The Nutters Club

Hosted by psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald alongside addiction specialist Suzy Morrison, this weeks episode of The Nutters Club explored how early life experiences can shape later struggles. Andrea recounted a childhood marked by instability, frequent moves, and shifting family dynamics, attending 13 different primary schools. While she developed humour as a coping mechanism and found some stability in her teenage years, tensions at home and disrupted opportunities contributed to a growing sense of dislocation.
Her substance use began early, with alcohol becoming a central part of her life by her mid-teens. What started as social drinking quickly escalated into habitual use, often to blackout. As Andrea entered adulthood, she pursued creative ambitions in theatre, moving between New Zealand, Australia, and Europe. Despite periods of professional success including joining a theatre company and later studying mime in Paris, addiction increasingly took hold.
Her time overseas was marked by heavy alcohol use, cannabis, and eventually heroin addiction, which she described as an immediate and powerful dependency. While she achieved milestones, including performing and travelling, substance use undermined her stability and derailed opportunities. A traumatic assault in her late teens further compounded her reliance on drugs and alcohol.
Andrea’s addiction persisted into her 30s, even as she became a mother. She described years of functioning addiction, maintaining aspects of daily life while drinking heavily and using substances intermittently. It was not until her late 30s and early 40s, after repeated warnings from others and mounting personal consequences, that she began to recognise the severity of her situation.
Her turning point came when her family threatened to remove her son from her care. This moment, combined with seeing her former partner successfully in recovery, prompted her to seek help. Andrea entered detox and committed to a four-and-a-half-month rehabilitation programme, describing the experience as both confronting and transformative.
Post-rehabilitation challenges included shifting addictive behaviours, including gambling, highlighting the persistent nature of addiction. However, sustained recovery was achieved through ongoing support systems, particularly 12-step programmes and community connection.
Now nearly 30 years sober, Andrea describes her life as “beyond my wildest dreams,” with a repaired relationship with her son and a successful career behind her. Her story underscores a key message that while addiction can be enduring and multifaceted, recovery is possible with support, commitment, and connection.
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A deeply personal account of anxiety, loss and recovery took centre stage on this week’s The Nutters Club, as guest Cam Madsen shared his journey from a carefree coastal upbringing to confronting severe mental health challenges.
Raised in the tight-knit beach community of Waihi Beach, Madsen described an upbringing that many would consider idyllic filled with surfing, rugby, music and strong family ties. Yet beneath the surface he struggled to find direction in early adulthood, drifting between jobs in mining, seasonal work, and overseas shipping roles while grappling with an emerging sense of unease.
That unease eventually escalated into heavy drinking and smoking, which he now recognises as attempts to mask deeper emotional struggles. Around his early twenties, Madsen hit what he describes as “rock bottom,” experiencing intense anxiety and repeated panic attacks that left him feeling overwhelmed and confused.
“I didn’t even know what it was,” he said of his first panic attack. “I thought it was something you only saw in movies.”
The turning point came when friends, recognising something was wrong, drove hours to his location support him. That act of care proved pivotal, reinforcing that he was not alone despite the “voice” in his head telling him otherwise.
Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald, explained that such experiences are not uncommon. Prolonged periods of substance use, lack of rest and emotional avoidance can trigger the body’s “alarm system,” resulting in anxiety and panic attacks.
Madsen’s story is also marked by tragedy. He spoke candidly about losing close friends to suicide, a reality he says is all too common among young New Zealand men. Their deaths, combined with his own struggles, forced him to confront difficult questions about purpose and identity.
Recovery, he said, was gradual rather than immediate. Returning home, reconnecting with the ocean and adopting healthier daily habits, including exercise and reducing alcohol, helped stabilise his mental health. Over time, his priorities shifted toward family life, embracing his role as a father and husband.
Now, Madsen is channelling his experience into action. He plans to undertake a challenging 30 kilometre stand-up paddleboard journey off Waihi Beach over Easter weekend to raise awareness for mental health. Beyond the event, he hopes to establish informal community spaces where people can talk openly.
“I’m not a counsellor,” he said. “But sometimes just having someone listen is enough.”
His message is simple but powerful: check in on others, act on instinct when someone doesn’t seem okay, and remember that small gestures of care can make a significant difference.
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This weeks episode of The Nutters Club, explored how everyday anxiety can escalate into panic attacks, and why understanding the process is key to recovery.
The episode focused on panic attacks, intense physical episodes that can include sweating, racing heart, dizziness, and overwhelming fear. Williams shared his own experience with panic triggered by heights, recalling a frightening moment while visiting the top of the Statue of Liberty. Even recalling the memory, he said, can still trigger physical sensations such as sweaty palms.
Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald explained that panic attacks often arise when natural fear responses become amplified. “Almost everything we get anxious about is understandable,” McDonald said. “The problem isn’t that we feel frightened it’s that the volume gets turned up too high.”
According to MacDonald, panic attacks often follow a cycle known as “fear of fear”. An initial anxiety response triggers physical symptoms, such as rapid breathing or a racing heart, which can then cause people to become frightened of the sensations themselves. This escalating loop can lead to a full panic attack.
