July 12, 2025 • 20 mins
We explore the multifaceted journey of sobriety—including the science of addiction, myths about recovery, and evidence-based tools for lasting transformation. Going beyond mere abstinence, we examine how sobriety impacts physical health, mental wellbeing, relationships, and daily functioning.
• Alcohol use disorder affects approximately 400 million people globally with annual deaths exceeding 3 million
• Addiction physically hijacks the brain's reward circuitry, but neuroimaging shows remarkable recovery with sustained abstinence
• Common myths about sobriety include equating it with boredom and believing one must hit rock bottom before seeking help
• Early sobriety challenges include withdrawal symptoms, social awkwardness, and identity crisis
• Support options range from peer groups like AA to medications, therapy, and digital tools
• Lifestyle foundations for recovery include proper sleep, nutrition, exercise, and community support
• Recovery tools include relapse prevention planning, creative expression, mindfulness, and celebrating micro-milestones
If today's episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might benefit. Connect with me at The Brad Mercerow Show on all social media platforms and podcast directories, or email thebradmercerowshow@gmail.com. For immediate help, visit niaa.nih.gov, samhsa.gov, or call 1-800-662-HELP.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the show.
Talk about it or be about it.
It's the About it Podcast herehere.
Here we go, go go.
I'm your host, bradley Marslowe.
(00:34):
Welcome back to the BradMercerow Show.
(01:02):
I'm your host, bradley Mercerow.
Today's episode is all aboutsobriety what it really means,
why people choose it and how ittransforms lives.
We'll dig into definitions,science, myths, the toughest
early days support systems,personal stories and practical
tips you can use right now.
Let's dive in.
All right, everyone.
I just wanted to kick thisepisode off by giving you guys a
news story and making this real.
(01:23):
So the title of this is NewYork.
A man is accused of being drunkwhen he allegedly fired a rifle,
narrowly missing a group ofpeople in the town of Maycomb.
Police were called to stayaround 58, around 8.30 pm
Tuesday for a weapon complaint.
According to troopers,82-year-old Glenn Heimbach of
Bloomsburg, pennsylvania, triedto shoot a coyote.
(01:44):
However, the bullet wentthrough a neighbor's garage.
According to court documents,the bullet went through the
neighbor's garage and almost hita group of adults and children
who were seated at a table.
There were no injuries,surprisingly, thank God.
In court papers, police sayHeimbach was in an intoxicated
state while firing the rifle.
He was taken into custody andcharged with second-degree
reckless endangerment.
Heimbach was later released toappear in Maycomb Town Court in
(02:06):
August.
So yeah, alcohol is no joke.
It affects a lot of lives, fromtop to bottom, young to old.
I mean, this guy was in his 80sand alcohol drove him to shoot
at a coyote and almost hitchildren and a family.
Reasons like this and others iswhy I felt led to do this
episode today.
To kick this episode off, I'mgoing to get into a daily
(02:27):
reflection from AlcoholicsAnonymous.
They grew, so the title of itis Giving Center Stage.
This is for July 12th, forwithout some degree of humility,
no alcoholic can stay sober atall.
Without it, they cannot livetoo much of a useful purpose or
an adversity, be able to summonfaith that can meet any
emergency.
And the following is from thepage 70 on the 12 steps and 12
(02:49):
traditions.
Why do I balk at the wordhumility?
I am not humbling myself towardother people, but toward god.
As I understand them, humilitymeans to show submissive respect
.
And by being humble I realize Iam not the center of the
universe.
When I was drinking, I wasconsumed by pride and
self-centeredness.
I felt the entire worldrevolved around me, that I was a
master of my destiny.
(03:09):
Humility enables me to dependmore on God to help me overcome
obstacles, to help me with myown imperfections, so that I may
grow spiritually.
I must solve more difficultproblems to increase my
proficiency and as I encounterlife's stumbling blocks, I must
learn to overcome them throughGod's help.
Daily communion with Goddemonstrates my humility and
provides me with the realizationthat an entity more powerful
(03:30):
than I is willing to help me ifI cease trying to play God
myself.
And that's pretty cool.
So what does that mean to me?
It means that I don't think I'mso important that I'm making
these grand decisions thatreally end up leading down the
rabbit hole of disaster.
By showing humility and puttingothers before myself, it leads
down the road ofself-improvement and making your
(03:51):
life better.
And for those of you that don'tknow what Alcoholics Anonymous
is or AA is, it is a fellowshipof people who come together to
solve their drinking problem.
It doesn't cost anything toattend the meetings.
There are no age or educationrequirements to participate.
Membership is open to anyonewho wants to do something about
their drinking problem.
Aa's primary purpose is to helpalcoholics to achieve sobriety,
and it works like this.
(04:12):
Members use 12 steps tomaintain sobriety.
Groups use the 12 traditions tostay unified.
Aa's 12 steps are a set ofspiritual principles.
When practiced as a way of life, they can expel the obsession
to drink and enable the suffererto recover from alcoholism.
The 12 traditions apply to theAA as a whole.
