The power of community is vital because it is rooted in love and non-judgment and a firm belief that we are whole. We help each other become better and to heal. I recognize that I matter, I belong, and I can make an impact.’ The person said, ‘for a long time, I thought I didn’t matter, that my existence didn’t matter. Odette shared about a Café RE member who shared at the Bozeman retreat. Bill believes having an accountability partner is critical to his success. He listens to a podcast called Unbeatable Mind and has learned to say “I love you” to himself daily, over and over. Bill made considerable strides in self-love since he quit drinking. He described how the “I suck” mentality brought him down. Meditation helps his anxiety and cravings.Ī friend of Bill’s told him his greatest flaw was that he didn’t like himself. His takeaway was getting ‘obsessed’ with sobriety. He loves being of service and is grateful to the suggestions of others that helped him when he wanted to drink.īill credits Tim Grover’s books, Relentless and Winning, with changing his mindset. The community of Café RE is crucial to Bill, and he is led and inspired by others in RE. He is back in the gym and loves waking up without a hangover. Ice cream and cookies also get him through.īill said everything got better when he stopped drinking. If the cravings continue, he goes to bed. In 2020, he joined Recovery Elevator and was a lurker until 2021.īill still has cravings and practices “doing 30 things” to keep him from drinking. He scraped the floor of his room and his car to get enough money to buy a few shots. When Bill hit rock bottom, he found himself broke, living in an extended stay hotel. He slowly became addicted, and he drank every night.
Thirty years later, Bill’s wife left, and he started drinking liqueur in the evening. He drank and got buzzed every five years but wasn’t addicted. He knew at spring break 30 years ago that he was a problem drinker. He enjoys hiking, movies, sports, windsurfing, reading, and spending time with family and friends.īill started drinking as a teenager. Bill took his last drink on April 29, 2021. Paul reminds us we can’t study or think our way out of addiction.
She believes we are all wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain, which works in an environment of scarcity, not our current state of abundance. Addiction is a low-grade discomfort we all have as humans. Addiction can show up as alcohol, social media, food, etc. Today’s marketers target the dopamine system thus, we all struggle to find homeostasis. American society and economy are focused on an insatiable pursuit of pleasure. The interview focuses a lot on dopamine and why addiction has been on the rise for 30 years. Lembke says that drinking is not a choice but seeking help for an addiction is a choice. “Persons with severe addictions are among those contemporary prophets that we ignore to our own demise for they show us who we truly are.” Dr. Paul provides part one of highlights of a podcast with Rich Roll speaking with Dr.
He is 61, from Alabama, and took his last drink on April 29, 2021.Įvents. Subscribe to the Recovery Elevator Podcast Apple Podcasts | RSS | MoreĮpisode 344– The Neuroscience of Addiction