
Episode #73
Navigating Mental Health, Alcohol Use Disorder and a Broken System with Robert Rickelman | Ep73
What does it take to rebuild your life after decades of addiction, mental illness, and unimaginable loss? In this episode of the Sharing Without Shame podcast, host Donna Marston sits down with author Robert Rickelman to discuss his deeply personal journey through childhood trauma, severe anxiety, alcoholism, psychiatric hospitalization, and ultimately, lasting recovery. Robert shares how growing up with an alcoholic mother shaped his early life, why alcohol became his way of coping, and how addiction nearly cost him everything—including his health, relationships, and future. After years of detox programs, suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and searching for answers, Robert was diagnosed with serious mental health conditions that finally helped explain the struggles he had faced for most of his life. Together, Donna and Robert also explore: How childhood trauma and anxiety can contribute to addiction The connection between mental illness and substance use disorders What alcohol cravings really feel like The challenges within today's mental health and recovery systems The impact addiction has on families and loved ones The importance of compassion, persistence, and never giving up on recovery Finding purpose by sharing your story with others Whether you're struggling with addiction, supporting a loved one, or searching for hope after years of setbacks, this conversation offers encouragement, honesty, and the reminder that it's never too late to change your life. About Our Guest Robert Rickelman is the author of Jumping to the End, a memoir chronicling his lifelong battle with alcoholism, mental illness, and recovery. Through candid storytelling, he offers readers hope, resilience, and proof that healing is possible—even after decades of struggle. Website: https://robertrickelman.com/ Book: https://robertrickelman.com/books/jumping-to-the-end Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries Learn more: https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.




