Recovery Elevator

Today we have Jenna, with over 3 years since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul summarizes Step 3 from the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous.

"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives

over to the care of God as we understood Him."

Step three in a nutshell means we are asking for help. A God of our understanding can be anything. We must be convinced that a life run on self will can hardly be a success.

SHOW NOTES

[8:39] Paul Introduces Jenna. I live in Colorado, I work in IT, and I'm 38 and have a 10-year-old daughter. I love hiking, running, and skiing. I love to cook.

[12:38] Paul- When did you start drinking?

Jenna- I actually didn't start drinking until I was in college. I didn't drink in High School. The first time I drank I was 12. I discovered a bottle of alcohol, and poured it into a coke.

[21:25] Paul- What was it that led you to quit drinking?

Jenna- I had several bottoms before September of 2014. I knew alcohol wasn't working for me, but no one knew that alcohol was the cause of my anxiety and depressing and feeling horrible.

[28:42] Paul- How liberating was it to be in that environment where your mom with nothing to hide?

Jenna- She cooked me lots of healthy food. It took me days to be able to eat. That love and being cared for was huge. She was there for me for whatever I needed.

[34:15] Paul- Talk to me about the timeline, and the patience. What do you have to say on that? It does keep getting better.

Jenna- That first year was amazing and hard at the same time. I had to learn how to do everything without alcohol in a culture where everything revolves around alcohol. Having accountability with my sponsor and my husband was huge in all of those times.

[43:21] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? That would be when we were in Vegas for my Grandma's 90th birthday party, and I took my daughter to the bathroom, and I got lost. I didn't know how to get back to the restaurant and I was drunk.

1. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? Labor Day weekend of 2014. We were going camping. It was always my job to pack up the camper. I decided to drink before doing that, by the time we got out to the campsite 90% of what we needed was not in the camper.
2. What's your plan moving forward? I plan to keep growing personally and learning.
3. What's your favorite resource in recovery? What works for me is going to meetings, and connecting with other people.
4. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Surrender, and ask my higher power for help.
5. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? You can find your bottom at any time, just put down the shovel and quit digging (drinking).
6. You might be an alcoholic if... when you are going through airport security your Ziploc bags of liquid shampoo bottles are filled with vodka.

Resources:

Alcoholics Anonymous "Big Book" PDF

Step 3 Pages 34-41

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Kim, with 3 days since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

The American Medical Association recognized alcohol dependence as a disease over 55 years ago. Alcohol dependence fits the disease model because it is a dysfunctional state with characteristic form.

Use of some drugs, including alcohol, may cause dependency. The medical term for this dependency, or addiction, is Chemical Dependency. In order for a chemical to be addictive it must possess three properties. It must be: 1) mind altering or mood changing, 2) euphorigenic, and 3) reinforcing, that is taking the chemical stimulates taking more of the chemical.

SHOW NOTES

[14:29] Paul Introduces Kim. I am 43 years old, I have 2 kids, I am from Atlanta, I am a self-employed attorney. I like to walk my dog, be out in nature, and exercise. I come from a family of alcoholics.

[19:34] Paul- Did you ever put any rules into place? Like not drinking before 5:00? Tell us more about that.

Kim- I did actually. I switched to wine, I don't know if that counts as moderating. I did cut back on the heavy stuff. I tried not drinking when I noticed the emotions were flooding. For me it's been the amount I have been drinking when I did drink.

[32:18] Paul- We are both one of the "lucky ones" How do you feel about that?

Kim- The one thing I have that my family members don't have is self-awareness. They are in denial. I feel very very lucky that I have been able to recognize what I am doing, and that it is a problem. At the same time it is everywhere. I see it everywhere.

[43:08] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Without a doubt it was that night. It was the lowest I felt in my life. I never want to be there again.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? It was 3 days ago. We were having fun, watching football. The next thing I knew I had a beer in my hand.
3. What's your plan moving forward? Accountability is big. Actually calling somebody, I can see where reaching out can help break the cycle.
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? Without a doubt it is the Café RE recovery group.
5. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? When you are going through hell, don't stop.
6. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? Don't beat yourself up. It perpetuates in a negative way.
7. You might be an alcoholic if... you actually enjoy being sick with a cold or the flu because it actually suppresses your desire to get a drink for a while.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

HIMS Website- Human Intervention Motivation Study

CBS News- Rehab that Puts Alcoholic Pilots Back in the Cockpit

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Tricia, with 1 year since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

It is January 1st, 2018. Today represents the start of a new year. The fact that you are listening to a podcast that is all about bettering your life sets you apart from all the rest. Addicts and alcoholics need altruistic relationships in our lives with others who do not drink.

