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Mark S

Relapse and Coming Back Into the Fellowship – Recovered 512

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Call us at 1-734-288-7510

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The Big Book

The 12 and 12

24 Hours a Day

Binge Drinking

Recovery in Scotland

Sober High School

I think after a relapse, you have two options.

Do you just give in and sink deeper into the black pit you’ve fallen into? 

Or do you pull yourself up by your belt loops and resolve to right this temporary setback? 

These are the only two choices you have when you take a look at the reality of your situation.

To the outside person, the choice is clear.  Pick yourself up.

For those of us with the addiction, this is a difficult choice, why?

Have you ever relapsed?

What happened?

What was your experience?

Option one, that is sink deeper into the pit and continue drinking, is not the most desirable, although it certainly is the easiest.

What about the easier softer way.  

Why would someone decide to stay out?

What would prevent you from choosing to stay out?

What would make you uncomfortable enough to make the hard decision to get back into recovery?

Option two, on the other hand, is a tough choice to make.

Because you have been in the program before, you know this decision necessitates admitting that you’ve slipped and immediately seeking help to regain your sobriety. It also means you’ve got a great deal of hard work ahead of you.

Talk about your experience with this decision.

Talk about your experience of witnessing this decision made by others.

What hurdles?

Talk about the stigma of being a relapser?

Talk about the paranoia, that is, wondering what others are saying about you.

Talk about false pride, the fact that you now have less sobriety than your friends, your sponsees, etc.

Talk about not wanting to admit that you relapsed.

want to take some calls?

Ruth ARROW BELOW

TONY TOO

If you decide recovery, Where Do You Start?  

What should you do?

For the person coming off a relapse, what do you recommend?

What should be avoided?

Is it helpful to examine the process of your relapse?

Did you call your sponsor?  What was that like?

Should you change sponsors?

What if your sponsor fires you?

Talk about telling friends.

Talk about telling family members.

Talk about tell employers.

What about asking for forgiveness from these people, should you?

What about resisting that thought that I’ve been there, done that and I still relapsed, so why do the step work again?

Cab relapse be a positive thing?  How?  In what way?

The bottom line is that relapse isn’t the end of your recovery journey. It is what you decide to do immediately following relapse and continuing forward in your sobriety that matters. Keep in mind that gaining knowledge, practicing and honing your recovery skills, and surrounding yourself with people who support and encourage your recovery goals is all part of the process. With renewed commitment and dedication to sobriety, you can come back from relapse stronger than ever.

Final Thoughts?

 

Check out this episode!

Call In And Contribute To The Show

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Call 734-288-7510

On Monday July 21, our next studio episode will be on Relapse and Coming Back Into the Fellowship.  Call in and answer the following question…

What did you learn from your relapse?
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.

Chairing Meetings and Other Service Work – Recovered 511

150 150 Mark S

Call us at 1-734-288-7510

Sober Life Mouthwash Website 

Promo Code PODCAST

for 20% Discount

The Big Book

The 12 and 12

24 Hours a Day

Trey Anastasio

Robin Williams

Rob Ford

Let’s kick off this episode with the basic question on chairing meetings.

Chris, What does a meeting chairperson do?

What is the most important thing a chair person does?  Shows up on time

What requirements are there to be a chairperson?

 

Is service work found in the big book or in the 12 and 12?

Why do we do service work?

How does service work affect you?

Talk about the spiritual component of service work.

What changes have you noticed in yourself as a result of service work?

 

Want to take some phone calls?

Can service work be done wrong?

Talk about motives relative to service work.

Is sponsoring someone servies work.

Is being a sponsee service work?

Is sharing at meetings service work?

Can not-sharing at a meeting be service work?

 

What has been you experience being a chairperson

Funniest moment

Scariest moment

Weirdest moment

 

Other service work available

AA vs alanon, is there a difference?

think outside the box, say anonymous donations, web site master, writing letters to editors

Role of the sponsor in service work

 

Can you do service work outside a meeting?

explain.

Can you do service work outside AA say at your school or work

Can you do service work for non AAs, does that count?

 

Check out this episode!

Take Our Survey & Help Us Prepare For Our next Show

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Our next show will be on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 (6:30 EDT, -4 GMT) on the Topic of Chairing Meetings and other Service Work. Join us in the chat room and interact with us as you listen to us record the show live.  CLICK HERE to enter the chat room.

