{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Kevin Kreider | Alcohol & Weed Addiction, Trauma, & 12\u2011Step Recovery","description":"Kevin Kreider\u2019s raw story of adoption, alcoholism and healing challenges everything you think you know about recovery. A Korean adoptee raised by a German\u2011Irish Catholic family in Philadelphia, Kevin battled depression, anxiety, alopecia and a desperate need to belong. Alcohol and weed offered brief relief but quickly spiraled into 20\u2011hour drinking sessions, broken relationships and career collapse. We hear how Kevin\u2019s father captured him on camera at his worst, how high\u2011school partying cost him a promising athletic career, and how pain drove him toward acting in New York, where booze felt more necessary than auditions. Kevin opens up about the cultural pressures of being a Korean American male, the shame surrounding addiction in Asian communities, and why he finally called himself an alcoholic. He explains how a single AA meeting on Thanksgiving, supportive roommates and his then\u2011girlfriend Devon moved him toward sober living in 2015. Over the next six years he rebuilt his life through 12\u2011step recovery, therapy, sleep hygiene, diet changes and renewed Christian faith, transforming his platform on Bling Empire into advocacy for mental health and sobriety. Kevin\u2019s journey shows that recovery isn\u2019t about losing yourself\u2014it\u2019s about gaining an authentic identity, clearer purpose and stronger relationships. He now speaks out to normalize sobriety within the Asian community, encourage men to seek help, and remind everyone that it\u2019s never too late to change. Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https:\/\/recovery.com\/ Stay tuned as Kevin shares practical advice on emotional regulation, the importance of good sleep, and why sobriety is the ultimate performance hack. If you or someone you know is struggling, this episode offers hope and actionable steps toward healing. Don\u2019t forget to subscribe, comment with your thoughts, and share this powerful story with a friend who might need it. \u23f1\ufe0f Chapters: 00:00 \u2013 Intro & Kevin\u2019s background 02:10 \u2013 Adoption, identity struggles & growing up Korean adoptee 05:45 \u2013 High\u2011school and college drinking, party culture & consequences 09:30 \u2013 Rock bottom: career collapse, father\u2019s tough love & first AA meeting 13:00 \u2013 Sobriety tools: therapy, 12\u2011step recovery, faith & advocacy \u2753 Questions the Video Answers: What led Kevin Kreider to start drinking alcohol and smoking weed? How did being adopted from Korea affect his identity and mental health? When did Kevin realize alcohol was ruining his athletic and acting dreams? How did his father intervene and encourage him toward sobriety? Why do some Asian cultures struggle to acknowledge alcoholism and recovery? What role did AA and the 12\u2011step program play in Kevin\u2019s recovery? How did Kevin\u2019s alopecia and depression influence his addiction? What challenges did he face when joining the cast of Bling Empire sober? How does Kevin balance his recovery with a public career? What daily practices (sleep, diet, meetings) support his sobriety? How can loved ones support someone struggling with addiction? What misconceptions do people have about being sober and \u201cboring\u201d? Why is spirituality or faith important in Kevin\u2019s recovery journey? What message does Kevin have for Asian Americans facing addiction stigma? How can you find help for mental health or addiction treatment? #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #Sobriety ","author_name":"Recoverycast: Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Stories","author_url":"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2465151","html":"