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Living Free

The Living Free Crew

Talk on substance misuse, alcoholism and other addictions. Information on support groups is given.

news & politics

All Episodes

Alcoholics Anonymous - Matt on 15SEP2022

Living Free ·

2022/09/15

Matt grew up in a good family, but his dad had been affected by his own father’s drinking and his mum compensated with enabling behaviour. He developed some bad habits at primary school and felt that he was missing out on material things in life. Matt started early to take money, cigarettes and alcohol from his home to share with other kids at school to gain acceptance. He got the taste for alcohol in his very early teens and loved the effect, that feeling of warmth and acceptance.Matt’s drinking

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Al-Anon Family Groups - Mark on 8 September 2022

Living Free ·

2022/09/08

Mark grew up in a household in which his father drank too much and his mother tried to control her husband's behaviour. Naturally, in this situation, conflict ensued. In an attempt to hold his family together in the face of the conflict, Mark often found himself acting as peacemaker and go-between. In this episode, Mark discusses how he found support, first in Alateen where other teenagers shared their experience, strength and hope in dealing with family situations that were similar to his, and then

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Gamblers Anonymous - Ange on 01SEP2022

Living Free ·

2022/09/01

Ange comes back onto the show after another 2 years in Gamblers Anonymous and talks about how she fell into gambling on social media games and how that affected her life. After realizing the impact of her secretive gambling on her husband and family she went to Gamblers Anonymous to address her compulsive gambling.Ange talks candidly about the need to be ready to stop gambling, about the fact that she will always be a compulsive gambler but how embracing the Gamblers Anonymous approach enabled her

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Rethink Addiction - Jess Kennedy on 25AUG2022

Living Free ·

2022/08/25

JESS shares her lived experience of prescription drug addiction and as a peer support worker in Melbourne. Jess also talks about the Rethink Addiction campaign that is aiming to help overcome the stigma and shame associated with addiction and encourage people seek help.Jess is two years into her recovery and is so proud of herself and who she is today. To find out more about Rethink Addiction, then you can go online at rethinkaddiction.org.au and checkout videos of Jess and others that are trying

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Gab on 18AUG2022

Living Free ·

2022/08/18

Gab grew up as the youngest in a loving family and had a normal childhood but suffered anxiety from a young age. Drinking started in her early teens, she didn’t like the taste but loved the effect. Gab was a blackout drunk from the start but didn’t see her drinking as any different from her friends. Her relationships were always centred around alcohol or addiction. Drinking progressed and eventually she hurt those close to her, worried her family and had accidents while drunk. Gab managed to stay

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Gamblers Anonymous - Dan on 11AUG2022

Living Free ·

2022/08/11

Dan talks about how he led a normal life as a kid but was bullied at school and didn’t have many friends. He remembers playing card games for coins with his family and his Nan betting on Kino but no real gambling influences. Dan didn’t like school much and in his late teens he and his friends were into horses and drinking so their university days were not very academic.In his early twenties Dan used to drink, gamble, and drug most weekends and ended up being diagnosed with a liver condition and lost

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Problem Drinking - Michael on 4 August 2022

Living Free ·

2022/08/04

In this episode of Living Free, our invited guest cancelled at the last minute and host, Ann, put out a call to listeners for a person willing to step in as a guest on the show. When Michael called in they had a conversation about the difficulties of recovery and relapse. The Living Free team would like to thank Michael for his willingness to speak on air without preparation and at such short notice. Thank you Michael. If you think that alcohol may be a problem, then Alcoholics Anonymous could help

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The Youth Support and Advocacy Service - Luke Anderson

Living Free ·

2022/07/28

Luke Anderson is a Youth Support Worker. He currently works with YSAS in a residential program to support young people aged 12-21 who are seeking to withdraw from alcohol and drugs. Luke speaks about the YSAS harm minismisation and early intervention approach to working with young people and the broad range of services that YSAS offers throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria.If you would like to find out more about the Youth Support and Advocacy Service, you will find them

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Narcotics Recovery - Waz on 21JUL2022

Living Free ·

2022/07/21

Apologies, the mp3 file is now attached.This show was originally presented by Jude on 20th October 2016 and has not been podcast before.Waz talks about starting to use recreational drugs and ending up addicted to heroin. He used drugs for 25 years and spent several years in prison before getting into detox and experiencing the help of the 12th step recovery fellowships. Waz had been clean for nearly 5 years when Jude interviewed him and was loving the freedom of living life on life’s terms without

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Adult Children of Alcoholics - Alison on 14JUL2022

Living Free ·

2022/07/14

Content Warning - this program features a personal story that includes suicidal thoughts and family abuse and may be triggering so please take care. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea right now you should skip this podcast.Alison grew up in a dysfunctional family and developed an eating disorder before enduring life with an alcoholic stepmother. She subsequently met and married an alcoholic, joined Overeaters Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon Family Groups to deal with the legacy

