Chef Greg Baxtrom opens up about his struggles with bipolar disorder and alcoholism & the special challenges they present to a chef-owner.
**Content warning – this episode discusses suicidal feelings.**
Greg Baxtrom, chef-owner of a quartet of New York City restaurants, recently opened up in a revealing Instagram post about his years-long struggles with alcoholism and bipolar disorder. In that post, he mentioned that he'd be joining Andrew for a discussion about his ongoing mental health journey. This is that conversation. Greg sat down with Andrew a few days ago in Brooklyn for a deeply personal dialogue about how his alcoholism revealed itself, how his delayed bipolar diagnosis impacted his efforts to become sober, and the unique challenges of navigating these rough waters as a chef-owner with businesses to maintain and employees to manage. On a personal note: We're honored that Greg chose to share his story with us.
Please note: Neither Andrew nor Greg are mental health specialists or medical professionals. This conversation is shared for the sole purpose of being open and honest about mental illness, but their opinions are strictly those of laypeople and based only on their own unique, individual experiences. For professional and/or medical advice/attention, please seek help from an appropriate mental health care specialist and/or medical provider.
If you are in the U.S., here are two resources where you can seek help any day, at any time:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Crisis Text Line (also available in the UK, Ireland, and Canada)
A great many national and regional resources are available, both in the US and around the world. If in the United States, you can seek a referral here. Wherever you are, a quick web search should point you to qualified help in your area and/or language.