129: Becoming the Best Version of Yourself with Justin Brien129: Becoming the Best Version of Yourself with Justin Brien
You're Sober! Now What?
Tamar talks with mental health advocate and coach Justin Bryan as he shares his long struggle with addiction, depression and anxiety, and the three steps he uses to shape his recovery. Their conversation touches on stigma, the "man up" mentality, and finding purpose in helping others become stronger versions of themselves.
41:19•30 Aug 2021
Becoming Your Strongest Self: Justin Bryan on Addiction, Mental Health and Purpose
Episode Overview
- Admitting, accepting and asking for help are key steps Justin uses to describe lasting change in recovery.
- Alcohol and drugs often mask deeper issues like low self-worth, anxiety and depression rather than fixing them.
- Living by a "man up" mindset can intensify suicidal thoughts; vulnerability and help-seeking are presented as safer alternatives.
- Keeping the past "at the forefront" helps Justin remember why he doesn’t drink, while focusing on the future version of himself he wants to be.
- Simple compassionate actions, such as listening to someone homeless and addicted, can open doors to practical support and renewed hope.
“I used to think I was too smart to be an alcoholic, too strong to be depressed. No, you are not invincible, and it can get you if you're not paying attention.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? This conversation between host Tamar and Canadian mental health advocate Justin Bryan leans right into that question with raw honesty and plenty of humour. Justin shares his 16-year struggle with addiction to alcohol and cocaine, alongside undiagnosed clinical depression, social and general anxiety, and ADHD.
He talks about growing up with a "good" childhood, yet always wanting to be someone else, and how that quiet inner battle fed into his later substance use. At one point he admits, "I used to think I was too smart to be an alcoholic... too strong to be depressed," a belief that kept him from asking for help.
You’ll hear how bartending in Vancouver amplified his drinking, how a friend’s casual remark about him being "funny" on cocaine sparked a dangerous mix of alcohol and drugs, and why he now connects addiction so strongly to unaddressed mental health issues. Justin breaks his recovery into his "three A’s": admit the problem, accept it internally, and ask for help. He’s candid about how acceptance was the hardest part, even after hundreds of doctor appointments, multiple rehabs, and trying different medications.
The episode also touches on stigma, the damaging "man up" mentality, and the power of simply seeing and listening to people who are struggling. Justin describes sitting for an hour and a half with a homeless woman in his town, helping her get support, and showing how small acts of compassion can shift a life.
For anyone in recovery who still compares their story to "real" addicts, or feels weak for struggling with depression or anxiety, this chat offers reassurance that change is possible and worthwhile. Could Justin’s three A’s be the next step in becoming the strongest version of yourself?
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