AA Recovery Interviews with Howard L.

After a difficult adolescence, prison sentence, and series of dead-end jobs, Jimmy finally hit the jackpot. He was hired by a California winery, where he worked for over 20 years. This dream job not only allowed him to drink while at work, but actually required it. His job as a wine salesman necessitated intimate knowledge of every bottle he sold and daily drinking with customers. Thus, Jimmy’s long-time alcoholism and drug abuse was fueled by the demands of his job. Then came his downward spiral replete with divorces, physical decline, drunk driving, and mental issues. Fortunately, as the bottom approached, he had a moment of clarity. After 30 days inpatient treatment, he found AA and has stayed sober ever since. Ironically, when he got sober and informed his employer, he was fired for not agreeing to drink on the job. For a functional alcoholic, this was another gift he could not ignore. Over his more than 21 years of sobriety, Jimmy has parlayed that experience into a strong program focused on constant service to the fellowship and helping people in his community.

Though I only met Jimmy about a year ago on Zoom, we formed an instant bond based on a shared love for Alcoholics Anonymous and our mutual willingness to help others. I’ve been fascinated by his story and feels like I’ve known him for years. I think you’ll feel that way, too, over the next hour as you listen to this AA Recovery Interview with my AA brother, Jimmy S.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

Join our Facebook Group and share your own experience, strength, and hope with other AAs.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

Join our Facebook Group and share your own experience, strength, and hope with other AAs.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging cover-to-cover, word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and Personal Stories, many of which were left out of the Third and Fourth Editions. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Lucy G. is one of those rare members of Alcoholics Anonymous who found the 12-Steps by participating in another program for many years before she came into AA. In fact, Lucy’s experience in Al-Anon was sufficient enough to help her deal with the alcoholics in her life, while her own use and then abuse of alcohol, continued completely unabated in the background. So, though she had gained lots of knowledge about the disease, it wasn’t until after her kids were grown and out of the house, that her own alcoholism took control of her life. Binge drinking, then an ever increasing dependence on alcohol, assailed her for years until she had hit her bottom. Fortunately, because of her attendance as an Al-Anon member of a few open AA meetings years earlier, she found the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous.

And, despite some of the similarities between the programs, Lucy still found herself starting at Step 1 in AA, along with the usual struggles new-comers often face. I met Lucy when she first got sober and have attended many meetings with her over the years. Through her quirky early weeks of trying to interior decorate the AA club, Lucy settled down into a solid program, guided by a strong sponsor, and supported through the fellowship she quickly embraced in the rooms. At 13 years sober, Lucy has become a model AA citizen and a dependable member of our AA club. Hers is a story I think you’ll enjoy and I invite you to kick back for the next hour with my good friend and AA sister, Lucy G.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

Join our Facebook Group and share your own experience, strength, and hope with other AAs.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Would a court-mandated breathalyzer and the fear of going to prison be enough to keep Matt dry? Or should he embrace AA's spiritually-anchored Program of sobriety based upon proven steps of action, fellowship, and service?

My guest today, Matt M., faced that choice. His life today reflects the decision he made. As my first Millennial guest, Matt has 5 years of sobriety and, at age 31, he demonstrates AA’s effectiveness at reaching across the generations of alcoholics to provide answers and the hope of a better future.

I met Matt when he first got sober. He attended our men’s meeting on a weekly basis, but after a while, I stopped seeing him. Curious as to where he was, I learned from some men who knew him that, although he was still sober, he hadn’t been attending meetings regularly as he had in the beginning. When I next saw him, I asked him about that hiatus and he told me of the distractions to his Program. You know, jobs, relationships, and the other things that take people out every day. Fortunately, he recommitted to AA, redoubled his work in the program, and ultimately picked up a sponsee. Most importantly, he didn’t drink.

As you listen to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews, take note of the progressive nature of Matt’s disease and the choices he faced along the way. Should he use the court-mandated daily breathalyzer and the fear of going to prison as the reason to stay dry? Or should he embrace spiritually-oriented sobriety based upon a proven program of action and fellowship? Matt’s experience speaks to both, but the way he lives his life today demonstrates his commitment to his AA program over any easier, softer solution. I invite you to share the next hour AA Recovery Interviews with any boomer, millennial, or any Gen X, Y, or Z alcoholic you know. I believe Matt’s perspective offers good orderly direction and a lot to be grateful for. So, I welcome my AA brother, Matt M., to AA Recovery Interviews.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Diana's love of AA is unmistakable. In her words: “AA is at the center of my life. It keeps me sane. It gives me structure, a sense of purpose. It teaches me about myself. It gives me fellowship.” When I first met Diana L. on a London AA Zoom meeting almost a year ago, the humility of that sentiment had me listening carefully every time she shared in that weekly meeting. I intuitively knew that such a heartfelt love for the Program occurs only after a particularly difficult road to sobriety. That’s how it was for Diana. It took her more than ten arduous years, fraught with multiple relapses, to finally anchor her current sobriety date to 2011. To save her own life, she got a sponsor, read the Big Book, worked the 12 Steps, went to meetings, prayed, and fulfilled her service commitments. Her love of AA was a natural result, as was her tenacious and ongoing commitment to the Program. That love continues today. So, have a cup of tea and a biscuit while you enjoy the next hour with my AA sister from Great Britain, Diana L.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Diane G. first met her husband, John, in AA nearly 45 years ago. As uncommon as that is, what’s rarer still is that they stayed together utilizing the tools of AA to successfully raise their family, launch their careers, and help countless alcoholics along the way. John was one of my closest friends and I had a front-row seat to witness his remarkable ability to integrate AA into every facet of his life, including his marriage to Diane. What was beautiful was to watch John channel Diane’s love into everything he did. That love was unshakeable and when John died of liver cancer almost 7 years ago, Diane’s AA Program carried her through that tragic and difficult time. After he passed, she continued to channel John’s love into everything she did.

