What happens after you ask for help — and the help still does not come?

This episode lives in that space.

In a raw and deeply honest conversation, James opens up about the months that followed reaching out for mental health support — an eight-month wait that became one of the most challenging chapters of his life. It is a story shaped by grief, pressure, responsibility, and the quiet reality that resilience sometimes has to last far longer than anyone warns you it will.

James speaks openly about the weight of being “the happy one” — the person others lean on, the one who keeps everything moving, while slowly unravelling behind the scenes. He shares the reality of supporting a daughter living with a serious eating disorder, navigating a system that keeps shifting the rules, and standing firm in the belief that men’s voices belong at the centre of mental health conversations — not on the margins.

This episode shines a light on experiences many across the UK — and around the world — will recognise:
being reassessed because life circumstances changed, being redirected to new services with fresh waiting lists, and the crushing sense of starting again just as hope begins to return. We also talk candidly about the emotional impact of social media — how curated happiness can deepen isolation, and why honest, balanced stories do far more good than flawless feeds ever could.

But this conversation is not only about what is broken.

It is about what keeps people going.

James shares what is helping now: peer-led spaces like Andy’s Man Club and local initiatives such as Bottled Up Blokes — places where men can walk in, sit down, and be heard without fixing, performing, or pretending. We explore practical tools listeners can use immediately: asking twice, listening properly, setting early warning signs, and choosing one small joy that reliably lifts the day.

For James, that joy arrived unexpectedly — musical theatre nights with his son. For someone listening, it might be a short walk to a community room where someone remembers your name.

This episode is for anyone who has ever:

• waited too long for support
• carried everyone else while neglecting themselves
• masked pain behind humour or strength
• or questioned whether their voice even mattered

If this resonates, follow the show, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review so these stories can reach further.
And when the episode ends, send a message to someone you care about — and ask the second question:

How are you really?

In this episode, we explore:

• men masking pain as “the happy one”
• eight-month waits and redirected mental health support
• grief compounding existing mental health struggles
• supporting a child with an eating disorder
• charities bridging gaps in UK mental health services
• peer groups as fast access, safety, and belonging
• how to ask twice — and truly listen
• social media pressure on men and young people
• early warning signs and personal coping tools
• kindness online and the cost of casual comments
• small joys that build resilience and hope

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Anxiety might not come with a script—but if it did, it would probably sound like Chloe Kent. In this episode, we sit down with the viral comedian whose sharp skits have taken over timelines, and we step past the punchlines to explore the real life beneath them. Chloe opens up about the health spirals that escalate from zero to ten, the catastrophising that hits on planes, in theme parks and at the most inconvenient moments, and the pressure to be “on” at every event, doorstep, and PR night. She talks honestly about the gap between her online character and the quieter human behind it—and why protecting that gap has helped her stay grounded.

We go deep into the reality of working in comedy in 2025: the culture of instant backlash, the shrinking room for error, and the strain of navigating humour in a world where context gets stripped and labels stick. Chloe shares how editing became her creative superpower, giving her the control that the stage never allowed—tight cuts, sharper timing, and humour delivered without unnecessary fallout. We also unpack the difference between online negativity and real-life kindness, and how hearing “you made my day” from someone face to face can silence a thousand anonymous trolls.

At the heart of this conversation is something universal: belief. Losing it, rebuilding it, and leaning on the people who hold it for you when you cannot. Chloe speaks about hacked accounts, grief, rebuilding confidence, and the steadying influence of partners, parents, and friends when the inner critic takes over. Not every creator fits the flashy, jet-set influencer mould—and Chloe is living proof that comedy, creativity, and family life can coexist on your own terms. Her five-year plan is refreshingly real: stay alive for her kids, stay happy enough to keep creating, and keep telling the truth—one joke at a time.

If you’ve ever felt the tug-of-war between panic and performance, or struggled to show up online while holding your life together offline, this episode offers honesty, humour, and a huge amount of relief.

In this episode we cover:

• how daily anxiety both fuels and disrupts comedy
• worst-case thinking, health fears, and spirals
• posting while anxious—and surviving the comment section
• persona vs person: the difference that protects your mental health
• meeting followers in real life (and why they’re kinder offline)
• cancel culture, tighter joke margins, and writing safer, sharper material
• why editing beats the stage for anxious creatives
• industry entitlement, event culture, and choosing not to play the game
• finding support through grief, setbacks and hacked accounts
• simple, powerful goals: stability, joy and sustainable creativity

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A firefighter sits down and opens up about the story most men avoid: how quick decisions, hidden anxiety, and a distorted sense of duty can slowly pull a family apart. Matt’s journey begins with easy credit at eighteen and the adrenaline of dodging consequences, moves through bailiffs at the door and a marriage strained by inconsistency, and eventually ends up in a quiet room where an ADHD diagnosis finally connects the dots.

We dive into the fine line between serving and avoiding, how being “needed” at work can become a shield from being present at home, and why a leadership coach’s blunt warning—“passionate but inconsistent”—hit harder than any siren. Matt resisted medication for two years, relying on discipline, gym sessions, and sleep routines. His breakthrough was simple but profound: fewer mental tabs open, a calm conversation in the car, and a dog walk that felt like peace instead of pressure. The real shift came in a small moment—his daughter asking to play cricket and Matt saying yes without a battle inside. That quiet yes rewired everything.

We explore ADHD beyond the clichés—its overlap with anxiety and low mood, the chemistry behind hyperfocused kitchen renovations and abandoned skirting boards, and the emotional cost of living life in a loop of good intentions and disappointment. There’s no hero arc here, just real steps forward: honest check-ins, simpler routines, water and protein, medication when willpower ran dry, and the courage to be radically honest at home. Alongside Matt’s story, I share the shock of losing an online partnership, rebuilding identity in public, and staying committed to the work you love when everyone has an opinion.

If you’ve ever felt unreliable despite trying your best, or guilty for missing the moments that matter most, this conversation gives you language, insight, and practical tools to reset and begin again.

What we cover:

• how impulsive money decisions spiralled into long-term pressure
• how COVID blurred the line between service and avoidance
• where trust cracked in marriage—and the cost of inconsistency
• what ADHD looked like in real daily life
• why private diagnosis changed everything
• how stimulants improved focus, patience, and presence
• the guilt of missed moments—and the path to repair
• reframing “passionate but inconsistent” at work and home
• hyperfocus wins vs dopamine droughts
• identity, loss, and rebuilding confidence after going public

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a quick review—your words help the next person find theirs.

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