Recovery Elevator | Stop Drinking, Start Recovering. | Alcohol, Addiction & Life In Sobriety

The path of sobriety is not always easy.  Many of us will stumble, fall, relapse and find ourselves back at square one.  It's not the end of the world.  When we relapse, we have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and, if necessary, reinvent ourselves.  Tamara, with 48 days since her last drink, shares her story...   SHOW NOTES   [3:57] Paul Introduces Tamara. Tamara is 31 years old, from Nashville, Tennessee.  For fun, she enjoys cooking, the outdoors, and spending time with loved ones.    [7:00] When did you realize you wanted to quit drinking? Her first drink was on her 21st birthday.  She drank through her 20s.  She had alcohol abuse in her family.  She thought her family was wrong by hiding alcohol from her. She thought it was fun.  The progression of her alcoholism snuck up on her.  She assumed it was healthy and normal.  She went through a big period of change that left her unsatisfied.   [15:30] Did you put any rules into place when you tried to quit drinking? Yes.  She would try to limit ot

Please listen with an open heart and open mind. - Paul

Has addiction always been a problem?  Alcohol has been around for thousands of years, but has alcoholism? In Gabor Maté's book, “In the realm of hungry ghosts” he states: “The precursor to addiction is dislocation... the loss of psychological, social, and economic integration into family and culture.. a sense of exclusion, isolation and powerlessness.  Only chronically and severely dislocated people are vulnerable to addiction.  The historical correlation to severe dislocation and addiction is strong.  Although alcohol consumption and drunkenness on festive occasions was widespread in Europe during the middle ages, only a few people become drunkards or inebriates.  So what happened?” Dislocation became more prevalent during the rise of industrial society in the 1800's.  As traditional familial or cultural roles weakened, alcoholism became more widespread.  The effects of this can be seen not only in the US on both immigrant and native populations, but also in the native aboriginal cultures of New Zealand

When we are in the throws of an addiction to alcohol, the effects go beyond just us.  They affect our family and those closest to us.  After running the podcast for 3 years, Paul has begun to notice patterns emerging.  One of the biggest patterns he noticed might be the key to successful sobriety:  Accountability.  Getting sober can be daunting, and the people around you are owed an explanation.  The act of saying it out loud not only makes it real, but makes others aware of what you are trying to achieve.  They can help keep you on track when things get difficult, and if your drinking has hurt anyone else in the past, it can be the first step towards forgiveness.  Telling the people in your life that you are trying to get and stay sober is probably the most important thing you can do to affect your chances of success. Amy, with 422 days since her last drink, shares her story...   SHOW NOTES   [9:30] Paul Introduces Amy.   Amy is 33 years old, from Wisconsin, married with 3 kids.  She works in human resourc

The alcohol industry gives the government funds to prove light drinking is safe.  In today's era of information overload, it can be difficult to sort the truth from the strong opinions.  As the lines between journalism, science and advertising continue to blur, it can become difficult to know where to stand when one can find a seemingly reputable article or study to support any side of any opinion.  The alcohol industry is no stranger to the ways of public relations.  The NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) is a government established institution that funds approximately 90% of research on the effects of consuming alcohol in the US.  Regarding a recent study on the effects of light drinking, it is no surprise to find out that $67 million was provided by 5 big alcohol companies, most likely to ensure that the results of the study fell in line with their message that alcohol is good for you.  Remember that alcohol is still poison, it's still bad for you, and consuming alcohol still has

A quote from “Drinking: A love Story” by Caroline Knapp sums up the theme for today's podcast:  “Early sobriety has the quality of vigorous exercise, as though each repetition of a painful moment gone without a drink serves to build up emotional muscle.” Life will happen.  We can't control what challenges life will send our way but we can control how we respond.  Each passing trial is an opportunity to build one's sobriety muscles, which get stronger over time as healthy habits and ways of thinking become more deeply ingrained.  Quitting drinking is difficult because not only is alcohol physically addicting, but we often turn to alcohol to help us cope with life's many challenges.  In sobriety, we find an opportunity to learn new coping skills and rewire our brain to handle difficult times without turning to alcohol for help. Samantha, with 18 days since her last drink, shares her story...   SHOW NOTES   [7:20] Paul Introduces Samantha.   Samantha is 27 years old, from Louisiana.  She has a girlfriend and a