Today, Diane’s life reflects the richness of the AA Promises in action. She is involved and engaged in helping women in the Program, many of whom identify with the abject abuse she experienced growing up. Using every tool laid at her feet by AA, and other mental health resources, Diane has dealt with an incredible array of bad times and good times and she passes onto others the experience, strength, and hope that makes her a cherished friend to many, including yours truly.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

The term functional alcoholic generally refers to someone whose personal and work lives appear largely unaffected by their alcoholism and/or drug addiction. We’ve all known certain members of AA, like my guest Larry E., who’ve achieved notoriety and great financial success, even while their disease was growing in the shadows of their denial. And whether their turning point occurred at the top of their game or in the depths of despair, their very presence in the Program is proof-positive that the disease ultimately prevailed.

In Larry’s case, his ascent to the top seemed unimpeded by his use and then abuse of alcohol and drugs. Neither a slew of DUI’s nor other consequences had much impact, until he landed in the inextricable grip of an addiction to freebase cocaine. It wasn’t until his wake-up call, when he literally woke up from passing out during a meeting of senior executives, that he finally acknowledged his problem and let the company send him to treatment. That was in 1995. He stayed sober until he slipped following his mother’s death in 2007. He regained his sobriety the day after that slip and is now approaching his 14th AA birthday. Larry’s been a good friend for many years and his multi-faceted story is one you’ll appreciate. And though the audio quality was somewhat affected by a glitchy Zoom connection, give it a few minutes and you’ll soon be sailing through an enjoyable hour of listening to my interview with my AA brother, Larry E.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Imagine living most of your life as a normal drinker, then finding out in your early 60’s that alcoholism has slowly taken over your life. My guest today, Judy H., faced this realization that alcohol was killing her from the inside out when she finally came into Alcoholics Anonymous at age 65. Though the “what it was like” and the “what happened” part of her story occurred when she was considerably older than most of my guests, her alcoholism was no less severe and her need for AA just as great. Now, after nearly 9 years working a very solid Program, Judy’s story is one that gives hope to those older alcoholics who may feel it’s too late in life to get help. Her frank and unabashed manner of carrying Alcohol Anonymous’ message to those who still suffer, has made her an invaluable and trusted servant in her AA community. Her understanding of the disease and her experience getting sober late in life, strongly resonate with older alcoholics, and provide hope that it’s never too late to change and find a new life in AA. So, whether you’re listening on the go or on the slow, enjoy the next hour with my guest and AA sister, Judy H.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Ever heard anyone say, “Getting arrested was the best thing that ever happened to me”? As crazy as that sounds to normal people, if you’ve been around AA long enough, you’ve heard it, usually expressed along with gratitude. I’ve heard my guest, George J, say it many times over the years. His arrest on federal drug charges at age 19, after seven chaotic years of addition and alcoholism, was truly a blessing and marked the start of a new life based in sobriety and service.   Now, nearly 40 years later, George’s remarkable story of continuous sobriety in AA is one that demonstrates the gifts that are possible by working the Program and practicing its principles on a daily basis. Overcoming many challenges along the way, his years of AA service also inspired a successful career in the recovery field helping lots of people. Yet his work in Alcoholics Anonymous has remained his top priority. I’ve witnessed that priority in action over the last 30 +  years and George still inspires me, and many others, with his dedication to AA and its primary purpose of helping other alcoholics achieve sobriety.  I hope you will relish this next hour and 15 minutes of AA Recovery Interviews with my good friend and AA brother, George J.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Maryann G., is one of those rare recovering alcoholics who has successfully implemented the tools of the Program to both stay sober and sustain a long, happy marriage to a fellow AA she met early in her Program. But, it wasn’t easy.

Growing up in a constant state of fear in a home with an alcoholic father and mentally ill mother, Maryann sought relief from the family dysfunction by starting to drink at age 12. Though she found refuge in school work and academic achievements, she continued to drink through high school, college, and a lofty corporate career well into her twenties. To her emerging alcoholism, she added impulsive spending and dangerous relationships in a futile effort to quell her growing fear and unhappiness.

By early 1985, with her façade as a successful businesswoman wearing thin, Maryann finally hit bottom and joined AA. The rest, as they say, is history. But Maryann’s inspirational story is one of first working the Program to stay sober, then practicing AA principles to simultaneously build a successful career and a happy marriage. Maryann’s matter-of-fact approach to AA and its many gifts is one I admire greatly. I think you will, too.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Think back: If you had lost your eyesight—went blind—would you have stopped drinking? If an alcohol-induced stroke then paralyzed half your body, would you have stopped then? And, if, while being both blind and paralyzed, you had alcoholic seizures, would that been enough to give up drinking?     

My guest, Chuck B., kept drinking through blindness, paralysis, seizures and lasting pain. The powerful disease of alcoholism had prevailed over all of the medical reasons for quitting, providing its own perverse justification for continued drinking amidst all Chuck’s problems. Finally, in the fall of 2007, facing certain demise, Chuck had had enough. His desperate cry for help finally broke the strangle-hold of his alcoholism long enough for him to get sober and find AA. Now, 13 years later, Chuck still lives with blindness, paralysis, and constant physical pain, but his life has actually been enriched through working the 12 steps of AA. His solid program of meetings, sponsorship, service work, fellowship, and prayer provides a brilliant example of how to live sober through daily challenges and adversity. Chuck is one of my heroes in Alcoholics Anonymous and I hope he’ll become a new hero to those who hear him today.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]