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

Kevin, in remission for 13 years, shares his story and why he created We Face it Together.  

Kellie, with 2 years of sobriety, shares how she has been successful in sobriety.   Kellie has been part of the Recovery Elevator podcast since the beginning. She was written blog posts, helped line up interviewees and helps with social media. Don’t forget to support the Recovery Elevator Podcast by shopping at Amazon with the Recovery Elevator link: www.recoveryelevator.com/amazon/ This episode was brought to you by Cafe RE and get your daily AA email here!

Stephen, with 32 years of sobriety, explains how he's made it this far.   I often get asked if any of the interviewees on this show have relapsed and the answer is yes. Sure, some of them have relapsed, but how many. When I really got to thinking about this, my optimism wavered and when I dug deeper into the question, I realized it was more than just a few had relapsed; it was a lot. Don’t forget to support the Recovery Elevator Podcast by shopping at Amazon with the Recovery Elevator link: www.recoveryelevator.com/amazon/ This episode was brought to you by Cafe RE and get your daily AA email here!

Matt, sober since 12/11/15, who is the 4th lawyer to be interviewed on this podcast, shares how leaving a law firm to start a private law practice while drinking, can be tumultuous; to say the least.   I got the idea for this podcast from the a article I recently read in the Fix called My Top Five Female Recovery Memoirs by Regina Walker .   Statistically, women don’t recover from alcoholism at nearly the rate men do. A study in Germany concluded that alcoholism was twice as fatal for women as for men. The women in the German study with alcohol addiction were five times more likely to die during the 14-year period of the study than women in the general population.   As a culture, we often judge women with addiction issues far more harshly than we do with men. Alcohol advertising often portrays men drinking as a bonding experience, while portraying women who drink as sexual predators or, at the very least, sexually objectified (“if she is going to get drunk, she is asking for it”). Though it’s difficult for an

Buddy, with 7 years of sobriety, bounced in an out of AA for from 2002-2008 before something finally stuck and ironically, he explains how drinking actually saved his life.   Don’t forget to support the Recovery Elevator Podcast by shopping at Amazon with the Recovery Elevator link: www.recoveryelevator.com/amazon/   I read the following line out of an AA Grapevine, August 2013 issue, while on a tumultuous ride over a high altitude Andean pass in Chile. It didn’t help that I was only 2 days sober (relapsed shortly after reading that line and ended up vomiting on myself and the bus) and I thought a relationship would solve my problems.   Page 53 in the 12&12: The primary fact that we fail to recognize is our total inability to form a true partnership with another human being.

James with over 2.5 years of sobriety shares how we earned his family's trust back. Being sober has huge advantages at the workplace and this should be marketed as such. Don't isolate yourself and join the discussion in the Recovery Elevator Private Forum. Support the podcast and make your Amazon purchases through the Recovery Elevator affiliate link. 1/2 of all revenues will go to recovery non-profits. This episode was brought to you by Cafe RE and get your daily AA email here!

In this episode Angela, with nearly 10 months of sobriety, shares how she did it. Here are some great movies about alcohol, sobriety, recovery, drunkenness, and getting sober!   Thank you to Marueen from Cafe RE who helped put this list together! Burnt (2015) Bradley Cooper 1 hour, 40 minutes Comedy/Drama Synopsis: Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) is a chef who destroyed his career with drugs and diva behavior. He cleans up and returns to London, determined to redeem himself by spearheading a top restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars. Director: John Wells Writers: Steven Knight (screenplay), Michael Kalesniko (story) Stars: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Brühl | See full cast & crew » 2.  Smashed (2012) Aaron Paul 1 hour, 21 minutes Drama Synopsis: A married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of alcohol gets their relationship put to the test when the wife decides to get sober. Director: James Ponsoldt Writers: Susan Burke, James Ponsoldt Stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Nic

