What would life be if we did everything right? Probably very boring, we think! This week, we’re talking about the need for ‘Recovery Maintenance’, practising consistency in what we do and the dangers of complacency. It’s not so much how well we do things, it’s more that we do them; progress, not perfection indeed! In our dilemma this week, we’re talking about when to break our anonymity, or not. And finally, we look at how bitter the end has to become to make some of us finally ask for help.

This week we’re talking about how treatment works for addicts and alcoholics, and what happens when plans are put in place by those who don’t necessarily possess the requisite lived experience to implement them. We look at government plans for tackling addiction and promoting recovery, assessing the pros and cons. We’re also talking about the ‘War On Drugs’ and the stigma associated with poverty, criminality and addiction.

Recovery has its own language, as does treatment and while both can seem incomprehensible to begin with, we do learn as we recover. This week, we’re talking about those languages, about the critical importance of simplicity and how three-word slogans have been as prevalent as they have been effective in AA and NA for many years. We’re also talking about the perils of ‘the washing machine head’ and how sharing in meetings can be difficult at different stages in recovery. And didn’t someone say something about all those chemicals damaging our brains as well?

This week we’re talking about detox; what’s sensible, what's safe, and what isn’t. We’re also looking at the effects of detox, on both the addict/alcoholic and their nearest and dearest. We look at how reduction and detox are managed, at how it is possible to access recovery services before we stop drinking and using, and at how we should be mindful of unplanned withdrawal, especially where alcohol is concerned. Also, we look at how we avoid getting angry at things we can’t control in recovery, with variable degrees of success...

This week we’re looking at why some people go to rehab, why others don’t, why some people leave and why others stay. We’re talking about the dangers of ‘box-ticking’ and ‘treatment hopping’, how our expectations of the rehab experience can vary very considerably and at how some people arrive for the wrong reasons, but stay for the right ones. And no matter how hard we try (or even don’t), there seems to be no getting away from that ‘Responsibility’ word!

Two recovering alcoholics going all philosophical, what could go wrong? Not a lot, surprisingly! This week, we’re talking about how we find our place in the world on coming into recovery, how we learn to acknowledge that we don’t need to know or understand everything and that our belief systems are fundamentally changed. From ‘The Big Bang’ to Chuck Norris, via local buses, K-dramas and societal breakdown, this is recovery, the universe and everything…

In our 100th episode (yes, sorry about the numbering going a bit haywire!), we’re talking about anger and how we deal with it. Or sometimes we don’t. We look at strategies for the safe expression of anger, how we purge ourselves of dangerously negative feelings, how we take time to process them, and how we set boundaries around ourselves and other people when experiencing anger.  Also, we’re tackling a gambling-related dilemma, with some interesting results…

I have to be self-aware, now? What’s that when it’s at home?!? This week we’re talking about how we become progressively more self-aware over time, of both our capabilities and our limitations. Among other things, we look at how this affects our approach to setting boundaries with other people, how we reengage with family and how we both identify and manage the perils of self-will. Meanwhile, someone’s been on a few dating sites...

Could we do a better job? Well, of course we (think we) could! This week, we’re talking about the stigma surrounding addiction, about how negative preconceptions can impact upon how we live and work with other people. Also, we’re looking at the way in which treatment is too often viewed as punitive, as opposed to a positive process of reconstruction. And last but not least, we’re talking about rehab models and how they might be improved…

I want it now! Well, that’s not happening in a hurry, is it? Recovery is a gradual process, and time doesn’t run on our terms. When we become willing to change and take responsibility, both for ourselves and our relationships with others, we grow in recovery. Time grants us a change in perspective - on ourselves, others and our relationships – and allows us to tell our own stories with a new degree of objectivity.