They outline how AA maintainsits unity and relates itself to
(04:34):
the world around it.
The book Alcoholics Anonymousdescribes the AA program of
recovery.
It also contains storieswritten by the co-founders and
stories from a wide range ofmembers who have found recovery
in AA.
In short, aa is a group thathas admitted that they cannot
control alcohol.
They have learned that theymust live without it to live
normal, happy lives.
What they are not isanti-alcohol.
(04:55):
They have no wish to reform theworld, not allied with any
group cause or religiousdenomination.
They welcome new members but donot recruit them.
They don't impose theirexperience with problem drinking
on others, but they do share itwhen asked to do so, and they
know that their own sobrietydepends on connecting with other
alcoholics.
I could tell you from mypersonal experience with alcohol
that AA has actually been agodsend, having a group of
(05:20):
people around you that have beenthrough similar situations so
they don't judge you and theylisten and also depend on you.
Being there to help them staysober has done a world of
difference for me personally andto rid my life of alcohol,
because going down that path ofdrinking alcohol to the point
where you can't control itanymore leads to nothing but
(05:41):
devastation and heartache andheartbreak.
It can lead to financialproblems, relationship problems,
legal problems and all of theabove.
Sobriety isn't just notdrinking or not using.
It's a holistic process ofhealing, growth and reclaiming
your fullest life.
Recovery involves improvementsin physical health, mental
well-being, relationships anddaily functioning, far beyond
(06:02):
the absence of substances.
Today we'll look at why thebroader approach matters for
sustaining change and findingreal freedom.
Globally, about 7% of adultsmeet the criteria for alcohol
use disorder.
That's roughly 400 millionpeople.
Alcohol contributes to over 3million deaths each year and
burdens societies with hundredsof billions in healthcare costs,
lost productivity and socialconsequences.
(06:23):
Understanding the scale helpsus see sobriety as not only a
personal journey but a publichealth imperative.
Preventative measures likesmarter taxation, marketing
limits and early interventionprograms have been shown to
reduce harm and save lives.
Addiction is no joke.
It hijacks the brain's rewardcircuitry.
Every drink or drug surgerewires neurons to crave more.
Chronic use alters dopamine,glutamate and GABA systems
(06:46):
producing tolerance andwithdrawal and driving
compulsion.
The good news our brains areremarkably plastic, with
sustained abstinence.
Imaging studies show graymatter recovery in
decision-making regions andimproved impulse control.
Knowing how the brain heals canmake early sobriety feel less
mysterious and more hopeful.
And that's no joke.
Alcohol everybody is straightpoisoned Like that's exactly
(07:09):
what a hangover is.
In fact, just one night ofdrinking can give you a bad
hangover the next day, and thatis already withdrawing from
alcohol.
That is, the symptoms ofwithdrawal is the sweating, the
headaches, all that stuff.
You are actually withdrawingfrom alcohol even after just one
night of drinking.
It's that poisonous to you.
The memories it makes you lose,the health consequences it has
(07:30):
towards your body.
They are serious.
It is so highly addictive itcan.
For some people it can feellike getting hooks stuck in you
don't want to let go, like ifanybody's ever gotten a fish
hook stuck in them while goingout fishing on the on or the
ocean.
Sometimes you have to go to theemergency room just to get it
out.
And that can even be the samewith alcohol, because sometimes
(07:51):
it can get so serious that youdo have to go and get medication
to even get off of it, or elseyou could die.
Let me bust a rhyme.
Let me bust a couple myths foryou.
Sobriety does not equal boredom.
Real fun comes from presence,being in the moment,
no-transcript.
(08:11):
And you don't have to hit rockbottom either.
Early change actually leads tobetter outcomes.
You don't need a catastrophe todecide you deserve more.
I know so many have beenthrough, and especially in some
of the AA meetings I've been toand all this stuff.
Of course I can't say any namesor anything like that, but
several people for example, oneof my buddies in AA woke up the
next day after a night ofdrinking and couldn't find his
(08:33):
whole truck.
Apparently he crashed it into atelephone pole and had to go
looking for it for five hoursbefore he even found it and then
had to get it towed home andparts replaced on the thing.
So you don't need to go to thatlevel.
You don't need to go to thelevel of getting drunk and
blacking out and going andthrowing bottles at people's
houses or something like that.
You don't have to have acatastrophe in your life to
(08:54):
decide that, hey, this is rockbottom, maybe I shouldn't be
doing this.
It's okay to recognize thesesigns early on.
If you can't imagine yourselfliving without alcohol or going
anywhere and not drinking, thenyou might have a problem.
You might have an issue thatyou need to take care of.
If you can't just give it upand not go back to it, that's
not a good thing.
And relapse it doesn't meanfailure.
(09:14):
Relapse is information, not theend.
Every slip teaches you what youneed to shore up next time.
So just because on your journeyof quitting alcohol, you might
go back to it when you don'twant to, or maybe you decide,
hey, I'm going to try it out andI think I can just take one
drink, and it just doesn't go.
Well, it's not necessarily theend of things.
It's just another piece ofinformation that's telling you
(09:36):
hey, this is important.
