Living Free

Danny grew up in a religious family without any drinking but he and his brother developed drinking problems and his sisters developed anorexia.  He wasn’t particularly good at school and turned to drinking in his mid-teens and sought out pubs that tolerated underage drinking.  Danny found alcohol numbed his social anxiety and he went on to marry an alcoholic and have kids in his early twenties. Da...

Content Warning This podcast contains comments about suicidal thoughts and mental health/illness that may be distressing to some listeners. If this raises questions or causes distress please call Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).Robert had a pretty difficult life as a child, both parents were drinkers and into gambling and drugs. His parents separated when he was at secondary scho...

Louise and Jane grew up in alcoholic families; had low self-esteem and each went on to marry an alcoholic.  Louise’s first husband’s was abusive and her second husband’s drinking escalated and he too became violent and abusive.  Jane tried to curb her husband’s drinking but eventually became furious and lost respect for him. Louise and Jane were advised that Al-Anon Family Groups could help them b...

Gillian and Julie both grew up in New Zealand in families affected by alcoholism. Both went on to marry alcoholics and then separate from them. Gillian and Julie found help in Al-Anon Family Groups and discovered people who understood their situation. They were able to understand the impact of alcoholism had on their extended family and to acknowledge the part they unconsciously played in the fami...

Natalie and Sarah both lived for years not understanding that their weight problem was related to the type of foods that they were attracted to as children. Later in life, after years of unsuccessful dieting and seeking help in other 12th Step fellowships they found recovery in Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA). Natalie and Sarah found the discipline and support that they needed after years...

Steve was a smart arse at school, grew up with an older brother and loving parents and an alcoholic uncle. He got his first taste of alcohol in primary school but it wasn’t until his early teens that he started underage drinking, setting out to get drunk. By the rime he as twenty his drinking and drug use had rendered him unemployable and he lived as a derelict in Melbourne. He sought help through...

Paul had a pretty difficult life as a child and was brought up by his Grandmother, who was an active gambler. He left school early and started underage gambling and drinking in his teens. Gambling became a central part of his life and led Paul to engage in crime to meet his gambling debts, eventually he ended up with suicidal thoughts.  He found help from Gamblers Anonymous through a psychiatric h...

Jennifer was a shy kid and her dad was a war veteran and an alcoholic. She left home in her mid-teens, got tangled up with a drinker and married him.  Jennifer’s husband became abusive so she escaped with her two children. She came to Al-Anon Family Groups to assist her daughter and grandchildren as her daughter’s drinking became a serious problem. Del grew up in rural Queensland and both her pare...

 Alex suffered multiple events in his life that contributed towards his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but it was hearing a close friend recall their story as a rape victim that led him to experience overwhelming fear.  He tried to hide the effect PTSD was having on his life while building a successful career, but he was suffering in isolation when no one was watching. Alex sought counselli...

Jo grew up in a disadvantaged family and had little support from her single mum. She discovered alcohol in her mid-teens and found it a good way to solve her social anxiety. Initially Jo loved the effect but didn’t like the taste of alcohol and it wasn’t until her late twenties that drinking became a problem as she used it to cope with life and work. Her drinking progressed and then she found cold...

Kevin came from a pretty poor family, had dyslexia and left school in his mid-teens. He drifted into gambling with an older friend in a rooming house. It was exciting to gamble and allowed him to escape from reality. At first it was horse racing but eventually Kevin fell for the pokies and that’s when it started to really impact his life.  A trip to hospital related to stress exposed his debts and...

Margaret grew up on a farm and her dad was a binge drinker and drinking was common in her friends and extended family. She married early, had two children and her husband had a slow progression into alcoholism after being retrenched from work. Margaret suffered increasing anxiety and after seeking medical assistance she found help in Al-Anon Family Groups through her hairdresser. In Al-Anon Margar...

