Under The Skin Podcast

Because anyone can become an addict.

Alcohol wasn’t easing Nicole’s pain… it was keeping her trapped in it.

Addiction doesn’t look the way people expect. It can affect anyone - kind, caring, successful people. It’s a complex brain disease, shaped by environment, trauma, and personal choices.

Nicole’s life spiralled faster than she ever imagined.

And at one point… she lost everything that mattered most.

But she made a decision.

She changed her environment. She chose the harder path - recovery. Not just for herself, but to rebuild her life… and fight for what mattered most.

Today, she’s on the other side. Stronger. Clearer. Living as her true, authentic self,  and sharing her story to help others who feel stuck.

Addiction is often misunderstood. It convinces people they’re not struggling, keeps them trapped, and carries a stigma that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Because addiction does not discriminate.

It can affect doctors, nurses, teachers, parents - absolutely anyone.

This conversation is about breaking that stigma, helping people understand addiction, and showing that change is possible.

If you’re struggling right now, or feel like there’s no way out - this is for you.

There is hope. There is help. And recovery is possible.

Lauren was young, active, and full of life, until a simple UTI changed everything.

She did everything right: saw her GP, took antibiotics, and went to hospital when things got worse. But within hours, her body was shutting down. Lauren was in sepsis, fighting for her life in ICU.

In this powerful and emotional episode, Lauren shares how:

•⁠  ⁠Her infection rapidly developed into life-threatening sepsis
•⁠  ⁠She woke up in intensive care with no memory of what happened
•⁠  ⁠She needed emergency stent surgery to save her kidneys
•⁠  ⁠And how, even now, she’s living with chronic pain and waiting for corrective surgery the NHS hasn’t been able to provide

Her story is heartbreaking and a reminder that sepsis can strike from something as “simple” as a UTI.

I also open up about my own near-death experience with UTI sepsis and the PTSD that followed.

This is an episode about awareness, survival, and what happens when healthcare systems fail to act in time. And when we don't listen to our bodies.
It’s a story that could save a life 💛

📍 Listen, share, and help raise awareness of sepsis.
🎧 Under the Skin Podcast – available on youtube, spotify and apple.

This was an emotional, raw and heartbreaking episode. Rebecca Whyte shares her powerful story of survival after becoming a victim of human trafficking, something she didn’t even realise was happening to her at the time

As a young woman struggling with low self-esteem after years of bullying and difficult relationships, Rebecca could never have imagined how vulnerable she was to manipulation. At just 22, she met a man who would go on to destroy her life.
He drugged her, forced her into heroin addiction, and trafficked her for seven years, making her endure unimaginable abuse at the hands of others for his profit.

It wasn’t until another victim came forward to the police that Rebecca was finally rescued.
Now, she’s bravely sharing her truth not for sympathy, but to raise awareness of the dark reality that still exists right here in Northern Ireland.

In this episode, Rebecca opens up about her journey through addiction, trauma, and recovery. She speaks about the ongoing healing process through therapy, her efforts to rebuild her life, and her determination to help others who have faced similar horrors.

Rebecca’s story is one of unthinkable pain, but also immense strength, hope, and resilience. By telling her story, she hopes to shine a light on the hidden world of human trafficking and give hope to survivors who are still fighting to be free.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to sexual abuse, drug addiction, and trauma that may be distressing to some listeners.

Listen now to hear Rebecca’s story: one of survival and the unbreakable human spirit.

#UnderTheSkinPodcast #HumanTraffickingAwareness #SurvivorStory #RebeccaWhyte #RealStories #NorthernIreland #Resilience #AddictionRecovery

In this powerful episode of Under The Skin Podcast, Katie Watson opens up about her journey with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) - from years of being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, to finally discovering the truth behind her symptoms.

Like so many others, Katie spent years feeling isolated, broken, and misunderstood. But through creating her online awareness page to help others, @katiewatsonpmdd (https://www.instagram.com/katiewatsonpmdd), she’s found a community that understands and healing through connection 💛

PMDD remains underdiagnosed, and suicide rates among those living with it are heartbreakingly high. Too many suffer without knowing why - but awareness truly can save lives.

🎧 Tune in to hear Katie’s story, one of resilience, hope, and the power of sharing your truth.

💛 If this episode resonates, please share it. You never know who might need to hear it today.

#PMDDAwareness #UnderTheSkinPodcast #PMDD #MentalHealthAwareness #YouAreNotAlone #WomensHealth

In this week’s episode of Under the Skin Podcast, I sit down with the inspirational Aesthetic Nurse, Kirsty Taggart as she opens up about one of the rawest parts of her journey.

Growing up, Kirsty spent time in foster care. It’s a chapter she has never hidden, but rarely spoken about publicly - until now.

So why share her story here? Because this is bigger than her. Too often, children in care are labelled, stigmatised, and underestimated. Made to feel as though their futures will never amount to much.

Kirsty is using her voice, her story, and this platform to challenge that narrative. To show every child who is in, or has been through, foster care that your past does not define your future.
We are more than the stigma. We can rise, succeed, and rewrite the story.

🎙️ If this episode helps even one person feel seen, understood, or inspired, then sharing Kirsty’s story will have been more than worth it.

#UnderTheSkinPodcast #FosterCare #Resilience #Inspiration