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The Support & Kindness Podcast

The Support & Kindness Podcast

著者： Greg Shaw
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 🌟 The Support & Kindness Podcast – With Greg and Rich Life with mental health challenges, brain injury, TBI, chronic pain, or simply the weight of everyday struggles can feel overwhelming. That’s why we created The Support & Kindness Podcast — a space where compassion, community, and real conversations come together. Each week, Greg and Rich share stories, insights, and practical tools that remind you you’re not alone. From personal experiences to uplifting interviews, we explore how kindness and support can transform lives — one story, one act, one conversation at a time. Expect heartfelt talks, simple steps you can take to spread kindness in your world, and encouragement to keep going, even on the hardest days. Whether you’re seeking hope, healing, or just a gentle reminder that what you do matters, this is your place. 👉 New episodes weekly. Subscribe and join us in building a kinder, more supportive world.
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  • Episode 14: Understanding Chronic Pain - Beyond Hurt

    Episode 14: Understanding Chronic Pain - Beyond Hurt
    2025/12/08
    The Support & Kindness Podcast – Episode 14 Title: Understanding Chronic Pain: Beyond Hurt Recording date: December 6, 2025 Hosts: Greg (host), Rich, Jay, Derek, Sam Important Disclaimer None of the hosts are medical professionals. This episode offers education, validation, and peer support. It is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment or medication. Episode Overview Chronic pain is much more than “something hurts.” It can change: Your bodyYour brainYour relationshipsYour work and financesThe way you see yourself and the world In this episode, Greg and co‑hosts Rich, Jay, Derek, and Sam sit down for an honest, vulnerable conversation about: What it’s really like to live with ongoing painWhat helps them keep going What Is Chronic Pain? Greg opens with a simple grounding definition: Chronic pain = pain that lasts longer than normal healing timeUsually 3–6 months or more It’s different from acute pain, which is your body’s early warning system that something is wrong. When pain persists, the nervous system can become overly sensitive, so: Ordinary sensations or minor activities can feel disproportionately painful. Chronic pain doesn’t stay in one box. It can: Impact on the Body Weaken the immune system Easier to get sickHarder to recover Affect heart and circulation Higher blood pressureFatigueChanges in heart rate Disrupt digestion NauseaAppetite changesStomach issues Change weight Weight loss or weight gainOften tied to changes in activity, appetite, and medication side effects Affect breathing Shallow, tight breathingEspecially when pain and anxiety show up together Turn everyday tasks into major challenges Walking, standing, cleaning, cooking, showeringOn the worst days, even brushing your teeth or taking a shower can feel impossible Force changes in hobbies and movement Sports, crafts, music, and exercise may need to be: ReducedAdaptedPaused or stopped How Chronic Pain Affects the Mind Chronic pain doesn’t just live in the body. It also changes how the mind works. Brain Fog & Concentration Losing words mid‑sentenceForgetting thingsStruggling to focus on simple tasks Decision Fatigue Even small choices feel huge: What to do nextWhether to go outWhether to cook or order in It can feel like climbing a mountain when you’re already exhausted. Motivation Shifts You may still want thingsBut feel too drained or overwhelmed to start This often feeds: GuiltShameSelf‑criticism Especially in a world that celebrates “pushing through” pain instead of respecting limits. Emotional & Social Impact Greg and the co‑hosts talk about how chronic pain affects: EmotionsIdentityRelationships Common emotional and social impacts: Anxiety & Stress Fear of flare‑upsWorries about the future, work, and moneyFeeling like life is shrinking Self‑Image & Self‑Esteem Feeling “broken,” “lazy,” or “not enough”Especially when people don’t understand or don’t believe you Coping with Substances Some people turn to alcohol or drugs trying to get reliefIt’s completely understandable—and can still create serious problems later Isolation Canceling plans at the last minuteMissing family eventsLeaving early to lie downWithdrawing because you don’t want to disappoint people Family Roles When a partner, parent, or caregiver lives with pain, roles at home often shift. This can be stressful for everyone involved Intimacy Physical closeness and sex can become: PainfulComplicatedHard to talk about Even in loving relationships. Work & Money Missed daysReduced hoursLosing a job entirelyOngoing medical bills and treatment costs The Invisible Side of Chronic Pain One of the hardest parts, as Greg puts it, is that chronic pain is often invisible. People around you might say: “You don’t look sick.”“You were fine yesterday.”“It’s probably stress.” Scans and blood tests may come back “normal” even when the pain is intense. Pain is complex: it involves both body and brain, and current tests don’t capture everything. Greg emphasizes: “If you live with chronic pain, even if tests show nothing, your pain is still real. Your experience is valid and it matters. Not seeing anything on a scan doesn’t mean you’re imagining it or making it up.” Co‑Host Stories & Key Insights Greg invites each co‑host to share three things: How their pain beganOne emotional or social challengeOne practical strategy that helps them get through the day Rich – Migraines, TBI, Missing Milestones How it began: Multiple car accidents as a teenLayered on top of earlier sports concussionsLed to traumatic brain injuries, headaches, and migraines that still affect him decades later Social/emotional impact: Avoided concerts, sporting events, noisy environmentsLight and sound could turn a headache into a full migraineMissed holidays, left gatherings early, skipped “fun times” to lie down with a washcloth ...
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    31 分
  • Episode 13: Holiday Stress!

