Episode #264. Every day for more than 20 years, Adam Sud woke up to a life that didn’t feel like a safe, secure, or hopeful place to be. Struggling with mental health from an early age and relying on addiction as the only dependable “solution”, he spent years facing each day as the most painful one he’d ever had.

More than a decade on from the turning point in his journey towards recovery, Adam shares his story and some defining realisations that helped shaped the life he is now excited to experience.

Everyone has something to learn from Adam’s story. Regardless of whether you have personally struggled with addiction and mental health, Adam’s profound understanding of behaviour and mindset will resonate with you, and potentially even shift the way you look at your life.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (00:00)
Adam Sud on recovery (04:15)
Why expressing love can be difficult (08:55)
Substance use disorder (Drug addiction) (14:37)
Adam's story (16:46)
Nurturing a child with ADHD (24:42)
Becoming hooked on Adderall (32:41)
Understanding our choices for pleasure (36:09)
Addiction and the fear of judgment (41:00)
Adam's suicide attempt & his treatment and recovery (46:00)
Plant-based diet and the pleasure trap (1:02:21)
Psychological factors behind unhealthy choices (1:09:25)
Remarkable recovery through nutrition (1:18:29)
Self-worth, loneliness, and recovery (1:25:40)
A call for a safer and compassionate approach to drug use (1:31:56)
The INFINITE study (1:41:03)
Adam on hitting rock bottom (1:46:24)
Outro (1:53:46)

To connect with Adam Sud, you can find him on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Don’t forget to visit his website, https://www.adamsud.com/, to learn more about Adam and read about The Infinite Study. Listen to Adam’s past appearances on The Proof in Episode #66 and Episode #144.

Please note that this episode covers disordered eating and suicide. If these topics are potential triggers for you, please listen with discretion or tune in to the next episode. You can find more episodes about mental health that focus less on personal experience here.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

Want to support the show?

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also show your support by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and/or sharing your favourite episodes with your friends and family.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Watch the episodes on YouTube or listen on Apple/Spotify

Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide

Download my complimentary Two-Week Meal Plan and high-protein Plant Performance recipe book

Whoop Senior VP & Data Scientist Emily Capodilupo on sleep for performance