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Al-Anon and AA - Richard

Living Free ·

2022/06/30

Richard grew up in a large Christian family in suburban Melbourne. Although his childhood was not affected by problem drinking, he learned as a young child to take care of his mother, and to feel responsible when she suffered as a result of her mood disorder. It wasn't until his early adulthood that Richard began to drink large amounts of alcohol and to learn that this gave him relief from a sense of pressure, allowing him to feel comfortable and happy. Drinking eventually resulted in Richard's

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SMART Recovery - Joseph Abdo (Group Facilitator)

Living Free ·

2022/06/23

Joseph Abdo is a NSW-based clinical social worker who specialises in helping people, using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, with their mental health and well-being. He is passionate about the SMART Recovery approach to dealing with compulsive and addictive behaviours. As a SMART Recovery group facilitator he helps group members maintain motivation, cope with urges, solve life problems and live life with more balance. If you're concerned about your own problematic behaviour or the problematic behaviour

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Living Free RADIOTHON - Suzie on 16JUN2022

Living Free ·

2022/06/16

Suzie shares aspects of her alcoholism, the impact it had on her life and on those around her. She drank for 45 years and eventually found sobriety through a Women in Sobriety group in Alcoholics Anonymous when she was 65. Suzie has been sober for over 5 years now and found that abstaining from alcohol with the help of AA was the only way she could get her life back. Suzie volunteered to come back on the show to highlight the importance of 3CR and the Living Free show to get the AA fellowship’s

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Kieran Carroll's 'Enough is Enough', a play about...

Living Free ·

2022/06/09

Kieran Carroll, a playwright based in the Melbourne suburb of Edithvale, has written 'Enough is Enough', a play about problem gambling. Set in a beachside hotel whose gaming room is open until 5am, the play explores the financial, emotional and social impacts of problem gambling. The work was commissioned by the City of Kingston. If you’re having trouble with gambling, or have a friend or family member that does, then maybe Gamblers Anonymous could help – phone (03) 9696 6108 or visit their

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Gamblers Anonymous - Rene on 2 June 2022

Living Free ·

2022/06/02

As a child, Rene loved scratchies, and as a young adult enjoyed nights out at the pokies with his friends . But soon he sensed that he was gambling differently from his friends and at times his friends brought up the subject of his gambling with him. It was on a honeymoon cruise, on a ship with a large casino on board, that it became evident that gambling was going to have a huge impact on Rene's most important relationships. Facing a crisis, Rene eventually found Gamblers Anonymous. He entered his

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SMART Recovery - Clare on 26 May 2022

Living Free ·

2022/05/26

Clare has lived experience of a close relationship with a person whose use of alcohol and opiods is troubling. She found valuable help for how to deal with her difficulties in SMART Recovery and is now a board member of SMART Recovery Australia. She runs an on-line group for families and friends of people whose addictive behaviours are causing difficulties for themselves and others.

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Ben on 19MAY2022

Living Free ·

2022/05/19

Ben grew up with a very loving family and had a usual childhood. Drinking only started around 18 years old and wasn’t serious. That all changed when he married and bought a house that became party central for his friends. Drinking progressed and eventually he suffered alcohol induced blackouts that scared his wife and kids. Ben didn’t realize that his drinking was that bad as he had no memory of the worst parts of his behaviour. It had also started to impact his work life and when he was asked to

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Al-Anon Family Groups - Bill on 12MAY2022

Living Free ·

2022/05/12

This week, after some technical difficulties with the 3CR phone system, we decided to postpone the Gamblers Anonymous interview after 20 minutes and Ann interviewed Bill instead.Bill grew up with an active alcoholic father and as a young adult sought help through an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and was directed to Al-Anon Family Groups. In those early years he met Ann at the Al-Anon meetings and forty years later he discusses the impact of Al-Anon in transforming his relationships, particularly with

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Al-Anon Family Groups - Jan on 5 May 2022

Living Free ·

2022/05/05

Jan grew up in an East Asian country. Her mother, a devout Buddhist, did not speak outside of her home about the problem of alcoholism in her husband. Jan resented her father's behaviour and her mother's submission to it. At school, Jan achieved highly, both academically and in sport, but became rebellious in her teenage years. Only when she had children of her own did she realise how her behaviour must have affected her mother. Eventually, living in Australia, Jan became troubled by the drinking of

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Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous - Bridget and...

Living Free ·

2022/04/28

Bridget and Patrick experienced eating disorders since their childhood, where food became a treat that they treasured above friendships. Eating was never an obvious problem to them, but they sought out large quantities of food and treats as part of their everyday lives. Their eating impacted on their work and relationships, and it was not until later in life, after years of food related problems that they found recovery in Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA). They discovered the discipline and

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