From $70K Gambling Highs to Substance Use Struggles

In this episode of Recovery Matters, Brian shares his powerful journey from sports and college life to struggling with alcohol, cocaine, and compulsive gambling. He opens up about the chaos of addiction, the turning points that led him into treatment, and how community and recovery gave him a new life. Today, Brian works to support others in recovery, offering hope and connection for anyone struggling with addiction or gambling. 00:00 – Introductions & basketball as an outlet 01:22 – Childhood, family, and sports identity 02:52 – First drink at 14 and finding belonging 05:40 – College years, gambling, and substance use 09:57 – “Getting away with it” and white privilege 11:00 – Gambling wins, cocaine habit, and detox 15:00 – Early treatment attempts and relapse 18:26 – Darkest days in Brooklyn 19:57 – Last bet and last drink 22:45 – Surrender and finding real recovery 25:20 – Building community through sober housing 30:58 – Moving to Connecticut and collegiate recovery work 33:44 – Life in recovery today 35:02 – Advice for someone in their first 24 hours ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery