Episode 372– The three stages of healing

Today we have Sherrie. She is 58, from Oregon, and she took her last drink on January 21, 2019.

Highlights from Paul

Paul explains the stages of healing have less to do with how much time you were drinking and more to do with how you view your problems.

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The three stages of healing are:

1. Victimhood – you are playing the victim card
2. Self Help – you identify the problem, then solve it
3. Creatorship – there was never a problem; drinking was there to help me. You take responsibility for everything in your life.

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[13:52] Sherrie lives in Oregon, has two children and three grandchildren. She loves hiking, kayaking, house projects, and her dog.

Sherrie lived overseas during her childhood. She started working at 16 and drank because older workers never asked about her age. Drinking was prevalent in her youth. She was married young, but drinking wasn't an issue until there was a turning point in her marriage. Her marriage had its ups and downs for many years. Empty nest syndrome changed her drinking, and gastric bypass surgery changed how her body processed alcohol. She could drink large amounts of alcohol and began to blackout.

Sherrie gained weight in hopes that her husband would leave her. As she approached her fifties (her father passed at age 54), she developed patterns of self-sabotage. After her second DUI, she knew it was time to make a change. She started counseling and stayed away from triggering moments like going to the grocery store. Her life revolved around recovery. Anytime she wasn't working, she was focused on recovery.

AA is a significant part of Sherrie's recovery, AND she incorporates other things that work for her like Café RE, sober travel, meditation, etc. Finding activities that take her focus off wanting to drink helps Sherrie stay on track. Sherrie has a positive outlook and looks forward to fun adventures ahead.

Odette's Summary

[56:52] You are doing a great job. Acknowledge the work and effort you are making. Validate your own work. Be your own cheerleader. You are not alone – together is always better.

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