Episode #86
Shrooms, Schizophrenia & The Hard Truth About Boundaries | Mike Stroh
What happens when your life looks successful on the outside, but you are quietly falling apart from addiction on the inside, and how do you find true purpose when conventional paths fail? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with registered psychotherapist and ADHD specialist Mike Stroh to explore the raw realities of mental health, addiction, and the human search for meaning. Drawing from his own journey, from experiencing a drug-induced psychotic episode on magic mushrooms at age twelve to over fourteen years of sobriety, Mike shares how he transformed his lived experiences into a mission to help others. Together, they unpack why we are facing a modern "meaning crisis" and how his Feedback Informed Treatment approach measures progress with the goal of helping people need less therapy over time, not more. The conversation explores what living with ADHD actually feels like from the inside, how weed, porn, screens, and other distractions can become ways of escaping ourselves, and how to stop taking on the emotional weight of everyone around us. One of the most memorable moments of the episode comes when Mike shares a witty but profound story about an old man on a park bench that perfectly illustrates the true, secret of boundaries and minding your own business. We Cover: How a drug-induced psychotic episode on magic mushrooms at age twelve set off a fifteen-year struggle with severe weed addiction, and the turning point that led him to finally ask for help. The reality of the modern "meaning crisis" and how our cultural loss of spiritual and communal institutions has left an existential void that many try to fill with substances or digital distractions. How his Feedback Informed Treatment approach measures progress with the goal of helping people need less therapy over time, not more. The visceral, daily reality of living with ADHD, and why practical, structured routines involving sleep, exercise, and mindfulness are often the most potent "medicine." Why young people struggle deeply to establish healthy boundaries, often misperceiving themselves as responsible for the reactions and feelings of those around them. The heartbreaking but necessary art of holding a hard line, illustrated by Mike's family experience with his brother's schizophrenia and what it taught him about the limits of responsibility and control. How Mike, during early recovery, encountered the profound message that "sobriety brings all of the things drugs and alcohol promised," and how that realization shaped his path toward separating his ultimate purpose from the roles he plays as a parent or partner. Guest Bio: Mike Stroh Mike Stroh is a registered psychotherapist and ADHD certified clinical service provider based in Ontario, Canada. He holds a master’s degree in counseling psychotherapy and specializes in anxiety, ADHD, addiction, and helping individuals discover genuine purpose in their lives. After overcoming his own severe battles with mental illness and substance abuse, Mike founded Starts With Me and has since delivered mental health talks and workshops to over 100,000 people, partnering with major school boards and national brands. He is featured frequently on national news as a mental health advocate, hosts The State of Mind Mental Health Podcast, and maintains a strictly social-media-free life to practice the healthy boundaries he teaches. Website: startswithme.ca Podcast: The State of Mind Mental Health Podcast
