12 steps

Year In Review – Recovered 395

150 150 Mark S




Our Recovery Topic is the year end review

we look over our shoulder at the past year and share some of our success and share some of our failures.

Video Clips include:

new years eve sober
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CV3k0_WxEA

Jane Velez Mitchell – How To Avoid Relapse During Holidays
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azX-IW36CAs&feature=em-subs_digest

Sponsor Man and Asswipe – Anti AA Position
http://www.expaa.org/apps/videos/videos/show/17253758-sponsor-man-and-asswipe-

Check out this episode!

Recovered 394 – Podcast Year Reflections 2012

150 150 Mark S

This episode is a small prelude to the upcoming Episode 395, the Year End Review when I’m joined by Joe, Spencer, Russ or some combination thereof.

Our Recovery Topic will be the year end review, call us at 734-288-7510 and give us your 2012 experiences in recovery. Be Part of the Show.

Check out this episode!

Recovered 393 Show Notes – Relationships

150 150 Mark S

Tonight, Mark, Joe, Aaron, and Russ gather and discuss relationships.  We discussed how to determine if relationships are healthy, toxic, and how to disengage if they are toxic  .Joe began the show by reflecting on how relationships can be helpful in recovery.  By being in the fellowship, Joe learned how to have fun.  He thought that when he first came into the program, his life with fun in it was over.  Being able to talk and relate with others have helped him in recovery.  Healthy relationships have taught Joe how to live.

Aaron shared that relationships have improved since he came into the program.  He now hangs around with crazy AA people he now calls friends.  Friendships outside the fellowship have improved and increases.  Mark shared that friends inside AA have helped him by challenging him.  When Russ first came around, he had no idea what a healthy relationship was.  At first, Russ made a few very good and close friends; all his drinking buddies fell away right away.  Aaron shared that when he first came in, his old friends still wanted to hang out.  Aaron said he had to separate himself from these toxic relations which was very difficult.  Russ said that he first began healthy relationships at meetings.  Russ old idea of having fun with friends turned out be very dangerous for him.  Early in the program, Russ began to share what he thought was feelings with other men for the first time.  At first, the only feeling he was aware of was anger.  Russ’ social life began by attending sober parties, playing cards, and he even learned how to play backgammon.  Mark could relate with only allowing anger to be felt as a feeling, but the program taught him that anger was a mask covering deeper feelings.

Russ shared that when he becomes obsessive with someone, this is a red flag indicating a toxic relationship.  When someone demands all his time, this is a toxic indicator.  Russ said that he makes mistakes all the time when it comes to being able to detect toxicity in a relationship.  With time, he discovered that he had a 6th sense when it comes to bad relationships; now he pays attention when these feeling bubble up.

Aaron said that when he looses a sense of self in the relationship, this is bad for him.  Also, when a relationship becomes a deterrent to the fellowship, this is a warning sign for him.  Russ and Aaron both indicated that a toxic relationship is determined by how they react to a person, not necessarily how the other person acts.  Joe shared that figuring out people is very difficult for him.  Joe said that when he first same into the fellowship, he thought that his relationship with his father was toxic.  But after some time in the program, Joe has a healthier relationship with his father.  The program helped Joe work through some issues around his father which allowed him to be more loving, patient and tolerant with his father, which has been positive with his relationship with his dad.

Recovered 393 – Relationships

150 150 Mark S



Our Recovery Topic is Relationships, family, friends, and lovers

Check out the great new Recovery website and podcast for those who care for those with addictions!
click The Recovery Show at therecoveryshow.com

Video Clips include:

How do you spend new years eve sober?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXwnH8AOmJo&feature=em-uploademail

Birds Dead with Alcohol in Liver
http://on.aol.com/video/dead-birds-found-to-have-alcohol-in-liver-517531385

Bill W. The Film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VozYcMnMSME

Check out this episode!

Recovered 392 Show Notes – Willpower

150 150 Mark S

Mark, Joe and Russ discuss the Recovery Topic of Willpower. Joe shared that before he came into the program, he was in college taking a degree in philosophy. He studied both Teddy Roosevelt and Niche and their thoughts on Willpower. Joe also shared that in his up bringing, willpower was something expected of men.

 Russ shared that as a man in the sales profession, he attended many professional seminars which insisted on the positive aspects of willpower in the professional life. Many of these things being taught was counter to what he was taught in the program. Russ shared that since willpower didn’t work on his drinking problem, it was a great source of shame.

