Matt Samet is a climber of 35 years based in Boulder, Colorado, where he lives with his family in the plains east of town. He is the former editor of Climbing Magazine as well as the author of the Climbing Dictionary and the memoir Death Grip: A Climber’s Escape from Benzo Madness.
In this episode, John and Matt discuss:
- Growing up in Albuquerque
- How bouldering led to more sport climbing and beyond
- The sport of climbing and the unspoken push towards lightness
- How he got introduced to Benzodiazepines
- A voice inside asking “if this makes me feel this good now, I wonder if there will be a price to pay”
- What happens when you build a tolerance to Benzos
- Tapering off of Benzos with the help of a psychiatrist
- The medical professionals Matt came across during his time coming off of psych meds and how patient advocacy has improved the experience of taking and coming off of these types of medications
- How reading a ton about the reality of psych meds helped Matt understand his own experience more
- The universal threads of addiction recovery
- Coming in and out of climbing
- The importance of climbing with people who understand and empathize with Matt’s journey
- Invisible chronic illness and the lack of understanding and empathy from the general public
- Internal wisdom being your best guide
- Laying the hard groundwork early
This episode is sponsored by Bigger Life Adventures. Founders and owners, Carrie and Zach, created an amazing retreat company to help folks heal and recover, whether it’s from addiction, trauma, or anything else that ails us. They have scholarships available because they believe that everyone should have access to these types of retreats. If you’re interested in attending a retreat, use code NATUREUNTOLD for $50 off your purchase. Learn more here!
Thank you, as always, for listening to this episode. Please follow along on the show’s Instagram, our private Facebook group, or wherever you’d like.
