Mark S

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Alright Cristie, let’s begin with definitions.

What is a drinking dream?

A psychologist once said, “Drinking dreams are a natural part of the anxieties that come along with being sober.” “They’re a sign of the battle sober people have with admitting complete powerlessness over alcohol or drugs,”

Your thoughts?

Do you remember ever having using dreams before getting sober?

Describe your drinking dream experiences

During your dream, did you experience guilt?

During your dream, was the experience celebratory?

During your dream, were you sneaking your drinks?

During your dream, were you drinking normally?

Was your dream vivid?

Describe those feelings when you are in that semi conscience dream-state and you really thought you relapsed.

When you thought that the slip was real, did you think about how to keep it secret?

When you in that state that you thought the dream was real, did you feel remorse, loss, grief, and/or guilt?

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DO YOU WANT TO TAKE CALLS?

Describe your feelings when you realized that it was just a dream and that you did not lose your sobriety.

Did the dream trigger the desire to use?

Do you talk to your sponsor about these dreams?

Do you talk about drinking dreams at meetings?

Should they be discussed at meetings?

Have you ever processed the drinking dream experience?

Have you journaled about your drinking dreams?

Have you ever thought about why you had that dream in context of what is going on in your life?

Have you noticed the relationship between stress and drinking dreams?

Have you noticed a relationship between success and drinking dreams?

Are you hanging with using friends?

Are you visiting old places where you used to use?

Final thoughts about drinking dreams.

Did you have them more frequently when you were new?

Do you have them now?

For you, are drinking dreams a red flag symbolizing something is wrong in your program?

What would you say to the new guy who just had his first drinking dream?

Special App Owner Open Talk From Matt S. – Recovered 531

By: Mark S

September 23, 2014

Call in 1-734-288-7510

This Open Talk is exclusively for our Recovered App owners. Thanks for the support! If you upgrade to Premium, your contribution will help keep us on the web.

In the Extras area of the App, we have links to websites we like. Just tap the lower case “e” located at the lower right hand of iPhone sceen and then tap links Remember, in this same area of the app, we have the Big Book, the 12 and 12, along with a daily reader. Please support Sober Life Mouthwash, your support of this product supports the podcast.

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What Is Al-Anon? – Recovered 529

By: Mark S

September 17, 2014

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What is your surrender date, where is your home group, who is your sponsor?

Let’s begin with the crucial question.

How the hell do you spell A-Anon?

Before you came into the program, what did you understand Al-Anon to be?

What did you think an Al-Anon meeting would be like?

Why did you attend your first meeting?

Describe your first meeting.

What was the first thing that you learned in Al-Anon?

What was the first thing you read in al-anon?

Why did you go back?

What is an Al-Anon meeting like, how is it structured?

Who should go?

What are the requirements for membership?

What if the person is not sure if their loved one is actually an alcoholic, should they go even if their loved one just drinks to much once in a while?

What about people that are in AA, are they welcome or do they just fuck it up?

For the experienced AA who goes to their first meeting, do you have any advice? Should the AA talk about their AA experience in their Al-Anon meeting? What about the pamphlet, This is Al-Anon?

WE HAVE PHONE CALLS

CRISTIE, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE PHONE CALLS?

Is Al-Anon a support group?

Can you ask questions at your first Al-Anon meeting?

Are there different types of meetings?

What is your favorite type, why?

What is your least favorite, why?

What about the higher power thing, how does this work in Al-Anon?

How long should someone stay in Al-Anon?

What if your loved one is a drug addict, is that a problem?

What was the major obstacle that prevented you from Al-Anon?

Do you use the steps?

Do you use the traditions?

What about sponsors, are they encouraged?

How has Al-Anon changed your life?

Our primary audience are alcoholics in recovery. I think they all qualify, do you?

Talk to the person who has been affected by someone else’s drinking,

Talk to the person who is struggling to keep the secretes.

Talk to the person who has had it with making excuses.

Talk to the person who can’t stand to be with their alcoholic but can’t stand to be apart from their alcoholic,

What would you say to this person? Is there hope?

Surrender – Recovered 528

By: Mark S

September 9, 2014

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGJxr8PZ3lI

Zohydro – new opioid painkiller

Recovery High Schools

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S82_0kUCFM

Alcohol Tags

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/sobriety_tags_for_offenders_who_abuse_alcohol

Before program, what did you think of the concept of surrender?

