For ten years, Matt Tulle was what he calls a “functional drug addict” — holding down a job, hiding the truth, and quietly falling apart.
Matt is now an AOD peer worker in Queensland, supporting men through addiction and mental health. In this conversation he shares growing up queer in Gympie, the cocaine-fuelled Melbourne years, the breakdown that followed, and the night he felt his late father’s presence and chose to do the work.
This is a story about lived experience as the qualification no textbook can give you — and why peer work belongs at every table where recovery is being decided.
🎙️ IN THIS CONVERSATION
– Hiding in plain sight: queer in country Queensland and the homophobia of self-protection
– The “functional drug addict” decade and what addiction was really doing for him
– Burnout, cocaine and the first mental breakdown
– The cat, the grief and the night everything changed
– Shame to guilt — the reframe that rebuilt his self-worth
– Why peer work is community, not a trauma dump
THE KINTSUGI CONNECTION
Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes
If this resonated, you may also like:
– KH episodes on men’s mental health and recovery
– KH episodes on lived experience and peer support
ABOUT KINTSUGI HEROES
Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit storytelling platform sharing real stories of resilience, disability and transformation. Our breaks make us more valuable, not less.
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CONNECT
Website: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes
⚠️ CONTENT NOTE: This episode discusses addiction, suicide and mental health.
If you or someone you know needs support:
Lifeline 13 11 14 — https://www.lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 — https://www.beyondblue.org.au
QLife 1800 184 527 — https://www.qlife.org.au
13YARN 13 92 76 — https://www.13yarn.org.au
Theme music: “Broken” by Colin Lilly, used with permission.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
03:11 Growing up queer in Gympie
13:20 Melbourne, burnout and cocaine
15:42 Breakdown, withdrawal and first attempt
22:00 Losing Dad and the cat moment
26:00 Uni, therapy and doing the work
30:48 Peer work — shame to guilt
52:21 Future of peer work and LGBTQI+ hopes
In this Kintsugi Heroes conversation, Matt Tulle shares his journey from shame to peer work, highlighting his path through addiction and the importance of recovery. This personal story offers poignant insight into navigating substance abuse and finding a new purpose through emotional health. His narrative emphasizes the significance of peer support in fostering personal growth and healing. 💖