Season 3 - Episode 16: My Chat with Nicola Rees

What if alcohol wasn't just something you drank – but something you'd unknowingly been using to regulate your brain? In this episode, I'm joined by Nicola Rees from Nourish Not Numb for a raw and fascinating conversation about neurodivergence, addiction and recovery. Nicola is autistic and has ADHD, but didn't receive her diagnosis until after she got sober. Looking back, she can now see how alcohol, drugs and prescription medication became ways of quietening an incredibly busy brain, coping with overwhelm, masking and functioning in a world that often felt too much. We talk about Nicola's progression from teenage drinking and drug use to severe alcohol dependence, the experience that eventually led her into rehab, and why traditional approaches to recovery didn't always make sense to her neurodivergent brain. We also explore what happened when she removed alcohol and her neurodivergent traits became even more apparent, the relief – and grief – that came with finally receiving a diagnosis, raising neurodivergent children, learning new ways to regulate, and why recovery for Nicola has ultimately meant simplifying her life rather than constantly trying to cope with one that doesn't suit her. Neither Nicola nor I are trained professionals in neurodivergence or addiction, and this conversation isn't intended as medical advice or diagnosis. It's simply two women sharing lived experience and asking an important question: when alcohol has become your way of switching off, what might be underneath the need to switch off in the first place? Get in touch: Nic Instagram @nourishnotnumb Abi 30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset Available here - www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Instagram @levelup.withabi Email hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Affiliate links:  Terps & Co. www.drinkterps.co.nz - enter code ABI20 for 20% off storewide I use Riverside.fm for my podcast editing software. Click the link below to find out more! https://www.riverside.fm/?utm\_campaign=campaign\_5&utm\_medium=affiliate&utm\_source=rewardful&via=abi My podcast episodes are hosted and distributed by Buzzsprout. Click the link below for a $20 Refer a Friend voucher (T&Cs apply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer\_id=2404910 Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2