The Courage To Be Honest (Episode 3)
The Courage To Be Honest (Episode 3)

Relational Recovery

Wes Thompson and Austin Hill talk about denial in addiction, sharing a personal account of dependence on prescription drugs and the relational cost of hidden habits. Their conversation contrasts the secrecy that fuels addiction with the honesty and community they say are essential for recovery.

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7:02•3 Sept 2026

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The Courage to Be Honest About Addiction and Denial

Episode Overview

Addiction is often minimised when it appears in socially acceptable forms like overworking, food issues, or excessive exercise.
A key test of any behaviour is how it affects relationships with spouses, children, and others close to you.
Denial can show up first as refusing to admit there is a problem, even in the face of clear physical dependence.
A second kind of denial appears later, as the belief that life will never change and that recovery is impossible.
The conversation emphasises that addiction grows in secrecy, while recovery grows through truth, honesty, and supportive community.

“Addiction thrives in denial and in secrecy and I think the point we're trying to make is that recovery thrives in truth and honesty and obviously in community.”

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode of Relational Recovery leans into that question by talking honestly about denial, dependence, and the courage it takes to face the truth about addiction. Host Wes Thompson and co-host Austin Hill frame addiction through a relational lens, asking a simple but uncomfortable question: how are your behaviours showing up in your relationships?

Whether it’s workaholism, food, exercise, or drugs, they push past the stereotype of “worst case” addiction and look at the more socially acceptable patterns that still quietly damage families, marriages, and friendships. One of the hosts shares a raw story about realising he was physically dependent on OxyContin, describing waking up sick, assuming he had the flu, then finding all his symptoms vanished within seconds of using again.

As he puts it, years of failed attempts can morph into the belief that “this is my life, I’m never going to make it out of it.” At the heart of the conversation is a clear, challenging line: “addiction thrives in denial and in secrecy and … recovery thrives in truth and honesty and obviously in community.” With their mix of Christian spirituality, psychology, and personal experience, Wes and Austin speak to anyone who feels stuck between “it’s not that bad” and “I’m never getting better.” If you’ve ever downplayed your habits or compared yourself to “worse” people to feel better, this episode might hit close to home.

That moment sparks what he calls a “tale of two denials”: first, denying there’s a problem at all, and later, denying that change is even possible. It gently asks: what would it look like to be fully honest about where you’re at—and who might be ready to walk that road with you?

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