It lets you know how importantit is to stop what you're doing,
to stop you drinking thealcohol.
It helps you realize howimportant it is.
There are challenges of sobriety, especially early sobriety.
The first days and weeks can bebrutal.
You can have withdrawalsymptoms such as insomnia,
anxiety, irritability and, insevere cases, medical risks,
like I I talked about before.
(09:57):
There can be social awkwardness, so like parties and friend
groups suddenly feel likeobstacle courses.
It's just not the same with thesame friends.
A lot of times you end up notkeeping the same friends that
you used to when you drank.
You get a new group of friends,and if you go to the alcoholics
anonymous groups, then some ofthose guys become your friends
and brothers that you've neverhad before in a really positive
(10:19):
way, and you get shown a wholenew world of living.
You can have an identity crisis, like I was saying, if you
can't give it up or go anywherewithout having a drink, you can
find yourself in a state of whoam I without alcohol or drugs,
for that matter?
Each tough moment you endure isbuilding self-trust, though the
most powerful foundation for alasting recovery, and you don't
have to walk this path alone.
(10:40):
Here's a quick few tips to helpyou along the way.
There are peer support options,like mentioned before, aa and
NA, for Now Narcotics Anonymous,If you're having issues with
drugs, they have decades ofsuccess.
And if you're worried aboutthem preaching too much or
something like that although Ido have to give Jesus the credit
for my salvation and my journeyof recovery there are
(11:01):
alternatives, like the SMARTsmart recovery, which focus on
self-empowerment andscience-based tools.
Again, no judgment.
That's part of what you learnin these groups is there is no
judgment, because many of thefolks sitting around you have
been through the exact samethings.
(11:22):
But if you're finding it hardto quit or have medical issues
or something like that, thereare medications that can help
too, such as naltrexone, acompresate, and desulfurum.
They can help curb cravings andease the road when you can't do
it on your own, and if totalabsences feels too, and if total
abstinence feels too big atfirst, creation-based and
personalized plans can reducerisk while you build momentum.
(11:45):
There's also integrated care,which I highly recommend if you
can.
So combining mental healththerapy with therapists,
counselors, psychologists,something like that with
substance use treatment, boostretention and long-term gains in
your journey.
There's also a lot of digitaltools and technology now.
So technology now offerspowerful support.
There's sobriety apps such as IAm Sober, reframe and Backtrack
(12:08):
View that help track progress,connect with peers even and stay
accountable.
There's wearables, such asdevices that monitor alcohol
levels and sweat, give real timefeedback and great for anyone
working on a structured plan.
There's online communities andeven telehealth.
So instant 24 seven support isa game changer for rural areas
especially, or those with busyschedules.
(12:29):
Along with that, there's severallifestyle factors that can be
impactful to your journey andmany of those a lot don't
realize are affected.
When you drink alcohol, dodrugs and such Alcohol in
particular, it can chemicallyinduce that insomnia, the
anxiety, the depression, andgetting off of it, withdrawing
from it, can make it so muchworse.
(12:50):
That's what part of what drivesyou to have more is you start
getting anxious.
These feelings you got to startpacing.
You can't sit through anepisode of a TV show or a whole
movie without having to get up,walk out, go to the bathroom,
grab a drink, for example.
Alcohol is chemically highlyresponsible for that, for that
dependency.
So lifestyle factors again,like sleep, nutrition, exercise,
(13:14):
those are all things you evenavoid when getting it, when
being addicted and on alcoholand drugs.
So those are the very thingsthat become so important to your
recovery.
Recovery thrives on a strongfoundation.
So once you get off of it, thesleep consistent, restorative
sleep cuts relapse risk in half.
Nutrition, replenishing keyvitamins, especially the B and D
(13:36):
vitamins, to support brain andmood stabilization, are critical
.
Exercise right.
So getting to the gym, goingout for a walk, just getting
some sunshine, going out andbreathing fresh air, because I
know many might have a problemjust wanting to even go outside
Again with that anxiety, thatdepression.
Maybe you pace outside for asecond, but that's about it
(13:58):
Again, with that anxiety, thatdepression.
Maybe you pace outside for asecond, but that's about it.
But movement releasesendorphins, sparks neurogenesis
and replaces old substance-basedrewards with healthy ones.
And again, joining a group and apeer group is such a big, big
help because all the stories youhear really, really invigorate
your recovery journey.
I know, before I went andjoined the AA group and started
(14:22):
coming getting clean and allthat stuff off of alcohol didn't
really have a problem withdrugs, but getting clean and
sober off of alcohol it was sohard and it was so shameful.
Actually that's not whateverybody not everybody speaks
to that Um, but it's kind of ashameful journey too.
It at least it feels like it atUm.
But it's kind of a shamefuljourney too At least it feels
like it first.
But then you get in the groupand have the peer support and
(14:42):
you start hearing story afterstory after story which sounds
like just like something you'vedone, and you tell your story
and somebody else speaks up andsays hey, I remember those days,
you know, 10 years ago they'dbeen sober, um, such as, like
all the hiding places you youmight hide the bottles or the
cans or the beers or liquor orsomething like that.
