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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.
Amy, with 11 years since her last drink, shares her story
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
- 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.
- 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.
- What’s your favorite resource in recovery? 12 step meetings, personal relationships, and doing things like this out of my comfort zone.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- You might be an alcoholic if… you wake up five years married thinking, “Did I really do that?”
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Brenaim1@yahoo.com (Amy’s email)
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“We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!”
