November 7, 2025 • 46 mins
In this deeply human episode of Conversations with Kris, Josh Case shares his journey through addiction, recovery, and entrepreneurship — and how purpose became his compass.
Josh opens up about the dark moments that shaped him, the mentors who guided him, and the truth he found on the other side of pain. From building businesses to building people, his story is proof that success means nothing without self-awareness and service.
If you’ve ever struggled with self-worth, purpose, or rebuilding from the ground up — this one’s for you.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:11):
I am positively Chris Pace and you are actively listening to
conversation with Chris. Hey everyone, it's Chris.
I am here with my good bud Josh who's going to teach me a lot
today. He's going to give me some
really good insight and some information about alcoholism and
addiction that he's dealt with and overcome and has championed
it and even build himself a niceplatform to help other people.
(00:34):
And so anyone with that kind of heart in my world is good people
and I'm excited to learn from them.
Josh, how are you, bud? Good.
Thanks for having me on, Chris. I appreciate it.
Yeah, man, My pleasure. My pleasure, truly.
So tell us how you started out in this world, and then tell us
how you ended up where you are now today.
Yeah. You know, looking back, I, I
always had a problem. You know, I never really felt
(00:57):
like I fit in, you know, like I handle things differently than
other people. Didn't really know why until,
you know, I went to rehab last year and I guess we can get into
that later. But they had a very successful
career executive at a global Fortune 500 company that bought
my company, you know, had a wifeand three kids.
(01:20):
Everything from I think on the outside looked good, but inside
you know, I was never happy and just really didn't know why.
And until I solved that problem,you know I couldn't solve the
drinking or using problem, right?
Right, Well that's the old saying.
You can't change a behavior without changing a belief, so
(01:42):
you have to change that belief of how you are.
So where'd you come from to start out?
Was there an issue at childhood or was there a moment that
triggered the the things into happening?
Or was it always just a feeling of not belonging and connecting?
Well, I, I grew up around alcohol.
My, my grandparents, you know, had a bar in the house at
parties all the time. My grandma gave me, you know,
champagne when I was 7-8 years old.
(02:04):
So yeah, it wasn't a, it wasn't a foreign substance to me.
You know, I was molested by a male babysitter when I was 10 or
11, you know, did not have a very good relationship with my,
my father my whole life and actually don't have one now.
But all, all of those things, you know, kind of are, are the,
(02:28):
it ends up being the reason thatI drank so I wouldn't have to
think or deal with those things because I, those things would
would, you know, weigh on me every every day of my life,
right? And I use drinking to, you know,
numb myself and to escape those things, right?
I didn't know that's what I was doing, of course, until I had
(02:51):
therapy and learned about what Iwas doing.
But you know, and, and how to deal with those things, you
know, past traumas. And thank God I did because
that's what that's what got me sober ultimately.
So. Wow, so pretty much from early
age, huh? You're obviously had damage from
childhood, which obviously I come from the same background as
(03:13):
well. All of what you said and more.
And obviously that that we know now that that trauma that
happens in childhood has much longer effects on us than we
really realize. And ultimately, right, an
addiction is just wanting to escape reality.
You just don't want to see and face the real life that you
have. So you try to get somewhere
that's not there. And I understand completely, you
(03:35):
know, losing my brother recentlyto alcoholism, I tried
everything to to get him to savehim.
And you know, even down to the last three days prior, I sent
him a text message saying I found a way to end your
addiction. Iboga ibogaine, 85% effective
with one use ending addiction. So I thought maybe that was the
solution. But three days later he passed
(03:56):
away. And so it's near and dear to my
heart because we grew up in the same lifestyle growing up, we
both had the same struggles. We both went through the same
things. I chose a different route than
my brother did and mines ended up really well and his ended up
really poor. And I wonder sometimes like what
was the difference? You know, why did he was?
(04:17):
Why was he unable to really grasp a hold of the other side,
which you now experience and know?
And so was there like a moment for you where you kind of were
like, I'm either going to changeor I'm going to die?
Well, I had those that moment many a time, you know,
ultimately what got me in my last rehab.
(04:38):
I got arrested for the first time in Pasco County.
I bought a house on a canal. My dream to move to Florida,
have a boat for various reasons.I, I, I lost my shit and got
arrested for A1 count of felony criminal mischief, which was
(05:01):
ultimately dropped. But entering A entering a world
that I had never been in before,right?
Like, I've been very successful and now I'm now I'm arrested.
It's not. Yeah, it it sounds cute and
funny, but it's not. You know, yeah, like, I've never
heard of that one. I mean, it sort of sounds like a
a fake charge. Yeah, yeah, I know.
(05:21):
But it's real. It's real.
And and that's what got me into this last rehab I went to and
that that woke me up. But what, what, what really
changed my life was this book I was given by my counselor called
codependent No more. And I started reading it and I'm
like, this book is about me, like the people pleasing the low
(05:45):
self esteem, looking for a validation from the outside,
trying to control everything, you know, transactional
relationships, expectations. I just have been living my life
wrong, you know? Yeah, I had these traumas early
on. And I think I did these things
to get validation from people. But it was all just chasing a
(06:07):
ghost, right? Like, it's it, it, it never
filled me up, you know, So ultimately, if I was just going
to like summarize it in one, oneword, but my, my addiction stem
from my low self esteem and not being able to fill that hole
inside me and not knowing why itwas empty or how to fill it like
(06:28):
sustainably, right? And the only way I can do it
sustainably is if I can do it myself, right?
Right, 100% And so that's amazing like.
Right. Yeah, yeah, no, obviously, you
know, my brother didn't have a fortunate opportunity to get
arrested for mischief. Still sounds like a made-up
charge, but I guess it is prettyserious.
(06:50):
I don't know what you do to get into that kind.
Of I threw I threw some I threw some expensive stuff into the
canal off my. Dock and that's the closest
charge they could come up with to.
Them, Yeah, well, they, they could have charged me for some
other stuff because I was like, I was, yeah.
Talking disorderly and yeah. All that stuff, you know,
(07:10):
resisting arrest and I but I think.
They're sort of fit in there. They're.
Trying to give me a wake up calland they.
Did yeah, they. Even let me out of jail early,
you know, they let me get bailedout like within a couple hours.
But it was it was a big wake. Up call and that was just a year
ago or so huh I I. June 28th or 29th, 2020, Fourth.
(07:33):
Wow. And so then you got sober from
that because obviously you didn't want that anymore.
Well, start. Podcasting.
So what happened was, you know, I had this charge.
So my sober manager and my my lawyers and my brothers, they
found a rehab place for me to go.
They had a really good reputation with, you know, the
(07:53):
courts, right? You know, 'cause the last thing
they want is someone to go to jail, right?
They, they, rather than, you know, get better another way if
possible, if, especially if thisis their first offense.
So I drank and used up until going to rehab.
But about 10 days later, I went to rehab in Texas.
And that's why I'm in Austin right now for 90 days, a place
(08:15):
called Burning Tree Lodge in Elgin and, and went there.
That's where I got the book started dealing with my traumas
and then move to Austin, do my aftercare plan, which you know,
which is, you know, IOP, it's called, you know, you, you
basically go every night of the week for a few hours and do a
process group and, and you do that for I did that for 12 weeks
(08:39):
after get down to rehab and thenjust stayed here.
My, my therapist is here. May not stay here forever, but.
Good reason to be there. I I, I stuck to the plan after I
got out of rehab. You know, my life is better now.
It's not great because now I'm dealing with all the hurt and
(09:00):
trauma I've caused other people from.
My right, right. Yeah, that's the hard part, too.
Yeah. Forgiving yourself, right?
But it but I mean it's a it is. I would say my hardest day now
is easier than my easiest morning waking up after whatever
(09:22):
I did. Sure, sure, sure.
And so how long have you been sober now, officially?
So July 6th is 20/20/24 is what I call my sober.
Date. So, OK, so yeah.
Like 15 months. 16 months, yeah,that's amazing.
And no, no, no chance of relapsefor you.
(09:42):
Your your major commitment. You've stayed the course.
You're on the right track. I know that.
He forgiving yourself? I'm not going to say no chance.
I'm not going to say no chance, but I'm going to say that it
does not appeal to me at all. It, it, it's not, you know, I
know things change. That's why it's.
Never saying. Recovery is like an is like an
(10:04):
active thing. It's not.
Well, you're recovered in. One day at a time.
No, yeah, one day at a time, right, So.
So I mean, it's they're staying where you got got better too.
Makes a lot of sense to me. You know, that's a healed place
for you that's somewhere that you know is comfortable and
familiar. So and it's working.
So I always go with the theory if it ain't broke don't fix it
(10:24):
type thing and so. And The thing is like those
thoughts, of course, like I justtold you about the things that
used to cause me to drink, you know, or self medicate myself,
but they don't stick around on my head anymore.
I, I, I guess I've come to termswith them, if you will, so.
Now you just have to come to terms with the things you did to
(10:46):
other people while drunk, right?And that's the part that you're
having to face right now, which is a challenge, man.
That's a real challenge. That's a real time.
It's really my kids, right? Like, you know, I, I was there,
but I wasn't there by my kids, you know, saw some unfortunate
things, heard some unfortunate things, you know, like one of
(11:08):
the things that my, I, I kind oftalk to my son individually when
I saw him last time, you know, like he's he, he's now dealing
with adult life with divorced parents.
Like he said, I never thought I,I, there's something he never
thought he'd have to deal with. Like I, I never really gave that
a thought of where he, he be coming from on that right.
(11:31):
Nothing I can do about it, But no.
No. But it's.
Now, how many kids do you have? I have 3.
Three cool man. You got the boys, girls. 2 girls
and a boy, so 28. Natalyn Mikey's 25 and Maya's
21. OK, so they're all family now
and all have kids and well. None of them have kids, none of
(11:53):
them have kids, and none of themare married.
OK, not a grandpa. Yeah, right.
They're all, they're all single.They're they're smart.