“Do I have a drinking problem?”  Part II The first episode under this particular theme came out back in March of 2015.  In “Drinking: A Love Story” by Caroline Knapp, a questionnaire is presented that will help you determine whether or not you have a drinking problem, and if yes, at what stage your drinking problem is.  See the questions below: 1.  Do you drink heavily when you are disappointed or have had a quarrel with someone? 2. When you have trouble or feel under pressure, do you always drink more heavily than usual?   3.  Can you handle more alcohol now than when you first started to drink?   4.  Have you ever been unable to remember part of the previous evening, even though your friends say you didn’t pass out?   5.  When drinking with other people, do you try to have a few extra drinks when others won’t know about it?         6.  Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable if alcohol is not available?   7.  Are you more in a hurry to get your first drink of the day than you

Do the medications work? Paul reads messages he received from different podcast listeners about their experiences with some of the various medications often prescribed as quit aids for quitting drinking.  Though they are not known to be an effective all-in-one cure for alcoholism, they appear to be a positive piece to the recovery portfolio for some.  Ed, with 11 days since his last drink, shares his story:   SHOW NOTES   [6:20] Paul Introduces Ed. Sober for 11 days.  Has been on Naltrexone for 6 years.  40 years old.  Research scientist, molecular biologist.  Has two young children.  Really enjoying his work.  Started to drink more seriously during mid 20's.  [10:13]  At what point did Naltrexone enter the picture? During his mid 30's.  He was falling down stairs and wetting his bed on the weekends, yet he was still in denial.  He sought out a medicine to help with his hangover symptoms, found the Sinclair method on the internet.    [13:05]  Did you go straight to Naltrexone or did you try other methods

Why do we drink?  When we no longer drink alcohol, the many reasons we used to drink come bubbling to the surface.  What may have started out as a fun activity or a social lubricant often morphs into a way to (not) deal with life's problems.  The barrage of pro-alcohol messages from media and society has the potential to pull the wool over our eyes as the addictive nature of alcohol quietly gets the better of our innocent intentions.   Alcohol promises to help you numb the pain, lower your inhibitions or distance yourself from your problems, but the effect is only temporary.  In fact, it often breaks the aforementioned promises and will usually make a bad situation worse. The avoidance of difficult emotions or situations is likely futile.  Choosing to face your problems seems daunting when we are used to drinking them away, but gets easier with practice. Briddick, with 112 days since his last drink, shares his story:   SHOW NOTES   [8:08] Paul Introduces Briddick. Briddick is 33 years old, lives in Bellin

“Your addiction will lie to you in your own voice.” Your addiction will often appear to you as a voice in your head that sounds like your own rational thoughts.  It will tell you that it's not really that big of a deal, that you are really in control or, in many cases, will conveniently wipe your memory (the ISM or “incredibly short memory”) so you won't recall what a tough time you had getting through that last hangover.  Be on the lookout for justification phrases such as: “But I didn't really have a problem before” “Everyone else drinks like I do” “This next time will be different” “I've quit once, I can quit again” “The only person you're negatively affecting is yourself” “I'm cured! I just went [X amount of time] without drinking!” “Everyone else is having so much fun” “I got this.” Stay vigilant in protecting your subconscious mind from thoughts like these and you will have an easier time avoiding relapse.  It's much easier to stay sober than it is to get sober, and staying sober isn't always easy. 