    Episode 13: Holiday Stress!
    2025/11/30
    The Supporting Kindness Podcast Episode 13 – Holiday Stress! Hosts: Greg • Rich • Derek • Liam Episode Overview The holidays are often sold as “cozy lights and warm connections,” but for many people, this time of year is complicated, heavy, and sometimes painful. In this episode, Greg and co-hosts Rich, Derek, and Liam talk openly about the hidden side of the holidays: anxiety, family tension, substance use, money stress, loneliness, and the pressure to “be cheerful” when you’re barely holding it together. They share personal stories, name common holiday triggers, and offer simple, practical tools to help you get through the season with more kindness toward yourself—whether that looks like taking grounding breaths in your car, stepping away to the bathroom to reset, breaking the ice with a family member, or planning an early exit with a safe word. This is a compassionate, honest conversation for anyone who feels like the holidays are “supposed to” be joyful but often hurt instead. Main Themes & Key Topics The gap between holiday expectations and realityHow crowds, travel, and routine changes affect anxiety and moodMoney stress, shame, and “not doing enough”Family dynamics, estrangement, and painful historySubstance use, “pre-gaming,” and relapse triggersLoneliness, isolation, and feeling left outSimple, actionable coping tools for holiday gatheringsBoundaries, planned exits, and saying no without guiltGrounding items and strategies to stay present and safe Notable Quotes & Observations by Each Host Greg – Naming the Hidden Holiday Struggles Greg opens the episode by validating the quiet pain a lot of people feel this time of year but rarely say out loud. “For some people, the holiday season is cozy lights, warm connections, and beloved traditions. But for many people, it feels very different. It's a tight chest when you enter a crowded mall… anxiety before a family gathering that has complicated dynamics… or quiet hurried loneliness when everyone else seems to have plans and you do not.” Key points from Greg: Acknowledges multiple layers of holiday stress: crowds, money pressure, travel, family dynamics, loneliness, and mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, self-harm urges, and suicidal thoughts. Challenges the myth that “everyone else” is enjoying perfect holidays: You might be thinking: “Everyone else can do this, so why can't I?” Normalizes struggle: “If you are struggling, you're not broken and you're definitely not alone.” Highlights practical tools they’ll cover: Breathing exercisesPlanned exits and leaving earlySafe words with friends or partnersComfort items (stress balls, noise-canceling headphones, photos, etc.)Saying “no” without guilt Key observation: The goal isn’t to make the season seem darker, but to be honest about what many people quietly go through and offer support rather than shame. Rich – Anxiety, Crowds, Travel, and Turning to Substances Rich speaks candidly about how the structure of the holidays collides with his anxiety and need for routine. “For me, it's definitely in crowds, travel disruptions, around routine, and just my need to do grounding exercises to handle that.” Key points from Rich: Crowds and overstimulation: New people and crowded environments are particularly hard for him. Travel and disrupted routines: Long drives, airports, and visiting people interfere with: Sleep and scheduleDietMedicationCaffeine intake Those disruptions make the holidays more stressful than they appear from the outside. Perceived pressure to act differently: He feels there’s a social expectation to “show up” in a certain way during the holidays, even if he’s not sure how universal it is.As a parent, he tries not to pass that pressure onto his kids. Substances as a “solution” to anxiety: “I've realized that I even turn to prescription medications… it doesn't matter what it is, I turn to substances to solve my problems.” He relates to: “Preemptive” use before gatheringsUsing both prescribed medications and other substances as a way to get ready for social situations. Practical tool – breathing as a reset: “All I needed to do was some breathing exercises… a couple deep inhales, count to five, few exhales, and just ground myself.” He shares an example of nearly bailing on a holiday gathering, but taking a few moments to: Breathe deeplyGround himselfRemind himself where he was and what was happening Doing that allowed him to attend and actually enjoy the event. Derek – Family Rituals, Vices, and Strategic “Bathroom Breaks” Derek reflects on how holiday rituals in his family were shaped around his mother’s emotional state and how coping patterns formed around that. “It was all based around how she was, what she was wanting and how she was feeling and what would help her ease the pain or heightened anxiety or stress of the holidays. And then the rest of us would ...
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    17 分
  • Episode: 12 – Substance Use Nostalgia

