Unhooked with Jason CoombsUnhooked with Jason Coombs
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Coach Blu Robinson talks with author and Ironman athlete Jason Coombs about his journey from addiction and criminal charges to long-term recovery and leadership in outpatient treatment. The conversation focuses on family support, internal motivation, exercise, and turning mental health diagnoses into practical strengths.
45:26•12 Sept 2022
From Drug Rings to Ironman: Jason Coombs on Turning Diagnosis into a Superpower
Episode Overview
- Outpatient treatment gives people a chance to practise recovery skills in real life and then "return and report" on what worked and what didn’t.
- Family members can help more effectively by understanding stages of change and supporting their loved one to move just one step forward instead of demanding instant transformation.
- Internal motivation is crucial; advice and pressure alone rarely work until the person themselves starts to want a different life.
- "Strong fences make great neighbours"—clear boundaries and love can coexist, allowing families to care without being consumed.
- Physical movement, from walking to Ironman training, can dramatically reduce anxiety, support emotional healing and help turn diagnoses into strengths.
“"We move at the speed of pain."”
How do individuals turn their lives around after addiction? This conversation between Coach Blu Robinson and Jason Coombs gives a raw, practical look at what that can actually look like day to day. Jason, a person in long-term recovery, author of *Unhooked: How to Help an Addicted Loved One Recover* and founder of Brickhouse Recovery, talks through his journey from being charged in a major OxyContin case to running an outpatient treatment programme and finishing Ironman races.
He shares how early recovery included selling bratwurst outside a DIY store, gaining 90 pounds through food addiction, and having one brief chat with a worried dad that made him realise he was "uniquely useful" rather than a "31-year-old loser in a halfway house". The episode focuses strongly on family and loved ones.
Jason breaks down stages of change, that messy back-and-forth of being "ready five hours out of every 24" and how families can respond with boundaries and care at the same time. His line "we move at the speed of pain" sums up why pushing someone harder often backfires, and why patience matters. Fitness fans and reluctant exercisers alike will relate to Jason’s take on movement and mental health.
He explains how ADHD, anxiety and even auditory processing disorder went from "curses" to "superpowers" once he saw exercise and Ironman training as daily mental health treatment rather than a vanity project. Coach Blu keeps things grounded with humour and sports metaphors, tying athletic training to sobriety: you’re not running away from problems, you’re running towards solutions. The chat is especially useful for parents and partners who feel close to giving up, offering practical hope without sugar-coating the struggle.
If you or someone you love is stuck between hope and exhaustion, this conversation might be the nudge that helps you look at recovery—and yourself—a little differently.
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