Psychosis & The Cracks In Care | With Tom Darley
NOW STREAMING ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS
Ever seen someone in public acting strangely and assumed they were just on drugs? What if they weren't… and how you reacted made it worse?
In this episode of the Sh*ts F*cked podcast, Paris sits down with Tom Darley, psychosocial recovery coach and founder of Chameleon Recovery in Perth, to talk about what psychosis actually is, and what most people get completely wrong about it. Paris also shares her own experience of drug-induced psychosis for the first time; the hallucinations, the terror, and the certainty that what she was experiencing was real.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
The three features of psychosis: hallucinations, delusions, and disorganised thinking
Paris's personal experience of drug-induced psychosis, shared for the first time
Why people in psychosis are terrified, and how to actually respond
How to de-escalate someone having a psychotic episode in public
Why not every psychotic episode is drug-related, and what mental health conditions trigger the same experience
What happens when meth use and schizophrenia collide, and why the system isn't built to hold both
Most people have never been taught what psychosis actually looks like. They see someone screaming at something that isn't there and assume the worst. What Tom makes clear is that the person experiencing it genuinely believes it is happening. That terror is real, and how you respond to it matters more than most people realise.
Paris brings her own lived experience to this conversation too. Her history with methamphetamine included periods of drug-induced psychosis, experiences she'd never fully had language for until now.
If you've been in that place, or loved someone who has, this episode will hit differently.
Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — and if these conversations matter to you, follow us so you never miss an episode.
About Tom Darley
Tom Darley is a psychosocial recovery coach and founder of Chameleon Recovery, a Perth-based service supporting people navigating severe mental illness, psychosis, and dual diagnosis. He brings his own lived experience of anxiety and depression alongside years of frontline community support work outside hospitals and clinical settings.
👉 Want to connect with Tom?
You can learn more about Tom Darley and Chameleon Recovery via their website at www.chameleonrecovery.com.au.
To get in touch with Tom directly:
Email: tom@chameleonrecovery.com.au
You can also connect professionally with Chameleon Recovery on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/chameleon-recovery/
Season 4 of Sh*ts F*cked is supported by Coach Carly, Elevate Beyond Co. and Your Recovery.
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