What does it mean to stay when leaving feels easier?

​

In this raw and profoundly human conversation, Brian R. King sits down with author and suicide attempt survivor Chris Carazas, whose life story spans late autism diagnosis, emotional abuse, profound loss, and the slow, gritty work of healing.

​

Chris opens up about growing up ungrounded, discovering he’s autistic at age 35, enduring psychological abuse within his marriage, surviving multiple suicide attempts, and ultimately choosing to rebuild his life- one micro‑win at a time.

This episode explores grief, masculinity, mental health, community, storytelling, and the quiet courage it takes to keep going when you’re not “fixed,” not finished, but still here.

​

You’ll hear about:

- Growing up overseas and feeling chronically unrooted

- Receiving an autism diagnosis later in life, and how it reshaped identity

- Emotional abuse, boundary-setting, and the cost of protecting your mental health

- Two suicide attempts, and the turning point toward recovery

- Returning home to rebuild community, belonging, and self-trust

- Writing an accidental memoir born from grief, love, and survival

- Why healing isn’t cinematic- it’s built from micro‑moments

- The power of men telling the truth about pain, vulnerability, and recovery

​

Chris’s story is not about perfection. It’s about persistence.

​

Healing isn’t linear- it’s built from small, daily choices

​

Sometimes survival starts with a micro‑win: getting out of bed, walking the dog, saying hello.

​

A late autism diagnosis can bring clarity, compassion, and self-understanding.

Emotional abuse leaves real scars, and boundaries can be lifesaving.

Community matters: friends, family, survivor groups, and chosen support systems.

​

You don’t need to be “fully healed” to share your story

For men especially, vulnerability is not weakness; it’s leadership

​

Chris is the author of Now That I’m Still Here: A Memoir of Ruin and Resurrection, a powerful account of trauma, love, grief, survival, and rebuilding a life after everything falls apart.

​

It’s a book for:

- Survivors

- Neurodivergent readers

- Men struggling in silence

- Anyone wondering if healing is still possible

​

If this episode resonated, don’t keep it to yourself—share it with someone who may feel alone, broken, or unsure if staying is worth it.

​

➡️ Follow Chris:

​

Website: ⁠https://chriscarazas.com⁠

Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@ccarazas⁠

Instagram: @christophercarazas

​

Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help more people find stories that remind them: healing is possible- and staying can be a powerful choice.