Why does a 21-year sobriety chip matter—but the next 24 hours matter most?

In this episode, we talk about milestones, humility, and the daily actions that keep recovery alive. Stephen explains how anniversaries serve as a reset—an honest inventory against complacency—because no matter how many years you have, the most important day is still today.

We unpack the meaning of recovery chips and how small tokens carry big hope. You’ll also hear simple ways loved ones can show support, like attending a meeting or writing a note.

If you’re feeling alone, we get practical: find a home group, take a commitment, and lean into endless online AA and NA meetings to rebuild community quickly.

At the core is a framework that works—faith in a higher power, a sponsor who knows the steps, a meeting a day, living the 12 steps in real time, and service that pulls us out of our heads.

If you’re struggling or searching for your path, we want to hear from you. Listen, share with someone who needs it, then subscribe and leave a review to help others find recovery.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

Pain makes us reach for quick relief—something to take the edge off and keep us moving. We talk honestly about how alcohol and drugs can feel like help at first, then quietly become the problem, especially for those carrying trauma, stress, or old wounds. If you’ve leaned on “liquid confidence,” this episode unpacks how short-term comfort leads to long-term isolation—and how to recognize when life becomes unmanageable.

We replace fear with facts: what detox really looks like, how symptoms are managed safely, and why no one has to do it alone. Then we get to the heart of recovery—the spiritual malady that substances only numb. Acceptance is like discovering a food allergy: some of us just can’t use safely. Surrender isn’t defeat; it’s choosing what works.

We also redefine power. Saying “I’m broken” keeps us stuck; saying “I’m learning to manage this disease” puts us back in control. Through community, step work, daily practice, and service, people find real freedom—clearer minds, steadier sleep, deeper connection, and strength through helping others.

If you feel the boulder rolling toward you, this is your invitation to step aside and step in. Hit play for straight talk on coping, compassion, and a recovery path that lasts.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

A man stays sober 25 years, retires, picks up a drink—and four years later, he’s gone. We revisit the Big Book’s Businessman story as a warning: time alone doesn’t keep addiction at bay.

This episode explores long-term sobriety, complacency, and the habits that truly protect recovery—daily action, community, and honest connection. Recovery is a verb, not a milestone. Act on it, and you’re safe for today.

Share, subscribe, and leave a review—your story could save someone else.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

The clearest path to sobriety is usually the simplest: do what works, every day. In this episode, we unpack the Don’t, Won’t, Can’t framework—three common traps that derail recovery by skipping action, avoiding discomfort, or believing “I can’t.”

With real stories and straight talk, we discuss why a meeting a day isn’t overkill—it’s a lifeline. We cover how Zoom meetings keep you connected when life gets busy, and why long-term recovery still depends on the basics: a sponsor, the Twelve Steps (in order), regular meetings, and service that turns pain into purpose.

Steven shares lessons from the hardest parts of recovery—moral inventory and amends—where shame whispers “stop here.” We explore the psychology of self-doubt, the “I’m different” myth, and the illusion that strong-willed people can outthink addiction. Through the lens of fitness and consistency, we show how sobriety, like strength, fades with complacency—and how gratitude can make vigilance joyful, not burdensome.

If you’ve questioned whether daily meetings are doable, how to stay on track in busy seasons, or what to do when “can’t” gets loud, this conversation offers a clear blueprint: keep it small, keep it daily, keep it honest. The path is proven, the light is on, and you’re not alone. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find these tools.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

What if showing up isn’t the same as wanting help? This episode dives into the gap between love and limits—why some people enter treatment in body but not in spirit, and how victim identity can block change. We break down the difference between box-checking and real willingness, and why relapse follows when accountability and humility are missing.

For families who are exhausted, boundaries aren’t punishment—they’re protection. We share clear steps to stop enabling addiction: firm ultimatums, consistent consequences, and support systems like Al-Anon that protect your sanity and raise the odds of recovery.

Resources include Steven’s memoir Filling the Void and a free e-book How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction. If you’re ready to break the cycle, this conversation points the way.

If it resonates, follow the show, share it, and leave a review so others can find real help and hope.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

"We must always enable the solution. We must never enable the disease." Steven T. Ginsburg cuts to the core of addiction recovery, highlighting what it truly takes to help someone struggling with substance use.

