34. Doug Bopst Gets Real About Addiction, Incarceration, and How Fitness Saved Him

Did you know that I work in an all-male prison? Yup! During my 9 to 5 or more like 6 to 4, you can find me working as a mental health clinician in an Idaho prison. Working with fellas who are incarcerated has opened my eyes in a way that they had never been opened before. I've become massively aware that trauma is real, substance abuse is, in fact, a common coping skill, and that many families looked like anything but the Brady bunch. Today's episode is me sharing a sliver of what I see at work with you. Granted, Doug was never incarcerated in Idaho. He was once incarcerated. Doug Bopst was a former convicted felon and drug addict, sentenced to months in jail due to being found guilty of "possession with intent to sell." With his cellmate's help, Doug was able to find fitness and use his time locked up to beat his demons and reinvent himself.  Doug is now an award-winning personal trainer, author, and host of the Adversity Advantage Podcast. He was voted Baltimore's "12 Fitness Heroes" in 2015 by The Baltimore Sun, and he has been featured on the Today Show and Men's Health. With the drug epidemic at an all-time high, he is on a crusade to share his story with hopes of inspiring others not only on the power of fitness but also to help inspire others to beat addiction.  IN TODAY'S EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:  How incarceration and fitness saved Doug's life (5:40) Why Doug used substances to cope (8:22) What led to Doug's incarceration (12:04) What Doug would tell a kiddo who's struggling with big emotions (17:36) How time led to change for Doug (20:15) The four things Doug would tell someone who has an addict in their life (26:22) How Doug navigated triggers (32:42) Ways Doug managed cravings (34:54) How anxiety presented itself in Doug's life and how he navigated it (37:50) What Doug's up to now (45:46) What Doug would tell his younger self (49:05) I can’t wait to hear your feedback on this episode! Screenshot and tag me—I’m @courageously.u— and my guest—@dougbopst and share your thoughts, feelings, and reactions. __________ ALL THE GOODIES FROM THIS EPISODE: Save 10% on your Four Sigmatic purchase with code: COURAGE10 __________⁣⁣ COURAGEOUSLY.U SHOWNOTES: https://courageouslyu.com/doug-bopst/ COURAGEOUSLY.U FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1416219115169393 COURAGEOUSLY.U INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/courageously.u/