In this episode Rachael, with 2.5 years of sobriety, shares how she did it. I got the idea for today's topic from an article I read by Sarah A Benton called: Why some phase out of college binge drinking and others are alcoholic. It piggy backs perfectly off last weeks episode with Johnny Manziel. Manziel appears not to be growing out of this phase and it's becoming apparent he has a real problem with alcohol. Why do some people simply not "grow out" of this phase? Here are some reasons the article states: • The Surgeon General's 2007 "Call to Action" report indicates that genetics account for 50% of the risk of developing alcoholism, therefore, family history is one of the strongest determinations of who may be alcoholic. In addition, the drinking culture of the individual's family and the role that alcohol plays. • The age that he or she began drinking is another key factor. Specifically, research by the NIAAA indicates that teens who begin drinking before the age of 15 have a 40% greater chance of becoming

Kelly, with 9.5 months sobriety shares how she did it!   Johnny Manziel is an alcoholic who isn't having any fun. We has drafted 22nd overall in the 2014 NFL draft and the wheels have been coming off since. The media seem to wonder why he hasn't simply grown out of his crazy party lifestyle and realized his potential a an NFL quarterback. It was refreshing to see an article in written in the Bleacher Report about how Johnny's problem isn't a maturity one, but a clinical one.

Robert, who has been sober for nearly 3.5 years shares how he has made it this far. In this episode we hear from Shawn from the Model Health Show Podcast and he gives us valuable tips on how to get a grip on alcoholism with these tips and tricks. Below are links to some of the items he mentions in the podcast. Rebounder - Mini trampoline for cardio. NASA says this is the most effective form of exercise and detoxification. Moves your lymphatic system and starts to remove the muck that has built up into our systems over years of drinking. Start with no more than 10 minutes. . This helps drop your cortisol levels which will reduce stress throughout the day. Magnesium - Key to the early sobriety. Spirulina - Highest form of protein in the world by weight. Rich in B vitamins Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin (B2) great for depression Vitam B3 - Niacin. Helps capillaries dilate and get blood to your system and help eliminate waste in the body. Vitamin B12 - Great for Energy Multi B Vitamin - A great combination of all the B

With 91 days of sobriety, Sarah shares how she did it! In this podcast episode I cover an article from Sober Nation covering why Alcohol is such a potent drug. Sarah also shares how she made it to 91 days of sobriety! In this episode I review The Staying Sober Handbook, by Howard P Goodman and I would definitely recommend it for someone who is in recovery or as an informational piece if you want to know more about the disease in general. Don't isolate yourself and join the discussion in the Recovery Elevator Private Forum. Come join the ultimate Recovery Elevator meet-up in Peru where we will be volunteering at orphanages with Peruvian Hearts, working with local alcoholics, and why not hike the 38 mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu while were down there! This episode was brought to you by Sober Travel and Sober Nation. In this episode I review The Staying Sober Handbook, by Howard P Goodman and I would definitely recommend it for someone who is in recovery or as an informational piece if you want to know more a

Johan, who has been sober since November 15, 2015, shares how he did it.   Don't isolate yourself and join the discussion in the Recovery Elevator Private Forum. Come join the ultimate Recovery Elevator meet-up in Peru where we will be volunteering at orphanages with Peruvian Hearts, working with local alcoholics, and why not hike the 38 mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu while were down there! This episode was brought to you by Sober Travel and Sober Nation.

Molly Shares how she has made it to almost 30 days sober. I also interview my brother who has stuck with me from day one. I expected Mark to understand my pains, struggles and inner thoughts. I even developed unnecessary resentments towards him which he didn't deserve.   Don't isolate yourself and join the discussion in the Recovery Elevator Private Forum. Come join the ultimate Recovery Elevator meet-up in Peru where we will be volunteering at orphanages with Peruvian Hearts, working with local alcoholics, and why not hike the 38 mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu while were down there! This episode was brought to you by Sober Travel and Sober Nation.

