Addiction By Design: Blow up The Pokies | Kate Seselja

Losing It All To Finding Hope: The Worst Day | Part 2 | Kate Seselja

She lost $12,000 chasing one machine. Months later, she nearly lost her life. In this deeply emotional episode of Slaying Sober, Kate Seselja shares the devastating reality of gambling addiction, shame, suicidal thoughts, recovery, and hope. Kate opens up about: • Losing everything to gambling addiction • The emotional impact on her family • The night she almost took her life • The powerful moment her son changed her perspective forever • Why she founded The Hope Project • How the gambling industry manipulates people by design • Rebuilding identity, dignity, and hope after addiction This is one of the most raw and honest conversations about addiction, mental health, recovery, and healing you’ll hear. Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions around suicide, addiction, gambling harm, and mental health struggles. 00:00 – Introduction to Part 2 00:46 – Trigger Warning 01:04 – Irrational behaviour during gambling addiction 01:19 – Losing $12,000 chasing one machine 03:10 – Sitting in the car after losing everything 04:07 – Family impact of gambling addiction 05:51 – “Addiction by design” explained 06:17 – Kate’s rock bottom moment 06:55 – The night she almost took her life 08:23 – What kept her alive 09:17 – Living with shame and self-hatred 10:30 – The counsellor who changed everything 11:30 – Reconnecting with her identity and humanity 12:00 – The “plastic bag of shame” analogy 12:48 – James shares his addiction experience 14:42 – Compassion from loved ones during recovery 17:23 – Gratitude for family and survival 19:00 – The moment her son saved her life 20:33 – “Everyone makes mistakes” 21:51 – Hopelessness and suicide 22:22 – Why Kate founded The Hope Project 24:42 – Addiction and isolation 25:28 – Gambling harm in Australia 27:11 – Fighting the gambling industry 28:47 – How gambling apps manipulate users 31:21 – Betting apps and psychological targeting 34:10 – “Gambling almost took everything from me” 35:00 – Helping one million people find hope 36:17 – Final reflections on recovery and healing 37:05 – Closing message If this conversation impacted you: * Like the video * Share your thoughts in the comments * Subscribe for more real conversations about addiction, recovery, healing, and hope. #GamblingAddiction #MentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #SuicidePrevention #Podcast #HealingJourney #MentalHealthAwareness #RecoveryPodcast #EmotionalStory #HopeProject #TraumaHealing #SelfWorth #GamblingHarm #InspirationalStories #SlayingSober #AddictionAwareness #PodcastClips #Healing #Hope

Addiction By Design: Blow up The Pokies | Kate Seselja

What if the thing destroying your life was designed to feel like entertainment? In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Kate Seselja shares the devastating reality of gambling addiction and how poker machines are engineered to hijack the human brain through psychological manipulation, dopamine triggers, near misses, and “losses disguised as wins.” For 15 years, Kate was trapped in a cycle that nearly cost her everything: her money, marriage, health, identity, and almost her life. This episode is not just about gambling. It’s about shame, addiction, trauma, recovery, and how predatory systems profit from human vulnerability. Kate now uses her voice to fight for gambling reform in Australia and help others understand the truth behind addiction by design. Timestamps: 00:00 – The hidden psychology behind poker machines 02:20 – Kate Seselja’s introduction 03:14 – “Addiction by design” explained 04:42 – Why Kate never identified as “an addict” 07:41 – Australia’s gambling culture and normalization 11:18 – Kate’s first experience with poker machines 14:21 – The dopamine rush of winning 16:20 – Gambling addiction and suicide risk 17:57 – Addiction beyond drugs 20:56 – Gambling harm in Australia 23:08 – How the addiction escalated 26:02 – “Losses disguised as wins” explained 27:31 – How poker machines manipulate the brain 29:12 – The machine overrides human instincts 30:53 – The “zone” and psychological hijacking 32:58 – Government funding and gambling industry research 34:34 – Final reflections and hope If this conversation resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who may need it. Subscribe for more honest conversations around addiction, recovery, mental health, and hope. #GamblingAddiction #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #PokerMachines #RecoveryJourney #CasinoAddiction #Psychology #TraumaRecovery #Hope #SuicidePrevention #Podcast #SlayingSober #MentalHealthAwareness #HumanBehavior #RecoveryPodcast

