Today Allen Kharlip, Clinical Supervisor at Addiction Rehab Toronto and good friend, returns to recovering out loud as we open up about current events. In this raw conversation, we unpack how social media becomes a new addiction for people in recovery — triggering comparison, inadequacy, obsessive thinking, and emotional relapse.
If you’ve ever scrolled Instagram and felt worse afterward, you’re not alone. We talk about why inspiration online quickly turns into self-judgment, why comparison is the thief of joy, and how recovery tools like spirituality, connection, discipline, and CBT help us break the cycle.

This episode covers:
– Why scrolling never makes you feel better
– How comparison fuels insecurity + relapse thinking
– The “addict brain” hijacking social media
– What actually restores peace: connection, meetings, service, spirituality
– Setting boundaries around tech in early recovery
– How to stop chasing validation and start living again

Find Allens full story on episode

In today’s episode of Recovering Out Loud, Anthony breaks down one of the biggest challenges in sobriety: the fear of the future. If you struggle with overthinking, catastrophizing, anxiety about relapse, financial insecurity, or the pressure of rebuilding your life — this episode will ground you.

You’ll learn:
• The psychology and neurology behind fear in recovery
• Why uncertainty feels dangerous when you stop drinking or using
• The lies fear tells, and how to counter them with evidence
• How fear shapes behaviour, avoidance, self-sabotage & toxic cycles
• Tools for emotional sobriety: reframing, action steps, CBT, surrender
• How to build a healthy relationship with the future
• Reflection questions you can use today

If this episode resonates, hit Subscribe, leave a rating, and share it with someone who needs it. Recovery makes the future possible — not dangerous.

Keywords:
recovery podcast, fear of the future, sobriety anxiety, emotional sobriety, addiction recovery motivation, relapse prevention, overthinking in recovery, fear in sobriety, CBT for anxiety, early recovery support, how to stay sober, Anthony Recovering Out Loud

In this community-driven episode, Anthony dives into the real questions you submitted — from alternative paths to sobriety to emotional boundaries, routines, family support, and how recovery skills apply to everyday life. No sugarcoating. No one-size-fits-all solutions. Just practical guidance from lived experience and professional training.

We cover:
• Why 12-step programs aren’t the only option
• What detox vs. rehab REALLY means
• How to help others without losing your own sobriety
• The difference between supporting and enabling
• How professionals protect their emotional boundaries
• Why structure and routine save lives
• How families can support a loved one coming home from treatment
• Recovery tools that make everyone’s life better — not just people with addiction

If this episode helps you, please follow, like, or subscribe — it’s the best way to support the show so this free content can reach more people who need it.

Instagram: @RecoveringOutLoudPod
You are not alone.
(I appreciate you. I love you.)

Resources:

USA

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 for mental-health or substance-use crises

• SAMHSA National Helpline (24/7):
  https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

• Treatment Locator (Detox/Rehab Directory):
  https://findtreatment.gov

• NAMI HelpLine:
  https://nami.org/help

• Partnership to End Addiction (Parents/Families):
  https://drugfree.org

• Shatterproof Addiction Resources:
  https://www.shatterproof.org/find-help

• AA (Alcoholics Anonymous):
  https://www.aa.org

• NA (Narcotics Anonymous):
  https://www.na.org

• SMART Recovery (CBT-based):
  https://www.smartrecovery.org

• LifeRing Secular Recovery:
  https://www.lifering.org

• Refuge Recovery (Buddhist-based):
  https://www.refugerecovery.org

  
  

  Canada

• 911 — Overdose or immediate danger

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Helpline — Call or text 988 (nationwide)

• Wellness Together Canada:
  https://www.wellnesstogether.ca

• ConnexOntario (Ontario mental health & addiction directory):
  https://www.connexontario.ca

• 211 Canada (local services search):
  https://211.ca

• Health Canada Substance Use Resources:
  https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use

• BC: Here to Help:
  https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca

• Alberta Health Services Addiction Help:
  https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/am/page16759.aspx

• Saskatchewan Health Authority Addictions:
  https://www.saskhealthauthority.ca/your-health/conditions-diseases-services/addictions

• Manitoba Addictions Foundation:
  https://afm.mb.ca

• Québec: Trouver de l’aide:
  https://www.quebec.ca/sante/trouver-aide

• Nova Scotia Mental Health & Addictions:
  https://mha.nshealth.ca

• New Brunswick Addiction Services:
  https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/health/AddictionsandMentalHealth.html

• PEI Addiction Services:
  https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/health-pei/addiction-services

• Newfoundland & Labrador:
  https://mha.easternhealth.ca/addictions

• AA Canada:
  https://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/find-local-aa

• NA Canada:
  https://www.canaacna.org

• SMART Recovery Canada:
  https://smartrecovery.org/local/ca

• Al-Anon / Nar-Anon (family support):
  https://al-anon.org & https://naranon.org

Most people think relapse is a single moment — but it’s not.
In this video, I break down the three phases of relapse (emotional → mental → physical) and explain why relapse actually starts weeks or months before the first drink or drug. Using my own experience — eight years sober before relapsing, multiple rehabs, and now working in addiction counseling — plus the science behind cravings and dopamine, this video gives you a clear roadmap for understanding relapse and preventing it before it begins.