OK, good, good. Well, you did something right.
That's three kids over 21. I mean, yeah, they're, they
actually, they actually are doing really well.
(12:15):
You know, one's getting their master's degree, one has just
graduated from 4 year, got his bachelor's, going back to become
a a nurse. And then my youngest is playing
soccer and just is finishing hera degree right now and and may
continue to play soccer next year at a four year school.
(12:35):
Fantastic, man. I mean, good job, you know, at
least you didn't, you know, obviously it goes to show you, I
believe you can't mess your kidsup too bad because they're
always going to turn out to be who they're supposed to be,
right? I mean, they get to be adults.
They make their own choices. I chose not to be the exact
opposite of my examples so. Well, so I, I was the exact
opposite of of my, my, my fatherand I think my kids are almost
(12:57):
the exact opposite when it comesto me when it comes to certain
things, right. Right, right.
They learn from your stuff and that's good.
That's what they want. Like you're I was just doing to
help you guys out. Yeah, exactly.
Made the mistakes for you. Well, that's amazing.
So you've got the time under your belt now you've got a
system that works for you. You're clearly doing some great
(13:18):
things online social media wise.I was reading about and you got
to forgive me. I don't know much about crypto,
but you've got your own cryptocurrency, right?
Buzz coin or buzz something? Is that right?
Yeah, you know, like that, that's kind of how I started
this out because, you know my the idea was a, a, you get a
token, right, for like 30 days, 90 days, 180 days.
(13:40):
So why not have a cryptocurrencytoken?
It is really an idea. Nothing's been done with it.
It's been created but. Haven't really made it yet.
Not, not haven't really done anything like and I'm not really
sure what to do with it 'cause I, I don't want it to be one of
those, you know, cryptocurrency has such a bad reputation.
(14:05):
So I'm I'm. Not sure what to do with it, to
be honest with you. Some type of like a membership
token, you know, voting rights and stuff like that.
But then, you know, there's things you can't control with
it, like, you know, So yeah, lots of lots of stuff right now.
Yeah, gotcha. OK.
(14:25):
Hey, I was reading about it online and was kind of a little
bit shaky on what what was goingon because it's one thing said
no, it's not a cryptocurrency and then the other one said, no,
it is in the blockchain and maybe an NFT, right.
Isn't that like an image that you know worth later could be?
Yeah, that that, that that's a thought is, you know, have a
like an NFT for a token for, youknow, you can give to somebody
(14:48):
if they've been sober for so long or whatever exactly.
But again, you know it, It's a. It's a volatile business that
you're a. Volatile business and yeah, not
sure. You don't need the pressure of
losing people's money. Yeah, yeah.
And I and I, it would not be, itwouldn't be for an investment,
right. It's more symbolic.
(15:10):
So the blockchain for transparency purposes is, is
very useful. I think unfortunately it it's
tied to tokens or whatever what people consider our investments,
right. Like, not, not, you know, it.
Yeah. It, it I, I think there's more
(15:31):
evolution to go on there. Yeah, I agree with you.
I think it's got some evolving to do as well.
It's still very vague and a lot of it is very volatile.
Not a lot of consistency in thatthing as far as I can tell, but
neither here nor there. It's a cool concept and I love
the idea. So that must have come from the
business background because you obviously had think outside the
(15:52):
box to come up with that whole process, which I think is a
great idea if we can figure out how to fit it into society and
the way things are going. So the podcast, I mean, it seems
like it's kicking butt and taking names and you've got a
big network going. And that all happened in the
last 15 months. Yeah, so sober dot buzz.
Actually I started it May 1st. It was just an Instagram page
(16:14):
and I started posting thoughts of, you know, being sober,
what's going on and you know, quick about 500 followers and
1000 and 2500. Then my fiance at the time,
Heidi, she asked if she could beinvolved.
She started making things. Cassie, who I went to rehab
with, joined in and started doing a blog.
(16:36):
So like Instagram grew to like 20.
We got like 25,000 followers on Instagram, the our podcast on
YouTube, we're up to like 34,000followers, you know, 33000
something LinkedIn. I've always had a lot of
followers, but you know, betweenme and so we're not buzz on
LinkedIn. It's like 2223 thousand and you
(17:01):
know, so it it it caught it caught fire pretty quick.
Wasn't expecting it. You know, so podcast companies
actually started reaching out tome about doing a podcast.
Ended up starting one in in July, did a whole season and now
started work on a second season.But right now, kind of a few
(17:22):
things have come up in my personal life with a few people
that I kind of put that on hold right now, but it's still there
and still still attracting attention.
It certainly sounds like people are interested in what you've
got to say and what you've got going on.
And so, you know, that's a platform to reach people, which
obviously for me, the best way to heal myself is to help other
(17:46):
people heal. And so that's become my life
journey is doing nothing but being a servant to other people.
And my success will be defined by the amount of people I can
help in the world. And that's how I look.
At that, yeah. That that, that's one of the
reasons I started it, because, you know, people were there for
me even when I didn't want them to be.
Yeah. Or I got like, you know, I,
(18:07):
yeah, nothing's going to work for me.
Leave me alone. You know, people were still
there for me. You know, there were things that
sunk in, I'm sure. And you know, it's it's a
journey. It's not like a final
destination. So each each thing I believe
helped me and so I want there tobe.
I just wanted there to be something there for people that,
(18:28):
you know, may that may not have anybody and there are a lot of
people out there that have that don't have anybody, believe it
or not, that have have reached out and you know, we're yeah,
they're able to help. Making difference.
Yeah, well, that's amazing. I actually have my app which is
fully customizable for each community.
So if you wanted to do a sober dot buzz community where
(18:51):
everybody can check in daily andyou can contact them if they are
having a rough day or someone else can contact them and you
have your own certified people that are reach out or you can
use my people. I can set that up for you.
And then you've got everybody inone spot and you can promote and
push your stuff to them and get your messages out.
All the stuff podcast. They've got a daily routine.
(19:12):
It's got everything I'll tell you about, I'll show you.
But but it'd be really cool for,you know, that kind of community
is if you can get them all in one place and be able to reach
them all and then also have themall checking in daily on how
they're doing. Well, then now if somebody's
having a rough day, somebody canpick up the phone and go, Hey,
I'm here, what's going on? You know, and so they don't slip
through the cracks because that's that's a lot of people
(19:32):
you're talking about 30,020 thousand 50,000.
I mean, that's that's a game changer.
Well, there's not, it's, it's a little over 90,000 people and in
a little like, well, at least 43countries last count.
Yeah, that's kind of like me. I'm, I'm in 82 countries and I'm
like there's 82 countries that speak English.
But I mean, you know, I guess there's a couple people there
that maybe are. Well, most people speak English
(19:54):
is, you know, as their second language, it turns out.
But yeah, like with the Internetnow, you, you never know.
Or someone's going to, you know,find.
You. Yeah, exactly.
And I'm like, hey, cool. I didn't even know this country
existed, but great. So.
And now we have all the demographics, right?
So that's cool too. So a great way to reach people
(20:15):
and get the message out there. So what's the plans for the
future? Obviously you've got a fiance,
so that means a wedding's comingup.
We got we actually got married. In we actually got married in
August, so oh. OK, congratulations.
Check that off. Now your wife, that's amazing.
And so you've got that check boxoff there.
You got a house sold, so that's good.
(20:38):
I know how that is. Carrying a mortgage on something
that you can't live in is and wedon't want to be renters.
And so now you've got the buzz coin, which we can totally come
up with an idea for that. I think it's brilliant and I
love it. And so what's going on for you?
I mean, what are your plans? You got a one year, five year,
10 year goal type thing? Or is there just day by day you
wake up each day and live it as the best you can?
(21:01):
Yeah. So, yeah, I've got it in the
recently back into energy, you know, renewable energy of the
industry that I'd come from doing some consulting work.
So I'm, I'm continuing doing that, looking at getting back
into that more full time. OK.
And then, you know, continuing to work on sober dot buzz and
(21:23):
helping people through that. And you know, I've got got a lot
of podcasts lined up. I'll be on.
Yeah, exactly. You're going to get it.
Well, that's another reason too.We get the community set up for
you. You got everybody in one place,
you can send them all there and then link all your other stuff
to it. That's why I've got it for
veterans and you're going to handle it for Alcoholics, which
(21:44):
obviously is near and dear to myheart.
So that would be amazing becauseI would love to have somebody
head up that portion of of the app and it's all going to be
your own community, your own appanyway, so but.
I'm sure there's a crossover between veterans and.
Yes, yes, and. Drug abuse, alcoholism,
unfortunately, but you know. And I have, you know, I found
(22:04):
people who have the I I'm sure you've heard about ibogaine.
I know Texas is a big state for pushing it right now, but
ibogaine comes from the plant Iboga.
And so far I had a guy on my show his name is and Matt Wiz
Buckley and he was a Top Gun pilot, became a Wall Street guy
and then made millions of dollars but became a heavy
alcoholic and addict addict wentdown and did ibogaine down in
(22:26):
Mexico one time. And he said he after that he
couldn't the smell of alcohol made him want to vomit.
And so the stats on are 85% addiction is cleared and they
never go back using it one time.And he swears that it's, you
know, it changed everything for him.
He's never thought about it again.
He's doesn't have any, any issues with it.
(22:47):
And so I did my research and metthe people who went to Africa
and found the Iboga plant, whichis the actual medicine.
The ibogaine is just an extract from it, but it's, you know,
it's an addiction curing plant that takes people on a journey,
a hallucinogen journey that somehow gives them some sort of
clarity that they've never had before.
(23:08):
Is that kind of like I've heard of like ego death or something
like that or? Yeah, yeah, yeah, similar DMT,
psilocybin, yeah, this is another form.
This is another form of that, but it's it's extremely
effective with addiction. So I think like 12 states right
now are looking at it for addicts as a actual, actual
healing modality. And so I've got some people who
(23:31):
have churches and they administer the the the medicine
through them and they've had great success with addiction
across the board. And so now, I mean, even the
state, like I said, the state level funding is even going
towards it. And so I'll send you the info on
that. Too, Because.