If you haven't done so already, make sobriety your number one priority.  It may seem selfish to prioritize yourself over other things, but to really be present and of service to our loved ones and the community at large, we must take care of ourselves.  When we root ourselves in something real, concrete and bigger than ourselves, our daily struggles and problems often feel small by comparison.  “Everything's going to be okay as long as we don't drink.” Ryan, with over two since his last drink, shares his story..   SHOW NOTES   [9:10] Paul Introduces Ryan. Ryan's been sober for over two years.  He decided to quit after a trip to the hospital. He's from Dallas, TX.  Works for an ad agency.  Has a 3-year-old son.  Has a dog.  Is currently focused on raising his son.  He and his wife enjoy scuba diving.    [12:45]  When did you first notice that you had a problem with drinking? It began in college.  He noticed it affected him differently than other people.  He experienced withdrawal symptoms early on after c

 Step Four – “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves” The Recovery Elevator Podcast isn't affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous, but we cover the steps due to listener demand.  For easy lookup:  episode 142 was Step 1 episode 146 was Step 2 episode 152 was Step 3.  The fourth step is probably everyone's least favorite step, as it involves things we don't want to do... face our past, our mistakes, our scary thoughts, emotions and current problems.  Though it can be scary, it is still one of the most important steps in recovery.  Alcoholism is merely a symptom of underlying inner conflict, delusions and/or flaws in our character that need to be faced, and where possible, overcome. The key is honesty.  While working step four, we get a new perspective on the bigger picture and see ourselves and our behavior in a new way that helps us to move forward without fear and allows us to embrace a healthy self-image.  This step is all about bringing unconscious behavior to light.  We gradually reali

“Enhanced Dopamine Receptors” or EDR The word “alcoholic” carries such a stigma in today's society and also implies that one's addiction to alcohol is somehow different compared to other addictions.  A more accurate way to describe the situation of those struggling with alcohol or any addiction is that they have “enhanced dopamine receptors.”  Jim, with 57 days since his last drink, shares his story   SHOW NOTES [11:00] Paul Introduces Jim. Jim is 47 years old, lives in Waukegan, Illinois.  He's a truck driver and a father, with a 12-year-old  son.  He enjoys reading and working out. [12:37]  When did you realize you had a problem with alcohol?  He always knew that he drank more than “normal people.”   Started drinking early at 14.  In recent years it became a problem.  Recently he drank an entire weekend.  [14:30]  Are you viewing it as a permanent decision?   Yes, and he arrived at that decision because the moderate approach never seemed to work.  “It's a hell of a lot easier to stay sober than to get

“Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting” You can't always believe what you hear.  Just because we believe that everybody was kung fu fighting, doesn't mean that everyone was actually kung fu fighting.  In fact, upon further research, it turns out that no one was kung fu fighting in the original music videos for this song.  The same applies to “Everybody drinks”.  When we drink, our beliefs about everyone drinking around us probably don't reflect reality.  We feel that we have no choice because, in our minds, we are surrounded by drinking.  Studies show that over one third of adults refrain from drinking alcohol and even more drink very moderately.  In sobriety, we have an opportunity to redefine “normal”.  We are relieved to let go of the trapping idea that we are forced to consume alcohol to fit in.  Anna, with over 17 years since her last drink, shares her story..   SHOW NOTES   [10:40] Paul Introduces Anna. Anna is from Marin County.  She's a writer.  She has a cat, a boyfriend and a recovery podcast/company.

Many of the stereotypes surrounding alcoholism don't match up with reality.  The image of the homeless guy holding the bottle in a brown paper bag and living under a bridge doesn't correctly represent the average alcoholic, despite the image's popularity.  Recent data shows that only 3-5% of alcoholics are homeless or on the street.  As a group, alcoholics have enhanced dopamine receptors.  They tend to be overachievers, over-workers, over-thinkers, and over-creators. They come from many demographics and many age groups.  When Paul compiled the data for the RE podcast, he wasn't surprised to find a diverse pool of listeners, both married and single, educated and uneducated, rich and poor. Kim, with less than 1 year since her last drink, shares her story:   SHOW NOTES   [12:42] Paul Introduces Kim. 5 months sober.  From Buffalo NY, lives in Chicago, 36yo, works in digital marketing.  Loves billiards, volleyball, spa and travel.  Currently working towards a masters in digital communication.    [15:00] When d

