Addiction rarely starts with the substance.

In this episode of the No One Is Normal Podcast, I sit down with Jennifer Chase, recovery coach, speaker, and founder of Rise Addiction Life Coaching, to talk about addiction from three perspectives: daughter of an alcoholic, addict, and mother of a child struggling with addiction.

Jennifer shares how trauma, childhood instability, and years of emotional pain shaped the path that eventually led her into addiction after a brain tumor surgery left her living in chronic pain and prescribed opioids.

She opens up about the guilt of realizing she had unintentionally become part of her son’s addiction story, the shame that followed, and what finally shifted when the consequences of addiction outweighed the relief addiction once provided.

We talk about trauma, people-pleasing, masking, and how many addictions are lessabout weakness and more about trying to survive emotional pain. Jennifer sharesone of the most powerful mindset shifts of the episode:

Not “What’s wrong with you?” but “What happened to you?”

We also discuss the stigma surrounding addiction, why society judges some copingmechanisms while praising others, and why empathy and accountability can existat the same time.

This conversation is about healing, responsibility, recovery, and the possibility ofrebuilding — even after life feels completely broken.

🌐 Learn more about Jennifer Chase: https://www.riseaddictionlc.com

💜 Need help or support?Jennifer welcomes outreach through her website if you or someone you love isstruggling with addiction or recovery.

🔗 More from me:
🎙️ Podcast & episodes: https://www.bradhhill.com/podcast
📖 Book (Print + Kindle): https://a.co/d/06CoAtVF
🎧 Audiobook on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/No-One-Is-Normal-Breaking-Free-from-Normal-Audiobook/B0GJFWBSBZ
🛍️ Merch & Support the Mission: https://www.bradhhill.com/merch