Sober Motivation: Sharing Sobriety Stories

Stephanie found great relief from herself in substances. As things progressed from drinking alcohol and smoking weed to pain pills and heroin.  Stephanie was going through the motions on a daily basis trying to find an escape.  In an underground parking garage, she overdosed and got her 4th DUI. She is a true example of what is possible if you put in the work and this is Stephanie Noble's story on...

In this special holiday episode of the Sober Motivation podcast, Brad sits down with Megan, Stephanie, Jeff and Dave. We talk about insights and strategies for staying sober through the holiday season. In a roundtable discussion, we touch upon various challenges people face during holidays including social pressures, family gatherings, and emotional turmoil. We discuss the significance of maintain...

In this episode of the Sober Motivation podcast, we have Sam. Originally from the UK, Sam talks about suffering from health anxiety from a young age and turning to alcohol and later drugs to alleviate his fears and anxieties. Sam talks about his gradual descent into full-blown addiction which eventually cost him his home, and job and nearly resulted in his death. However, Sam turns his life around...

On this episode of the podcast, we have Todd.  Growing up in  Omaha, Nebraska, Todd started drinking alcohol in high school and his consumption escalated throughout college and law school as he used alcohol to cope with stress. Todd would go on the graduate law school and become an attorney and from the outside, it appeared that Todd had cracked the code of life. Todd was a busy father, husband an...

In this episode, Dan bravely shares his journey towards sobriety. He dives into his past, speaking about the childhood sexual abuse he endured and how this led him to use alcohol as a coping mechanism. Despite these significant struggles, he found strength in his determination not to give up and decided to take control of his life. Dan shares how helpful therapy was in processing his traumatic exp...

On this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, we have Casey from the (Hello Someday Podcast) Growing up as a child of diplomats, she struggled with fitting in due to constantly moving countries, and that contributed to her anxiety and need to be liked. Her battle with alcohol didn't start until college when social pressures and the ability to 'turn off her brain' led to her consuming alcohol ex...

In this episode, we have  Les who reflects on his upbringing often feeling like an outcast, and this would set the foundation for his struggle with alcohol. He recalls the moment he realized the extent of his addiction and the crucial choice he made toward recovery. Les discusses the value of connecting with others who understand this journey, and finding hope and encouragement in AA meetings and...

In this episode, we have my friend Alison. Growing up, her father struggled with alcohol, and it created a ripple effect in her life. At 20 years old, she got married and just celebrated 21 years of marriage, but it didn’t come without its challenges. Shortly after, she welcomed three beautiful children into the world and was busy raising them while running a very successful business. In her 30s,...

In this episode, we have my friend Liz who is originally from the Jersey Shore and was a binge drinker for the better part of 20 years. The cycle of drinking and then healing from drinking was exhausting. Despite this, the social connection it provided was something that Liz found helpful. After a few months of being alcohol-free, she began to notice the benefits of not consuming alcohol, and thin...

From a young age, Dan was fascinated with alcohol, and all of his questions were answered when he got his hands on his first 6-pack of beer. Dan struggled to fit in growing up and switched friend groups from time to time. Over the years, Dan would lose custody of his son and the woman of his dreams. On February 12th, Dan's mother sat him down and urged him to rediscover his true self for the sake...

In this episode, we meet Joe. Growing up, Joe had no shortage of traumatic experiences and never talked about the feelings or thoughts associated with these events. He found a level of acceptance through drinking alcohol and consuming drugs. Going through the motions in life, Joe found himself covering up his emotions with alcohol time and time again. Sobriety was not given much attention, and dri...

In this episode, we have David, who just celebrated 3 years of sobriety. It took asking for help to get started. David grew up around a lot of alcohol, and as a young man, he joined the service, where alcohol began to take hold of his life. After some consequences arose, he sought help but struggled to maintain it. As his drinking worsened, so did the consequences, and a call with his commander se...