You’ll learn:
✅ The early emotional warning signs most people ignore
✅ How stress, boredom, overconfidence, and isolation create relapse conditions
✅ Why cravings feel so powerful and why your brain seeks the “quick fix”
✅ How to identify your patterns, triggers, and red flags
✅ Simple but powerful tools to interrupt cravings in real time
✅ How to build a relapse prevention plan that actually works
✅ Why relapse is not failure — and how to turn it into growth

Whether you're new to recovery, coming back, or supporting someone you love, this is one of the clearest explanations of relapse you’ll find. No shame. No judgment. Just honesty, science, and practical tools.

• 0:00 How relapse actually works

• Emotional relapse signs (poor sleep, irritability, isolation)

• Mental relapse & “addict brain” bargaining

• Why dopamine memories trigger cravings

• Physical relapse: the result, not the beginning

• My story: relapsing after 8 years sober

• Science of cravings & stress response

• Tools to interrupt urges instantly

• Pattern recognition & relapse journaling

• Why connection is the antidote to addiction

• The dangers of overconfidence in recovery

• Shame, avoidance, and emotional overload

• Building a simple relapse prevention plan

• relapse prevention

• stages of relapse

• emotional relapse signs

• addiction recovery tools

• how relapse happens

• mental relapse warning signs

• sobriety motivation

• staying sober during holidays

• relapse triggers

• addiction psychology

• relapse after long-term sobriety

If this video helps you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast — it supports the channel, the message, and the people who need these tools the most. You’re not alone. You’re worth recovery.

“We almost died… so we have to talk about it.”

This line says everything.
This episode is a deep, unfiltered look into addiction, relapse, shame, near-death moments, and why telling the truth becomes a responsibility once you survive something you shouldn’t have.

Today I sat down with the ladies from Girl, Undrunk - a podcast about addiction and sobriety.

We talk openly about:

• Relapse triggered by body dysmorphia and Ozempic misuse

• Secrets, lying by omission, and why they keep you sick

• The fear of asking for help

• Family dynamics, walking on eggshells, and holiday triggers

• Why sobriety feels awkward at first

• The myth of “being fun when you drink”

• What REAL sober fun looks like

• Building friendships that protect your recovery

• Why podcasting became a safe place to tell the truth

If you’ve ever felt alone, ashamed, or afraid to talk about your past — this episode shows you that healing begins when you finally say it out loud.

👉 Follow for conversations that can actually save lives.

Going out sober is one of the hardest early-recovery milestones — but it DOES get easier.
In this episode, I share the exact tools, mindset shifts, and sober strategies that helped me get through clubs, parties, concerts, holidays, and social events without drinking or using.

You’ll learn:
• Why going out sober feels so awkward at first
• How to survive the “10–30 minute anxiety spike”
• The sober ritual that keeps you grounded
• What to say when someone asks “Why aren’t you drinking?”
• How to handle triggers, pressure, and old using environments
• When to leave — and why leaving early is a superpower
• How to actually have FUN again without alcohol

Whether you’re in early recovery or years in, you’ll find practical tips that work in real-world situations.
You’re not broken. You’re just learning a new way to live — and you don’t have to do it alone.

If this episode helped you, subscribe for more sober tools, real recovery talk, and weekly episodes.

✨ Recovery is simple… not easy.
✨ Don’t pick up the first one.

AA? SMART? Refuge? Therapy? Coaching?
If you’ve ever tried to get sober and felt overwhelmed by all the recovery options out there, this video breaks everything down in a simple, honest, and non-judgmental way. Whether you're sober-curious, in early recovery, or coming back after relapse — this guide will help you understand what’s out there and how to choose the right recovery modality for you.

In this 15 -minute breakdown, I cover:
✔ 12-Step programs (AA, NA, CA) — what they’re actually like
✔ SMART Recovery & secular options
✔ Refuge Recovery, Recovery Dharma & mindfulness-based modalities
✔ Therapy for addiction (CBT, DBT, EMDR, MI)
✔ Online recovery communities & sober coaching
✔ Harm reduction & medication support
✔ How to actually choose a path that fits your life, personality, and needs

Recovery isn’t “one size fits all.” It’s a toolbox.
You get to build the version that keeps you alive, sober, and growing.

