In this video, you get to watch self growth in real time.I hit play on old episodes of my podcast, Unwritten Chapters, and react to past-me talking about mental health, addiction, trauma, recovery, and life. As a veteran, former addict, and solo podcaster, I break down what’s changed — in my storytelling, my headspace, and my healing.We dig into:How I used to talk about trauma, PTSD, and pain vs. nowThe messy truth of addiction recovery and staying sober long-termSubtle signs of personal growth you only see when you look backWhat I’d tell that earlier version of myself todayHow the podcast evolved from chaotic rambling to honest, grounded conversationsIf you’re somewhere on your own mental health or healing journey — stuck between who you were and who you’re trying to become — I hope this helps you see that growth is allowed to be awkward, imperfect, and in-progress.🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST – UNWRITTEN CHAPTERSSolo episodes on mental health, addiction, recovery, and writing through the hard stuff.👍 If this resonates:Hit Like to help more people find thisSubscribe for more “podcaster reacts,” recovery stories, and real talkComment below: What’s one way you’ve grown that old-you wouldn’t believe?Welcome — I’m Matthew Heneghan: Canadian veteran, former paramedic, addiction survivor and storyteller. After 17 years on the front lines — in the Forces and EMS — I now write, podcast and share stories of trauma, recovery and what comes after the worst of it.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Talking-head reflections on trauma, mental-health work, addiction recovery– Behind-the-scenes of EMS & veteran life — what they don’t teach you in training– Practical tips to cope, heal and build resilience from the rawest possible vantage– Author & podcast updates, plus live discussions about writing your next chapterThanks for being here. Whether you’ve worn a uniform, watched someone struggle, or are simply trying to make peace with your past — you’re not alone. Let’s walk it out together.

In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I talk openly about my experience as an alcoholic and why I no longer see rock bottom as a single, dramatic crash — but as a checkpoint on the way down. I share parts of my own story with alcohol addiction, the moments I thought were “the bottom,” and how life kept showing me there was always a deeper low if I didn’t change.

We explore questions like:

• What does rock bottom really look like in alcoholism?

• Why is rock bottom different for everyone struggling with addiction?

• How do you know when it’s time to ask for help?

• Can you start recovery before you completely lose everything?

If you’re wondering, “Have I hit rock bottom?” or you’re scared of where your drinking is heading, this episode is for you. I talk about shame, relapse, denial, trauma, sobriety, and the small decisions that slowly move you back toward level ground. Rock bottom doesn’t have to be the end of your story — it can be the place you decide to fight for a different one.

Whether you’re in early recovery, still in active addiction, love someone who’s struggling, or are just trying to understand mental health and substance use, I hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone.

🔔 Subscribe for more real talks on trauma, addiction, recovery, and rebuilding life after the fall.
👍 If this episode resonates, please like, share, or leave a comment about your own journey with rock bottom or alcoholism.

#Alcoholism #RockBottom #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #MentalHealth #Trauma #RecoveryJourney #UnwrittenChapters

In this episode of Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma, I sit down at the mic as a Canadian veteran and VAC client to talk about something a lot of us are feeling in our gut right now: the Liberal government’s plan to strip $4.23 billion in “savings” from Veterans Affairs Canada over the next four years—and the way Minister of Veterans Affairs Jill McKnight insists that somehow doesn’t count as a “cut.”

We’ll unpack what Budget 2025 actually says, including the plan to “adjust” medical cannabis benefits by dropping the VAC reimbursement cap from $8.50 to $6.00 a gram, a change Ottawa says will save about $4.4 billion over four years by “aligning with market prices.” On paper, VAC’s overall budget line might still show an increase, but for real people trying to manage PTSD, chronic pain, and day-to-day functioning, these “efficiencies” land as very real reductions in support.

I talk candidly about:

• Watching the Minister play word games about “reinvesting” and “modernizing benefits” on Remembrance Day, while veterans stand on parade being told they’re “never forgotten.”

• What these changes look like from the other side of the counter: phone calls, forms, delays, appeals, and the slow grind of trying to hang on to your VAC benefits when you’re already exhausted.

• My own experience navigating Veterans Affairs Canada with PTSD, injuries, and disability claims—and how policy decisions made in Ottawa actually show up in a veteran’s kitchen when the mail arrives.

• The emotional whiplash of being publicly honoured on one hand, while quietly being told your care is where they’ll “find savings” on the other.

This isn’t a legal breakdown or financial advice—it’s a lived-experience reaction from inside the system. If you’re a Canadian veteran, family member, or ally trying to make sense of what these so-called “savings” mean in real life, this episode is for you.

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