(15:04):
Like, maybe you're hiding themin the ceiling, you're hiding
them under the counters, in thedrawers, hiding them in unmarked
bottles, putting them in yoursippy cup, whatever you got.
There's other folks that havebeen like, hey man, I've been
there.
There's other folks that havebeen like hey man, I've been
there, I'm crashing your car orsomething you know, getting in
legal trouble, losing yourwallet, losing all your money
(15:29):
burn, catching something on fireI've even heard that story
catching something on fire andburning up 1500 bucks or
something.
It really helps to be around anonjudgmental crowd of folks
that have been through whatyou've been through Can't speak
to that enough.
So, yeah, it's pretty important.
Something else that's importantis relapse prevention planning.
A solid plan is your recoveryGPS.
It's your navigator, like highrisk mapping, identifying the
(15:49):
emotional, social andenvironmental triggers that lead
you back to the drinking ortowards getting that fixed.
Self-medicating that lead youback to the drinking or towards
getting that fixed,self-medicating Just basically
identifying where the problemareas are that could lead you
back that way can help.
You have the foresight to notgo and fall into that trap again
.
A coping toolkit, such as phonenumbers that you can get from
(16:10):
your AA fellow AA members tobecome your brothers and sisters
, someone to call up, yoursponsor in the moments you're
feeling those urges and desiresto self-medicate again or have
another drink or have anotherfix.
Certain therapies like breathingexercises or quick distractions
, an activity you can do like agame, a puzzle, even taking a
(16:34):
quick walk to help break thatcycle.
Routine building, even Anchordays with sleep, meals and
movement, make them repetitive,make them something that you do
so you're focused on thatinstead of your next drink.
And then accountability Regularcheck-ins with your sponsors,
your therapist and your soberfriends.
Just stay in contact with themand let them be your mentors,
even from how they live life,because that gives you the
(16:56):
foresight and the outlook ofwhat your life's about to look
like.
So be aware of like culturaland spiritual dimensions as well
.
So culture and belief shaperecovery.
In many communities,faith-based rituals and church
networks provide vital support,turning communal traditions into
recovery assets.
Secular approaches likemindfulness and meditation also
(17:18):
offer a spiritual path withoutreligious affiliation.
People reporting a spiritualawakening often see lower
relapse rates and greater lifesatisfaction.
Something else that helps isjournaling and, like expressive
arts, so creative expressiondeepens healing.
Journaling helps processemotions, spot patterns and
celebrates wins.
Artistic outlets like drawing,collages, poetry, music even
(17:41):
this podcast I'm doing right nowhelp unlock deeper
self-compassion.
Sharing work in trusted groupsbuilds connection and
vulnerability.
There's also digital peersupport and community engagement
.
So, beyond apps, real world andvital communities matter.
Digital recovery supportservices like DRSS, 24-7 peer
support forums, video meetupsand resource libraries that
(18:04):
predict better retention andfewer relapses.
You got local events such assober runs, community rallies
and health fairs that raisevisibility, normalizing recovery
and forge newer friendships.
One thing I've heard of that'spretty cool is like the Phoenix
model.
The Phoenix nonprofit blendsfitness with fellowship, from
rock climbing to group hikes.
Over half a million membersnationwide rebuild trust through
(18:25):
shared, substance-freechallenges.
Founder Scott Strode calls itclear-headed moments combined
with collective achievement, andthat synergy drives lasting
change.
Here's some expert insights andemerging trends.
So like looking ahead.
You have things like precisionrecovery, tailoring
interventions to genetic,neurobiological and psychosocial
profiles.
(18:46):
Integrated lived experiencePrograms increasingly involve
people in long-term recovery toshape policy and treatment.
Telepsychiatry and AI like evenAI is getting involved.
Early pilots suggest virtualcounselors and chatbots can
augment human supporteffectively.
I know I've asked AI hey,what's the meaning of life even
before?
Some practical and tips andtools.
Here's some practical tips andtools I can give you.
(19:07):
Let's wrap up with actionabletakeaways.
So celebrate micro milestones.
Celebrate every sober hour, day, week, each next step, the
trigger matrix Keep a runningmap of what stirs cravings and
your go-to responses.
Mindfulness Enjoy mindfulness.
So five minutes of deepbreathing can diffuse intense
urges.
Do peer check-ins, daily orweekly calls with support buddy.
(19:32):
Give yourself healthy rewards.
Treat yourself to experiences,classes, outdoor adventures,
creative projects and getprofessional help.
That's not a downgrade, that'snot a dig at you.
Like I am grateful forprofessional help.
Don't hesitate to taptherapists or physicians for
medications and counseling.
Like, dig into that and lookout for hotlines and meetings.
(19:54):
Always have emergency contactsand local meeting info at your
fingertips.
With this, with all these, youcan have long-term benefits and
life reimagined.
Really Sustain sobriety, unlockstronger relationships, career
growth, renewed communityengagement, boosted self-esteem
and resilience.
