Three Women Explain What It Really Takes To Stop Traffic

You can hear the moment the penny drops for Dave Dillon: he’s sitting in a doctor’s office for his son’s ADHD assessment, the symptoms are listed one by one, and suddenly his whole past makes sense. Dave grew up in Kilamanagh, Dublin 24, and spent years believing his racing mind, big emotions and constant restlessness were just “the way he was”. By 12, drugs became the quickest way to quiet his head, and what started as hash escalated into weekend-long sessions, debt, shame and a life built around chasing the next escape. We talk openly about the darker turns too: crack cocaine, paranoia, and drug-induced psychosis where every sound becomes evidence and every doubt becomes a conspiracy. Dave describes what it’s like to be trapped in that state, how it damages families, and how suicidal thinking can be fuelled by drink and drugs even when the person isn’t truly ready to die. It’s a tough listen at times, but it’s grounded, human, and full of hard-won clarity. Recovery, for Dave, doesn’t begin with a simple decision. It begins with support, routine, TRP, meetings, peer groups, and the 12-step programme, plus the humility to admit that “clean time” isn’t the same as recovery. We also get into why he’s now writing Nanny Kayes, a screen project built from lived experience to raise awareness about addiction and psychosis, and why fast gas and youth drug trends need urgent action in Ireland. If this conversation lands with you, please subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find it. What part of Dave’s story do you wish more people understood? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One in ten women may be living with lipedema, yet the most common advice still sounds like a shrug: eat less, move more. We’re joined by Aileen, Anne-Marie and Stephanie, three Irish women who know what it’s like to do the training, stick to the diets, watch the scales, and still feel like their legs are getting heavier, more tender and more bruised with time. We talk through what lipedema actually is, why it’s so often mistaken for obesity or lymphoedema, and the tell-tale signs that keep showing up: disproportionate shape, ankle cuffs, swelling, pain, easy bruising and the sense of “wading through water” when you climb the stairs. Each story is different, from a photo that sparks a late-night Google search, to post-COVID inflammation and cellulitis, to years of being dismissed even when you’re slim, active and in constant discomfort. We also get real about treatment. Surgery can be a reset, not a cure, and recovery is not a quick holiday turnaround. When Ireland lacks a clear national clinical pathway and access to specialist care, many women are forced abroad, paying thousands and managing the fear and logistics of general anaesthetic far from home. We dig into the advocacy work happening now, including the challenges with health insurance coverage, the push for better clinician education, and the community support that is helping women feel less alone. If this resonates, share the episode with someone who needs it, follow along for more lipedema awareness in Ireland, and leave a review so more women can find these conversations. What’s one symptom or moment that made you think “this isn’t just me”? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A child asked “What’s a community centre?” and that one question tells you a lot about what’s been taken from working-class communities in Dublin. We’re joined by Lisa, Gail and Sandra from Oliver Bond Flats, and they bring us from the warm, hilarious memories of growing up in a place where everyone knew everyone, to the hard truth of what it’s like living there now. We talk about overcrowding, leaving school early because there’s no space to study, and how mental health was often treated as something you just powered through. We also name the heroin years and the way recovery supports and local jobs once helped the community breathe again, then ask what happens when youth services lose the fun, the trips and the safe places that keep teenagers steady. Then we get into the housing conditions people are facing today: damp and black mould that keeps coming back, leaks that need buckets, rats drawn to bins left outside, and the stress of trying to keep a home decent when the building itself is failing. We unpack the Oliver Bond regeneration plan, why residents fought for a real community centre, and how a last-minute funding decision threatens to make the housing crisis in Ireland even worse on the ground. If you care about Dublin social housing, tenants’ rights, and what real community investment looks like, this conversation will stay with you. If this hits home for you, share the episode with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more, and leave us a review so these stories travel further. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The loudest person in the room can be the one struggling the most, and James is brave enough to say that out loud. We talk about growing up in Clondalkin, the pressure to stay the funny one, and what it feels like when your mental health quietly collapses behind a big personality. James shares the moment he asked to be brought to hospital because he didn’t feel safe with his own thoughts, and why getting counselling was the first real step back towards himself. From there, we get into adult ADHD in Ireland, including the relief of finally being diagnosed, the reality of crashes after periods of high energy, and the practical barriers that don’t get discussed enough: assessment costs, limited supports, and the ongoing price of ADHD medication and prescriptions. If you’ve ever searched for ADHD diagnosis Ireland, ADHD medication cost, or mental health support Dublin, you’ll hear the human story behind those phrases. Faith brings her own powerful perspective from Sheriff Street and East Wall, including childhood anxiety, depression, and what it’s like to rely on sertraline while pregnant and still try to protect your peace. Together, we also speak openly about toxic relationships and domestic violence, how manipulation works, why people stay, and what it takes to leave. We finish with the joys and chaos too: meeting on First Dates Ireland, a surprise pregnancy, dealing with online trolling, and planning a future that actually feels safe. If this conversation helps you, share it with one person who needs it, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more people in Ireland can find these stories. What part of James and Faith’s journey did you relate to most? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The loudest person in the room can be the one struggling the most, and James is brave enough to say that out loud. We talk about growing up in Clondalkin, the pressure to stay the funny one, and what it feels like when your mental health quietly collapses behind a big personality. James shares the moment he asked to be brought to hospital because he didn’t feel safe with his own thoughts, and why getting counselling was the first real step back towards himself. From there, we get into adult ADHD in Ireland, including the relief of finally being diagnosed, the reality of crashes after periods of high energy, and the practical barriers that don’t get discussed enough: assessment costs, limited supports, and the ongoing price of ADHD medication and prescriptions. If you’ve ever searched for ADHD diagnosis Ireland, ADHD medication cost, or mental health support Dublin, you’ll hear the human story behind those phrases. Faith brings her own powerful perspective from Sheriff Street and East Wall, including childhood anxiety, depression, and what it’s like to rely on sertraline while pregnant and still try to protect your peace. Together, we also speak openly about toxic relationships and domestic violence, how manipulation works, why people stay, and what it takes to leave. We finish with the joys and chaos too: meeting on First Dates Ireland, a surprise pregnancy, dealing with online trolling, and planning a future that actually feels safe. If this conversation helps you, share it with one person who needs it, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more people in Ireland can find these stories. What part of James and Faith’s journey did you relate to most? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.