“One Line of Cocaine…” When Does It Become Addiction?

“One person’s line of cocaine once a month can possibly enrich his or her life.”
 So, when does it become addiction?

In this episode, Matt sits down with Jan Gerber, entrepreneur and mental health/addiction expert, founder of Paracelsus Recovery, to draw the real line between coping, stress, self-medication, and addiction. Jan’s view is blunt: “It’s a problem when it becomes a problem.” And addiction? It’s usually just a symptom of something deeper.

They get into the founder reality most people ignore: high stress, constant pressure, and the slippery slope where healthy habits go out the window and “quick fixes” creep in, caffeine, sugar, alcohol, pills and sometimes drugs. Jan breaks down what actually helps: pragmatic self-awareness, changing commitments, building resilience, and addressing root causes instead of masking symptoms. 

Timestamps:
0:00 – “One line of cocaine…”: where addiction begins 
2:53 – “It’s a problem when it becomes a problem” 
4:12 – Stress → coping → self-medication (how the slide happens) 
5:37 – Why modern life makes addiction easier (tech, loneliness, comparison) 
9:22 – The gym analogy: healthy stress vs overload and collapse 
13:42 – “Dose makes the poison” + goals of treatment (not one-size-fits-all) 
18:13 – Treating founder stress: change the outside + change your tools 
20:21 – What goes first: sleep, training, food… and what replaces it 
25:31 – Medication: the right use, the wrong use, and tolerance 
30:19 – Prevention: awareness + “battery check” before it’s too late 
34:32 – Culture, stigma, and why judgement blocks recovery 
41:06 – How to find Jan / Paracelsus + final advice 

Follow Jan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerberjan/
Website: https://jangerber.com/

Subscribe
YT: @NoBollocksPodcast | Spotify | Apple

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Connect with Matt Haycox, No BS Business Podcast Host & 8-Figure Entrepreneur.

I’m Matt Haycox, entrepreneur, investor, and your straight-talking guide to building a business that actually works. I’ve raised over £750M, built (and rebuilt) 8-figure companies, and learned the hard way what it really takes to win.

On No Bollocks with Matt Haycox, I cut through the bollocks to bring you raw conversations with 7–8 figure founders, investors, and experts who’ve been there, done it, and got the scars to prove it. No hype, no theory, just actionable strategies you can use today to start, grow, and scale your business.

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