 Joe shared that his friends would put some social pressure on him to control himself by just having a couple of drinks when they went out. Joe said that he learned to leave events early and drink heavily after. Joe shared that as his disease progressed he could now see his powerlessness. He can remember drinking even when he didn’t want to drink. When Joe first came into the program he could recognize that he was unmanageable, but powerlessness was something that he had to work on to recognize it in his life.

Russ shared from the chapter in the Big Book, There is a Solution. The book tells us that when it comes to the first drink, we are powerless. But then we switched our view from the negative aspect to the positive aspect of willpower. Self-will is usually a negative when it comes to the program, but Russ shared that our problems are usually a result of misused willpower. Russ shared that his Higher Power is the source of power against the first drink. Russ shared that using willpower in the program is a positive use of willpower to do the things he may not want to do. Joe shared that willingness is critical in a program of recovery. Using willpower allows us to be willing to try something different. Working a program requires a willingness to do things we may not want to do and this is a positive use of willpower.

Russ shared from the 12 and 12 that the literature says we need all the willpower we have to do a 5th step. Mark shared that step 3 of the 12 and 12 says we need our will to conform with God’s will. This is the proper use of willpower according to the literature.

Recovered 392 – Willpower

150 150 Mark S


Our Recovery Topic is Willpower

Video Clips include:

Flight Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlFMZ5D8FNc

Jane Velez Mitchell and Addiction Vaccines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHQNuG9MU4&feature=em-uploademail

The Little Red Book Review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7ID9YuO6Sc

Check out this episode!

Recovered 391 – News From The Recovered Community

150 150 Mark S

Podcast News

amspn.com – We have launched our new podcasting network
ams pn .com – The andy mark network
It is a showcase of recovery friendly podcasts
you can see the lineup of of shows at ams pn .com

Right now we have this show recovered as the flagship podcast for the network.

And we have just launched a new al-anon show called

the recovery show at
therecoveryshow.com

we plan to distribute podcast content on 1 Feb 2013

In the mean time, if you want to participate in the recovery show comunity, go on over to
therecoveryshow.com,
all the latest information will be provided

this is also a unique situation where you as a listener have the opportunity to shape the podcast
give us your feedback and suggestions, and we just may use your ideas.

24 hour podcast on June 8-9

Check out this episode!

Recovered 390 – Complacency

150 150 Mark S


Our Recovery Topic is Complacency

Video Clips include:

Alcohol Effects on your Brain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkpz7xFTWJo

Drug Testing at Workforce – Jane Velez Mitchell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO-J0-v-yvc&feature=g-all-u

Pot Legal in 17 states
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4mFC63JC88

Check out this episode!

Recovered 389 Show Notes – Gratitude

150 150 Mark S

Mark, Joe, Spencer, and Russ share their gratitude during this U.S. Holiday season of Thanksgiving. Russ and Mark both agree that Gratitude is one of the most important tools in their tool box of recovery. Joe shared that one of the first things he learned in recovery was Gratitude. Joe shared that early in his program he heard Mike O. always opened his share with the statement, “If I stay grateful, I’ll stay sober.” Joe shared that if he admits that many things are out of his control, this realization helps him to stay grateful. Joe shared that he uses pen and paper to form his gratitude list. He makes a physical list and he still has the first one he made in recovery. The things that are on that original list, he is still grateful for.

Spencer, an Al-anon, was not grateful when he first came into the program, although he heard a lot of others say they were. But now, he is grateful to be a member of Al-anon. Spencer shared his gratitude tool takes the form of a mental list. When he has difficulty falling asleep, he uses that alphabet starting with the letter A and thinks of something he is grateful for that begins with the letter A. Spencer said that he has always fallen asleep before he reaches the letter Z.

Russ shared that he also uses an alphabet approach to his gratitude list, especially when he is driving his car. Russ shared that he uses meetings to keep gratitude alive in his program. Talking and sharing helps him to stay grounded and stay grateful.

We shared that gratitude is the result of something we do. When we start to feel down during this holiday season, we have found that making a list, going to a meeting, talking to someone, always helps us to stay grateful and our spirits are lifted.

Recovered 389 – Gratitude

150 150 Mark S


Our Recovery Topic is Gratitude

Since it is the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S., I thought we’d take this opportunity to discuss the things we are grateful for.

Clips we will cover today include:

Video Clips include:

Jane Velez Mitchell – What if You Accidentally Take a Sip, Is it a Slip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO0GKU5SNQM&feature=relmfu

Check out this episode!