Imagine celebrating five, 10 or20 years sober and the person
(20:14):
you became along the way.
If today's episode hit home,share it with someone who might
need it.
Connect with me at the BradMercerow Show on socials and all
podcast platforms.
The email isthebradmercerowshow at gmailcom.
You can also chat with me there.
(20:35):
So n-i-a-a-a dot.
N-i-h dot gov or s-a-m-h-s-adot gov, or call 1-800-662-HELP.
You're not alone and help isalways within reach.
Thanks for listening to theBrad Mercer Show and be kind to
yourself.
(20:56):
Recovery is a journey worthtaking.
Welcome to the show.
Talk about it or be about it.
It's the About it Podcast herehere.
Here we go, go go.
I'm your host, bradley Marslowe.
(00:34):
Welcome back to the BradMercerow Show.
(01:02):
I'm your host, bradley Mercerow.
Today's episode is all aboutsobriety what it really means,
why people choose it and how ittransforms lives.
We'll dig into definitions,science, myths, the toughest
early days support systems,personal stories and practical
tips you can use right now.
Let's dive in.
All right, everyone.
I just wanted to kick thisepisode off by giving you guys a
news story and making this real.
(01:23):
So the title of this is NewYork.
A man is accused of being drunkwhen he allegedly fired a rifle,
narrowly missing a group ofpeople in the town of Maycomb.
Police were called to stayaround 58, around 8.30 pm
Tuesday for a weapon complaint.
According to troopers,82-year-old Glenn Heimbach of
Bloomsburg, pennsylvania, triedto shoot a coyote.
(01:44):
However, the bullet wentthrough a neighbor's garage.
According to court documents,the bullet went through the
neighbor's garage and almost hita group of adults and children
who were seated at a table.
There were no injuries,surprisingly, thank God.
In court papers, police sayHeimbach was in an intoxicated
state while firing the rifle.
He was taken into custody andcharged with second-degree
reckless endangerment.
Heimbach was later released toappear in Maycomb Town Court in
(02:06):
August.
So yeah, alcohol is no joke.
It affects a lot of lives, fromtop to bottom, young to old.
I mean, this guy was in his 80sand alcohol drove him to shoot
at a coyote and almost hitchildren and a family.
Reasons like this and others iswhy I felt led to do this
episode today.
To kick this episode off, I'mgoing to get into a daily
(02:27):
reflection from AlcoholicsAnonymous.
They grew, so the title of itis Giving Center Stage.
This is for July 12th, forwithout some degree of humility,
no alcoholic can stay sober atall.
Without it, they cannot livetoo much of a useful purpose or
an adversity, be able to summonfaith that can meet any
emergency.
And the following is from thepage 70 on the 12 steps and 12
(02:49):
traditions.
Why do I balk at the wordhumility?
I am not humbling myself towardother people, but toward god.
As I understand them, humilitymeans to show submissive respect
.
And by being humble I realize Iam not the center of the
universe.
When I was drinking, I wasconsumed by pride and
self-centeredness.
I felt the entire worldrevolved around me, that I was a
master of my destiny.
(03:09):
Humility enables me to dependmore on God to help me overcome
obstacles, to help me with myown imperfections, so that I may
grow spiritually.
I must solve more difficultproblems to increase my
proficiency and as I encounterlife's stumbling blocks, I must
learn to overcome them throughGod's help.
Daily communion with Goddemonstrates my humility and
provides me with the realizationthat an entity more powerful
(03:30):
than I is willing to help me ifI cease trying to play God
myself.
And that's pretty cool.
So what does that mean to me?
It means that I don't think I'mso important that I'm making
these grand decisions thatreally end up leading down the
rabbit hole of disaster.
By showing humility and puttingothers before myself, it leads
down the road ofself-improvement and making your
(03:51):
life better.
And for those of you that don'tknow what Alcoholics Anonymous
is or AA is, it is a fellowshipof people who come together to
solve their drinking problem.
It doesn't cost anything toattend the meetings.
There are no age or educationrequirements to participate.
Membership is open to anyonewho wants to do something about
their drinking problem.
Aa's primary purpose is to helpalcoholics to achieve sobriety,
and it works like this.
(04:12):
Members use 12 steps tomaintain sobriety.
Groups use the 12 traditions tostay unified.
Aa's 12 steps are a set ofspiritual principles.
When practiced as a way of life, they can expel the obsession
to drink and enable the suffererto recover from alcoholism.
The 12 traditions apply to theAA as a whole.
They outline how AA maintainsits unity and relates itself to
(04:34):
the world around it.
The book Alcoholics Anonymousdescribes the AA program of
recovery.
It also contains storieswritten by the co-founders and
stories from a wide range ofmembers who have found recovery
in AA.
In short, aa is a group thathas admitted that they cannot
control alcohol.
They have learned that theymust live without it to live
normal, happy lives.
What they are not isanti-alcohol.
(04:55):
They have no wish to reform theworld, not allied with any
group cause or religiousdenomination.
They welcome new members but donot recruit them.