Maybe that's something you'd love to go give it a shot.
Maybe that'll help you heal the,the stuff, the damage that you
(23:52):
did that you have to forgive yourself for and move past, you
know, 'cause that's a, that's probably the hardest part, I
would imagine. Is that all the like, oh man, I
forgot about this and then you remember now because you're
clear and then you're like, man,that sucks.
Well, it's like getting sober, Iguess it's true with yeah, I
heard this and I can say it's true.
(24:13):
It's a is the easy part, right? Because now you're dealing with
like everything you were. Avoiding.
You avoiding like, yeah, yeah, like, yeah, if I made a fool of
myself or did something stupid or was a jerk, yeah, I drink the
next day to not think about it. So I I like I was continuing
just adding up things that I never really answered for if you
(24:35):
will so. Sure, sure.
And I was what did you consider the day that you were like, I'm
an alcoholic. Is there like a point where as a
drinker, because I, you know, there's always the joke, right?
There's drunks and Alcoholics. Alcoholics just attend meetings,
right? But that's not the truth.
There's actually got to be a point where you one day you were
like, I have a real problem and this is starting to affect my
(24:57):
brain because you become codependent on it, right?
It becomes a literal dependency that if you don't have it.
I mean, I like not not just physically.
Like my world eventually revolved around drinking.
Like when am I going to be able to drink?
Am I going to be able to drink before this get something.
It became part of my like daily like scheduled.
(25:18):
Yeah. Routine.
Yeah, yeah. And that's kind of my brother.
I could call him after, you know, anytime before 5:00 and I
was fine. And then that moved to 2:00 and
then that moved to 10 AM, you know, And then.
So I wonder where there's a is that, was there ever a point
where you realized that you had a problem or no?
Well, is it just like? Yeah, like back in 20/12/2013, I
(25:41):
actually went to a A for like 6 months.
And like there were periods of time where I would be sober like
that then. And back in 20/17/2018, I, I
went about 18 months, but I was white knuckling it, right?
Like I was just as miserable or more miserable to be around.
And my, I got definitely more miserable in my mind than I was
(26:05):
when I was drinking it. It was not, that was not
sustainable until I figured it out.
I mean, I knew I had a problem well over a decade ago, but
until I dealt with what was going on in my mind and the
reasons I wanted to drink, I, I,I would, I, I believe that I was
(26:26):
always going to be an active alcoholic because I didn't know
like, why? Why is it that I'm like this
right until right? You know, and they say, what do
they say? A functioning alcoholic, which
is not really a thing I. Definitely was AII definitely
was able to function and and be very successful.
But I I did not function well for everybody around me, I'll
(26:50):
tell you that. Yeah, not successful in all
avenues, just successful in Yeah, yeah.
Business does not relate. I would say I was just one
business, but not relationships,right?
Right, right. So that's yeah, that's that's a
good way to look at it too. And I, and I also wonder with my
brother, I know there had to have been a moment where like he
knew that he drank too much, butalso his brain at the end for
(27:14):
probably the last year or two was just not him.
Like his soul just wasn't there.He just had this glazed look
over his eyes and, and I think there's got to be a point right
where you're, like you said, where you, you knew you had an
issue, but you also knew you could get away with it because
you were smart and you're talented.
So here you were kicking ass andyou also weren't paying
attention to the the details that were, you know, you were
(27:34):
drinking those away, right, Which is what we do when you
know, it's the same thing. Any addiction, I believe
fitness, church, alcohol, it's all when you become out of
balance for anything, you know that's not healthy, right?
So you've got to get back in balance.
And so I just wonder I I sat, I went through it all with him and
(27:54):
never figured out the way to stop him or helping my fault.
I could force him into Baker Act, which put him away for a
few days, but then he got out and just was mad at me.
And then he would drink more. And then it was like at the end
he was even I was a trigger now that caused him to drink from
stuff that happened when we werechildren.
And I'm like, that was 35 years ago, man.
I don't even remember what you're talking about.
(28:15):
I would say what I would say to that is until I, I mean, there
was lots of times that like, I mean, I didn't want to drink.
I didn't want to be like this. There's a lots of times that I
felt like that or, and would saythat, but the next day I'd be
drinking, right? Or later that day I'd be
drinking. So until like, yeah, until I was
(28:39):
ready, like there was like therewas, there's nothing you can do,
right? And even when I was ready, I
still didn't believe I was goingto be able to do it.
I ended up going to the right place.
I got the right material at the right time and was and was open
(29:00):
to dealing with things and listening right.
Like all of those things had to line up and and.
Thank God they did, you know. I've been to rehab two time,
you're right. And I have been to rehab 2 times
prior in 2023 for 30 days and 21days, which wasn't long enough.
(29:23):
I and at at one point in time I'm like, what a waste, what a
waste of money, what a waste of this.
But like I did learn things at each one of those times.
So that built upon and built upon and then I was finally
ready for more when I went to rehab for 90 days last summer.
And it worked for me. Thank God you know.
(29:43):
Wow, that's three tries, Adam, and that's you got really lucky.
I thought you made it 3-2 tries and fails and then come back for
1/3 and got it done. I mean, a lot of people go to
have been in rehab dozen, dozen times, 20 times, you know, and,
and I think they were saying like a, it used to take people
(30:04):
like 3 or 4 times like on average, the people that did get
clean, but now because of fentanyl, I never did fentanyl,
but like people that do that don't get to that third or
fourth time, unfortunately. Right, right.
So yeah. You know that's the other thing
I wonder is like when you're drinking cause typically
(30:24):
Alcoholics go for a clear liquorright out of the bottle.
Fastest and non smelliest way todo it, is that correct?
My brother was vodka. You know, I, I went through
phases, I would drink vodka, redwine, Ipas, you know?
You just drank anything that hadalcohol.
I, I, I, I literally had phases,you know, But if it was alcohol,
(30:48):
it was alcohol, right? So.
Right, right now, did you have any medical issues at any point
in time from it or was it all? I did.
There were times that I had elevated liver enzymes.
So I there were times that I would quit drinking for 30 or 40
days or 60 days because the liver repairs itself and get my
(31:08):
enzymes down and then drink, drink more.
I mean, that's not that sounds. I healed that so.
Yeah, how, how stupid? How stupid is that?
But I I would do that. Yeah, yeah.
I mean, nobody, everyone, I don't think anybody would state
claim that being an addict is intelligent.
You know, like definitely there's a certain amount of, I
(31:29):
just have to accept that this was dumb, you know, like, but
also like God, that's part of the responsibility, taking
responsibility, right? And actually accepting that you
made mistakes and that you're imperfect and that you know
what, it's not about what you did yesterday.
It's about what you do today. And if you can wake up every day
and just you today, just focus on one day at a time and just
(31:50):
kick today's butt, you'll be good to go, you know, And then
maybe a little better tomorrow than you were yesterday, but
that's it. And you got to forgive yourself
for the stuff that you can't fix.
You know, like there's so many things I did in my life that I
wish I wouldn't have done, but Idid them, so I got to make peace
with them. So it's like, you know that I
have a theory that in order to tell yourself you love yourself,
you have to be grateful for every situation that's ever
(32:12):
happened to you because all of those collectively is what made
you who you are today. And so in order.
Oh, yeah. But I've definitely have had
those thoughts. Like, you know, if all of this
didn't happen or if I wasn't like this, yeah, I'd be a
different person, you know? So you know, it, it, it, it's
like one of the IT is what it is, right?
(32:32):
Yeah, exactly. It is what it is.
So you got to leave that down and don't let it come back to
haunt you because it's not something you can do anything
about anyway. It's a chapter in your book
that's going to publish in next year, 2 years, and there'll be a
great story that will inspire and motivate other people.
So you got to look at it as you know how fortunate you are to be
able to share that story becausemy brother wasn't as fortunate,
you know, And that's one of those things that, you know,
(32:54):
after he passed away, a friend of mine wrote a tribute song for
us about us. And she even incorporated
voicemails from his from him to me and then had me speak in the
song. And then the song actually is up
for a Grammy Award this year now.
Oh, really? Yeah.
Can you send that to me? I would love, love to listen to
it. 100% Brother and I'd love itif you'd share it with your
(33:16):
people 'cause it's a a very passionate and beautiful song,
but it's called Brother and it really is not just for us.
It's more of a song for anyone who's ever lost anyone too soon.
And I believe, you know, veterans are brothers.
I believe sober people are brothers.
I believe that there's brotherhoods amongst everywhere.
And so I think it's a really healing song.
It's already been downloaded a 1,000,000 plus times, which
(33:38):
already to me is a phenomenal that my brother's voice and name
is going to live on and heal people.
And, you know, if it when it gets acknowledged by the Grammys
and I get the trophy and all that, that will be beautiful
because I can give that to my brother's daughter, you know,
and so she'll have that forever as well.
Plus his voice is in a song thatshe can hear and her name's in
(34:00):
the song. And so, you know, it's really
cool the the the way that she put it together, the talented
artist Hope Mercedes and mythology.
She wrote the lyrics, she wrote the music.
When I I thought it was just going to be like a real ho hum,
you know, tribute song that would make me feel good about my
brother. And when I heard it, I was like,
this is a masterpiece. This is like a top ten hit type
(34:21):
song. And so got fit put into the
Grammy Awards and yeah. I can't wait to hear it.
Yeah, it's phenomenal. You're going to love it and I'll
send it over to you right after we get off the thing.
And hopefully you can share it with all your people because I
certainly know that it, it invokes a feeling in people
that's really positive and encouraging and healing.
(34:41):
So everyone who listens to it says they cry, but they also
feel the joy of the song too. So it's like a it's a real
masterpiece. This girl's really talented.
But anyway, yeah, I'll send it to you.
