Addiction Recovery & Homeless Haircutting – A Message of Hope | Eddie Ilic
Today I am joined by @Eddie.Ilic, a Bath based hairdresser with a profound story of recovery and an uplifting message of hope.Throughout this conversation, Eddie provides a very honest, and raw depiction of the reality of struggling with alcohol and drug addiction from a young age.He discusses its isolation, its progressive identity consuming nature, his darkest moments, the multiple complexities and hardships faced… as well as how he finally learned that recovery can only truly and authentically be initiated with intrinsic motivation and honesty. Two years into his recovery, @eddiestreetcuts was born – a community-based project, providing haircuts for the homeless.He discusses the value of building trustworthy relationships with the homeless community, the sense of connection, and how he is able to communicate, empathise, listen, provide hope for those struggling, whilst also building their confidence and self-esteem – truly demonstrating how these acts of kindness can be so impactful and transformative. Eddie explains how being of service to others and building this sense of togetherness through homeless haircutting has facilitated his own recovery journey… and shares a plethora of uplifting stories.So hopefully this episode can provide honest insight into the reality of addiction and complex process of recovery, whilst destigmatising possible predetermined societal stigmas… but I also hope that it truly highlights the overwhelmingly positive power of human connection, authentic kindness, and communication.