They don't impose theirexperience with problem drinking
on others, but they do share itwhen asked to do so, and they
know that their own sobrietydepends on connecting with other
alcoholics.
I could tell you from mypersonal experience with alcohol
that AA has actually been agodsend, having a group of
(05:20):
people around you that have beenthrough similar situations so
they don't judge you and theylisten and also depend on you.
Being there to help them staysober has done a world of
difference for me personally andto rid my life of alcohol,
because going down that path ofdrinking alcohol to the point
where you can't control itanymore leads to nothing but
(05:41):
devastation and heartache andheartbreak.
It can lead to financialproblems, relationship problems,
legal problems and all of theabove.
Sobriety isn't just notdrinking or not using.
It's a holistic process ofhealing, growth and reclaiming
your fullest life.
Recovery involves improvementsin physical health, mental
well-being, relationships anddaily functioning, far beyond
(06:02):
the absence of substances.
Today we'll look at why thebroader approach matters for
sustaining change and findingreal freedom.
Globally, about 7% of adultsmeet the criteria for alcohol
use disorder.
That's roughly 400 millionpeople.
Alcohol contributes to over 3million deaths each year and
burdens societies with hundredsof billions in healthcare costs,
lost productivity and socialconsequences.
(06:23):
Understanding the scale helpsus see sobriety as not only a
personal journey but a publichealth imperative.
Preventative measures likesmarter taxation, marketing
limits and early interventionprograms have been shown to
reduce harm and save lives.
Addiction is no joke.
It hijacks the brain's rewardcircuitry.
Every drink or drug surgerewires neurons to crave more.
Chronic use alters dopamine,glutamate and GABA systems
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producing tolerance andwithdrawal and driving
compulsion.
The good news our brains areremarkably plastic, with
sustained abstinence.
Imaging studies show graymatter recovery in
decision-making regions andimproved impulse control.
Knowing how the brain heals canmake early sobriety feel less
mysterious and more hopeful.
And that's no joke.
Alcohol everybody is straightpoisoned Like that's exactly
(07:09):
what a hangover is.
In fact, just one night ofdrinking can give you a bad
hangover the next day, and thatis already withdrawing from
alcohol.
That is, the symptoms ofwithdrawal is the sweating, the
headaches, all that stuff.
You are actually withdrawingfrom alcohol even after just one
night of drinking.
It's that poisonous to you.
The memories it makes you lose,the health consequences it has
(07:30):
towards your body.
They are serious.
It is so highly addictive itcan.
For some people it can feellike getting hooks stuck in you
don't want to let go, like ifanybody's ever gotten a fish
hook stuck in them while goingout fishing on the on or the
ocean.
Sometimes you have to go to theemergency room just to get it
out.
And that can even be the samewith alcohol, because sometimes
(07:51):
it can get so serious that youdo have to go and get medication
to even get off of it, or elseyou could die.
Let me bust a rhyme.
Let me bust a couple myths foryou.
Sobriety does not equal boredom.
Real fun comes from presence,being in the moment,
no-transcript.
(08:11):
And you don't have to hit rockbottom either.
Early change actually leads tobetter outcomes.
You don't need a catastrophe todecide you deserve more.
I know so many have beenthrough, and especially in some
of the AA meetings I've been toand all this stuff.
Of course I can't say any namesor anything like that, but
several people for example, oneof my buddies in AA woke up the
next day after a night ofdrinking and couldn't find his
(08:33):
whole truck.
Apparently he crashed it into atelephone pole and had to go
looking for it for five hoursbefore he even found it and then
had to get it towed home andparts replaced on the thing.
So you don't need to go to thatlevel.
You don't need to go to thelevel of getting drunk and
blacking out and going andthrowing bottles at people's
houses or something like that.
You don't have to have acatastrophe in your life to
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decide that, hey, this is rockbottom, maybe I shouldn't be
doing this.
It's okay to recognize thesesigns early on.
If you can't imagine yourselfliving without alcohol or going
anywhere and not drinking, thenyou might have a problem.
You might have an issue thatyou need to take care of.
If you can't just give it upand not go back to it, that's
not a good thing.
And relapse it doesn't meanfailure.
(09:14):
Relapse is information, not theend.
Every slip teaches you what youneed to shore up next time.
So just because on your journeyof quitting alcohol, you might
go back to it when you don'twant to, or maybe you decide,
hey, I'm going to try it out andI think I can just take one
drink, and it just doesn't go.
Well, it's not necessarily theend of things.
It's just another piece ofinformation that's telling you
(09:36):
hey, this is important.
It lets you know how importantit is to stop what you're doing,
to stop you drinking thealcohol.
It helps you realize howimportant it is.
There are challenges of sobriety, especially early sobriety.
The first days and weeks can bebrutal.
You can have withdrawalsymptoms such as insomnia,
anxiety, irritability and, insevere cases, medical risks,
like I I talked about before.
(09:57):
There can be social awkwardness, so like parties and friend
groups suddenly feel likeobstacle courses.
It's just not the same with thesame friends.
A lot of times you end up notkeeping the same friends that
you used to when you drank.