And then also that's so that that kind of a positive spin, I
guess. But also as it grows momentum
and wins things and does things,which it's going to do, it gives
(35:05):
me the opportunity to talk to people and speak to people.
And so me getting a chance to meet you and know you and have
you in my back pocket type thingas like a somebody that can give
me insight into that world that I don't understand.
But I do have a passion for helping Alcoholics and addicts
and stopping this it this slow suicide basically.
(35:27):
And so like, but it it's hard for me 'cause I've never been 1,
you know, I don't. Understand, so that we have an
we have an episode of Caught with Brandy Mack.
She actually lives in Crystal River.
She is a she's a nurse practitioner.
She's not an addict, but her daughter is.
So she's an advocate for addicts, but also comes from a
(35:51):
perspective like you, where she's not one, right, and, and
shares a lot about how, how people can support, you know,
specifically their kids, but others that are an addiction.
And, and, and she has seen like there's certain things that she
has done or that that weren't helpful and she's been able to
(36:13):
make changes herself that have been good for her and her
daughter. So, you know, it's like sober,
not buzz, like I, I, I've said many times is, is for people
that are in addiction recovery, but also people that love them
and support them. So it you know, it's.
(36:34):
I've got it. I've got the app set up
perfectly because I have, well on the BA of the veteran side.
I have certified veteran allies as the like counselor group and
they go through a training with me.
Then I have the users, and then I also have caregivers because
that's a big part of my life too.
I'm 100% disabled veteran who suffered A traumatic brain
(36:54):
injury. So I have my own caregiver and I
do understand and realize how much they go through and how
much they need support and help as well.
And so it's this you're sober dot buzz community will actually
have the same three. You know, I just retitle them
whatever you want them to be, put your logo on it and now
you've got access to everybody. Plus they can create sub
communities inside of it. So 1.
(37:16):
You know, to me, the biggest reason people end their lives or
take up addiction is because they lack community.
They lack people to go to and talk to.
So that's what my my idea was behind building this monster app
that is basically just a networking app for us to be able
to check on each other. And, you know, if I see one day
(37:37):
that somebody pops on it and they're having a rough day, they
check in and ask for reach somebody to reach out, I'm going
to reach out, you know, and I may not have been thinking about
them because there's 800,000 people follow me on Instagram
and a million whatever on, you know, it's like, I can't
remember everybody every day. But now I've got a place that I
can see every day. Oh, OK, everybody looks good
today. Oh, there's one that's not good.
(37:58):
And it's really uninvasive. But I, you know, I wonder if it
wouldn't have made a difference in my brother's life to have had
that. Because, you know, once you
start to talk to the people on there, you recognize, well, this
person, Josh is somebody I can relate to.
He's been through it. So I can, I can talk to Josh.
And so then you may get that relationship built, which may
change your life forever. And so it's important to me that
we have the right people on there kind of spearheading each
(38:22):
every individual topic, if you will.
I more or less have the concept,but again, like you were talking
about your friend, who by the way is not far from me at all.
She's just like 20 miles, right?Love to meet her, love to meet
her, to hear her situation as well.
But the yeah, having that community, that network, plus
the Elsa, you know, once you start to connect, it makes you
(38:44):
feel like you're a part of something instead of just
isolated, which is something I know, I.
Felt like addiction is isolation, right?
You're. Yeah, I mean, that's certainly
the case, A. Lot of it is isolation so.
Well, that was always one of those things my brother would
complain about the fact that he was all alone, but yet he was
unbearable to be around because he drank so much.
(39:06):
So it was like, OK, well the solution seems easy to me.
You know, stop drinking and you're great to be around.
So therefore, if you don't want to be alone, don't drink.
But again coming from a non alcoholic logic.
And, and, and I'm not going to speak for him, but like what
would probably be going through my mind or I know would be going
(39:27):
through my mind was, well, if I'm not drinking, I've got to be
around myself, right? You know my.
And see, that's why that's why you're the wise man when it
comes to that, because you've been there, done that.
So you have the expertise and knowledge to know what was going
on through his head. And he didn't, you're right.
I mean, he didn't want to face himself.
And probably a lot like what you're saying, unless you're
(39:49):
forced into it. And then you kind of have that
aha moment where everything aligns in the right book, the
right therapist, the right, you know what I mean?
Like because obviously you triedtwice and didn't stick and this
time it didn't. Right, and, and, and and you
know what it's like a success rates are very low, you know,
(40:09):
going yeah, yeah, it it's 12% ofthe population are are addicts
or Alcoholics. And it takes it, it it it
doesn't always stick right or itsticks for a certain amount of
time, right? It it it's.
Like you think that a a is a broken system?
Or do you think that it's a a healthy system and it's just
(40:32):
that hard to quit? Or is there a better way to get
people to stop other than ibogaine?
So, so a a like the, the, the rehabs I went to, you know,
we're a A based, we did all the steps and stuff like that.
I mean, I see lots of benefits in AA.
I've been to AAI know that certain people don't like a a
for various reasons, you know, and also you're dealing with
(40:55):
people, right? Sometimes the people just don't
click with, you know, what, whatwith what you need.
I, I think the, the concept of aA and, and the, the, the 12
steps, I think whether you're analcoholic or an addict, the 12
steps are good for anybody, right?
Like there's, there's these 12 steps are applied to like many,
(41:16):
many different groups that have nothing to do with alcoholism or
drug addiction. Yeah.
But I think it's like any organization, you can find
something wrong with it if you want to, or you can, you know,
the nothing's perfect, right? No, no, no, obviously, I just
hadn't. I've never been, so I don't know
anything about it. But I do like you said, I know a
lot of people who've gone on, tried, failed, tried, failed.
(41:40):
Sometimes they'll succeed for a while.
I'll never forget I had a friendwho is an alcoholic.
She was five years sober, calledme one day, said I'm going to
drink. And I was like, no, I stopped
everything I was doing and went and helped her and stopped her
from drinking and, you know, took her to the beach, had a
great afternoon, had a good talkand kept her off the bottle.
And then she was good and I feltlike, man, all right, cool.
(42:04):
I caught one before she can go back.
Thank God she reached out to me right.
And then a couple years later she does like a sabotage thing
on me that I can only assume is because she's back drinking.
Because that would net she was too kind of a person and had so
much gratitude for what I did that I only can assume that this
(42:24):
is the influence of alcohol. Because obviously I've seen it
do the craziest things to the best of people.
And I hope that's not the case, but.
People, I mean, I, I know peoplethat have been sober for 20
years and then they, they, they relax like it's and I think it's
all it's always there, right? You got to be.
That's why you. If you get addicted to
(42:45):
addictions, why can't you get addicted to life?
Isn't that a thing too? Like after a certain number of
time goes by, wouldn't you just start to be addicted to being
healthy? You know, that's a good that's
that's a good point. But like once, once you get once
you get sober, you're dealing with the the, the fallout of
(43:06):
everything that that you didn't deal with before.
I mean, it's better than being in your addiction, but it's
still not easy, right? And.
Sure. Sure.
You know, clearly it's yeah, it's life, right?
Life on life's terms. That's what told.
(43:26):
I need to need to do. So be happy.
Just be happy. I'm sober and sure.
One day at a time, one day at a time, you know, and that's also
one of those things that, you know, obviously it's, it's one
of the toughest ones to beat because it's illegal, first of
all, So you can buy it everywhere, which is a hard
thing to that's how do you stop somebody from drinking if
(43:49):
they're over 21, then the momentthey're away from you, they're
going to go get alcohol. Well, The funny thing is like,
you know it, it's but it's one of the most destructive socially
and, and physically and, and mentally of all the drugs,
right? Like.
We make an argument for a. Lot of things are better than
alcohol, but alcohol's thing, that's legal, right?
(44:10):
And everywhere. Yeah, well, that's probably by
by purpose, I'm not going to lie.
Well, yeah, if you conspiracy rabbit.
Hole, we can get into that on another podcast.
I'm sure there's no connection between the two, but, well, I
mean, that's, yeah, we'll just leave that one there and we'll
(44:30):
do that one on the next cast, 'cause I believe we're already
eating up our 45 minutes and we haven't even gotten into the
juicy stuff. So.
We'll tell everybody where they can find, tell everybody where
they can find you, how they can reach you, how they can connect
with you and and then obviously just support you in any way
because I think it's important that people get that message.
So give them all your data and info.
(44:53):
I'll obviously list it with the cast as well and love to hear
it. Cool.
Yeah, on LinkedIn Josh case, youcan find me there on Instagram,
Sober Buzz token as the handle as well on Facebook.
My personal is JK31 on Instagramand and Facebook and then on
(45:14):
TikTok it's Sober dot buzz. And then if you want to watch
our podcasts, it's on YouTube Sober Buzz Podcast at Sober Buzz
Podcast. So nice, and you've got a
website too, right? Yeah, sober dot buzz yeah and
personal website too as well. All the all the links and stuff
(45:36):
are like on on all the social media, so the other ones so.
Yeah, yeah, they all linked together now.
It's like, I don't know, I wish we could figure.
I mean, I'm sure I think we're about the same age.
And so, you know, coming from the the Gen.
X world that we lived in, we're like, first of all, why do I
want people following me? I don't want anybody following
me. I spent my whole life avoiding
that, you know, like that's an unfamiliar thing.
(45:58):
But second of all, man, how manyplatforms do we need before we
actually have enough community? Right, right.
Well, yeah. And it's like posting on each
one. It's such a pain.
Let's just have one. Oh, I know they can't just have
one that like, funnels it all out to everywhere.
I mean, wouldn't that be nice? But I guess we're not there yet.
You know that's coming with the AI future, right?
The agents. Well, Josh, I really appreciate
(46:20):
it, man. Thank you for sharing your
wisdom, knowledge, experience, and everything else.
I know it's not an easy story totell and I know that you're
doing it for the right reasons because you're out there
pursuing the opportunity to Share your story.
And kudos to you, brother. You're a hero in my book.