Drawing from his own story of hitting bottom at 19, Steven shares how intervention and tough love saved his life—and why refusing help can be devastating. He warns that supporting someone actively using substances can be “loving them to death,” emphasizing the importance of boundaries like cutting off financial or housing support when necessary.

Accountability is equally critical. Steven describes the safety nets in his own life—multiple layers of checks and supports that maintain long-term sobriety. These structures are essential for anyone in recovery, no matter how long they’ve been sober.

Whether you’re navigating addiction yourself or supporting a loved one, this episode offers practical guidance on combining compassion with firm boundaries.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

What does it take to turn addiction into freedom? In this conversation, we explore the “Two Ifs” of Alcoholics Anonymous—the simple conditions behind the Ninth Step Promises that unlock recovery’s greatest rewards.

The formula is clear: if we commit fully to growth and if we keep working for it, transformation follows. Yet many struggle by neglecting the practices that first brought change or by listening to addiction’s lie that recovery isn’t necessary. The truth is stark—sobriety offers freedom and purpose, while addiction offers only destruction.

Even after decades of sobriety, recovery remains a daily choice. Meetings, sponsorship, and service become the medicine that sustains long-term healing. The promises of recovery—peace, integrity, and hope—far outweigh anything material. When we live the “Two Ifs,” we unlock a life beyond what we ever imagined.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

Shame is one of the most dangerous emotions in early recovery. It replays past mistakes, whispers that change is impossible, and often pushes people toward relapse. In this conversation, Steven T. Ginsburg explains how shame becomes “the toolbox of the enemy,” trapping people in cycles of unworthiness.

He highlights the importance of confronting our “old stat sheets”—the mental records of past failures—and introduces the 10th step as a powerful “shame buster.” By taking responsibility and making amends in real time, we prevent guilt from building up and fueling destructive patterns.

Steven emphasizes the need to separate identity from past actions, reminding listeners that “who we are is not who we were and not who we’re going to be.” Recovery isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress, whether the struggle is with substances, pornography, or other behaviors.

At Restore Detox Centers, love replaces shame as the guiding principle. “We don’t shoot our wounded,” Steven says. Instead, setbacks are met with compassion, helping clients understand what happened and find their way back to recovery. This environment allows authentic healing and helps people believe they are worthy of sobriety.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

Marijuana isn’t just a harmless plant—it’s a mind-altering substance with real consequences. This episode cuts through the noise of mixed messages about cannabis, offering straightforward facts, personal testimony, and biblical wisdom.

The hosts are direct about marijuana’s risks, especially for developing brains up to age 28. They explain how it can worsen anxiety and depression, act as a gateway to harder substances, and why it’s not simply a “gray area” but an issue requiring clear boundaries.

Grounded in scripture and recovery principles, the conversation shifts from substances to lasting hope. True relief, they stress, doesn’t come from chemicals but through faith, sobriety, and freedom from the “bondage of self.” They also highlight the importance of modeling sober living for children navigating a world full of harmful influences.

The episode closes with powerful testimony on the benefits of sobriety—clarity, self-control, and genuine freedom. If you’re questioning marijuana’s role in your life or struggling with addiction of any kind, you’ll find both straight talk and compassionate support here. For resources, reach out at [email protected]

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

Addiction is relentless, often pushing people toward devastating consequences. In this candid conversation, Steven T. Ginsburg shares the painful reality he’s seen this summer—an alarming rise in relapses and deaths. Quoting recovery literature, he notes, “The ultimate goal of any alcoholic is to drink like a gentleman. It never happens, and they will literally chase this goal into the gates of death.”

Steven draws on his own recovery journey and his work at Restore Detox Centers to explain the cunning nature of addiction and why treatment alone isn’t enough without immediate engagement in recovery. He describes the subtle “pre-lapse”—when people begin drifting from recovery principles—and how deceptive thoughts fuel relapse. He also highlights both the unique challenges and inspiring passion he’s witnessing among younger generations navigating recovery.

This episode offers three practical steps for anyone impacted by addiction and a reminder from Steven: “You are not in this alone. You are loved, you are worth it, sobriety is waiting for you.”

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.