SHOW NOTES

[8:38] Paul Introduces Tricia. I live in Dallas Texas, I'm 36 years old, I am a Chef by trade. I like to do crafty stuff, and I like to go running.

[15:03] Paul- What was it like hitting that 1-year milestone? What was that feeling?

Tricia- 1-year felt better than my birthday. My soberversary felt so much more important than any birthday I had ever had. Having one year was 10 times that feeling of excitement and accomplishment.

[26:43] Paul- Tell us more about that.

Tricia- I can quickly compare getting sober to starting an exercise routine. Everyone wants a quick fix. That never works. There is no quick fix. You have to do the things that make you uncomfortable and are hard. You have to learn to have discipline. AA is attraction, not promotion. I can take what I want, and leave the rest.

[32:32] Paul- The majority of listeners have yet to step foot into an AA meeting. What are your thoughts on AA? What light can you shed upon the 12-step process?

Tricia- I have a lot of opinions on AA. It's a place where you can meet people in real life. We all have the same disease. It is neat to meet people who get you. I love that part about AA. There are 2 parts to AA: Going to meetings, and working the 12 steps. If you just go to meetings and you don't do the steps you are missing out.

[36:42] Paul- Tell us a little about the retreat and what you learned from it.

Tricia- I signed up early for the retreat as an incentive to stay sober. The retreat in Montana was an adult experience kind of like camp. Creating relationships with people who are just like you. Everyone was so vulnerable right away. It was magical. You had to be there to know.

Rapid Fire Round

1. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Start right now. There is no right time, do it now. It just gets harder the longer you wait. You can't do this alone, if you could, you would have done it by now.

1. You might be an alcoholic if...you are always scheduling your day around your drinking. Everything has a hard stop at 4:00 or 5:00 so you gotta start drinking. You know exactly how many ice cubes are in everyone's glasses because you watched Mad Men drunk.
2. What's on your bucket list? I am going to be a speaker at the Dallas Meet-up. I really would like to do more speaking engagements. I am looking forward to the Peru trip.

Resources:

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Traker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Makenzee, with 13 days since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Facts about Alcohol: Less than 20% of people with alcohol abuse disorders actually seek treatment for their disease. Excessive alcohol consumption costs the U.S. economy an estimated 250 billion dollars in lost productivity according to a study from 2010. Alcoholic's Anonymous success rates vary depending on the source.

SHOW NOTES

[12:05] Paul Introduces Makenzee. I am from Boise Idaho. I am 23 years old and I work in the emergency department at the hospital. I love crafting, and fitness and nutrition. I got married 9 months ago.

[13:15] Paul- When did you first realize you had a problem with alcohol?

Makenzee- I had a constant build up of sickness and hangovers on my days off. I started to realize that my hobbies didn't exist anymore. I wasn't really present in the moment. It was miserable.

[16:57] Paul- 13 days ago, did you have a rock bottom moment? Tell us why you quit drinking.

Makenzee- It was hard to say one specific thing happened. I was excruciatingly hung-over 13 days ago. It lasted about two and half days. I was going through some physical withdrawals.

[25:22] Paul- Let's back up to Day 1,2, 3, 4, 5, how have you gotten this far?

Makenzee- Days 1,2,3,4,5 were… I'm not going to sugar coat it, absolute hell. My body was physically aching. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the situation. Yesterday was the first day I did not feel miserable. It was very difficult the first few days.

[31:36] Paul- What have you learned most about yourself over these past 13 days?

Makenzee- I'm actually a good person. I beat myself up a lot. I realized everyone is not going to like me. But I like me, and I am comfortable in my own skin.

[36:52] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Blacking out after my husband face timed me from overseas, and not remembering talking to him.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? Waking up after our wedding night and not remembering the last half of it.
3. What's your favorite resource in recovery? Café RE, and self-care.
4. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Facing it is the only way to overcome it.
5. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? Rip it off like a Band-Aid. It's terrifying; it hurts like hell, but just do it. Your life will flourish.
6. You might be an alcoholic if... you buy a plane ticket to Vegas instead of paying for a lawyer for your DUI.

Resources:

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Randy, with 49 days since his last drink.

SHOW NOTES

[2:53] Paul Introduces Randy. I was born and raised in Casper Wyoming. I went to school in Colorado, and worked there for a few years. Music has been a part of my life since I was very young. I like to read, play music, take my dog on walks. My passion revolves around my music.

