208: Finding a New Purpose in Life with Maroon 5 Founding Drummer Ryan Dusick
The Addicted Mind Podcast
Duane Osterlind, LMFT
4.8 • 621 Ratings
🗓️ 21 November 2022
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It’s so easy to break down and find yourself in an emotional spiral when adversity strikes at the height of your career and then all the things you’ve worked hard for are suddenly taken away from you.
On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Ryan, as he talks about his journey through addiction and recovery. As the founding drummer of the band Maroon 5, Ryan Dusick was busy touring for years, until a chronic injury caused him to lose everything. And the way he coped with all the pain and trauma was through alcohol and drugs.
Now living a whole new life filled with purpose and meaning as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and mental health advocate, Ryan has also authored the book, Harder to Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery. He’s sending a powerful message that there's hope in recovery and finding a new path in life.
In this episode, you will hear:
- Ryan's breakdown as a performer – physically and emotionally
- His experience with self-loathing and self-medication
- How pride gets in the way of growth
- Humbling moments during the last six months of his addiction
- What recovery looked like for Ryan
- Writing the book as the culmination of his journey
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Supporting Resources:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ryan_michael_dusick
Harder to Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/harder-to-breathe-ryan-dusick/1141008275
Episode Credits
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Addicted Mind podcast. My name is Joanne Austerlund, and I'm your host, and we are on to another episode. |
| 0:14.9 | I have a wonderful guest today for you. Ryan Ducek is an associate marriage and family therapist with an MA in clinical psychology |
| 0:22.3 | and the founding drummer of the band Maroon 5. |
| 0:25.2 | After retiring from his performing career due to chronic injuries sustained from years of touring, |
| 0:31.6 | he spent a decade suffering with depression, anxiety, alcoholism, |
| 0:35.9 | before finding recovery in 2016 and beginning a whole new life |
| 0:40.1 | filled with purpose and meaning as a therapist, author, and mental health advocate. |
| 0:45.1 | Today, Ryan is going to introduce his new book, Harder to Breathe, a memoir of making |
| 0:51.2 | Maroon 5, losing it all, and finding recovery. So in this interview, Ryan shares |
| 0:57.4 | candidly about what it was like to be at the height of his recording career and how Maroon 5 was taking |
| 1:07.6 | off and they were selling millions of records and albums and touring. Yet for him, |
| 1:14.7 | he was suffering in a lot of physical pain and anxiety and how eventually he had to leave the band. |
| 1:22.7 | And going through all of that trauma and challenge and how he found his way through it to the other |
| 1:29.8 | side to make a new life full of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. It was great to interview Ryan. |
| 1:35.8 | He was just so open about his struggle and was just authentic in sharing and really wants to |
| 1:44.1 | help others who might be struggling in some kind of |
| 1:47.2 | emotional pain or with mental health issues. So it was great to have Ryan on the podcast and |
| 1:53.2 | talk with him. I really enjoyed it. And I hope you enjoy it as well. So stay tuned for that. |
| 2:00.3 | A quick reminder. If you are enjoying The Addicted Mind |
| 2:03.2 | podcast, please rate and review us wherever you get your podcast. I do read them. And thank you all |
| 2:08.5 | for the people who have taken the time to do that. That really means a lot to me and I really |
| 2:12.2 | appreciate it. All right. Stay tuned for this upcoming episode. |
... |
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