The Courage To Be Honest (Full Episode)The Courage To Be Honest (Full Episode)
Relational Recovery
Wes Thompson and Matthew Demoulin talk about how stigma, denial and illusion make honesty about addiction difficult, and how admitting "I need help" can change everything. Their conversation links personal experience with faith and community as key parts of moving towards recovery.
37:44•1 Sept 2026
The Courage to Be Honest About Addiction and Recovery
Episode Overview
- Stigma and labelling can turn a person into "the addict" and feed deep shame and self‑stigma.
- Denial often starts with denying there is a problem and later denying that change is possible.
- Trying to fix addiction alone can keep someone stuck; professional help and community are often needed.
- Honesty begins with admitting, at least to one safe person, the truth about how bad things really are.
- Recovery moves forward when someone accepts they are not self‑sufficient and reaches out for help, including spiritual support.
“If I don't change something, I'm going to die. And I don't want to die hating myself and hating my life.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation between host Wes Thompson and guest Matthew Demoulin digs into how courage and honesty can shift someone from denial and illusion into real change. You'll hear Matthew break down why being honest about addiction feels so risky. He talks about stigma and labelling, explaining how he went from "Matthew, the athletic, smart individual" to "Matthew, the addict" in the eyes of others.
That shift, and the way family and society reacted, fed his shame and eventually turned into self‑stigma: "Once an addict, always an addict" became a phrase he started to believe about himself. The episode pulls apart denial in stages.
Matthew shares the moment he first realised he was physically dependent on oxycodone, yet spent days convincing himself, "There's no way I'm a drug addict." Later, denial morphed into the belief that he didn't need help because he could "solve my own problems" through sheer willpower. Wes contrasts this with the idea that addiction thrives in secrecy and denial, while recovery thrives in truth, honesty and community.
One of the most gripping parts is Matthew describing a turning point at 3am: "If I don't change something, I'm going to die." That honest admission to himself and a text to his sister opened the door to professional help and a different way of living. Wes connects this to Christian spirituality, pointing to scriptures about confession, truth and a relational God who meets people in their honesty rather than their perfection.
This episode speaks directly to anyone stuck between knowing something is wrong and actually saying, "I need help." It suggests you don't have to be honest with everyone, but someone needs to know "what the hell's going on." Could naming your truth to one safe person be the first courageous step you take today?
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