Welcome to The Reset

Get your head straight, get sober, reset your demons.

Welcome to The Reset. Stick with this, you will probably like it.

You’re probably receiving this email because you have previously subscribed to the Top Flight Time Machine newsletter. Thanks for that. This is a personal email that shares experiences of getting fucked-up, going bananas and getting better - and offers some tips and advice on how you might cope with the same sort of stuff.

(If you don’t fancy it, please accept my apologies for this and unsubscribe. No big deal, pussycat).

Everyone’s got something going on. And not everyone wants to go to primal scream group therapy or join a cult or do yoga (although, personally, I’d be quite into giving any of those things a try). So read this. It might help. It might cheer you up. It might point you towards other stuff that has helped me.

I will also include bits about the little day to day things that bring me pleasure and amusement, from great books to TV, music and things that my cat does.

Plus links to other stuff I’ve written, other useful things I’ve read and podcasts I have recorded.

The main point of The Reset is to make your day maybe 5% less boring and 5% happier.

Subscribe and tell your mates too. And if you want to get in touch, I might even reply. I will try to be 15% friendlier here than I am on Top Flight Time Machine.

Here’s why I’ve decided to do a newsletter:

1. Whenever I talk or write about my personal experiences of addiction, recovery, mental health problems and all that bollocks, I seem to get a good response from people.

2. I love podcasting but there isn’t room for me to be banging on about this stuff on every episode of Top Flight Time Machine. Nor should there be. But if you get something positive out of hearing me talk about my personal dealings with what Freud called ‘matters of the nut’ then you might* (*will) enjoy this letter.

3. I was gonna write a book about mental health and sobriety. It was gonna be called ‘Touched In The Nut.’ ‘You Alright Mate?’ or ‘Stop Shitting Yourself.’ But, really, fuck writing a book. I’ve done three before and they’re a pain in the arse. The only enjoyable parts are getting paid the advance at the beginning and then the launch party once it’s all done. Everything in between is a living hell. And I’ve got enough on my plate.

4. I like writing. Don’t seem to do as much of it anymore. Too busy talking shite on podcasts.

5. I have really had bad times in the past with drink, gear, anxiety, sadness and all that. I find it helps when other people talk honestly about their own similar experiences. Hope this might help you too.

   To begin with, I will publish one of these letters once a week, on a Friday. I am genuinely interested in what sort of stuff you would like me to include, so feel free to get in touch, leave a comment or tweet me @delaneyman.

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   Obviously, I am not a mental health professional and I can’t cure you. I can tell you what has worked for me. I always advise people to go and seek help from brilliant groups like these ones…

   https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/

   No-one has ever invented a way of successfully moderating their drinking. If they had, they would be richer than Bezos (and I would probably still be able to have a glass of sherry at Christmas). But AA remain the only mob who have a proven method of quitting the booze altogether. I can highly recommend it. I mean, no-one ever woke up regretting having not drank the night before, right?

   https://cocaineanonymous.org.uk/

   This lot use the same 12 step programme as AA but to get you off the gak. Again, have you ever woken up on a clear headed morning thinking to yourself: ‘Fuck me, I wish I’d shovelled a load of bugle up my hooter last night. I’m gutted now?’ Of course you fucking haven’t. Let’s be honest, every single time you have ever taken gak you have regretted it to some extent. You always regret it. It’s fine for the first half hour. Then it all gets creepy fast. Ultimately, it’s horrible stuff. LOL.

   https://andysmanclub.co.uk/

   This lot meet all over the country every Monday evening at 7pm. I wrote about them here. I’ve been to their meetings and can confirm they are not weird or spiritual or bullshitty. Just normal blokes sitting around, talking shit, getting stuff off their chest. No judgments. Free tea and biscuits. Bloody brilliant mate. What else are you gonna do on a Monday night? Sit home watching The Crown? Grow up.

   https://www.samaritans.org/

   If you’re really struggling, don’t keep it all secret inside. Pick up the phone to this lot. They will help. Talking always helps. It’s like doing a shit but out of your mouth. Actually, that’s not selling this really is it? But you know what I mean.

   Anyway, that’s it for now. Thanks for reading, if you got this far. If you didn’t, I don’t blame you. Love you. See you next time. Remember to subscribe and share and that. Sam.x