And I, I, I'm glad to know you and have you as a reference and
a friend. So I thank you very much for
(46:41):
taking time out today. I'm going to cut it off right
here. Appreciate it, Chris.
Thank you for having me on. Yes, Sir.
I am positively Chris Pace and you are actively listening to
conversation with Chris. Hey everyone, it's Chris.
I am here with my good bud Josh who's going to teach me a lot
today. He's going to give me some
really good insight and some information about alcoholism and
addiction that he's dealt with and overcome and has championed
it and even build himself a niceplatform to help other people.
(00:34):
And so anyone with that kind of heart in my world is good people
and I'm excited to learn from them.
Josh, how are you, bud? Good.
Thanks for having me on, Chris. I appreciate it.
Yeah, man, My pleasure. My pleasure, truly.
So tell us how you started out in this world, and then tell us
how you ended up where you are now today.
Yeah. You know, looking back, I, I
always had a problem. You know, I never really felt
(00:57):
like I fit in, you know, like I handle things differently than
other people. Didn't really know why until,
you know, I went to rehab last year and I guess we can get into
that later. But they had a very successful
career executive at a global Fortune 500 company that bought
my company, you know, had a wifeand three kids.
(01:20):
Everything from I think on the outside looked good, but inside
you know, I was never happy and just really didn't know why.
And until I solved that problem,you know I couldn't solve the
drinking or using problem, right?
Right, Well that's the old saying.
You can't change a behavior without changing a belief, so
(01:42):
you have to change that belief of how you are.
So where'd you come from to start out?
Was there an issue at childhood or was there a moment that
triggered the the things into happening?
Or was it always just a feeling of not belonging and connecting?
Well, I, I grew up around alcohol.
My, my grandparents, you know, had a bar in the house at
parties all the time. My grandma gave me, you know,
champagne when I was 7-8 years old.
(02:04):
So yeah, it wasn't a, it wasn't a foreign substance to me.
You know, I was molested by a male babysitter when I was 10 or
11, you know, did not have a very good relationship with my,
my father my whole life and actually don't have one now.
But all, all of those things, you know, kind of are, are the,
(02:28):
it ends up being the reason thatI drank so I wouldn't have to
think or deal with those things because I, those things would
would, you know, weigh on me every every day of my life,
right? And I use drinking to, you know,
numb myself and to escape those things, right?
I didn't know that's what I was doing, of course, until I had
(02:51):
therapy and learned about what Iwas doing.
But you know, and, and how to deal with those things, you
know, past traumas. And thank God I did because
that's what that's what got me sober ultimately.
So. Wow, so pretty much from early
age, huh? You're obviously had damage from
childhood, which obviously I come from the same background as
(03:13):
well. All of what you said and more.
And obviously that that we know now that that trauma that
happens in childhood has much longer effects on us than we
really realize. And ultimately, right, an
addiction is just wanting to escape reality.
You just don't want to see and face the real life that you
have. So you try to get somewhere
that's not there. And I understand completely, you
(03:35):
know, losing my brother recentlyto alcoholism, I tried
everything to to get him to savehim.
And you know, even down to the last three days prior, I sent
him a text message saying I found a way to end your
addiction. Iboga ibogaine, 85% effective
with one use ending addiction. So I thought maybe that was the
solution. But three days later he passed
(03:56):
away. And so it's near and dear to my
heart because we grew up in the same lifestyle growing up, we
both had the same struggles. We both went through the same
things. I chose a different route than
my brother did and mines ended up really well and his ended up
really poor. And I wonder sometimes like what
was the difference? You know, why did he was?
(04:17):
Why was he unable to really grasp a hold of the other side,
which you now experience and know?
And so was there like a moment for you where you kind of were
like, I'm either going to changeor I'm going to die?
Well, I had those that moment many a time, you know,
ultimately what got me in my last rehab.
(04:38):
I got arrested for the first time in Pasco County.
I bought a house on a canal. My dream to move to Florida,
have a boat for various reasons.I, I, I lost my shit and got
arrested for A1 count of felony criminal mischief, which was
(05:01):
ultimately dropped. But entering A entering a world
that I had never been in before,right?
Like, I've been very successful and now I'm now I'm arrested.
It's not. Yeah, it it sounds cute and
funny, but it's not. You know, yeah, like, I've never
heard of that one. I mean, it sort of sounds like a
a fake charge. Yeah, yeah, I know.
(05:21):
But it's real. It's real.
And and that's what got me into this last rehab I went to and
that that woke me up. But what, what, what really
changed my life was this book I was given by my counselor called
codependent No more. And I started reading it and I'm
like, this book is about me, like the people pleasing the low
(05:45):
self esteem, looking for a validation from the outside,
trying to control everything, you know, transactional
relationships, expectations. I just have been living my life
wrong, you know? Yeah, I had these traumas early
on. And I think I did these things
to get validation from people. But it was all just chasing a
(06:07):
ghost, right? Like, it's it, it, it never
filled me up, you know, So ultimately, if I was just going
to like summarize it in one, oneword, but my, my addiction stem
from my low self esteem and not being able to fill that hole
inside me and not knowing why itwas empty or how to fill it like
(06:28):
sustainably, right? And the only way I can do it
sustainably is if I can do it myself, right?
Right, 100% And so that's amazing like.
Right. Yeah, yeah, no, obviously, you
know, my brother didn't have a fortunate opportunity to get
arrested for mischief. Still sounds like a made-up
charge, but I guess it is prettyserious.
(06:50):
I don't know what you do to get into that kind.
Of I threw I threw some I threw some expensive stuff into the
canal off my. Dock and that's the closest
charge they could come up with to.
Them, Yeah, well, they, they could have charged me for some
other stuff because I was like, I was, yeah.
Talking disorderly and yeah. All that stuff, you know,
(07:10):
resisting arrest and I but I think.
They're sort of fit in there. They're.
Trying to give me a wake up calland they.
Did yeah, they. Even let me out of jail early,
you know, they let me get bailedout like within a couple hours.
But it was it was a big wake. Up call and that was just a year
ago or so huh I I. June 28th or 29th, 2020, Fourth.
(07:33):
Wow. And so then you got sober from
that because obviously you didn't want that anymore.
Well, start. Podcasting.
So what happened was, you know, I had this charge.
So my sober manager and my my lawyers and my brothers, they
found a rehab place for me to go.
They had a really good reputation with, you know, the
(07:53):
courts, right? You know, 'cause the last thing
they want is someone to go to jail, right?
They, they, rather than, you know, get better another way if
possible, if, especially if thisis their first offense.
So I drank and used up until going to rehab.
But about 10 days later, I went to rehab in Texas.
And that's why I'm in Austin right now for 90 days, a place
(08:15):
called Burning Tree Lodge in Elgin and, and went there.
That's where I got the book started dealing with my traumas
and then move to Austin, do my aftercare plan, which you know,
which is, you know, IOP, it's called, you know, you, you
basically go every night of the week for a few hours and do a
process group and, and you do that for I did that for 12 weeks
(08:39):
after get down to rehab and thenjust stayed here.
My, my therapist is here. May not stay here forever, but.
Good reason to be there. I I, I stuck to the plan after I
got out of rehab. You know, my life is better now.
It's not great because now I'm dealing with all the hurt and
(09:00):
trauma I've caused other people from.
My right, right. Yeah, that's the hard part, too.
Yeah. Forgiving yourself, right?
But it but I mean it's a it is. I would say my hardest day now
is easier than my easiest morning waking up after whatever
(09:22):
I did. Sure, sure, sure.
And so how long have you been sober now, officially?
So July 6th is 20/20/24 is what I call my sober.
Date. So, OK, so yeah.
Like 15 months. 16 months, yeah,that's amazing.
And no, no, no chance of relapsefor you.
(09:42):
Your your major commitment. You've stayed the course.
You're on the right track. I know that.
He forgiving yourself? I'm not going to say no chance.
I'm not going to say no chance, but I'm going to say that it
does not appeal to me at all. It, it, it's not, you know, I
know things change. That's why it's.
Never saying. Recovery is like an is like an
(10:04):
active thing. It's not.
Well, you're recovered in. One day at a time.
No, yeah, one day at a time, right, So.
So I mean, it's they're staying where you got got better too.
Makes a lot of sense to me. You know, that's a healed place
for you that's somewhere that you know is comfortable and
familiar. So and it's working.
So I always go with the theory if it ain't broke don't fix it
(10:24):
type thing and so. And The thing is like those
thoughts, of course, like I justtold you about the things that
used to cause me to drink, you know, or self medicate myself,
but they don't stick around on my head anymore.
I, I, I guess I've come to termswith them, if you will, so.
Now you just have to come to terms with the things you did to
(10:46):
other people while drunk, right?And that's the part that you're
having to face right now, which is a challenge, man.
That's a real challenge. That's a real time.
It's really my kids, right? Like, you know, I, I was there,
but I wasn't there by my kids, you know, saw some unfortunate
things, heard some unfortunate things, you know, like one of
(11:08):
the things that my, I, I kind oftalk to my son individually when
I saw him last time, you know, like he's he, he's now dealing
with adult life with divorced parents.
Like he said, I never thought I,I, there's something he never
thought he'd have to deal with. Like I, I never really gave that
a thought of where he, he be coming from on that right.
(11:31):
Nothing I can do about it, But no.
No. But it's.
Now, how many kids do you have? I have 3.
Three cool man. You got the boys, girls. 2 girls
and a boy, so 28. Natalyn Mikey's 25 and Maya's
21. OK, so they're all family now
and all have kids and well. None of them have kids, none of
(11:53):
them have kids, and none of themare married.
OK, not a grandpa. Yeah, right.
They're all, they're all single.They're they're smart.
OK, good, good. Well, you did something right.
That's three kids over 21. I mean, yeah, they're, they
actually, they actually are doing really well.
