In this first episode of the SAFE SPACE series we're going to find out what it's like to live with an addiction to Methamphetamine, also known as Ice. Jess sits down with 51 year old mum Nicole who survived 28 years of drug abuse and has now been abstinent from all substances for seven and a half years.

Nicole shares her experience of living with an addiction, the initial allure of the drug, and the devastating impact it had on her life, relationships, and body. There is so much we can learn from Nicole about what addiction does to your brain, the importance of the words we do or don't use when it comes to drug use, as well as the judgements we can unfairly make when we see people affected by drugs.

Nicole is now a senior peer support worker at Mission Australia and helps guide people through addiction into recovery.

Content Warning: This is a conversation about substance addiction and you'll hear some detailed descriptions of the damage that addiction can do to your mind and body, it also touches on suicide.

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LINKS:

If you need support or want to learn more about substance addiction the National Alcohol and other drug hotline provides confidential support for people struggling with addiction. You can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 1800 250 015.

Family Drug Support is also available 24/7 if you're dealing with drug and alcohol use in your family and after some support 1300 368 186

And if anything in this story has caused you distress you might like to contact lifeline 13 11 14.

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CREDITS:
Host: Jessica Rowe
Guest: Nicole Bowering
Executive Producer: Nic McClure
Audio Producer: Nat Marshall
Digital Content Producer: Zoe Panaretos

The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show acknowledges the Gadigal people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples here today.

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