In this solo episode of The Pulse Of Addiction, Alex Doyle talks honestly about what it means to live “close to the fire” as a front‑line worker in the overdose crisis — working and teaching recovery tools while standing beside the very substances that almost killed you. From midnight outreach on Vancouver Island to camping trips where a forgotten cooler turns into mental torture, Alex breaks down how trauma, cravings, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma collide for peer workers, outreach teams, medics, and sober companions.

You’ll hear the story of a sixteen‑year‑old who overdosed at midnight while family members fought over top of him, and what it feels like to give CPR and Narcan with drugs and alcohol everywhere — without flinching, because it’s “go time” and someone’s kid needs to live. Alex explains how half the brain is using grounding, breathing, and craving‑management tools just to stay sober, while the other half is trying to teach those same tools in real time to the people they’re saving. This episode is for anyone on the front line of addiction, overdose response, harm reduction, and recovery coaching who struggles to “turn off” and have a happy, normal day when work is wall‑to‑wall trauma.

If you’re a peer overdose responder, shelter worker, harm‑reduction volunteer, or recovery coach, this conversation names what you’re living with: burnout, secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and the double life of being both helper and survivor. Alex shares the exact practices he uses to stay clean while working in high‑risk spaces — honest check‑ins, cravings tracking, community support, and faith‑based and evidence‑informed tools that keep his nervous system from snapping.

For listeners looking for practical support beyond the podcast, this episode also connects you with Cedar Path, a lived‑experience recovery and aftercare toolkit you can run on your phone, and Halo Ridge Recovery, a private live‑in recovery program in the mountains above Courtenay, BC, offering structured, trauma‑informed care in a discreet setting.

Cedar Path: https://cedarpath.tech
Halo Ridge Recovery: https://haloridgerecovery.com