Danielle grew up around a lot of alcohol and witnessed firsthand the destruction it was capable of causing. Being from a military family, she moved a lot while growing up and had to mature quickly to help support her siblings. For the longest time, she swore she would never drink alcohol. However, when she reached college, alcohol became a massive part of the experience. It wasn't until she had ch...

In this episode, we have Gill, who struggled early on in life with a lot of anger, and she would occasionally have friends growing up but because of being bullied so much in her youth, Gill's self-esteem and confidence were suffering. She focused a lot of her energy on her studies and excelled in the classroom. At home, things were also a struggle, and she is grateful for her close relationship wi...

This week's podcast guest is Chris, who received a constant message while growing up as a kid: 'We don't talk about our problems.' Facing struggles at home, Chris embarked on a search for a sense of belonging. Initially, he found it within the punk music scene and took his first drink at the age of 13. That moment marked his first experience with drinking, getting drunk, and blacking out. From tha...

Brad Garrett has been sober since 1997. Due to childhood trauma and other factors, he found that he could escape from himself with alcohol and marijuana. Over the years, this addiction progressed, but the bottom never completely fell out. On a vacation trip to Maui, he had an experience that would change the trajectory of his life. Since then, Brad has accomplished some amazing things. This is Bra...

In this episode, we have Zac, who found some freedom with alcohol. Alcohol quickly became a close high school friend for Zac when he was struggling with an anxious mind. The more he drank, the more he needed to drink, and this escalated quickly. At 16, his parents intervened after finding alcohol in his vehicle, and he was off to rehab. With so little drinking time under his belt, it didn't make c...

In this short (12-minute) but powerful episode, I share 11 things I learned from hearing 100 sober stories here on the Sober Motivation Podcast and what I believe to be the most powerful one of the entire process.  Some examples 👇 1. Get connected to support 2. It is never too late to get sober 3. One Day at a time helps 4. Moderation is tough to manage 5. A "Rock Bottom" is not required. I would...

In this episode, we have Ashley who had her first drink at 15 and remembers overdrinking and not completely understanding why.  After high school, it was on to college where binge drinking would become the norm and everyone seemed to be doing it so no massive red flags were raised. Ashley moved through life keeping it together but her drinking escalated over the years and she would start having th...

In this episode, we have Kristen, who had her first drink at 17, and her social anxiety seemed to melt away. After high school, she went off to college where binge drinking was normalized, and the party was always happening. Further down the road, she was prescribed Xanax to help with her anxiety and continued to drink alcohol. At first, she took it as prescribed, but soon found herself running ou...

Abi Feltham grew up learning how to suppress her emotions, a habit that would persist for many years. She never enjoyed school and simply wanted to follow rock bands and party. Throughout her childhood, she never felt like she fit in with her peers, but she had many friends. Her first drink, which she had at the age of 13, made her feel normal, and she felt more connected to the world than ever be...

In this episode, we welcome Olivia, joining us all the way from Ireland. Olivia shares her experience of growing up in Ireland, where alcohol was considered a rite of passage, and the social pressure to drink was intense. She describes herself as a gray-area drinker, someone who could occasionally take nights off but often found it challenging to stop once she started. Tune in as Olivia recounts h...

In this episode, we have Danielle (AKA @thatsoberglow), who had her first sip of alcohol at 14 years old and couldn’t wait for the next opportunity to drink. Alcohol seemed to make life a bit easier and help her operate without her personal insecurities holding her back. During this time, she was also a mover and shaker involved in many things in life, and this would be a common theme. She did an...

In this episode, we introduce Derek, a former educator whose battle with alcohol eventually led to the suspension of his teaching license. Prioritizing drinking over all else, Derek's choices took a heavy toll on his personal relationships throughout the years. It wasn't until he found himself alone, after his second DUI, that Derek experienced an important moment of clarity. During this crucial j...

Jodi grew up in an environment where alcohol was prevalent, so seeing this while growing up, it felt normal to her. When she turned 17 and moved out on her own, she continued the tradition of wine drinking. Always the life of the party, it was difficult for her to resist what she had considered such a good time for so long. Jodi was a go-getter in life, always managing to keep it together just eno...