Randy tells his story in detail to Paul, and explains his journey up to this point.

[41:59] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Waking up in that Hospital in ICU.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? My first detox.
3. What's your favorite resource in recovery? Out of the Wreck I Rise" – by Neil Steinberg
4. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? It starts with you.
5. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? If you are even questioning it, odds are you should try to stop it before it gets worse. It is an awful disease.
6. You might be an alcoholic if... I'm on my deathbed with an expired liver, and still have the energy to go to the bar.

Resources:

Out of the Wreck I Rise- Neil Steinberg

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Greg, with 361 days since his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

The 3 basic camps of addiction can be broken into the following categories:

1. The prevailing wisdom today is that addiction is a disease. This is the main line of the medical model of mental disorders with which the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is aligned: addiction is a chronic and relapsing brain disease in which alcohol use becomes involuntary despite its negative consequences.

The idea here is, roughly, that addiction is a disease because alcohol use changes the brain and, as a result of these changes, alcohol use becomes compulsive, beyond the voluntary control of the user. In other words, drinker has no choice and his behavior is resistant to long term change.

1. Marc Lewis' "The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction is Not a Disease", has stirred controversy among addicts, their families, addiction researchers, and treatment providers. Lewis claims that the scientific facts don't support the disease model of addiction. Rather, addiction, like romantic love and other emotionally loaded habits, develops through accelerated learning. Combining scientific views with intimate biographies of addicts who recovered, the book also shows how addiction can be overcome, through self-directed change in one's goals and perspectives.
2. Drawing on psychiatric epidemiology, addicts' autobiographies, treatment studies, and advances in behavioral economics, Heyman makes a powerful case that addiction is voluntary. He shows that drug use, like all choices, is influenced by preferences and goals. But just as there are successful dieters, there are successful ex-addicts. In fact, addiction is the psychiatric disorder with the highest rate of recovery. But what ends an addiction?

At the heart of Heyman's analysis is a startling view of choice and motivation that applies to all choices, not just the choice to use drugs. The conditions that promote quitting a drug addiction include new information, cultural values, and, of course, the costs and benefits of further drug use. Most of us avoid becoming drug dependent, not because we are especially rational, but because we loathe the idea of being an addict.

SHOW NOTES

[13:45] Paul Introduces Greg. I'm 54 years old, I live In Las Vegas, I'm an attorney, and working in HR currently. I have been married for 26 years, and have 2 daughters aged 22 and 18. I love being outdoors.

[18:59] Paul- Can you describe your rock bottom moment?

Greg- The summer of 2016 I played on a work Softball League. We won the championship. I had a party at my house to celebrate. I drank way too much, I blacked out, we ended up doing shots of tequila. It was a bad scene. The next morning it was the lowest I had felt in my life. It was ruining my relationships.

[26:43] Paul- When you came out, how liberating was that feeling?

Greg- It was awesome. I felt like I had taken a huge first step. I admitted to myself I had a problem. It was liberating. I have expanded my accountability network.

[37:01] Paul- You look at it like an opportunity and not a sacrifice. Comment more on that.

Greg- It is really a celebration. There were times in the past when I tried to give up drinking. With that mentality it didn't work. I have gained peace and happiness, and joy and serenity. I really look at recovery as something that I have been given. I am going to make the most of it every single day.

[41:18] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? It was definitely waking up the morning after the softball party. That was the low point from there, I started heading back up.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? There was a time a few years ago when one of my kids had an event during one of my drinking nights. I thought it is kind of twisted thinking for getting upset I was going to have to spend time with my family because it would interfere with my drinking.
3. What's your plan moving forward? Doing this podcast has been great. One day at a time. I'm going to continue to go to Celebrate Recovery.

1. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Focus on the similarities, not the differences.

1. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? If you think you might have a problem, reach out to one other person you trust.
2. You might be an alcoholic if...you are nick named after a drink.

Resources:

"Beyond the Influence" - Katherine Ketcham

Gene Heyman "Addiction: A Disorder of Choice"

Marc Lewis "Biology Of Desire"

Article: "Is Addiction a Disease?"

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Mike, with 86 days his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul discusses Step 2 from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

SHOW NOTES

[11:31] Paul Introduces Mike. I live in Vermont; I'm 33 years old. I work as a social worker; I hang out with my wife, my 12-year-old son, and play video games.

[16:50] Paul- Describe the progression, coupled with Father time, hangovers are getting worse and worse, talk about that progression.

