Racism, Culture, Trauma and Addiction Recovery as a British-Pakistani Muslim

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, we are privileged to sit down with Taz, whose life story spans racism, identity conflict, culture, trauma, addiction, and the long path to redemption.

Born in Britain to Pakistani parents, Taz grew up between cultures – navigating violence, racism, and confusion around faith, masculinity, and belonging. Forced into an arranged marriage, his life spiralled into addiction, offending, and prison before honesty, therapy, and self-reflection helped him rebuild with compassion and clarity.

This episode examines how culture and religion are often conflated, how expectations can fracture identity across generations, and how misunderstanding faith can deepen shame, anger, and emotional repression. Taz speaks with rare openness about guilt, forgiveness, fatherhood, and the truth that recovery begins when survival mode ends.

In this episode:

• Growing up British-Pakistani in 80s and 90s England
• Racism, violence, identity confusion, and early trauma
• The clash between cultural expectations and personal faith
• Arranged marriage, shame, anger and emotional repression
• Prison, relapse, and the realities of addiction
• How honesty, therapy and understanding shaped long-term recovery
• Rebuilding life with compassion and purpose

Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, lived experience stories, trauma and recovery, British-Pakistani lived experience, culture and identity, substance misuse.

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🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

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