January 13, 2025

E123: Vulnerability - the Link Between Connection and Addiction

40 minutes

For most people, when they decide to stop drinking alcohol, they do it quietly. It's not something they want to talk about, it's not something they want to share with all their friends and loved ones. It's embarrassing, right? We never thought this is where we'd end up, and it's hard to accept that it is. We just want to quietly conquer the alcohol demon and get on with living our lives.

Except that's not how it works.

As we explore in this podcast episode - talking about it is exactly what we need to be doing.

Talking about the things we're embarrassed and ashamed of is how we get on the other side of that shame and really start healing. It's how we connect with others in a meaningful way, and finally fill that void that loneliness has been creating for so long. Vulnerability is the key to sobriety - and it's not talked about enough.

Listen as we chat with Jennifer, Michael, and Nicole about how vulnerability has made recovery from alcohol abuse a reality in our lives.

The opposite of connection is addiction. And without vulnerability, there is no connection.

In this episode:

Humility and the role it plays in vulnerability

Learning how to let your guard down, when it's been up for so long

Vulnerability is the key to creating genuine relationships

Asking for help is one of the most vulnerable things you'll ever do.

Vulnerability is the link between connection and addiction

Being vulnerable is a risk, and people have to earn the right to our vulnerability

Sharing your story with others takes tremendous courage.

Healing is going to be uncomfortable - and that's okay.

How vulnerability improves the relationships in your life.

"Say the words that burn when they leave your mouth." - Andy Grammer

It seems that men have an even harder time (in general) with vulnerability. If that resonates, make sure you check out this episode about vulnerability as well.

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My name is Jennifer Gerroir, and you can find me on Instagram @dropkicksober. My sober date

is August 27, 2021. As a base brat I grew up all over Canada. My hubby and I are in the

Canadian Armed Forces and are currently stationed in Wainwright, AB. Our daughter graduates

high school this year and will be off to college in the fall.

I was well aware for years that my relationship with alcohol was problematic. After 32 years of

drinking I found my way to the sober community on Instagram. More and more sober content

began showing up in my newsfeed. As I viewed, I started to pull at the thread that should have

been ripped out years ago. I thank God each day for every person who has decided to recover out

loud (seriously, you saved my life).

For years I felt so much shame, self-hatred, and blame for not being able to manage to moderate.

I’m so incredibly grateful that I found the sober community when I did. Now that I know that

recovery is possible, I want to be sure to shine my own sober light for anyone who may be

struggling with their own relationship with alcohol. As a self proclaimed Bible nerd, I also share

a mix of Scripture along with my own recovery journey, other sober content, as well as anything

else that inspires me. Not every day in sobriety is magical, but even my ‘worst’ day sober far

outshines what I would have considered my ‘best’ day while I was still drinking. ODAAT, one

foot in front of the other.

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Hello! My name is Mike, I’m an alcoholic, dog person, designer, and human.

My quit date is April 9, 2019.

I’m originally from New Orleans and have lived in the south most of my life. However, I did live in Portland, Oregon for a while, where I started my career as an advertising Art Director.

I now live in Austin, TX where I continued my career working for a large ad agency.

I resigned from that job to pursue a career in freelancing. Just a few months after I got sober.

Being newly sober and embarking on a whole new lifestyle was a bit crazy to make such a huge change early in sobriety, but I did it. It was a calculated decision. My counselor in IOP, my private counselor, and a social worker strongly recommended it as it was a trigger for my drinking and using weed.

I founded SoberPress during the pandemic. It was an endeavor that helped me stay clean as I navigated being in isolation because of COVID-19. In August of 2020, I launched my Instagram page: @soberpress, and serendipitously found an amazing supportive community online. At the same time, I was working on establishing a blog soberpress.org where I would soon feature stories of recovery from around the world.

I’m very much involved in the community holding ambassadorships, appearing in podcasts, running SoberPress on Facebook, and helping with SoberHope.

Links:

Website: https://www.soberpress.org/

Instagram: @soberpress https://www.instagram.com/soberpress/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3509692239095770

Sober Hope-Austin Texas: https://www.facebook.com/groups/616558783253253

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By Julie Miller & Steve Knapp

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