Real Sobriety Podcast

After 232 episodes I simply don’t have much else to say on the subject of addiction recovery. Like a lot of you, getting sober was the best decision I’ve ever made. I am certain that if I did not get into recovery I’d be dead today. Instead, I am living the life of my dreams. And I’ve always said - okay, sometimes preached - that just quitting drinking or drugging should never be the goal, but living a happy, successful life in recovery was the best possible outcome

If you attend traditional 12 step meetings at groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, you have probably noticed the overwhelming presence of the Christian God in the room.

I hope I never get to the point where I think I'm the smartest person in recovery and I can't learn from a newcomer or someone with less time than me. It is a fairly well known practice for oldtimers around 12 step meetings to tell newcomers to “shut their mouths and open their ears.” That’s what my first sponsor told me all those years ago. I can’t think of anything more disrespectful and potentially damaging to say to someone who is brand new in recovery. The newcomer is fresh off the playing field, maybe better described as fresh off the battlefield of addiction. Their perspective is raw and their need for connection and acceptance from the group is acute. We can’t proclaim that we are praying for the alcoholic or addict who still suffers and then, when they show up in our rooms, tell them to sit down and shut up.

Our sobriety is about a lot more than stopping our drinking and drugging. It is about improving our quality of life one day at a time. When I first stopped drinking the last thing I could imagine was my life improving in every way possible. The only thing I could think of, through the fog of my detox was - When will I stop feeling like crap? When will all the guilt and shame and self loathing stop? How will I ever piece my life back together? RealSobriety.com

Welcome Back to the NEW Real Sobriety Podcast! Ep. 228 Real Sobriety started during a series of conversations with my wife, the acclaimed Canadian underwater explorer Jill Heinerth. We were just beginning our lives together and Jill was interested in, and very supportive of my recovery. We each had been married before, and lived extremely different lives. We held no secrets and promised to accept each other for the people we are today, not the messes we were in the past. As a documentary filmmaker, Jill suggested that I share my recovery journey with the world. The result is the award-winning documentary film “Real Sobriety.” Expanding on the purpose of the film, I decided to continue the conversation with the Recovery Community through this podcast. You can find examples recent episodes posted below, and over 200 past episodes at the side bar link - or just click here. Going forward, I plan to post a new episode each week, and occasionally invite special guests to share their stories with you as well. Thanks for being here for me and remember - Go out there and Love One Another!

New! Reading From Sober Bob's Bathroom Book and new video podcast announcement! Real Sobriety podcast now on video at Youtube!

Is celebrating our sobriety anniversaries a good practice? Or should we stick to the One Day At A Time formula? Robert shares some personal news and talks about the dog days of a sober summer.

June is Pride month and I share how things have not always been smooth for our LGBTQ+ cousins in the recovery fellowships like Alcoholics Anonymous.

I found the first script I ever wrote for a 15 year old podcast! It is amazing how simple the program of recovery can be if we just do some simple things - Don't Drink, Go to Meetings, Pray, Talk to Sponsors, and Repeat. I share that first ever podcast idea with you and hope it applies to your successful recovery!

Robert shares thoughts on the past history and the technology and innovation driven future of the recovery community.

From polarized political ideologies to racism, classism, sexism and homophobia, it sometimes seems like the fragile threads that hold a society together are near the breaking point. It is almost enough to make a happy person in recovery relapse. Except - that at the heart of most recovery programs is a philosophy of tolerance, empathy, and service to others. It begins with us. In recovery we learn to get out of our own heads and reach out to help others. Besides the obvious benefits of abstaining from drugs and alcohol, we receive the gifts of empathy and tolerance - even when we don’t agree politically, socially, or culturally, we serve ourselves and the world at large by accepting others and not just tolerating - but embracing our differences.

The drug and alcohol detox experience is a tough challenge in the short-term, but the long-term benefits of getting clean and sober are worth it. Robert shares his own experience with detox.

There is a well publicized and somewhat controversial situation involving a newcomer to sobriety who has been speaking out on TV and Radio. We live in a 21st century technological 24/7 connected world, where a newcomer can leverage the Internet and broadcasts to reach audiences of millions - we shouldn’t condemn them - we should encourage and admire their bravery to speak out and inspire others to find a path to recovery.

Can we use cannabis in recovery? Some people in AA are being shunned and criticized for using cannabis even as they have abstained from alcohol and are working the 12 Step program.

What is the number one thing we can do to stay clean and sober? Stay connected with other people - those people who lift us up and empower our sobriety.

Can alcoholics with time in recovery ever drink like normal people again? Robert shares his views and experience with this timeless question.

Robert shares his early emotional story of poverty, loss, grief, and resentment that he had to overcome to get into addiction recovery. We get addicted to our story and think that we can't change it - but we can flip the script in recovery.

During these stressful times, many of us are relapsing. The emotional and mental health challenges of living through the Covid-19 pandemic must be considered in the addiction recovery community.

Weird times, these. A Covid Pandemic leading to lockdowns, illness and grief but still we must find a way to work our addiction recovery programs and be connected to the recovery community. Plus, lots of updates about the podcast and a new website!

Racism in the recovery community. It is up to those of us who have been around for a while to call it out.