(12:15):
You know, one's getting their master's degree, one has just
graduated from 4 year, got his bachelor's, going back to become
a a nurse. And then my youngest is playing
soccer and just is finishing hera degree right now and and may
continue to play soccer next year at a four year school.
(12:35):
Fantastic, man. I mean, good job, you know, at
least you didn't, you know, obviously it goes to show you, I
believe you can't mess your kidsup too bad because they're
always going to turn out to be who they're supposed to be,
right? I mean, they get to be adults.
They make their own choices. I chose not to be the exact
opposite of my examples so. Well, so I, I was the exact
opposite of of my, my, my fatherand I think my kids are almost
(12:57):
the exact opposite when it comesto me when it comes to certain
things, right. Right, right.
They learn from your stuff and that's good.
That's what they want. Like you're I was just doing to
help you guys out. Yeah, exactly.
Made the mistakes for you. Well, that's amazing.
So you've got the time under your belt now you've got a
system that works for you. You're clearly doing some great
(13:18):
things online social media wise.I was reading about and you got
to forgive me. I don't know much about crypto,
but you've got your own cryptocurrency, right?
Buzz coin or buzz something? Is that right?
Yeah, you know, like that, that's kind of how I started
this out because, you know my the idea was a, a, you get a
token, right, for like 30 days, 90 days, 180 days.
(13:40):
So why not have a cryptocurrencytoken?
It is really an idea. Nothing's been done with it.
It's been created but. Haven't really made it yet.
Not, not haven't really done anything like and I'm not really
sure what to do with it 'cause I, I don't want it to be one of
those, you know, cryptocurrency has such a bad reputation.
(14:05):
So I'm I'm. Not sure what to do with it, to
be honest with you. Some type of like a membership
token, you know, voting rights and stuff like that.
But then, you know, there's things you can't control with
it, like, you know, So yeah, lots of lots of stuff right now.
Yeah, gotcha. OK.
(14:25):
Hey, I was reading about it online and was kind of a little
bit shaky on what what was goingon because it's one thing said
no, it's not a cryptocurrency and then the other one said, no,
it is in the blockchain and maybe an NFT, right.
Isn't that like an image that you know worth later could be?
Yeah, that that, that that's a thought is, you know, have a
like an NFT for a token for, youknow, you can give to somebody
(14:48):
if they've been sober for so long or whatever exactly.
But again, you know it, It's a. It's a volatile business that
you're a. Volatile business and yeah, not
sure. You don't need the pressure of
losing people's money. Yeah, yeah.
And I and I, it would not be, itwouldn't be for an investment,
right. It's more symbolic.
(15:10):
So the blockchain for transparency purposes is, is
very useful. I think unfortunately it it's
tied to tokens or whatever what people consider our investments,
right. Like, not, not, you know, it.
Yeah. It, it I, I think there's more
(15:31):
evolution to go on there. Yeah, I agree with you.
I think it's got some evolving to do as well.
It's still very vague and a lot of it is very volatile.
Not a lot of consistency in thatthing as far as I can tell, but
neither here nor there. It's a cool concept and I love
the idea. So that must have come from the
business background because you obviously had think outside the
(15:52):
box to come up with that whole process, which I think is a
great idea if we can figure out how to fit it into society and
the way things are going. So the podcast, I mean, it seems
like it's kicking butt and taking names and you've got a
big network going. And that all happened in the
last 15 months. Yeah, so sober dot buzz.
Actually I started it May 1st. It was just an Instagram page
(16:14):
and I started posting thoughts of, you know, being sober,
what's going on and you know, quick about 500 followers and
1000 and 2500. Then my fiance at the time,
Heidi, she asked if she could beinvolved.
She started making things. Cassie, who I went to rehab
with, joined in and started doing a blog.
(16:36):
So like Instagram grew to like 20.
We got like 25,000 followers on Instagram, the our podcast on
YouTube, we're up to like 34,000followers, you know, 33000
something LinkedIn. I've always had a lot of
followers, but you know, betweenme and so we're not buzz on
LinkedIn. It's like 2223 thousand and you
(17:01):
know, so it it it caught it caught fire pretty quick.
Wasn't expecting it. You know, so podcast companies
actually started reaching out tome about doing a podcast.
Ended up starting one in in July, did a whole season and now
started work on a second season.But right now, kind of a few
(17:22):
things have come up in my personal life with a few people
that I kind of put that on hold right now, but it's still there
and still still attracting attention.
It certainly sounds like people are interested in what you've
got to say and what you've got going on.
And so, you know, that's a platform to reach people, which
obviously for me, the best way to heal myself is to help other
(17:46):
people heal. And so that's become my life
journey is doing nothing but being a servant to other people.
And my success will be defined by the amount of people I can
help in the world. And that's how I look.
At that, yeah. That that, that's one of the
reasons I started it, because, you know, people were there for
me even when I didn't want them to be.
Yeah. Or I got like, you know, I,
(18:07):
yeah, nothing's going to work for me.
Leave me alone. You know, people were still
there for me. You know, there were things that
sunk in, I'm sure. And you know, it's it's a
journey. It's not like a final
destination. So each each thing I believe
helped me and so I want there tobe.
I just wanted there to be something there for people that,
(18:28):
you know, may that may not have anybody and there are a lot of
people out there that have that don't have anybody, believe it
or not, that have have reached out and you know, we're yeah,
they're able to help. Making difference.
Yeah, well, that's amazing. I actually have my app which is
fully customizable for each community.
So if you wanted to do a sober dot buzz community where
(18:51):
everybody can check in daily andyou can contact them if they are
having a rough day or someone else can contact them and you
have your own certified people that are reach out or you can
use my people. I can set that up for you.
And then you've got everybody inone spot and you can promote and
push your stuff to them and get your messages out.
All the stuff podcast. They've got a daily routine.
(19:12):
It's got everything I'll tell you about, I'll show you.
But but it'd be really cool for,you know, that kind of community
is if you can get them all in one place and be able to reach
them all and then also have themall checking in daily on how
they're doing. Well, then now if somebody's
having a rough day, somebody canpick up the phone and go, Hey,
I'm here, what's going on? You know, and so they don't slip
through the cracks because that's that's a lot of people
(19:32):
you're talking about 30,020 thousand 50,000.
I mean, that's that's a game changer.
Well, there's not, it's, it's a little over 90,000 people and in
a little like, well, at least 43countries last count.
Yeah, that's kind of like me. I'm, I'm in 82 countries and I'm
like there's 82 countries that speak English.
But I mean, you know, I guess there's a couple people there
that maybe are. Well, most people speak English
(19:54):
is, you know, as their second language, it turns out.
But yeah, like with the Internetnow, you, you never know.
Or someone's going to, you know,find.
You. Yeah, exactly.
And I'm like, hey, cool. I didn't even know this country
existed, but great. So.
And now we have all the demographics, right?
So that's cool too. So a great way to reach people
(20:15):
and get the message out there. So what's the plans for the
future? Obviously you've got a fiance,
so that means a wedding's comingup.
We got we actually got married. In we actually got married in
August, so oh. OK, congratulations.
Check that off. Now your wife, that's amazing.
And so you've got that check boxoff there.
You got a house sold, so that's good.
(20:38):
I know how that is. Carrying a mortgage on something
that you can't live in is and wedon't want to be renters.
And so now you've got the buzz coin, which we can totally come
up with an idea for that. I think it's brilliant and I
love it. And so what's going on for you?
I mean, what are your plans? You got a one year, five year,
10 year goal type thing? Or is there just day by day you
wake up each day and live it as the best you can?
(21:01):
Yeah. So, yeah, I've got it in the
recently back into energy, you know, renewable energy of the
industry that I'd come from doing some consulting work.
So I'm, I'm continuing doing that, looking at getting back
into that more full time. OK.
And then, you know, continuing to work on sober dot buzz and
(21:23):
helping people through that. And you know, I've got got a lot
of podcasts lined up. I'll be on.
Yeah, exactly. You're going to get it.
Well, that's another reason too.We get the community set up for
you. You got everybody in one place,
you can send them all there and then link all your other stuff
to it. That's why I've got it for
veterans and you're going to handle it for Alcoholics, which
(21:44):
obviously is near and dear to myheart.
So that would be amazing becauseI would love to have somebody
head up that portion of of the app and it's all going to be
your own community, your own appanyway, so but.
I'm sure there's a crossover between veterans and.
Yes, yes, and. Drug abuse, alcoholism,
unfortunately, but you know. And I have, you know, I found
(22:04):
people who have the I I'm sure you've heard about ibogaine.
I know Texas is a big state for pushing it right now, but
ibogaine comes from the plant Iboga.
And so far I had a guy on my show his name is and Matt Wiz
Buckley and he was a Top Gun pilot, became a Wall Street guy
and then made millions of dollars but became a heavy
alcoholic and addict addict wentdown and did ibogaine down in
(22:26):
Mexico one time. And he said he after that he
couldn't the smell of alcohol made him want to vomit.
And so the stats on are 85% addiction is cleared and they
never go back using it one time.And he swears that it's, you
know, it changed everything for him.
He's never thought about it again.
He's doesn't have any, any issues with it.
(22:47):
And so I did my research and metthe people who went to Africa
and found the Iboga plant, whichis the actual medicine.
The ibogaine is just an extract from it, but it's, you know,
it's an addiction curing plant that takes people on a journey,
a hallucinogen journey that somehow gives them some sort of
clarity that they've never had before.
(23:08):
Is that kind of like I've heard of like ego death or something
like that or? Yeah, yeah, yeah, similar DMT,
psilocybin, yeah, this is another form.
This is another form of that, but it's it's extremely
effective with addiction. So I think like 12 states right
now are looking at it for addicts as a actual, actual
healing modality. And so I've got some people who
(23:31):
have churches and they administer the the the medicine
through them and they've had great success with addiction
across the board. And so now, I mean, even the
state, like I said, the state level funding is even going
towards it. And so I'll send you the info on
that. Too, Because.
Maybe that's something you'd love to go give it a shot.