Mike- Yeah, I would buy those little boxes of wine, then I would just buy the bottle, and the bottle would be gone. It felt like I was in quicksand, when you are running in sand and can't get any traction.

[20:21] Paul- It's tough to get 86 days of sobriety, how did you do it?

Mike- Listening to the Recover Elevator was huge. I felt like I was in the contemplation stage. I've been thinking about quitting for years. Listening to Recovery Elevator is what really helped motivate me jump right in. I listen to "This Naked Mind" on audio book and really tried to "brainwash" myself, and felt like it worked.

[28:12] Paul- What advice would you give to your younger self? If you could go back to your 16-year-old self, what would you say?

Mike- I would like to go to my 15-year-old self and smack the beer out of my hand. I disagree with the stance that some people can drink normally. Don't be ashamed that it's hard.

[35:29] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? The day after St. Patrick's Day party trying to piece together what happened.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? I had a lot of times, the most recent time I drank, I had the house to myself and just laying there by myself.

1. What's your favorite resource in recovery? "This Naked Mind" by Annie Grace
2. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Alcohol is shit. It resonated with my bodies' reaction to alcohol.
3. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? When we are in the contemplation stage of am I an alcoholic or not. The real problem is alcohol is an addictive poison, and anyone can become addicted to alcohol.
4. You might be an alcoholic if... you go to St. Patrick's day party, spill red wine on the rug, you put your arm around another woman, and rub her back while standing with your wife, and you black, the last thing you remember is raising both fists to the sky and yelling "I'm the king of the world"

Resources:

Alcoholics Anonymous "Big Book"

"This Naked Mind" by Annie Grace

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Neal, with 20 months since his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

These 4 Strategies will help us get through any social situation. Will power can only last us so long.

1. Accountability
2. Play the tape forward
3. Always have an exit strategy
4. Stop and think. Alcohol is a poison.

SHOW NOTES

[8:20] Paul Introduces Neal. I am in my late 50's. I have 2 boys, 2 grandchildren. I do maintenance work, I like to go camping and spend time with our granddaughter who lives with us.

[11:50] Paul- In 1990, was your wife leaving you what got you sober?

Neal- Yes. I was driving a taxi in Seattle at that time. The AA world convention came to town. It was a huge emotional relief. I cried throughout the whole event.

[16:06] Paul- Let's back it up to 2008 when you took that first drink after 18 years of sobriety. Can you walk us through that?

Neal- The pressures, and there were times I would tell my wife to bring home a 6 pack of beer. One day she finally did. It took 6 months for me to ramp up to where I was after that.

[25:04] Paul- Curiosity is killing the cat, what was the reason?

Neal- I had to go on Antabuse in November of 2015. I had to go to the pharmacy and take the white pill. Antabuse and alcohol do not mix.

[29:43] Paul- With nearly 20 years of sobriety logged, do you still get cravings, and if you do still get them, what do you do?

Neal- I don't get any cravings. Like I said, on that day when I read the obsession, the cravings, it was all lifted, it's gone. I try to remain calm. Step back and take a deep breath. I try to reflect how they affect me.

[33:34] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? I was at a former employers business and I asked my wife to come down to give me a ride home, she came down, and brought somebody else with her and I flew off the handle and was yelling and screaming, and they called the cops. I wouldn't come out, they couldn't come in. I finally came out, but it was scary.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? It was the last week of my drinking. I laid in bed, and called in sick everyday.
3. What's your plan moving forward? To keep connected with AA. Keep going on, and enjoying my 2 grandchildren.
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? I have to say Podcasts. I work alone a lot. I listen to 10's of 100's of hours of podcasts.
5. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Go to meetings, stay connected.
6. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? One day at a time.
7. You might be an alcoholic if... when you are opening that bottle to take a swig, at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, or 5:00 in the morning just to get another 45 minutes or hour of sleep.

Resources:

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Dan, with 66 days since his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." – Cynthia Ozick

What is gratitude, and how can this help us get and stay sober? Service and Gratitude go hand in hand.

Here's Paul's Holiday challenge:

Write 10 things you are grateful for 10 days in a row. Be thankful for something you totally have taken for granted your entire life. After 10 days when you have 100 items listed, review the list, and look for reoccurring themes. Email your completed lists to [email protected]

SHOW NOTES

[8:10] Paul Introduces Dan. I live a town called Guildford, about 30 minutes outside of London, I have 2 boys named Sebastian and Felix who are 4 and 7 years old, I live with my girlfriend, together we have 4 kids under the age of 9. For fun I enjoy working out, going to the gym, swimming, and desperately trying to learn to play guitar. I work in primary schools, and I deliver health and fitness workshops.