    Episode: 12 – Substance Use Nostalgia
    2025/11/23
    Title: Substance Use Nostalgia – When “Good Memories” Become Risky Triggers Podcast: The Support and Kindness Podcast Episode: 12 – Substance Use Nostalgia Release Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025 Hosts: Greg (host), with co-hosts Derek, Rich, Liam, and Jay Episode Summary In this powerful and honest episode, the team explores “substance use nostalgia” – that pull to look back on past drinking or drug use as if it were all fun, freedom, and connection, while conveniently forgetting the harm and consequences. Greg and his co-hosts talk about how this kind of nostalgia can quietly become a major relapse trigger, especially when it shows up as: A favorite song from your using daysOld hangouts or people you used to party withPhotos, objects, or even “art” related to substancesEmotional upheaval, loneliness, or stress Each person shares personal examples of nostalgia, cravings, and triggers, along with the tools they use to stay grounded in recovery. The group emphasizes that having memories of using doesn’t mean you’re failing. Cravings and nostalgic thoughts are normal – what matters is how you respond to them. By the end, listeners walk away with practical strategies (like the “3 R’s” and HALT), reassurance that they’re not alone, and reminders that there is also such a thing as positive nostalgia in recovery. Key Concepts From Greg Substance use nostalgia defined: “Substance use nostalgia… is a dangerous distortion of that feeling. It's a longing for the feelings and the experiences associated with drugs, substances, or alcohol, and it's a significant trigger for relapse.”It romanticizes the past by: Highlighting the highs: euphoria, social connection, escapeFiltering out the lows: hangovers, withdrawal, embarrassment, consequences “It's a mental trap… creating internal conflict between the desire for recovery and the idealized memory of using.” Triggers and cravings: Triggers are cues that remind the brain of past substance use: Internal: thoughts, feelings, body states (HALT: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired), sadness, anxietyExternal: people, places, paraphernalia, celebrations, and even overconfidence “A craving is a temporary wave that fades if you don't give in.” The 3 R’s – Immediate internal coping protocol: Recognize: “Recognize the feeling for what it is – it's a craving.”Remind: “Remind yourself that you don't have to act on it.”Remove: “If possible, remove yourself from that situation.” On his own triggers (inhalants): “Just seeing that canister… I could taste it. I could taste the sensation, I could taste the fluttering in my chest as my heart was speeding up… I could feel that euphoric wave rising up from within me.”Greg avoids keeping inhalant products at home and uses a battery-powered blower instead of canned air: “I can't tempt fate.” Closing reassurance: “If you feel that pull back to the old using days, you're not broken and you're not alone.”“A craving is like a wave – it rises and it falls and you don't have to ride it all the way to relapse.” Key Insights From Rich On romanticizing the past: “It romanticizes the past… and it can be really dangerous to romanticize former drug use. You're putting yourself back in that position, putting yourself back in that place.”He notes how quickly a song, a social memory, or a visual reminder can transport you back to those moments. Long-term abstinence and changing relationship to cravings: “Having a very, very long time abstinent… 27 years… my cravings are not… I don't view them as threatening, I don't view them as craving. I view them purely as memory, purely as memory of youth and nothing more.”Contrast with early recovery: “When they were fresh, when I was newly sober, they were aggressive cravings. They were things that I fought against. And that's the path of recovery.” Blotter paper and subtle triggers: Rich shares a unique example: looking at “blotter paper” art (LSD on paper with designs): “I came here to look at artwork… but it very quickly devolved into people discussing strength of dosages and all sorts of… facts about drug on paper, not art on paper, and I had to excuse myself.” Interesting observation: Even something that seems harmless or “artistic” can shift into a drug-glorifying conversation.He acknowledges he was “probably walking a line in the first place” just by engaging with that content. Noteworthy point: Rich emphasizes the importance of “focusing on the whole picture” of substance use, not just the highlights: “Not just remembering the feeling of the high, but… the ways that it affected you and your life, all aspects of your life.” Key Insights From Liam On mixed memories – joy and pain: “I have so many memories that revolve around substance use… The problem… there's a lot of good in those memories because it also revolved around music.”He played many gigs, ...
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    20 分
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