RE 259: It’s the Simple Things in Life

Andrew took his last drink on February 16, 2019.  This is his story.

Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book!  The book is out!  Pick up your paperback copy on Amazon here!  You can get the Audible version here!

On today’s episode Paul talks about 2 things.  Number one is about how it is the simple things in life that matter the most.  Number two is, watch out for addiction whack-a-mole, or transfer addiction, with an emphasis on technology and smart phones. 

 

[16:15] Paul introduces Andrew. 

 

Andrew is 47 years old and lives in Sidney, AUS.  He is divorced and enjoys spending time by the water.      

 

[20:20] Give us a background on your drinking.

 

Andrew was about 15 years old the first time he drank and he realized that, when he drank, he didn’t quite behave the same way as everybody else.  He says that he felt that alcohol calmed him down. 

 

[23:00] When did you first recognize that alcohol was causing more damage than good?

 

By age 19 Andrew had 4 drunk driving charges.  Andrew thought that spending 5 days in jail, after running through a roadside sobriety test, was a holiday because he had been working so hard. 

 

[24:30] How did you keep a lid on from age 19 to 46?

 

Andrew says he didn’t keep a lid on his drinking.  He managed to work really hard at the jobs he had, working in the restaurant business.  He says he was constantly getting fined at work, and driving to work drunk.  Andrew says he was allowed to get away with this behavior at work because the restaurants would be doing so well under his management. 

 

[35:20] Did you feel you still needed some field research after your ban from the grocery store?

 

Andrew says that this was the beginning of trying to find any way to get out from how he was.  He was swimming in the ocean but this behavior increased for the next 6 months.  After cutting his drinking back, but still drinking about 10 beers a day, he had a seizure, at the train station.  This led to a 5-day hospital stay. 

 

[44:10] What can you say to listeners out there that feel that they are too far gone?

 

Andrew says that there is no such thing as too far gone. 

 

 

[55:19] Rapid Fire Round

 

What’s a lightbulb moment you’ve had on this journey?

 

Probably the first time I was told, you can have alcohol, or you can have everything else. 

 

What is a memorable moment that a life without alcohol has given you?

 

Meeting my girlfriend.    

 

What is your favorite alcohol-free drink?

 

Sparkling water.

 

What is on your bucket list in an alcohol-free life?

 

I have one travel journey I’d like to take. 

 

And what parting piece of guidance can you give to listeners?

 

Seek out people who have already survived and listen to what they have to say. 

 

You might need to ditch the booze if...

           

27 years after almost ran over a police officer on the side of the road you get banned from your local supermarket.   

 

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

BetterHelp 

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