Prison Parole & Personal Training | Chrissoula

She survived 20 years of heroin addiction, multiple overdoses, prison, and parole. Then she picked up a barbell — and everything changed. Chrissoula D'Orsogna went from injecting heroin at 14 after a high-speed police chase left her with a fractured pelvis, to becoming a certified personal trainer empowering women to build strong, sober lives. In this raw and deeply moving episode of Slaying Sober, Chrissoula opens up about: * The car accident that sparked her 20-year heroin addiction * Surviving multiple overdoses and years in and out of prison * The moment in rehab when strength training saved her life * How she built a thriving fitness career — 10+ years clean * Why moving your body is the #1 cure for depression and anxiety * Her message to women in their 40s who think it's too late to start * This is not just a recovery story. This is proof that anything is possible — no matter how far you've fallen. Subscribe + hit the bell so you never miss a story like this. Follow Us on Instagram → @slayingsoberpod Trigger Warning: This episode contains honest discussion of drug use, overdose, incarceration, and suicide. Please listen only if it's safe for you to do so. ---------------------------------------- CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Introduction: Chrissoula's Story 01:50 – How to Support Slaying Sober 02:19 – Trigger Warning 02:38 – Interview Begins 03:29 – What Chrissoula Does Now as a Personal Trainer 04:42 – The Mind-Body Connection in Recovery 05:39 – 10+ Years Clean & Sober 06:44 – Growing Up Lonely on a Farm 07:38 – First Experiences with Drugs 09:32 – The Car Accident That Changed Everything 37:43 – What's Next for Chrissoula 41:38 – Message to Her Younger Self ---------------------------------------- #SlayingSober #AddictionRecovery #SoberLife #HeroinRecovery #StrengthTraining #SoberFitness #RecoveryIsPossible #MentalHealthAwareness #WomenWhoLift #SoberCommunity #FitnessMotivation #PersonalTrainer #OvercomeAddiction #RecoveryPodcast #SoberLiving #CleanAndSober #FitnessJourney #WomenEmpowerment #MindBodyConnection #TransformationStory #RecoveryStories #BreakingFree #SoberStrong #AddictionAwareness #HopeInRecovery #PodcastForWomen #FitnessOver40 #SoberAF #YouAreWorthy #NeverGiveUp

Groomed By A Celebrity Overdosed at 19, and Stayed Silent for 25 Years | Mark Porter

At 19, Mark Porter trusted an older mentor he met through a support line. What happened next would shape the next 25 years of his life. In this deeply emotional episode of Slaying Sober, Mark shares his story of grooming, sexual assault, addiction, overdose, depression, and the long journey toward healing and recovery. The man he says assaulted him would later become a nationally known football personality — while Mark suffered in silence. This episode is raw, confronting, and ultimately hopeful. Topics discussed: • Childhood & identity struggles • Grooming & abuse trauma • Addiction & overdose • Mental health battles • Silence, shame & survival • Recovery & healing Trigger Warning: Sexual abuse, addiction, overdose, depression, suicide, and trauma. If this conversation moved you, please subscribe, like, and share to help more people feel less alone. Follow Slaying Sober for more powerful stories of recovery and resilience. #SlayingSober #MarkPorter #Podcast #TraumaRecovery #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #SurvivorStory #HealingJourney #RecoveryPodcast #TrueStory #EmotionalInterview #MentalHealthMatters #OverdoseAwareness #SpeakYourTruth #PodcastEpisode #LifeStory #RecoveryJourney #YouAreNotAlone #AustralianPodcast #Storytelling

The Magic Of Soberity | Fame, Alcohol, Hope & Curiosity | Ben Murphy

Alright—here’s a more high-impact, “top YouTuber style” description (think storytelling + hooks + retention + SEO): --- YouTube Description: What if the life everyone envies… is the one quietly breaking you? In this episode of Slaying Sober, magician, illusionist, and media personality Ben Murphy reveals the truth behind the spotlight—where sold-out shows, red carpets, and celebrity status collide with loneliness, addiction, and inner chaos. From being a bullied kid searching for belonging… to becoming a global performer living the “rockstar lifestyle”… Ben shares how alcohol slowly became his escape—and his prison. But here’s the turning point: After hitting rock bottom, Ben chose a different path. Today, he’s over 6 years sober—and his perspective will challenge everything you think you know about happiness, success, and control. 💬 “Even my worst day sober is better than my best day drunk.” This conversation is raw, funny, emotional—and real. If you’ve ever felt lost, overwhelmed, or stuck in a cycle you can’t break… this one’s for you. --- ⚡ Why You Should Watch: • The dark side of fame no one talks about • How addiction rewires your thinking • The truth about loneliness and identity • A real, honest sobriety journey (no filters) • Practical mindset shifts that can change your life --- 📢 If this hits you… Subscribe for more real stories. Share it with someone who needs it. You might change a life. --- 🔍 Keywords (SEO): addiction recovery story, sobriety motivation, mental health podcast, inspirational life story, alcohol addiction help, self improvement mindset, emotional storytelling, success vs happiness #AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #MentalHealth #Motivation #PodcastClips #SelfImprovement #Inspiration #LifeStory #Healing #StayStrong