If this helped, drop a comment about your experience with different recovery paths — it might help someone else watching.

DISCLAIMER:

I DO NOT REPRESENT ANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPS THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE AND OPINON

🔔 Follow for more content on sobriety, relapse prevention, addiction psychology, emotional healing, and building a life you don’t need alcohol to escape from.

Is sobriety supposed to feel boring?
Short answer: yeah… sometimes it does. But there’s nothing wrong with you — your brain is literally recalibrating after years of artificial dopamine spikes from alcohol, cocaine, or whatever your drug of choice was.

In today’s video, I break down why boredom happens in early recovery, how long the flat / plateau phase lasts, and what actually helps you rebuild motivation, joy, excitement, and real dopamine again.

You’ll learn:
✔ Why your dopamine system drops during early sobriety
✔ Why boredom is NOT failure
✔ How boredom can trigger relapse (my story)
✔ How addiction hijacks “fun”
✔ How to build REAL dopamine (not the quick highs)
✔ How to create a life that’s exciting again without substances
✔ The difference between boredom vs loneliness
✔ How long the “flat” recovery phase lasts
✔ Practical steps to feel better today

If you’re sober-curious, newly sober, or coming back after relapse — this video will make you feel seen, validated, and supported.

👇 Subscribe for more recovery content
IG: @RecoveringOutLoudPod
Podcast: Recovering Out Loud Podcast
TikTok / YouTube Shorts: @recoveringoutloudpod

Recovery is simple, not easy. One day at a time.

Your first 30 days of sobriety can feel confusing, overwhelming, and honestly… scary.
In this video, I break down exactly what to expect in early recovery — week by week — so you don’t have to go through it alone.

We’ll talk about withdrawal, cravings, sleep, anxiety, emotional ups & downs, what’s normal, and how to make it through the first month alcohol-free.

This video is for you if:
• You’re on Day 1 or restarting
• You want a simple plan to stay sober
• You’ve relapsed before and want this time to be different
• You need support, reassurance, and practical tools that actually work

What you’ll learn:
• How to survive the first 7 days without alcohol
• Why cravings feel so intense & how to handle them
• The emotional rollercoaster of Days 8–14
• How your body and brain start healing
• What to do each day to make sobriety easier
• Common traps that lead to relapse
• A simple daily routine for your first 30 days alcohol-free

If you’re in early recovery, you are NOT alone. Drop where you’re at (Day 1, Day 5, Day 30!) and I’ll cheer you on. You can do this — one day at a time.

From the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Page 86-88

on awakening Follow Us:JOIN ME ON MY SOCIALS - FREE RECOVERY GUIDE AND RECOVERY COACHING ⁠https://linktr.ee/Recoveringoutloudpod⁠🌐 Website: recoveringoutloud.ca📱 Socials: @RecoveringOutLoudPod (Instagram, X, TikTok & more)🔗 All Links: linktr.ee/Recoveringoutloudpod💡 Helpful Resources for Addiction & Recovery🇨🇦 National (Canada-Wide) ResourcesCanadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA)Research, policy, and resources on substance use and addiction.Health Canada – Substance Use and AddictionsGovernment info on prevention, treatment, and harm reduction.Canada’s Drug and Alcohol Treatment DirectoryLocate treatment centers across Canada.National Overdose Response Service (NORS)Peer-run hotline for safer drug use support.📞 Call: 1-888-688-6677🏠 Ontario-Specific ResourcesConnexOntario – Mental Health & Addiction HelplineFree, confidential support for addiction and mental health.📞 Call: 1-866-531-2600Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres (OATC)Opioid addiction treatment (methadone, Suboxone).Ontario Harm Reduction NetworkSafer drug use, naloxone, and harm reduction programs.CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)Leading hospital for addiction and mental health care.📞 Call: 1-800-463-6273Withdrawal Management (Detox) Services in OntarioFind detox and treatment programs.Ontario 211 – Addiction & Mental Health ServicesConnect to local support services.📞 Dial: 211🚨 Crisis & Immediate HelpOverdose Prevention Hotline: 1-888-853-8542Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 | Text: 45645Good2Talk (For Students): 1-866-925-5454💬 Join the conversation! Share your thoughts in the comments, and let’s recover out loud together.👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell for new episodes every week!#AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #RecoveringOutLoud #recovery #addiction #podcast #sober #sobriety