[15:58] Paul- 66 days ago, was this your first attempt at quitting drinking?

Dan- In all honesty, this is my very first attempt at stopping drinking. One time 10 years ago, I quit drinking for January and February. I don't want to spend the money; I don't want to feel crap. I want to set the example for my children growing up.

[23:00] Paul- Earlier you said you look at sobriety like a challenge, are you looking at this as an incredible opportunity?

Dan- Yeah, I am. After reading Alan Carr's book, and Annie Grace's book, it just puts things in perspective. You never used to have to have to have a bottle wine or beer to have fun, or enjoy yourself. The way I sleep the past couple of months. You feel so much better the way you start your day.

[28:02] Paul- What's on your bucket list in sobriety?

Dan- At this point in time I really want to focus on my business, and my work. I would really love to do something on YouTube, or something that is focused on the positive of giving up alcohol.

[33:43] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Waking up on Christmas morning and clearing up the mess I made outside from getting sick on the way home on Christmas Eve.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? I had 1 beer after playing golf. My cousin asked me if I wanted another, and that moment where I realized I was driving, and knew 1 more beer would put me over the limit.

1. What's your favorite resource in recovery? I enjoy reading, and listening to podcasts.
2. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Alcohol is shit, that's it.
3. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? From day 1 start to focus on it as a challenge, and the benefits of it. Don't focus on what you are giving up. Don't focus on how hard anything is going to be. Focus on the benefits of giving it up, and how it's going to make your life better.
4. You might be an alcoholic if... you drink for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Not a celebration, not a sporting event, not a birth, not a wedding, if you sit there and drink at night watching crap TV, and you're drinking a bottle of red wine. You might need to have a little think.

Resources:

"This Naked Mind" - Annie Grace

Allen Carr's Easy Way

Sober Grid

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Amy, with 11 years since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul discusses reverse interventions. They, "normal drinkers" don't get it. How can we expect normal drinkers to understand what we are going through? What do you need to cover in a reverse intervention? Let them know this isn't easy for you. Having the real conversation and being vulnerable. Lay out your game plan. Accountability is key.

SHOW NOTES

[11:40] Paul Introduces Amy. I'm 54, a Midwestern housewife. I have two grown sons, and husband of 34 years. What I do for fun has changed quite a bit over the years. I enjoy recovery, and spending time with my 4 dogs.

[23:35] Paul- You said when you finally discovered you had alcoholism, you started to recover. What is your definition of alcoholism?

Amy- My last drunk I ended up hospitalized. I didn't believe you could drink enough to kill yourself. But I came real close. My husband found me, and got me to the hospital, or I would have died from alcohol poisoning. My doctor told me I had alcoholism. They handed me a meeting list, and I immediately started going to 12 step meetings. I finally felt like I landed on the planet I belonged in that I was seeking for 43 years.

[27:02] Paul- What did it feel like when you finally found your herd, you found your tribe?

Amy- It so radically changed my life. My husband calls me his second wife without the paperwork. I didn't interact with society. I now seek out social situations. I have more friends than I can handle.

[33:25] Paul- Amy you mentioned something earlier you said "Give up the mind fight." Tell us more what it meant for you to give up the mind fight.

Amy- When I heard a man say two things. I knew it was true. I can drink; I can drink with the best of them. I can't say I can drink safely. The other one I heard was once I take the first drink; I have no control over my decisions, or where it will take me next.

[43:33] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Driving my children and neighbor kids to Great America and home in a blackout. It is over an hour on major highways from our home.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? Second pregnancy, the day I brought him home, I wanted one glass of wine. I got really drunk, and when I woke up, there was a newborn in the house.

1. What's your favorite resource in recovery? 12 step meetings, personal relationships, and doing things like this out of my comfort zone.
2. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Just try; cause you can always go back to hell. Hell doesn't close its door.
3. What's your plan in sobriety moving forward? I don't have a plan. That's one of the best things about sobriety. I wake up and go OKAY.
4. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? The only thing I can say, is come join us. It's a wonderful thing. Everything I was trying to get from alcohol I have gotten 10 fold in sobriety. All is 10 times better in sobriety.
5. You might be an alcoholic if... you wake up five years married thinking, "Did I really do that?"

Resources:

[email protected] (Amy's email)

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"