Therese and Faye both lived for years not understanding that their weight problem was related to the type of foods that they were attracted to as children. Later in life, after years of unsuccessful dieting and seeking help in multiple 12th Step fellowships they found recovery in Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA). Therese and Faye found the discipline and support that they needed after years...

Paul was painfully shy as a teenager and found that alcohol solved his anxiety problems but as he couldn’t stop drinking it created a new set of problems. He eventually started using drugs as alcohol was too messy for his life.  Paul was addicted to Valium for about 8 years and when he came off Valium he went back to alcohol and drugs to manage his anxiety, before having a breakdown and with help...

Ange discusses how her gambling progressed from playing the pokies while on a road trip with her boyfriend into playing the pokies regularly and then turning to compulsive addiction to online social media games.  She found recovery in Gamblers Anonymous and after two years today has now built a contented life without needing to gamble. GA helps gamblers to understand and overcome their addiction t...

Christine grew up in a family where her dad drank, had an abusive first marriage and then married an alcoholic who was a binge drinker.  After difficulties in her second marriage Christine found help in Al-Anon Family Groups from time to time but it was some time later when she was really desperate that she came back for good. In Al-Anon Christine was able to understand the impact of alcoholism on...

Yaakov discusses how his gambling progressed from playing the pokies underage at a local pub to becoming a serious problem in his life before he turned 18. It affected his school, work, family and personal life.  He found recovery in Gamblers Anonymous and after many years and a few busts has now built a contented life without needing to gamble. GA helps gamblers to understand and overcome their a...

Mary and Margot both found recovery in Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) following many years in multiple 12th Step fellowships and found the discipline and support that they needed after years of addiction to food.  Their lives changed dramatically and they found that they could live in freedom from their obsession with food. If you’re experiencing difficulties in life as a result of your r...

Content Warning This podcast contains comments about sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts and mental health/illness that may be distressing to some listeners. If this raises questions or causes distress please call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).Zoey started drinking around 14 years old and went off the rails during year 12 at high school.  Although drinki...

Michael discusses how his gambling started during a marriage breakdown and morphed from a social escape to become a significant problem in his life. It affected his work, family and personal life.  He found recovery in Gamblers Anonymous and after many years and a few busts has now built a contented life without needing to gamble. GA helps gamblers to understand and overcome their addiction to gam...

Note: this interview was originally recorded on 02 March 2017 in the 3CR studio but this is the first time that it has been podcast. Brenda had separated from her alcoholic husband for 13 years before a friend suggested she go to Al-Anon Family Groups. Celeste sought help in Al-Anon when she was concerned about her boyfriend’s drinking and she later realized that her father was also an alcoholic....

Note: this interview was originally recorded on 17 August  2017 in the 3CR studio but this is the first time that it has been podcast. T'Mara started drinking around 12 years old and was a daily drinker by the time she was 17. Her drinking progressed and it wasn’t until she had a major car accident that she hit rock-bottom and sought help through rehab and found Alcoholics Anonymous. Jan hardly dr...

Note: this interview was originally recorded on 29 June 2017 in the 3CR studio but this is the first time that it has been podcast. Chrissy and Michael had a pretty tough start to life, both had one alcoholic parent and their parents separated when they were quite young. Chrissy started drinking at 14 years old and she enjoyed the effect of alcohol from the start, often just existing between drink...

Yvonne and John discuss how their gambling progressed from a social enjoyment to become a problem in their lives. Both ended up stealing money and losing jobs because of their gambling.  Both found recovery in Gamblers Anonymous many years ago and are now involved helping gamblers to understand and overcome their addiction to gambling. If you’re having trouble with gambling, or have a friend or fa...

Ann had an alcoholic father and it came into Al-Anon Family Groups after her mum joined Al-Anon, her dad joined Alcoholics Anonymous and her siblings joined Alateen.  In Al-Anon Ann was able to understand the impact of alcoholism on the family members and acknowledge the part she unconsciously played in the family disease of alcoholism. If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem then you...