this week’s podcast to talk about his own experiences of addiction and recovery - and the power of creativity.
It was an honour to speak to a real hero of mine - I hope you enjoy the pod.
The Reset On Instagram
Don’t forget I’m resetting my demons one image at a time over on Instagram. Please follow me @TheResetSam
Some services, links and phone numbers to help you through the tough times
https://www.samaritans.org/ Tel 116 123
@calm 0800 58 58 58
@YoungMindsUK 0800 018 2138
@ChairtySane 0300 304 7000
https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
https://cocaineanonymous.org.uk/
https://andysmanclub.co.uk/