Flat Out Recovery

What would life be if we did everything right? Probably very boring, we think! This week, we’re talking about the need for ‘Recovery Maintenance’, practising consistency in what we do and the dangers of complacency. It’s not so much how well we do things, it’s more that we do them; progress, not perfection indeed! In our dilemma this week, we’re talking about when to break our anonymity, or not. A...

This week we’re talking about how treatment works for addicts and alcoholics, and what happens when plans are put in place by those who don’t necessarily possess the requisite lived experience to implement them. We look at government plans for tackling addiction and promoting recovery, assessing the pros and cons. We’re also talking about the ‘War On Drugs’ and the stigma associated with poverty,...

Recovery has its own language, as does treatment and while both can seem incomprehensible to begin with, we do learn as we recover. This week, we’re talking about those languages, about the critical importance of simplicity and how three-word slogans have been as prevalent as they have been effective in AA and NA for many years. We’re also talking about the perils of ‘the washing machine head’ and...

This week we’re talking about detox; what’s sensible, what's safe, and what isn’t. We’re also looking at the effects of detox, on both the addict/alcoholic and their nearest and dearest. We look at how reduction and detox are managed, at how it is possible to access recovery services before we stop drinking and using, and at how we should be mindful of unplanned withdrawal, especially where alcoho...

This week we’re looking at why some people go to rehab, why others don’t, why some people leave and why others stay. We’re talking about the dangers of ‘box-ticking’ and ‘treatment hopping’, how our expectations of the rehab experience can vary very considerably and at how some people arrive for the wrong reasons, but stay for the right ones. And no matter how hard we try (or even don’t), there se...

Two recovering alcoholics going all philosophical, what could go wrong? Not a lot, surprisingly! This week, we’re talking about how we find our place in the world on coming into recovery, how we learn to acknowledge that we don’t need to know or understand everything and that our belief systems are fundamentally changed. From ‘The Big Bang’ to Chuck Norris, via local buses, K-dramas and societal b...

In our 100th episode (yes, sorry about the numbering going a bit haywire!), we’re talking about anger and how we deal with it. Or sometimes we don’t. We look at strategies for the safe expression of anger, how we purge ourselves of dangerously negative feelings, how we take time to process them, and how we set boundaries around ourselves and other people when experiencing anger.  Also, we’re tackl...

I have to be self-aware, now? What’s that when it’s at home?!? This week we’re talking about how we become progressively more self-aware over time, of both our capabilities and our limitations. Among other things, we look at how this affects our approach to setting boundaries with other people, how we reengage with family and how we both identify and manage the perils of self-will. Meanwhile, some...

Could we do a better job? Well, of course we (think we) could! This week, we’re talking about the stigma surrounding addiction, about how negative preconceptions can impact upon how we live and work with other people. Also, we’re looking at the way in which treatment is too often viewed as punitive, as opposed to a positive process of reconstruction. And last but not least, we’re talking about reh...

I want it now! Well, that’s not happening in a hurry, is it? Recovery is a gradual process, and time doesn’t run on our terms. When we become willing to change and take responsibility, both for ourselves and our relationships with others, we grow in recovery. Time grants us a change in perspective - on ourselves, others and our relationships – and allows us to tell our own stories with a new degre...

Accept things for being what they are? Do I have to? Really? This week, we’re looking at how our expectations veer from the non-existent to the ridiculous – both in addiction or in recovery - and how we place those expectations on ourselves and others. We discuss how our relationships change over time, as we learn to become more realistic.

In this week’s veritable pot-pourri, we discuss our circuitous routes into rehab and at how addictive behaviour first surfaces in childhood. We look at how the ‘alcoholic mindset’ is in place, both before the first drink, and after the last. Also, we touch on baldness, man-flu, unmanageability and at the way we find conspiracies in the everyday, particularly in early recovery. If only the rest of...

To some of us (particularly those who are older), the number 2023 feels like it belongs in science fiction! This week, we’re talking about past experiences of this time of year – positive and negative – and how we organise ourselves around the New Year and its associated festivities in recovery. Also, we’re looking at just how considerably our expectations of the future change, once we are living...

It's still Christmas... so seriously, how long does all of this go on for? This week, we're talking about how we engage with the festive season and what we do differently now we're in recovery. Also, we're talking about loneliness, why we cease to feel lonely in recovery, the importance of friends and family and how our relationships change.

It's Christmas! (Yes, we did remember.) This week, we're talking about the festive season, past and present; we look at how our perceptions of this particular time of year shift as we grow in recovery. Also, we talk about our experience of Christmas past and present, without a Scrooge in sight! And last but not least, one of us is trying to justify wearing shorts in sub-zero temperatures; typical...

The road to hell is so often paved with good intentions! This week, we're looking at how we are always planning projects and lifestyle changes when in active addiction; however, most of these projects never get started, let alone finished. We're talking about how we return to education and the workplace and how we change our lives in the day-to-day on coming into recovery. Also, we're planning to...

This week, we're looking at how we see old things anew on coming into recovery. Neil describes his recent visit to The Hacienda, explaining how his perspective on the place (and all it signifies) has changed over thirty years on. We're also talking about how we turn negatives into positives and about what we have to do to prepare ourselves for potentially difficult situations in recovery.

This week, we're talking about rehab, treatment in general and all the misconceptions and preconceptions that many of us have prior to engaging with the recovery process. We're talking to Aston (who recently left treatment) about that first day; how it felt, what it was really like, as opposed to what might have been 'expected'. Also, we look at restrictions and rules in treatment, and the way in...

This week, we're talking about how we learn to take time for reflection in recovery and why this is so important in terms of remaining in the moment and recognising how fortunate we are. We're also looking at the minefield that is 'advice' and at how to avoid making unnecessary comparisons with others. We have more moral dilemmas and someone gets distracted by memories of 1970s Children's Televisi...

This week, we're talking about our use of communications, technology and social media in recovery. Rather than presenting the 'false face' -the alcoholic who presents their 'functional side' on Facebook, the addict who only really uses their phone to score - all these things can become vital and practical tools in recovery. Also, we look at the critical role played by Zoom during lockdown. In addi...

Whaddya mean, I have to accept that other people might not do what I want? This week, we're talking about living with other people (and all that brings), how that opens up a whole new world in 'dry house living' and how we cope with domesticity in recovery. Also, we have to define vegetarianism, amidst some confusion...?!?

This week I'm talking to Dan and Jacqui; they are (among other things) here to talk about their 'Addiction Recovery Affirmation Cards', and how they came to write them. Also, we're looking at how spouses, partners and families go through the recovery process too. They're talking about their journey through his addiction and into recovery, and how it affected both of them.

How do we react differently to the world and the people in it once we're in recovery? This week, we're talking about how our approach to everyday situations (especially difficult ones) changes in recovery. We're also looking at how we become more responsible and at how the simple mantra of remaining 'honest, open-minded and willing' helps us to modify our perception of people, places and things.

This week we're talking about shopping and how not to do it, the dangers of browsing and compiling wish-lists online and how we gradually learn to redefine our relationship with money in recovery. Also, we look at holidays, how (not) to organise them... and finally, spoons?!?

Once we're willing to deal with uncomfortable feelings, the reality of what we have done in the course of our addiction and with facing reality, we're willing to engage with the process of recovery. This week, we're talking about how we engage with that process and progress in recovery as a result. It doesn't necessarily mean that we can deal with everything, but it's only by putting down the drin...