You get a new group of friends,and if you go to the alcoholics
anonymous groups, then some ofthose guys become your friends
and brothers that you've neverhad before in a really positive
(10:19):
way, and you get shown a wholenew world of living.
You can have an identity crisis, like I was saying, if you
can't give it up or go anywherewithout having a drink, you can
find yourself in a state of whoam I without alcohol or drugs,
for that matter?
Each tough moment you endure isbuilding self-trust, though the
most powerful foundation for alasting recovery, and you don't
have to walk this path alone.
(10:40):
Here's a quick few tips to helpyou along the way.
There are peer support options,like mentioned before, aa and
NA, for Now Narcotics Anonymous,If you're having issues with
drugs, they have decades ofsuccess.
And if you're worried aboutthem preaching too much or
something like that although Ido have to give Jesus the credit
for my salvation and my journeyof recovery there are
(11:01):
alternatives, like the SMARTsmart recovery, which focus on
self-empowerment andscience-based tools.
Again, no judgment.
That's part of what you learnin these groups is there is no
judgment, because many of thefolks sitting around you have
been through the exact samethings.
(11:22):
But if you're finding it hardto quit or have medical issues
or something like that, thereare medications that can help
too, such as naltrexone, acompresate, and desulfurum.
They can help curb cravings andease the road when you can't do
it on your own, and if totalabsences feels too, and if total
abstinence feels too big atfirst, creation-based and
personalized plans can reducerisk while you build momentum.
(11:45):
There's also integrated care,which I highly recommend if you
can.
So combining mental healththerapy with therapists,
counselors, psychologists,something like that with
substance use treatment, boostretention and long-term gains in
your journey.
There's also a lot of digitaltools and technology now.
So technology now offerspowerful support.
There's sobriety apps such as IAm Sober, reframe and Backtrack
(12:08):
View that help track progress,connect with peers even and stay
accountable.
There's wearables, such asdevices that monitor alcohol
levels and sweat, give real timefeedback and great for anyone
working on a structured plan.
There's online communities andeven telehealth.
So instant 24 seven support isa game changer for rural areas
especially, or those with busyschedules.
(12:29):
Along with that, there's severallifestyle factors that can be
impactful to your journey andmany of those a lot don't
realize are affected.
When you drink alcohol, dodrugs and such Alcohol in
particular, it can chemicallyinduce that insomnia, the
anxiety, the depression, andgetting off of it, withdrawing
from it, can make it so muchworse.
(12:50):
That's what part of what drivesyou to have more is you start
getting anxious.
These feelings you got to startpacing.
You can't sit through anepisode of a TV show or a whole
movie without having to get up,walk out, go to the bathroom,
grab a drink, for example.
Alcohol is chemically highlyresponsible for that, for that
dependency.
So lifestyle factors again,like sleep, nutrition, exercise,
(13:14):
those are all things you evenavoid when getting it, when
being addicted and on alcoholand drugs.
So those are the very thingsthat become so important to your
recovery.
Recovery thrives on a strongfoundation.
So once you get off of it, thesleep consistent, restorative
sleep cuts relapse risk in half.
Nutrition, replenishing keyvitamins, especially the B and D
(13:36):
vitamins, to support brain andmood stabilization, are critical
.
Exercise right.
So getting to the gym, goingout for a walk, just getting
some sunshine, going out andbreathing fresh air, because I
know many might have a problemjust wanting to even go outside
Again with that anxiety, thatdepression.
Maybe you pace outside for asecond, but that's about it
(13:58):
Again, with that anxiety, thatdepression.
Maybe you pace outside for asecond, but that's about it.
But movement releasesendorphins, sparks neurogenesis
and replaces old substance-basedrewards with healthy ones.
And again, joining a group and apeer group is such a big, big
help because all the stories youhear really, really invigorate
your recovery journey.
I know, before I went andjoined the AA group and started
(14:22):
coming getting clean and allthat stuff off of alcohol didn't
really have a problem withdrugs, but getting clean and
sober off of alcohol it was sohard and it was so shameful.
Actually that's not whateverybody not everybody speaks
to that Um, but it's kind of ashameful journey too.
It at least it feels like it atUm.
But it's kind of a shamefuljourney too At least it feels
like it first.
But then you get in the groupand have the peer support and
(14:42):
you start hearing story afterstory after story which sounds
like just like something you'vedone, and you tell your story
and somebody else speaks up andsays hey, I remember those days,
you know, 10 years ago they'dbeen sober, um, such as, like
all the hiding places you youmight hide the bottles or the
cans or the beers or liquor orsomething like that.
(15:04):
Like, maybe you're hiding themin the ceiling, you're hiding
them under the counters, in thedrawers, hiding them in unmarked
bottles, putting them in yoursippy cup, whatever you got.
There's other folks that havebeen like, hey man, I've been
there.
There's other folks that havebeen like hey man, I've been
there, I'm crashing your car orsomething you know, getting in
legal trouble, losing yourwallet, losing all your money
(15:29):
burn, catching something on fireI've even heard that story
catching something on fire andburning up 1500 bucks or
something.
