Staying sober through the festive season can feel like walking a tightrope with no safety net, especially when the mind starts whispering those familiar lies that have dragged so many people back to day one. In this next quick thought, I revisit an old episode and the most dangerous relapse lie “just one won’t hurt". If you’re trying to stay clean and sober one day at a time, this short episode will hit exactly where you need it.

Addiction crafts believable lies, how denial disguises itself as control, and why comparing your drinking or using to someone “worse” keeps you trapped. I unpack the real meaning of powerlessness, why it has nothing to do with quantity or frequency, and how the smallest decision can trigger a cascade of consequences that affect consumption, timekeeping, behaviour, mood and mental health. Remember, powerlessness starts when you take that first drink or drug.

We look at the internal logic of relapse, the moments where people convince themselves that this time will somehow be different, and the reason relapse often begins days or weeks before the physical act. Through humour, honesty and lived experience, I show how these patterns play out in real life and why understanding this lie one tool to long-term recovery.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3RmMvu8

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3NuVwzU

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

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.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

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

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#relapseprevention

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Today's conversation with Serena Palmer goes straight to the heart of addiction, ADHD, success and collapse, and the hidden world of high-achieving professionals who are fighting battles no one can see. If you’ve ever wondered how someone can lead global teams, excel in a corporate role, appear entirely in control, and still be unravelling behind the scenes, this episode will speak to you.

We explore late ADHD diagnosis, the link between neurodiversity and alcohol misuse. Behind the titles, she was privately battling a late ADHD diagnosis, escalating drinking, and cycles of alcoholic psychosis. Today she’s 2 years sober, deeply grounded in the work of recovery, and helping individuals and organisations understand neurodiversity, addiction, and human potential in a far more honest way.

We walk through the earlier years too: the roots of self-medication, the dopamine-seeking patterns that began with sugar and the early risk-taking. Serena explains how ADHD can push high performers into dangerous coping mechanisms and why adults diagnosed later in life are statistically far more vulnerable to addiction. Here’s the reality: adults with ADHD are three times more likely to develop addiction, and if they’re diagnosed later in life, up to 60% are already battling substance issues. Among high achievers, 1 in 10 hides an addiction behind their success and around 1 in 4 will battle it at some point in their lives.

We also discuss the end of an eighteen-year relationship, the impact of redundancy, the pressures of corporate travel, and the ways high achievers can hide addiction in plain sight. Serena brings clarity to how these dynamics fuel dependence and why some of the most capable, driven people can find themselves on the edge without ever realising how far they’ve fallen.

Before we close, Serena shares clear, practical advice for anyone trying to stay clean and sober through Christmas and offers insight for anyone who looks successful on the outside but feels like they’re collapsing internally. This is a conversation about reality, responsibility, hope and the possibility of change—delivered with truth, depth and humanity.

If you’ve ever battled addiction, questioned your relationship with alcohol, lived with ADHD, or struggled to square your internal world with the life people assume you’re living, this episode will stay with you.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

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 Trailer & Intro

4:00 A rock bottom moment

10:30 Would you rewrite history if you could?

14:00 Why Serena needed pain to stop drinking

15:00 Enabling, toxic relationships & masking

18:30 Self medicating undiagnosed ADHD

22:00 Emotional dysregulation & RSD

26:00 Nicotine, smoking and ADHD

28:00 Daydreaming and fantasy

31:30 Workaholism?

33:00 Rehab and coming out of denial

39:00 Getting excited about recovery

41:50 Using hyperfocus in recovery

44:30 Cocaine Anonymous

48:20 Sponsor

49:20 Are you born with ADHD?

50:20 How addiction and ADHD interact

53:30 Tips to stay sober at Xmas

Follow Serena

Website -

https://www.serena.consulting

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thereal_hrcoach

STRAIGHT OUTTA REHAB

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MY TWO BRAINS AND ME

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In this next quick thought, I revisit a moment with Rupert Hill as we explore one of the most misunderstood drivers of alcohol dependence: the moment your brain learns that “hair of the dog” removes discomfort. It feels harmless, even cultural, but for many it is the point where drinking shifts from enjoyment to compulsion. In this clip, we break down how the cycle begins, why it escalates so quickly, and how a seemingly small decision can shape years of someone’s life. If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol, this conversation will give you clarity.

We discuss the biology behind withdrawal, the deceptive logic of “just one to take the edge off,” and the moment when drinking stops being about feeling good and becomes about trying to feel normal. We look at how routine behaviour becomes dependence, how high-functioning drinkers hide it in plain sight, and how life slowly reorganises itself around the next drink. This is a candid exploration of compulsion, secrecy and the mental burden of planning a day around alcohol.

You will also hear how everyday situations become logistical challenges when you cannot be away from a drink, why mornings become the most dangerous time, and how the brain’s survival instincts can quietly drive destructive habits. It is an honest account of progression, denial and the tipping points people rarely talk about.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3zqqR2J

YouTube - https://bit.ly/45UHYWv

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

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.

For anyone struggling with these topics Rupert suggests reading Alcohol Explained by William Porter.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

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

Follow Rupert

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rupertsinclairhill

Twitter/X - https://x.com/RupertHill

Follow Oliver

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Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#functioningalcoholic

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