In this episode, Paul vents a little bit of his frustration and anger in recovery about AA and “big alcohol”.  Without alcohol in our lives to help us deal with difficult emotions.. anger, resentment, and frustration (to name a few) often rise to the surface.  Paul expresses his concern for the abundance of alcohol in society, despite the overwhelming evidence that it is destructive and harmful.  Katie, with 496 days since her last drink, shares her story:   SHOW NOTES   [12:00] Paul Introduces Katie. Katie is 29 years old, originally from New York, but lived in Colorado for a while and now lives in Dallas, Texas.  Since quitting drinking and she is now into fitness.  She recently ran her first half marathon.    [15:45] How did you realize you had a problem and how did you get sober? Katie drank a lot in school.  After college, she moved to Denver.  She started going out every night, and developed insomnia.  Went to the doctor, was prescribed Xanax.  The medication eventually stopped working.  The insomn

“For us to be successful in sobriety, we must fill the void left by alcohol.” -Russel Brand, Recovery:  Freedom from Our Addictions Drinking plays a big role in our lives.  Many of our social gatherings revolve around it.  We use it to relax or to deal with difficult emotions.  When we quit drinking, a void is then created that can be felt across many areas of our lives.  What do we do with this?  Should we fill it?  With what? When the void is present, some try to use willpower to ignore it or to muscle through or around it.  Unfortunately, studies show that willpower is a finite resource and can not be solely relied upon to quit successfully.  If the void (also known as the emotional and spiritual causes of alcoholism) isn't properly dealt with, one can become what is known as a “dry drunk.”  The behaviors, coping mechanisms, and mindsets of the alcoholic are still present; the only difference is the lack of alcohol consumption. In sobriety, we find ourselves with more... more time, more energy, and more me

“Does anybody have experience with naltrexone, Antabuse (disulfiram), or Campral (acamprosate)?”  These drugs are designed to help people deal with the physical side effects of quitting alcohol.  While readily available, most 12 step programs will not mention quit aids such as these.  In the Radio Lab episode “The Fix”, they mention that a very small percentage of people in the early stages of drinking ever qualify for receiving drugs to help them quit.  Many people will seek out an easy way to quit, and though these drugs may seem attractive, the only way to successfully move forward is by putting in the work.  Disulfiram -  more commonly known as Antabuse, is intended to create negative side effects to break the positive association with drinking.  It will not help with the physical cravings of quitting.  The United States National Institutes of Health says “...it is unlikely that disulfiram will have any real effect on the drinking pattern of the  chronic alcoholic.” Naltrexone – blocks brain opioid rec

"Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon."   This phrase is commonly heard in 12 step meetings.  When it comes to recovery, a half-hearted attempt could have disasterous results.  Recovery can be confusing.  Half measures might yield mediocre results in other areas of life, but due to the nature of the beast, unfortunatly the truth is that alcoholism can not be defeated while alchol is still being consumed, and thus requires one to quit drinking completely in order to successfully move forward without alcohol. While this is true in the long run, most of us use half measures at the beginning to try and control our drinking.  This is normal and, though half measures in regard to quitting drinking leads to relapse, it may also lead one to the conclusion that they have to quit completely.  Sometimes the wrong train will take you to the right destination.    Zoey, with 7 months since her last drink, shares her story.   SHOW NOTES   [9:

Paul summarizes Step 3 from the “Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous.   “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” Step three in a nutshell means we are asking for help.  A God of our understanding can be anything.  We must be convinced that a life run on self will can hardly be a success. Jenna, with over 3 years since her last drink, shares her story   SHOW NOTES   [8:39] Paul Introduces Jenna.  I live in Colorado, I work in IT, and I’m 38 and have a 10-year-old daughter.  I love hiking, running, and skiing.  I love to cook.    [12:38] Paul- When did you start drinking?   Jenna- I actually didn’t start drinking until I was in college.  I didn’t drink in High School.  The first time I drank I was 12.  I discovered a bottle of alcohol, and poured it into a coke.    [21:25] Paul-  What was it that led you to quit drinking?   Jenna- I had several bottoms before September of 2014.  I knew alcohol wasn’t working for me, but no one knew that alcohol was the cause o