This is a different kind of "Building Bridges" episode. We're not talking about political divides today; we're talking about the chasm that opened up between me and my own life. This is the story of my recovery from alcohol. I'll share how my drinking wasn't just a habit, but a wall I built between myself and everything that mattered: my relationships, my passions, and my own truth. We'll walk through the moment I realized the bridge was out, the terrifying first steps of rebuilding, and how sobriety has become the strongest foundation I've ever built upon. This is an unfiltered look at getting real, getting sober, and finally building a life I don't want to escape from.

Key Takeaways:

1. The First Bridge is to Honesty: Recovery starts with building a fragile, crucial bridge to the truth about your own life.

2. Sobriety is a Demolition Project First: You have to tear down the wall of denial before you can lay the first stone of a new life.

3. Rebuilding Relationships Requires a New Blueprint: The old ways of connecting (often through drinking) don't work. You have to learn new forms of intimacy and communication.

4. The Most Important Bridge is the One to Yourself: Recovery is about rediscovering who you are without the substance and learning to trust and love that person again.

Resources & Support: If triggered, please seek support. You are not alone. Reach out to:

• Your local GP
• Alcoholics Anonymous: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk / 0800 9177 650
• Samaritans: www.samaritans.org / 116 123
• NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-misuse/treatment/
• Email: [email protected]

About the Podcast: A candid journey through recovery from alcoholism. I am not a professional but speak from lived experience, hoping my story helps others.

contact me - [email protected]

REFERENCES

Equipment used to produce this Podcast

Garageband - Editing Softare

DJI Mic 2 - Audio - https://amzn.to/47ReLPa

Affinity Photo - available from Apple Store

Affinity Designer - - available from Apple Store

Title: the Wolf in Sheep's Drinking Culture

Summary: What happens when your greatest virtue becomes your greatest vice? In this deeply personal episode, host [Your Name] pulls back the curtain on one of addiction's most powerful disguises: altruism. He shares his story of being a pillar of his local community—organising events, volunteering, and being the person everyone could count on—all while using that very identity to mask a debilitating alcohol addiction. Discover how a "reward" system nearly undermined every thing I was contributing to, why friends were shocked into disbelief when I confessed my struggle, and how to identify the "wolf in sheep's clothing" in your own life or the lives of those you love. This is a raw look at the collision between public service and private crisis.

Key Takeaways:

• The Camouflage of Goodness: How socially acceptable and even praised activities (like volunteering) can provide the perfect cover for addictive behaviours.
• The Dangerous Reward Loop: Understanding how the mental equation of Effort = Alcohol creates a rigid and self-justifying cycle of abuse.
• The Shock of Disbelief: Why those closest to us—especially in a community context—are often the last to see the problem and the most likely to dismiss cries for help.
• Identifying the "Wolf": Key questions to ask yourself if you suspect a "virtuous" habit is hiding a harmful one.

Resources & Support: If triggered, please seek support. You are not alone. Reach out to:

• Your local GP
• Alcoholics Anonymous: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk / 0800 9177 650
• Samaritans: www.samaritans.org / 116 123
• NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-misuse/treatment/
• Email: [email protected]

About the Podcast: A candid journey through recovery from alcoholism. I am not a professional but speak from lived experience, hoping my story helps others.

contact me - [email protected]

REFERENCES

Equipment used to produce this Podcast

Garageband - Editing Softare

DJI Mic 2 - Audio - https://amzn.to/47ReLPa

Affinity Photo - available from Apple Store

Affinity Designer - - available from Apple Store