What did it mean in your work life?

What did it mean in school?

What did it mean in personal life/relationships?

Was the concept of surrender a positive or negative?

When you first came into the program, what did you hear about surrender?

How was it explained relative to step 1.

What were your initial thoughts/feelings about surrender?

Did you experience any anxiety when surrender was discussed as a recovery tool? Why?

Did you experience relief when surrender was discussed as a recovery tool? Why?

How is acceptance and surrender related?

How are they different?

How is being powerless related to surrender?

Is turning your life over related to surrender?

WE HAVE CALLS ON HOLD

WHAT TO TAKE SOME CALLS?

ALEX

What is stinking thinking?

How can surrender be a tool against stinking thinking?

The persistent illusion is commonly read before meetings

The Persistent Illusion or the beginning of Chapter 3 More About Alcoholism

Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.

We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed.

How does this statement relate to surrender?

To the new person listening, what would you say to this person listening right now about the importance of surrender in your program when you were new and now.

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Traverse City Fall Roundup 2014

By: Mark S

September 7, 2014

Anna and I are really looking forward to sharing our experience strength and hope in our life of recovery with you at the Traverse City Fall Roundup 2014. The conference will be held at the beautiful Park Place Hotel in fabulous Traverse City, Michigan from Friday October 31 through Sunday November 2.

We hope you can join us and support the recovering community in Traverse City, Michigan.

Special App Owner Open Talk From Larry Van D – Recovered 527

By: Mark S

September 5, 2014

Call in 1-734-288-7510

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Step 2 – Recovered 526

By: Mark S

September 3, 2014

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Step 2 – Came to believe that a power greater than myself can restore me to sanity

Let’s try to avoid referencing the religions because that can really adversely influence how our listeners hear our story.

Many of us have our understanding of a higher power formed by the spiritual tradition we grew up with.

Did you grow up in a family with a spiritual tradition?

Tell me some of the positive aspects of the religion you grew up with.

Tell me of the negative aspects of the religion you grew up with.

Describe what God or higher power meant to you just before you entered program.

Describe your higher power today.

Tell me about the difference or similarity.

Have you made a break with your family’s religion or have you stayed with it?

Talk about why you have taken your particular course of action.

Some people like nature, work, AA, police, parents, clergy can be a power greater than ourselves.

Have you ever used this example to convince yourself that there must be a power greater than yourself?

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WANT TO TAKE A CALL?

TAKE 2 CRISTIE AND ALEX

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Usually, we are attracted to a higher power because they possess attributes we desire. Attributes such as love, mercy, forgiveness, acceptance, etc., we want these things to be part of our recovering life.

Tell me about some of your best friends from childhood or adolescence.

Tell me what you liked best about them and what they liked best about you?

Do you think that these qualities have any relationship to a Higher Power? Explain.

Have you ever encountered situations or people who have helped you to understand what a “Higher Power” or God is all about?

What does sanity to mean to you?

Before program, what did sanity mean to you?

How does a higher power and sanity relate in your life?

How does step 2 work in your life today?

Some say step 1 is the problem, step 2 is the solution.

How is Step 2 the solution to alcoholism?

Many of our listeners are new. Many haven’t even gone to their first meeting. many probably feel alienated from God, people, everyone. Talk to this person. What would you like to say to this person about Step 2, about a higher power, about sanity.

Open Talk From Emily Y. – Recovered 525

By: Mark S

August 30, 2014

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This Open Talk is made available for everyone. Usually on Thursdays, we publish Open Talks exclusively for our Recovered App owners. Thanks for the support! If you upgrade to Premium you will have access to our complete back catalog of over 400 episodes. Your Premium subscription contribution will help keep us on the web.

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Call In And Contribute To The Show

By: Mark S

August 30, 2014

734-288-7510

On Tuesday, September 2, our next studio episode will be on Step 2s. Call in and answer the following question…

What does a higher power mean to you in your recovering program?

You will definitely hear your voice contributing to the show during tomorrows episode! Think of it as service work. What you share may help someone else.

Premium Open Talk From Patrick B. – Recovered 524

By: Mark S

August 28, 2014

Call 1-734-288-7510 and give us feedback.

This Open Talk is exclusively for our Premium Subscibers only. Thanks for the support! When you upgrade to Premium, your contribution will help keep us on the web.

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