Matt from California shares how he has made it over 5 years sober. He went to seek treatment for PTSD and realized he was also an alcoholic. In this episode I discuss the not so smooth transition from a free community to a paid community. Below is is the post I placed in the group trying to clarify the point of the transition.   “I woke up this morning and binge listened to the Recovery Elevator podcast, and later that day I went to my very first AA meeting/Told my spouse/reached out for help...” I have received probably 75 of these messages.... Recovery Elevator is not about me, it’s not about the people in this group, it’s about the people who are still struggling.I’ll be the first one to admit, I am flawed. I am far from perfect. I am fully aware I have made several mistakes and (“spoiler alert”) I will make many more mistakes moving forward. I think my biggest mistake thus far is not being able to communicate my vision for Recovery Elevator and why this transition is taking place. Sure it’s about sustaina

In this episode Penni from Australia shares how she made is 6 months sober! Also discussed in the episode the Radio Lab's podcast episode The Fix. Is there really a pill that an cure alcoholism? Believe me, I have searched high and low.....   Don't isolate yourself and join the discussion in the Recovery Elevator Private Forum. Come join the ultimate Recovery Elevator meet-up in Peru where we will be volunteering at orphanages with Peruvian Hearts, working with local alcoholics, and why not hike the 38 mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu while were down there! This episode was brought to you by Sober Travel and Sober Nation.

In this episode Bill, who has been sober October 22nd 2015, shares how to successfully navigate retirement as an alcohol. Also in this episode how exhausting and potentially dangerous it can be while drinking and traveling. That is when the light bulb for sober travel went off about two weeks.

Brandy shares how she has successfully made it to 69 days sober! I also talk about how I mapped out my talk to the largest school audience yet. Footage from this YouTube video to come shortly, but here the video that I made for the freshman and sophomore classes.    -if when on vacation, every time you go out to eat with your boyfriend (who does not want you to drink) you make sure he sits in a place with his back to the bar so you can sneak a drink on your way to the bathroom. -Phenina -if you wake up in the hospital and have to ask the nurse to help you look up impound lots after your car was totaled 4 days earlier and you have no recollection of where the accident happened. -Maureen -if you check your bank online to find charges that you don't recognize...after all, you haven't been to that bar in months! You call the bar to contest the charge and then realize that it was your signature on the bill and you had been there in a blackout. -Jill -if you get so desperate for mixers that you use mint tea or simi

In episode 54, Gavin from England shares how he made it too 100 days of sobriety, and his humor in the accountability groups is what gave me the inspiration for this topic. Ideas for this podcast topic came from an article I read on The Fix and the benefits of laughter are from Help Guide.  

In this episode Dawn, shares how she has made it to 6 months of sobriety as a mother of three. We also discuss terminal uniqueness which basically is when we focus on the differences and not the similarities. I have been culpable of this many times, and I am working on being cognizant of how to avoid this. Here are some of the key reasons why terminal uniqueness is so dangerous. -It allows people to ignore the likely consequences of their actions -It provides a false sense of security -It divides the world into me and them -It means that the individual will be unwilling to believe that treatments that help other people can help them -It leads to the individual thinking that they are either worse than everyone else, or that they are better than everyone else -It prevents the individual from seeking help for their problems -It can be a barrier to communication -It leads to feelings of loneliness and desperation (isolation)****

What I learned in 1 year of podcast is remarkable. It will help me stay sober and I want to thank everyone who has been a part of Recovery Elevator. I really hope you enjoy this summary because I had a great year compiling them. Value BombsWhat I learned from a year of podcasting about my sobriety.By Paul Churchill (with Elliot P.) Podcasting about your sobriety isn’t exactly the best way to stay anonymous.   However, after years of struggling to stay sober I was willing to try anything and nothing seemed more powerful than the accountability I’d create by checking in with “the world” every week.   So I bought a few simple pieces of recording equipment, signed up for a podcasting service and started talking.  I was terrified to release the first episode – it felt like I was jumping off a cliff.  I knew my life would never be the same.   I was right. This year has been the best year of my life but strangely, also the hardest.   I know what you are thinking, “of course it was the hardest as getting sober isn’t