May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month shines a light on the struggles that so many people silently face every day, and it also reminds us of the deep connection between mental health and addiction. For many, substance abuse begins as an attempt to cope with anxiety, depression, trauma, loneliness, or emotional pain. What starts as an escape can quickly become a cycle that affects every part of a person’s life and the lives of the ones they love. Recovery is not just about putting down drugs or alcohol — it’s about healing mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well. By breaking the stigma around both addiction and mental health, we create space for honest conversations, support, and hope for those still suffering. Every show is about mental health but tune in all month long for a little extra (which kinda describes us overall). We'll be bringing on medical professionals throughout the month to provide professional prospective to the broadcast.
5/11 Episode 204: Family Matters
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone out there in garbage land!
Brad’s sister, Jennifer, joined us alongside Brad for a powerful and heartfelt conversation on a very special Mother's Day edition of Talkin' Trash. So many people fear that getting sober means giving up fun, and many of us in long-term recovery remember feeling exactly that way. But as time passes, we stop comparing ourselves to others and start identifying with them instead. We realize we’re not alone, and when that happens, real joy and genuine fun begin to return. We’re grateful Jennifer spent the evening with us, and we look forward to catching up with her again soon. And of course, we also learned tonight that Winston Churchill’s mother apparently invented both Mother’s Day and modern plumbing. What an absolute legend.
5/6 Episode 203: A Family Solution
Tonight’s show was blessed with a father-daughter duo whose connection transcended addiction and recovery. In this extra-long edition of Talkin’ Trash, we heard from two addicts representing two very different generational perspectives on addiction, mental health, and recovery. We first heard from Brody, whose story was filled with both life experiences and the challenges of starting a family at a young age. He shared his journey through more than 20 years of active addiction, but perhaps the most powerful message was the one left unspoken. The bond between father and daughter was something both the hosts and audience could genuinely feel.
5/3 Episode 202: Carolina On My Mind
The team welcomed a powerful guest from south who recently celebrated two years of sobriety. He shared an honest and relatable perspective on what it takes to stay clean, emphasizing consistency, accountability, and learning to face life without escaping it. He was right at home with the squad as the 5 shared their similar views on addiction, recovery, relapse and treatment. His message hit home—it was real, hard-earned, and relatable, highlighting both the struggles and the quiet victories that come with long-term recovery. If our target demographic was males age 40-50 who survived addiction from 1998-2012, we nailed it. For everybody else, pull up a chair, addicts say the darnedest things.
4/29 Episode 201: Can't Win 'Em All
The boys were shorthanded tonight while they tackled the topic of patience in addiction recovery. With some last-minute changes behind the scenes, the episode had an unpolished, off-the-cuff energy that actually mirrored the reality of recovery itself—imperfect, unpredictable, and constantly evolving. Despite it being amateur hour, the boys landed on their feet touching on meaningful insights, highlighting how patience isn’t just about waiting, but about trusting the process even when things feel chaotic. The candid nature of the episode gave it an authentic edge tying in our addictive thinking when it comes to instant-gratification.
4/26 Our 200th Episode
Talkin’ Trash hits a major milestone with its 200th episode, a testament to the power of honest conversation, shared experience, and the strength of the recovery community and our growing found family. What started as a space to talk openly about addiction and healing has grown into a platform that’s impacted countless lives, offering hope, laughter, and real connection along the way. This moment isn’t just about the number—it's about every host's time, it’s about every guest who showed up, every story that was told, and every listener who found a piece of themselves in the message. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the show over the years—this journey wouldn’t be possible without you.
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The show, the website, the production, software etc... the expenses are incurred by the team because we firmly believe, you only keep what you have by giving it away. We encourage you to donate to specific guests as well. Add a note or send anonymously and we'll get it to a very grateful recovering addict.