Maybe that'll help you heal the,the stuff, the damage that you
(23:52):
did that you have to forgive yourself for and move past, you
know, 'cause that's a, that's probably the hardest part, I
would imagine. Is that all the like, oh man, I
forgot about this and then you remember now because you're
clear and then you're like, man,that sucks.
Well, it's like getting sober, Iguess it's true with yeah, I
heard this and I can say it's true.
(24:13):
It's a is the easy part, right? Because now you're dealing with
like everything you were. Avoiding.
You avoiding like, yeah, yeah, like, yeah, if I made a fool of
myself or did something stupid or was a jerk, yeah, I drink the
next day to not think about it. So I I like I was continuing
just adding up things that I never really answered for if you
(24:35):
will so. Sure, sure.
And I was what did you consider the day that you were like, I'm
an alcoholic. Is there like a point where as a
drinker, because I, you know, there's always the joke, right?
There's drunks and Alcoholics. Alcoholics just attend meetings,
right? But that's not the truth.
There's actually got to be a point where you one day you were
like, I have a real problem and this is starting to affect my
(24:57):
brain because you become codependent on it, right?
It becomes a literal dependency that if you don't have it.
I mean, I like not not just physically.
Like my world eventually revolved around drinking.
Like when am I going to be able to drink?
Am I going to be able to drink before this get something.
It became part of my like daily like scheduled.
(25:18):
Yeah. Routine.
Yeah, yeah. And that's kind of my brother.
I could call him after, you know, anytime before 5:00 and I
was fine. And then that moved to 2:00 and
then that moved to 10 AM, you know, And then.
So I wonder where there's a is that, was there ever a point
where you realized that you had a problem or no?
Well, is it just like? Yeah, like back in 20/12/2013, I
(25:41):
actually went to a A for like 6 months.
And like there were periods of time where I would be sober like
that then. And back in 20/17/2018, I, I
went about 18 months, but I was white knuckling it, right?
Like I was just as miserable or more miserable to be around.
And my, I got definitely more miserable in my mind than I was
(26:05):
when I was drinking it. It was not, that was not
sustainable until I figured it out.
I mean, I knew I had a problem well over a decade ago, but
until I dealt with what was going on in my mind and the
reasons I wanted to drink, I, I,I would, I, I believe that I was
(26:26):
always going to be an active alcoholic because I didn't know
like, why? Why is it that I'm like this
right until right? You know, and they say, what do
they say? A functioning alcoholic, which
is not really a thing I. Definitely was AII definitely
was able to function and and be very successful.
But I I did not function well for everybody around me, I'll
(26:50):
tell you that. Yeah, not successful in all
avenues, just successful in Yeah, yeah.
Business does not relate. I would say I was just one
business, but not relationships,right?
Right, right. So that's yeah, that's that's a
good way to look at it too. And I, and I also wonder with my
brother, I know there had to have been a moment where like he
knew that he drank too much, butalso his brain at the end for
(27:14):
probably the last year or two was just not him.
Like his soul just wasn't there.He just had this glazed look
over his eyes and, and I think there's got to be a point right
where you're, like you said, where you, you knew you had an
issue, but you also knew you could get away with it because
you were smart and you're talented.
So here you were kicking ass andyou also weren't paying
attention to the the details that were, you know, you were
(27:34):
drinking those away, right, Which is what we do when you
know, it's the same thing. Any addiction, I believe
fitness, church, alcohol, it's all when you become out of
balance for anything, you know that's not healthy, right?
So you've got to get back in balance.
And so I just wonder I I sat, I went through it all with him and
(27:54):
never figured out the way to stop him or helping my fault.
I could force him into Baker Act, which put him away for a
few days, but then he got out and just was mad at me.
And then he would drink more. And then it was like at the end
he was even I was a trigger now that caused him to drink from
stuff that happened when we werechildren.
And I'm like, that was 35 years ago, man.
I don't even remember what you're talking about.
(28:15):
I would say what I would say to that is until I, I mean, there
was lots of times that like, I mean, I didn't want to drink.
I didn't want to be like this. There's a lots of times that I
felt like that or, and would saythat, but the next day I'd be
drinking, right? Or later that day I'd be
drinking. So until like, yeah, until I was
(28:39):
ready, like there was like therewas, there's nothing you can do,
right? And even when I was ready, I
still didn't believe I was goingto be able to do it.
I ended up going to the right place.
I got the right material at the right time and was and was open
(29:00):
to dealing with things and listening right.
Like all of those things had to line up and and.
Thank God they did, you know. I've been to rehab two time,
you're right. And I have been to rehab 2 times
prior in 2023 for 30 days and 21days, which wasn't long enough.
(29:23):
I and at at one point in time I'm like, what a waste, what a
waste of money, what a waste of this.
But like I did learn things at each one of those times.
So that built upon and built upon and then I was finally
ready for more when I went to rehab for 90 days last summer.
And it worked for me. Thank God you know.
(29:43):
Wow, that's three tries, Adam, and that's you got really lucky.
I thought you made it 3-2 tries and fails and then come back for
1/3 and got it done. I mean, a lot of people go to
have been in rehab dozen, dozen times, 20 times, you know, and,
and I think they were saying like a, it used to take people
(30:04):
like 3 or 4 times like on average, the people that did get
clean, but now because of fentanyl, I never did fentanyl,
but like people that do that don't get to that third or
fourth time, unfortunately. Right, right.
So yeah. You know that's the other thing
I wonder is like when you're drinking cause typically
(30:24):
Alcoholics go for a clear liquorright out of the bottle.
Fastest and non smelliest way todo it, is that correct?
My brother was vodka. You know, I, I went through
phases, I would drink vodka, redwine, Ipas, you know?
You just drank anything that hadalcohol.
I, I, I, I literally had phases,you know, But if it was alcohol,
(30:48):
it was alcohol, right? So.
Right, right now, did you have any medical issues at any point
in time from it or was it all? I did.
There were times that I had elevated liver enzymes.
So I there were times that I would quit drinking for 30 or 40
days or 60 days because the liver repairs itself and get my
(31:08):
enzymes down and then drink, drink more.
I mean, that's not that sounds. I healed that so.
Yeah, how, how stupid? How stupid is that?
But I I would do that. Yeah, yeah.
I mean, nobody, everyone, I don't think anybody would state
claim that being an addict is intelligent.
You know, like definitely there's a certain amount of, I
(31:29):
just have to accept that this was dumb, you know, like, but
also like God, that's part of the responsibility, taking
responsibility, right? And actually accepting that you
made mistakes and that you're imperfect and that you know
what, it's not about what you did yesterday.
It's about what you do today. And if you can wake up every day
and just you today, just focus on one day at a time and just
(31:50):
kick today's butt, you'll be good to go, you know, And then
maybe a little better tomorrow than you were yesterday, but
that's it. And you got to forgive yourself
for the stuff that you can't fix.
You know, like there's so many things I did in my life that I
wish I wouldn't have done, but Idid them, so I got to make peace
with them. So it's like, you know that I
have a theory that in order to tell yourself you love yourself,
you have to be grateful for every situation that's ever
(32:12):
happened to you because all of those collectively is what made
you who you are today. And so in order.
Oh, yeah. But I've definitely have had
those thoughts. Like, you know, if all of this
didn't happen or if I wasn't like this, yeah, I'd be a
different person, you know? So you know, it, it, it, it's
like one of the IT is what it is, right?
(32:32):
Yeah, exactly. It is what it is.
So you got to leave that down and don't let it come back to
haunt you because it's not something you can do anything
about anyway. It's a chapter in your book
that's going to publish in next year, 2 years, and there'll be a
great story that will inspire and motivate other people.
So you got to look at it as you know how fortunate you are to be
able to share that story becausemy brother wasn't as fortunate,
you know, And that's one of those things that, you know,
(32:54):
after he passed away, a friend of mine wrote a tribute song for
us about us. And she even incorporated
voicemails from his from him to me and then had me speak in the
song. And then the song actually is up
for a Grammy Award this year now.
Oh, really? Yeah.
Can you send that to me? I would love, love to listen to
it. 100% Brother and I'd love itif you'd share it with your
(33:16):
people 'cause it's a a very passionate and beautiful song,
but it's called Brother and it really is not just for us.
It's more of a song for anyone who's ever lost anyone too soon.
And I believe, you know, veterans are brothers.
I believe sober people are brothers.
I believe that there's brotherhoods amongst everywhere.
And so I think it's a really healing song.
It's already been downloaded a 1,000,000 plus times, which
(33:38):
already to me is a phenomenal that my brother's voice and name
is going to live on and heal people.
And, you know, if it when it gets acknowledged by the Grammys
and I get the trophy and all that, that will be beautiful
because I can give that to my brother's daughter, you know,
and so she'll have that forever as well.
Plus his voice is in a song thatshe can hear and her name's in
(34:00):
the song. And so, you know, it's really
cool the the the way that she put it together, the talented
artist Hope Mercedes and mythology.
She wrote the lyrics, she wrote the music.
When I I thought it was just going to be like a real ho hum,
you know, tribute song that would make me feel good about my
brother. And when I heard it, I was like,
this is a masterpiece. This is like a top ten hit type
(34:21):
song. And so got fit put into the
Grammy Awards and yeah. I can't wait to hear it.
Yeah, it's phenomenal. You're going to love it and I'll
send it over to you right after we get off the thing.
And hopefully you can share it with all your people because I
certainly know that it, it invokes a feeling in people
that's really positive and encouraging and healing.
(34:41):
So everyone who listens to it says they cry, but they also
feel the joy of the song too. So it's like a it's a real
masterpiece. This girl's really talented.
But anyway, yeah, I'll send it to you.
And then also that's so that that kind of a positive spin, I
guess. But also as it grows momentum
and wins things and does things,which it's going to do, it gives
(35:05):
me the opportunity to talk to people and speak to people.
And so me getting a chance to meet you and know you and have
you in my back pocket type thingas like a somebody that can give
me insight into that world that I don't understand.