It really helps to be around anonjudgmental crowd of folks
that have been through whatyou've been through Can't speak
to that enough.
So, yeah, it's pretty important.
Something else that's importantis relapse prevention planning.
A solid plan is your recoveryGPS.
It's your navigator, like highrisk mapping, identifying the
(15:49):
emotional, social andenvironmental triggers that lead
you back to the drinking ortowards getting that fixed.
Self-medicating that lead youback to the drinking or towards
getting that fixed,self-medicating Just basically
identifying where the problemareas are that could lead you
back that way can help.
You have the foresight to notgo and fall into that trap again
.
A coping toolkit, such as phonenumbers that you can get from
(16:10):
your AA fellow AA members tobecome your brothers and sisters
, someone to call up, yoursponsor in the moments you're
feeling those urges and desiresto self-medicate again or have
another drink or have anotherfix.
Certain therapies like breathingexercises or quick distractions
, an activity you can do like agame, a puzzle, even taking a
(16:34):
quick walk to help break thatcycle.
Routine building, even Anchordays with sleep, meals and
movement, make them repetitive,make them something that you do
so you're focused on thatinstead of your next drink.
And then accountability Regularcheck-ins with your sponsors,
your therapist and your soberfriends.
Just stay in contact with themand let them be your mentors,
even from how they live life,because that gives you the
(16:56):
foresight and the outlook ofwhat your life's about to look
like.
So be aware of like culturaland spiritual dimensions as well
.
So culture and belief shaperecovery.
In many communities,faith-based rituals and church
networks provide vital support,turning communal traditions into
recovery assets.
Secular approaches likemindfulness and meditation also
(17:18):
offer a spiritual path withoutreligious affiliation.
People reporting a spiritualawakening often see lower
relapse rates and greater lifesatisfaction.
Something else that helps isjournaling and, like expressive
arts, so creative expressiondeepens healing.
Journaling helps processemotions, spot patterns and
celebrates wins.
Artistic outlets like drawing,collages, poetry, music even
(17:41):
this podcast I'm doing right nowhelp unlock deeper
self-compassion.
Sharing work in trusted groupsbuilds connection and
vulnerability.
There's also digital peersupport and community engagement
.
So, beyond apps, real world andvital communities matter.
Digital recovery supportservices like DRSS, 24-7 peer
support forums, video meetupsand resource libraries that
(18:04):
predict better retention andfewer relapses.
You got local events such assober runs, community rallies
and health fairs that raisevisibility, normalizing recovery
and forge newer friendships.
One thing I've heard of that'spretty cool is like the Phoenix
model.
The Phoenix nonprofit blendsfitness with fellowship, from
rock climbing to group hikes.
Over half a million membersnationwide rebuild trust through
(18:25):
shared, substance-freechallenges.
Founder Scott Strode calls itclear-headed moments combined
with collective achievement, andthat synergy drives lasting
change.
Here's some expert insights andemerging trends.
So like looking ahead.
You have things like precisionrecovery, tailoring
interventions to genetic,neurobiological and psychosocial
profiles.
(18:46):
Integrated lived experiencePrograms increasingly involve
people in long-term recovery toshape policy and treatment.
Telepsychiatry and AI like evenAI is getting involved.
Early pilots suggest virtualcounselors and chatbots can
augment human supporteffectively.
I know I've asked AI hey,what's the meaning of life even
before?
Some practical and tips andtools.
Here's some practical tips andtools I can give you.
(19:07):
Let's wrap up with actionabletakeaways.
So celebrate micro milestones.
Celebrate every sober hour, day, week, each next step, the
trigger matrix Keep a runningmap of what stirs cravings and
your go-to responses.
Mindfulness Enjoy mindfulness.
So five minutes of deepbreathing can diffuse intense
urges.
Do peer check-ins, daily orweekly calls with support buddy.
(19:32):
Give yourself healthy rewards.
Treat yourself to experiences,classes, outdoor adventures,
creative projects and getprofessional help.
That's not a downgrade, that'snot a dig at you.
Like I am grateful forprofessional help.
Don't hesitate to taptherapists or physicians for
medications and counseling.
Like, dig into that and lookout for hotlines and meetings.
(19:54):
Always have emergency contactsand local meeting info at your
fingertips.
With this, with all these, youcan have long-term benefits and
life reimagined.
Really Sustain sobriety, unlockstronger relationships, career
growth, renewed communityengagement, boosted self-esteem
and resilience.
Imagine celebrating five, 10 or20 years sober and the person
(20:14):
you became along the way.
If today's episode hit home,share it with someone who might
need it.
Connect with me at the BradMercerow Show on socials and all
podcast platforms.
The email isthebradmercerowshow at gmailcom.
You can also chat with me there.
(20:35):
So n-i-a-a-a dot.
N-i-h dot gov or s-a-m-h-s-adot gov, or call 1-800-662-HELP.
You're not alone and help isalways within reach.
Thanks for listening to theBrad Mercer Show and be kind to
yourself.
(20:56):
Recovery is a journey worthtaking.
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