Because the physical symptoms mimic serious medical conditions, many people experiencing their first panic attack believe they are having a heart attack.
The programme featured calls from listeners sharing their own experiences with anxiety. One caller described feeling overwhelmed while caring for his parents through serious illness and navigating major life changes. Another listener spoke about how panic attacks can strike unexpectedly in everyday situations, such as shopping in a supermarket.
MacDonald emphasised that while anxiety disorders can feel debilitating, they are highly treatable.
Short-term relief can sometimes come through medication, though some medications carry risks of dependency. However, psychological treatments, particularly cognitive behavioural therapy, are widely recognised as effective in helping people understand and manage anxiety responses.
Avoidance, MacDonald noted, is often what allows anxiety to grow.
“When people start avoiding the situations that trigger anxiety, their world can shrink very quickly,” he said. “The key is learning to tolerate the anxiety long enough to discover that it will pass.”
The programme also highlighted support services available in New Zealand, including the free 1737 Need to Talk mental health helpline, which offers 24-hour phone and text counselling.
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The latest episode of The Nutters Club, hosted by Hamish Williams and Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald, delved into the importance of initiating real-world conversations about mental health and the positive outcomes that can arise from such discussions.
This week’s episode focused on how individuals can support others struggling with mental health challenges. ​The hosts emphasised the power of simple actions, such as asking someone if they’re okay, validating their feelings, and being present during difficult times. ​
MacDonald highlighted the importance of building genuine connections and relationships, noting that even small interactions, like greeting a colleague or neighbour, can create a baseline for noticing when someone might need help. ​
Listeners called in to share their personal experiences of helping others and receiving support. ​ Craig, a caller, recounted how he helped a single mother by taking care of her child and gifting her a spa day to provide some much-needed relief. ​He also shared a story about accompanying a colleague to seek professional help when she revealed she was struggling with serious mental health issues. ​Craig’s philosophy of “paying it forward” resonated with the hosts and listeners alike. ​
Another caller, Len, introduced the Step Ahead Trust, a Christchurch-based organisation that provides community support for individuals with mental health diagnoses. ​ The trust offers a variety of activities, including walking groups, karaoke nights, board games, and subsidised trips to local attractions. ​ Len shared how the group has helped her cope with loneliness and build a supportive community after the loss of her husband. ​
The episode also touched on practical advice for supporting someone in crisis, such as sitting with them while they call a helpline like New Zealand’s 1737 service or contacting authorities for a welfare check if someone is at imminent risk. ​MacDonald stressed that people don’t need to be therapists to help others, simply listening and showing genuine care can make a significant difference. ​
The show concluded with a reminder that life is worth living and that the world is a better place with each individual in it. ​For those seeking support, The Nutters Club encourages reaching out to local mental health services or joining their live broadcasts to share experiences and connect with others. ​
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Auckland man Shelwin Khan was just 14 when addiction first took hold. By 15, he had overdosed, blacked out and woken in a police cell before being admitted to a youth psychiatric ward. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teenager, he faced years of instability, cycling between substance use, hospital admissions and attempts at recovery.
This week on The Nutters Club on NewstalkZB, Khan shared the long road from chaos to seven years of sobriety and a life he once believed was impossible.
Born and raised in South Auckland to Fijian-Indian parents, Khan describes a turbulent adolescence marked by bullying, academic struggles and early substance use. Despite being told by a teacher he might be “slow,” he went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and English. But behind the achievement, his drinking escalated.
“I was drinking five days a week and recovering the other two,” he said. “On the surface I looked successful. Underneath, I was falling apart.”
By his mid-20s, Khan was unemployable and had attempted rehabilitation three times. Each time he relapsed. After years of heavy drinking and drug use, and with only 16 days of sobriety across a two-year period, he reached a breaking point at 27.
Instead of ending his life, he walked into a 12-step meeting.
There he met a man who had been sober for 28 years. “He had more sobriety than I’d been alive,” Khan said. “He seemed peaceful. I wanted that.”
Khan immersed himself in recovery, attending support groups and completing a Wellness Recovery Action Plan. He later trained as a peer support worker, drawing on his lived experience to help others navigating addiction and mental illness.
Today, nearly seven years sober, he works across mental health services in multiple roles, including as a lived experience advisor.
Sobriety opened doors he never imagined. He has travelled to 14 countries, including Japan, Italy and Switzerland, a stark contrast to the years when he struggled to leave his bedroom.
Recovery has not meant the end of challenges. Khan continues to manage bipolar symptoms, including episodes of paranoia and psychosis, using self-awareness, support networks and practical coping strategies. Recently, he faced another test: a cancer diagnosis. A 10-centimetre tumour was surgically removed in January, and he is undergoing further treatment.
Yet his outlook remains grounded. “If this had been the end,” he reflected, “the last seven years have been so full and meaningful that it would have been okay.”
For Khan, sobriety is more than abstinence. “It’s about how I show up to life,” he said. “It’s about finding a new default.”
His message is simple but powerful: recovery is possible and life, even with its curveballs, is worth it.
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