Paul Sculfor is widely regarded as Britain's first male supermodel. Behind the fame, success and glamorous lifestyle, he struggled with addiction for years. Now more than 22 years sober, Paul opens up about cocaine addiction, alcohol, anxiety, shame, denial and the moment he finally asked for help.

From the outside, Paul had a life many people dream of. His international modelling career brought success, financial independence and incredible opportunities. Yet beneath the surface, he battled insecurity, anxiety and low self-worth. Alcohol and drugs initially helped him feel accepted, but his relationship with substances became increasingly destructive.

Paul describes the moment he discovered he had spent the money he had worked so hard to earn. Despite promising himself he was finished with cocaine, he found himself using again just days later. He recalls the frightening events that followed, the exhaustion that brought him to his knees and the moment he finally asked for help.

We explore the anxiety and self-consciousness Paul experienced growing up, his desire to fit in and how a painful experience early in his modelling career affected his confidence and sense of safety. He explains how he tried to hide that pain behind outward success.

Paul also discusses functioning addiction, how someone can appear successful while struggling behind closed doors, and why fame and money couldn't resolve his unhappiness.

He speaks candidly about rehab, the shame he carried and the moment he seriously considered ending his life. A conversation with a friend helped him see another possibility. Paul explains how recovery changed his life and how returning to acting helped him rebuild his confidence.

More than two decades into recovery, Paul reflects on the role of the 12-step programme, why he continues attending meetings and how recovery can help us change destructive thought patterns. He explains how the same obsessive thinking that once caused suffering can become a positive force.

Today, Paul helps others affected by addiction through the Stride Foundation and hosts This Is Powerful, exploring mindset, mental health and recovery.

Paul's story reminds us that outward success doesn't tell the whole story, and recovery can offer far more than simply putting down drugs and alcohol. It can help us build a life that feels meaningful from the inside.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK. Find support here:

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:00 A rock bottom moment

12:00 Anxiety, hyperactivity & low self-esteem

16:30 Early drinking

19:00 Childhood & early career

24:30 Coke and alcohol at 11am

28:00 When did addiction start?

30:45 Early modelling career & anxiety

35:00 Coming out of denial

37:00 Mountain tops can be painful too

38:30 Not wanting to live

41:00 Being able to look the world in the eye

44:00 How Paul stays sober

50:45 Cross addiction?

FOLLOW PAUL SCULFOR

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This Is Powerful: https://www.instagram.com/this_ispowerful

Stride Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/stride.foundation

FOLLOW OLIVER MASON

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Adam Lancashire survived a cardiac arrest after decades of alcohol and cocaine addiction. In May 2024, his heart stopped for 26 minutes. After weeks in intensive care, he woke up with hypoxic brain damage and faced the challenge of rebuilding his life. He had to relearn basic skills, including how to walk and talk, confront the consequences of his addiction and find a way forward without drugs or alcohol.

Now more than two years sober, Adam joins me to share his extraordinary story for the first time, covering addiction, survival, recovery, family breakdown and learning to live again.

What happens when addiction takes you to the edge of death? And how do you rebuild your life when you wake up to discover that even the simplest everyday tasks have become a challenge?

Adam's story is one of survival, resilience and a second chance. His childhood was marked by instability, and he discovered drugs at a young age. By 15, he was using cocaine.

What began as a way to escape and feel more confident developed into years of alcohol and drug use, with serious consequences for his relationships, family life and wellbeing.

Despite periods of apparent success, Adam struggled with addiction behind the scenes. Relationships broke down, family connections suffered, and the cycle of drinking and cocaine use became increasingly difficult to escape.

Then, in May 2024, everything changed. After playing football, Adam collapsed on his way back to the station. He suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated before being taken to hospital. After weeks in intensive care, he woke up with hypoxic brain damage.

Surviving the cardiac arrest was only the beginning. Adam faced the enormous challenge of rebuilding his physical and cognitive abilities, learning to walk, speak, eat and carry out everyday tasks again. Alongside his rehabilitation, he also had to confront the addiction and personal struggles that had shaped so much of his life.

Adam explains how he found his way into recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous, the importance of friendship and fellowship, and how helping others gave him a renewed sense of purpose. He speaks honestly about his approach to the 12-step programme and why he believes recovery does not look the same for everyone.

Adam also opens up about guilt, shame and the pain of family relationships affected by addiction, including his estrangement from his son. He reflects on the temptation to romanticise the past, even when that past caused so much damage, and the difficult process of learning to forgive himself.

His experience of recovering from brain damage while maintaining his sobriety brings another dimension to the conversation. Adam describes the frustration of losing abilities he once took for granted.

Adam's shows that recovery does not have to follow rigid rules or a single prescribed path, and that rebuilding a life can begin even after the most devastating setbacks.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK, support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Sponsor -

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promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

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Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

3:20 A rock bottom moment

8:25 Do you need a dramatic rock bottom?

10:35 The Invisible Line!

11:35 Money, travel and a morphine drop

16:35 Drinking leads to coke

19:35 Getting high on your own supply

22:50 Stealing & affairs

27:35 Estranged from family and giving up on yourself

31:05 Addiction progresses

35:50 A moment in The ICU

37:35 The recovery starts

41:05 Cravings return

42:20 Struggling with higher power in AA

44:05 Friendships in recovery

46:50 Can you do fellowship your way?

Follow Adam

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#CocaineAddiction #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety

What if the person you're angry with isn't the problem? What if your anger is exposing something you've spent your entire life trying to hide?

In recovery, I discovered something deeply uncomfortable: beneath my anger was often a fear that I wasn't good enough, that people didn't love me, or that I didn't matter. I wanted to control everyone around me because, deep down, I couldn't bear feeling out of control myself.

Then, in early recovery, a friend failed to call me back. I was furious. I made it personal. I convinced myself he didn't care about me.

But when I finally discovered what he was going through, I felt physically sick.

Because his world was falling apart, and somehow, I'd made it all about me.

In this episode of School of Rock Bottom Thought Series, Oliver Mason explores the hidden connection between anger, addiction, ego, fear and self-esteem... and why the need to control other people can leave us trapped in our own suffering.

What if the thing that's making you angry has absolutely nothing to do with you?

And what if letting go of that need to control everything could be the very thing that sets you free?

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

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About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

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Follow Oliver

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#AddictionRecovery

#AngerManagement

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