Damon, a UK-based recovering alcoholic talks about his addiction, how he started his journey, the early days and challenges to understand this illness, and the importance of talking about it. He’s recently reached two and a half years of sobriety and shares with us his experience with Alcoholics Anonymous and Recovery Hour that is an online space where people from all fellowships and other support groups come together to discuss topics that relate to their recovery.
He’s clear about not knowing everything and just being honest is the way that helps him staying in present and navigating in recovery. His stories might resonate with many of us being addicted to substances or behaviors and all that he does is being a great asset for the community where he welcomes any- and everyone being early or already advanced in recovery. You can follow him on Twitter @AlcoholicDad4 and meet him every Monday and Friday at Recovery Hour where he chairs meetings.
If you’re struggling with alcohol or other substances, he recommends listening to this recording: Joe and Charlie Big Book Study – Complete – Damon listened to it early in his recovery that gave him another channel where he started to realize he’s not alone and can rely on others’ experiences and grow from there.
“When you remove the need to change how you feel, you are stuck with how you feel. That was the turning point for me when people said: shh; quiet; sit; listen; and feel it. And eventually, I realized my feeling ain’t gonna kill me. But trying to control my feelings almost killed me. (…) Removing the constant shame, feeling ashamed, making excuses, explaining what I’ve done, having to hide what I’ve done, working with my sponsor, adapting my life to honesty, willingness, and calm. And being able to say: I’m uncomfortable, I need help and moving away from that arrogance: you don’t know me, I’m better than you, how dare you – to actually just: I don’t know and I’m scared. That was the change.”
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