But I do have a passion for helping Alcoholics and addicts
and stopping this it this slow suicide basically.
(35:27):
And so like, but it it's hard for me 'cause I've never been 1,
you know, I don't. Understand, so that we have an
we have an episode of Caught with Brandy Mack.
She actually lives in Crystal River.
She is a she's a nurse practitioner.
She's not an addict, but her daughter is.
So she's an advocate for addicts, but also comes from a
(35:51):
perspective like you, where she's not one, right, and, and
shares a lot about how, how people can support, you know,
specifically their kids, but others that are an addiction.
And, and, and she has seen like there's certain things that she
has done or that that weren't helpful and she's been able to
(36:13):
make changes herself that have been good for her and her
daughter. So, you know, it's like sober,
not buzz, like I, I, I've said many times is, is for people
that are in addiction recovery, but also people that love them
and support them. So it you know, it's.
(36:34):
I've got it. I've got the app set up
perfectly because I have, well on the BA of the veteran side.
I have certified veteran allies as the like counselor group and
they go through a training with me.
Then I have the users, and then I also have caregivers because
that's a big part of my life too.
I'm 100% disabled veteran who suffered A traumatic brain
(36:54):
injury. So I have my own caregiver and I
do understand and realize how much they go through and how
much they need support and help as well.
And so it's this you're sober dot buzz community will actually
have the same three. You know, I just retitle them
whatever you want them to be, put your logo on it and now
you've got access to everybody. Plus they can create sub
communities inside of it. So 1.
(37:16):
You know, to me, the biggest reason people end their lives or
take up addiction is because they lack community.
They lack people to go to and talk to.
So that's what my my idea was behind building this monster app
that is basically just a networking app for us to be able
to check on each other. And, you know, if I see one day
(37:37):
that somebody pops on it and they're having a rough day, they
check in and ask for reach somebody to reach out, I'm going
to reach out, you know, and I may not have been thinking about
them because there's 800,000 people follow me on Instagram
and a million whatever on, you know, it's like, I can't
remember everybody every day. But now I've got a place that I
can see every day. Oh, OK, everybody looks good
today. Oh, there's one that's not good.
(37:58):
And it's really uninvasive. But I, you know, I wonder if it
wouldn't have made a difference in my brother's life to have had
that. Because, you know, once you
start to talk to the people on there, you recognize, well, this
person, Josh is somebody I can relate to.
He's been through it. So I can, I can talk to Josh.
And so then you may get that relationship built, which may
change your life forever. And so it's important to me that
we have the right people on there kind of spearheading each
(38:22):
every individual topic, if you will.
I more or less have the concept,but again, like you were talking
about your friend, who by the way is not far from me at all.
She's just like 20 miles, right?Love to meet her, love to meet
her, to hear her situation as well.
But the yeah, having that community, that network, plus
the Elsa, you know, once you start to connect, it makes you
(38:44):
feel like you're a part of something instead of just
isolated, which is something I know, I.
Felt like addiction is isolation, right?
You're. Yeah, I mean, that's certainly
the case, A. Lot of it is isolation so.
Well, that was always one of those things my brother would
complain about the fact that he was all alone, but yet he was
unbearable to be around because he drank so much.
(39:06):
So it was like, OK, well the solution seems easy to me.
You know, stop drinking and you're great to be around.
So therefore, if you don't want to be alone, don't drink.
But again coming from a non alcoholic logic.
And, and, and I'm not going to speak for him, but like what
would probably be going through my mind or I know would be going
(39:27):
through my mind was, well, if I'm not drinking, I've got to be
around myself, right? You know my.
And see, that's why that's why you're the wise man when it
comes to that, because you've been there, done that.
So you have the expertise and knowledge to know what was going
on through his head. And he didn't, you're right.
I mean, he didn't want to face himself.
And probably a lot like what you're saying, unless you're
(39:49):
forced into it. And then you kind of have that
aha moment where everything aligns in the right book, the
right therapist, the right, you know what I mean?
Like because obviously you triedtwice and didn't stick and this
time it didn't. Right, and, and, and and you
know what it's like a success rates are very low, you know,
(40:09):
going yeah, yeah, it it's 12% ofthe population are are addicts
or Alcoholics. And it takes it, it it it
doesn't always stick right or itsticks for a certain amount of
time, right? It it it's.
Like you think that a a is a broken system?
Or do you think that it's a a healthy system and it's just
(40:32):
that hard to quit? Or is there a better way to get
people to stop other than ibogaine?
So, so a a like the, the, the rehabs I went to, you know,
we're a A based, we did all the steps and stuff like that.
I mean, I see lots of benefits in AA.
I've been to AAI know that certain people don't like a a
for various reasons, you know, and also you're dealing with
(40:55):
people, right? Sometimes the people just don't
click with, you know, what, whatwith what you need.
I, I think the, the concept of aA and, and the, the, the 12
steps, I think whether you're analcoholic or an addict, the 12
steps are good for anybody, right?
Like there's, there's these 12 steps are applied to like many,
(41:16):
many different groups that have nothing to do with alcoholism or
drug addiction. Yeah.
But I think it's like any organization, you can find
something wrong with it if you want to, or you can, you know,
the nothing's perfect, right? No, no, no, obviously, I just
hadn't. I've never been, so I don't know
anything about it. But I do like you said, I know a
lot of people who've gone on, tried, failed, tried, failed.
(41:40):
Sometimes they'll succeed for a while.
I'll never forget I had a friendwho is an alcoholic.
She was five years sober, calledme one day, said I'm going to
drink. And I was like, no, I stopped
everything I was doing and went and helped her and stopped her
from drinking and, you know, took her to the beach, had a
great afternoon, had a good talkand kept her off the bottle.
And then she was good and I feltlike, man, all right, cool.
(42:04):
I caught one before she can go back.
Thank God she reached out to me right.
And then a couple years later she does like a sabotage thing
on me that I can only assume is because she's back drinking.
Because that would net she was too kind of a person and had so
much gratitude for what I did that I only can assume that this
(42:24):
is the influence of alcohol. Because obviously I've seen it
do the craziest things to the best of people.
And I hope that's not the case, but.
People, I mean, I, I know peoplethat have been sober for 20
years and then they, they, they relax like it's and I think it's
all it's always there, right? You got to be.
That's why you. If you get addicted to
(42:45):
addictions, why can't you get addicted to life?
Isn't that a thing too? Like after a certain number of
time goes by, wouldn't you just start to be addicted to being
healthy? You know, that's a good that's
that's a good point. But like once, once you get once
you get sober, you're dealing with the the, the fallout of
(43:06):
everything that that you didn't deal with before.
I mean, it's better than being in your addiction, but it's
still not easy, right? And.
Sure. Sure.
You know, clearly it's yeah, it's life, right?
Life on life's terms. That's what told.
(43:26):
I need to need to do. So be happy.
Just be happy. I'm sober and sure.
One day at a time, one day at a time, you know, and that's also
one of those things that, you know, obviously it's, it's one
of the toughest ones to beat because it's illegal, first of
all, So you can buy it everywhere, which is a hard
thing to that's how do you stop somebody from drinking if
(43:49):
they're over 21, then the momentthey're away from you, they're
going to go get alcohol. Well, The funny thing is like,
you know it, it's but it's one of the most destructive socially
and, and physically and, and mentally of all the drugs,
right? Like.
We make an argument for a. Lot of things are better than
alcohol, but alcohol's thing, that's legal, right?
(44:10):
And everywhere. Yeah, well, that's probably by
by purpose, I'm not going to lie.
Well, yeah, if you conspiracy rabbit.
Hole, we can get into that on another podcast.
I'm sure there's no connection between the two, but, well, I
mean, that's, yeah, we'll just leave that one there and we'll
(44:30):
do that one on the next cast, 'cause I believe we're already
eating up our 45 minutes and we haven't even gotten into the
juicy stuff. So.
We'll tell everybody where they can find, tell everybody where
they can find you, how they can reach you, how they can connect
with you and and then obviously just support you in any way
because I think it's important that people get that message.
So give them all your data and info.
(44:53):
I'll obviously list it with the cast as well and love to hear
it. Cool.
Yeah, on LinkedIn Josh case, youcan find me there on Instagram,
Sober Buzz token as the handle as well on Facebook.
My personal is JK31 on Instagramand and Facebook and then on
(45:14):
TikTok it's Sober dot buzz. And then if you want to watch
our podcasts, it's on YouTube Sober Buzz Podcast at Sober Buzz
Podcast. So nice, and you've got a
website too, right? Yeah, sober dot buzz yeah and
personal website too as well. All the all the links and stuff
(45:36):
are like on on all the social media, so the other ones so.
Yeah, yeah, they all linked together now.
It's like, I don't know, I wish we could figure.
I mean, I'm sure I think we're about the same age.
And so, you know, coming from the the Gen.
X world that we lived in, we're like, first of all, why do I
want people following me? I don't want anybody following
me. I spent my whole life avoiding
that, you know, like that's an unfamiliar thing.
(45:58):
But second of all, man, how manyplatforms do we need before we
actually have enough community? Right, right.
Well, yeah. And it's like posting on each
one. It's such a pain.
Let's just have one. Oh, I know they can't just have
one that like, funnels it all out to everywhere.
I mean, wouldn't that be nice? But I guess we're not there yet.
You know that's coming with the AI future, right?
The agents. Well, Josh, I really appreciate
(46:20):
it, man. Thank you for sharing your
wisdom, knowledge, experience, and everything else.
I know it's not an easy story totell and I know that you're
doing it for the right reasons because you're out there
pursuing the opportunity to Share your story.
And kudos to you, brother. You're a hero in my book.
And I, I, I'm glad to know you and have you as a reference and
a friend. So I thank you very much for
(46:41):
taking time out today. I'm going to cut it off right
here. Appreciate it, Chris.
Thank you for having me on. Yes, Sir.
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