Ep 44. War of the mind: one soldier’s story of PTSD, self-medication and recovery, with Jon Wynn

In this week’s episode I’m speaking with ex-military, fitness and sobriety coach Jon Wynn. Jon grew up in regional Australia and was exposed to drinking at a young age however he didn’t start abusing alcohol and other drugs until he joined the military. After receiving a gunshot wound on tour in Afghanistan, he returned home with a sense of invincibility coupled with an insatiable urge to drown out the noise in his head. Struggling with PTSD, Jon felt as though he couldn’t ask for help for fear of stigma and potentially losing his job. The greatest fight for his life began when Jon left the military and started his long road to recovery. Today, Jon is free from the nightmare of PTSD and is living a fulfilled life clean and sober. Jon shares his story in the hope that it can help remove the stigma and support other people struggling with mental health conditions. Some of the topics we cover in this conversation include:Rehab Intervention – 7:30Coping Mechanisms – 12:40Joining the Military – 19:23The mental impact of being shot in battle – 23:48Losing your identity – 28:40 Mental health stigmatisation – 33:08 Self-medicating PTSD – 38:05The fight to live – 42:18Fitness and recovery – 48:13To see Jon’s Behind The Smile photo, head to Ash’s website. You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss You can find Jon using the links below:Website: Jon Wynn Fitness and Sobriety Instagram: @jonwynnfitnessandsobriety If you or someone you know if struggling with mental health or addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include:•A healthcare professional•Alcoholics Anonymous•Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia)•CheckPoint (global)If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" by following the link below:⁠YES I'D LOVE TO SUPPORT BEHIND THE SMILE PODCAST ⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.