Kevin Kreider | Alcohol & Weed Addiction, Trauma, & 12‑Step Recovery

Kevin Kreider’s raw story of adoption, alcoholism and healing challenges everything you think you know about recovery. A Korean adoptee raised by a German‑Irish Catholic family in Philadelphia, Kevin battled depression, anxiety, alopecia and a desperate need to belong. Alcohol and weed offered brief relief but quickly spiraled into 20‑hour drinking sessions, broken relationships and career collapse.

We hear how Kevin’s father captured him on camera at his worst, how high‑school partying cost him a promising athletic career, and how pain drove him toward acting in New York, where booze felt more necessary than auditions. Kevin opens up about the cultural pressures of being a Korean American male, the shame surrounding addiction in Asian communities, and why he finally called himself an alcoholic. He explains how a single AA meeting on Thanksgiving, supportive roommates and his then‑girlfriend Devon moved him toward sober living in 2015. Over the next six years he rebuilt his life through 12‑step recovery, therapy, sleep hygiene, diet changes and renewed Christian faith, transforming his platform on Bling Empire into advocacy for mental health and sobriety.

Kevin’s journey shows that recovery isn’t about losing yourself—it’s about gaining an authentic identity, clearer purpose and stronger relationships. He now speaks out to normalize sobriety within the Asian community, encourage men to seek help, and remind everyone that it’s never too late to change.

Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/

Stay tuned as Kevin shares practical advice on emotional regulation, the importance of good sleep, and why sobriety is the ultimate performance hack. If you or someone you know is struggling, this episode offers hope and actionable steps toward healing. Don’t forget to subscribe, comment with your thoughts, and share this powerful story with a friend who might need it.

⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 – Intro & Kevin’s background
02:10 – Adoption, identity struggles & growing up Korean adoptee
05:45 – High‑school and college drinking, party culture & consequences
09:30 – Rock bottom: career collapse, father’s tough love & first AA meeting
13:00 – Sobriety tools: therapy, 12‑step recovery, faith & advocacy

❓ Questions the Video Answers:

1. What led Kevin Kreider to start drinking alcohol and smoking weed?
2. How did being adopted from Korea affect his identity and mental health?
3. When did Kevin realize alcohol was ruining his athletic and acting dreams?
4. How did his father intervene and encourage him toward sobriety?
5. Why do some Asian cultures struggle to acknowledge alcoholism and recovery?
6. What role did AA and the 12‑step program play in Kevin’s recovery?
7. How did Kevin’s alopecia and depression influence his addiction?
8. What challenges did he face when joining the cast of Bling Empire sober?
9. How does Kevin balance his recovery with a public career?
10. What daily practices (sleep, diet, meetings) support his sobriety?
11. How can loved ones support someone struggling with addiction?
12. What misconceptions do people have about being sober and “boring”?
13. Why is spirituality or faith important in Kevin’s recovery journey?
14. What message does Kevin have for Asian Americans facing addiction stigma?
15. How can you find help for mental health or addiction treatment?

#AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #Sobriety