Recovering addict uses experience for podcast

A recovering cocaine addict has described receiving hundreds of messages from people seeking help after her podcast was listened to 12 million times in three months.

Hannah Viney, from Witney, Oxfordshire, has opened up about overcoming her decade-long addiction to drugs and alcohol on her podcast Class A People.

The 30-year-old said she wanted to reshape how people view addiction and confront "the underlying personal issues that drive substance abuse".

"If I was watching me when I was in active addiction, I probably would have found that really useful," she said.

Ms Viney said her cocaine habit spiralled into a crippling addiction that resulted in her losing her job.

"That then led to... a relationship breakdown, leaving the home that I shared with somebody and moving back [to live with my parents]," she told BBC Radio Oxford.

A four-day drug and alcohol binge followed and was the turning point when she "decided enough was enough".

Now, six month sober, she shares her experiences on her podcast and social media accounts, which have about 30,000 followers.

Ms Viney said that while she was trying to get sober it would have helped to have more people on podcasts and social media with whom she could identify.

"First and foremost, there weren't any women talking about taking drugs," she said.

"Then when I was listening to sober stuff, it was always based around alcohol."

She said she would have loved to hear more about drug abuse but big brands did not like to work with influencers who "talk about drugs".

Her podcast started exploring the challenges and revelations of her recovery process.

She said she had received more than 400 messages from people battling addiction, seeking advice and support as a result of her podcast and social media posts.

"The bit you have to work out is 'why am I doing this to excess? What am I escaping or what am I trying to gain?" she said.

"Be kind to yourself because that is going to take time."

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