Or call us at 1-734-288-7510 and tell us why you do service work.  Be part of the show, just call in and listen to your voice on the next show.

Finally, take our survey and help us prepare for the show.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Call In and Contribute to the Show

150 150 Mark S

1-7342887510

On Tuesday, July 15, 2014, our next studio episode will be on Chairing Meetings and Other Service Work.  Call in and answer the following question…

Why do you do service work?

Special App Owner Open Talk From Laura B. – Recovered 510

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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.

 

Sober Life Mouthwash Website 

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The Big Book

The 12 and 12

24 Hours a Day

Check out this episode!

Conventions – Recovered 509

150 150 Mark S

Call us at 1-734-288-7510

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The Big Book

The 12 and 12

24 Hours a Day

Ckips

Shia

Dutchess

JVM

Our first conference or recovery conventions can be exciting..

It can also be a disaster, depending on your expectations.

Tonight, we will talk about our experience attending them

We will talk about what to expect, what to pack, what to leave at home

Let’s start at the beginning,

What is a recovery conference?

Where are they held?

How do you find out about them?

How long do they last?

What are some of the typical formats?

Do you have to attend everything?

Are there al-anon events?

What social activities?

Are there meetings available?

We have a full bank of calls,

Would you like to take some calls?

BRONTE – ARROW BELOW

thoughts about what Bronte had to say

Want to take another call?

Alex – tab above

Can you purchase recovery material?

What other things/activities are there?

What are the costs

What has been your experience?

What conferences have you attended?

How were they structured?

What was your best experience?

What was your worst experience?

Best speaker?

Worst speaker?

What recommendations would you give to the newcomer?

What tips?

What to pack?

Food?

International in Atlanta 2015

TC Round up – October 31 – Nov 2 Anna and I will be speaking

any relationship?

Final Thoughts?

 

Check out this episode!

Premium Open Talk From Bob M. – Recovered 508

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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.  

 

Sober Life Mouthwash Website 

Promo Code PODCAST

for 20% Discount

The Big Book

The 12 and 12

24 Hours a Day

Check out this episode!

Al-Anon Vs AA – Recovered 507

150 150 Mark S

Call us at 1-734-288-7510

Sober Life Mouthwash Website 

Promo Code PODCAST

for 20% Discount

The Big Book

The 12 and 12

24 Hours a Day

Clips 

 

Al Franken and Al-Anon

CLICK HERE

 

What is AA

CLICK HERE

 

How Al-Anon works

CLICK HERE

 

Tonight, our

Recovery Topic is

Al-Anon Vs AA

 

What is AA?

What is Al-Anon?

 

What does a closed AA meeting look like?

What does a closed Al-anon meeting look like?

 

How does an Open AA meeting differ?

Is there such a thing as an Open Al-Anon meeting?

 

Are there combined closed meetings?

 

What is the purpose of an AA meeting?

What is the purpose of the Al-Anon meeting?

 

Cristie, would you like to take some calls?

CLICK HERE FOR PHONE CALL

 

Full bank of calls, want to take another Cristie?

 

 

alcoholism is a disease, what was your initial reaction to this statement?

What are your views now?

Is this a struggle?

what is your understanding of willpower and it’s role in the disease and in recovery?

 

For the AA, what does step one mean

For the al-anon, what does Step one mean?

 

after step five we see our character defects

for the typical AA, what are common character defects?

For the typical al-anon, what are common character defects?

 

Amends

What amends are typical for the AA

What are typical amends for the al-anon?

 

what can aa learn from al anon

what can al-anon’s learn from aa

 

Do you belong?

AA 20 Questions

Do you lose time from work due to drinking?

Is drinking making your home life unhappy?

Do you drink because you are shy with other people?

Is drinking affecting your reputation?

Have you ever felt remorse after drinking?

Have you gotten into financial difficulties as a result of drinking?

Do you turn to lower companions and an inferior environment when drinking?

Does your drinking make you careless of your family’s welfare?

Has your ambition decreased since drinking?

Do you crave a drink at a definite time daily?

Do you want a drink the next morning?

Does drinking cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?

Has your efficiency decreased since drinking?

Is drinking jeopardizing your job or business?

Do you drink to escape from worries or trouble?

Do you drink alone?

Have you ever had a complete loss of memory as a result of drinking?

Has your physician ever treated you for drinking?

Do you drink to build up your self-confidence?

Have you ever been to a hospital or institution on account of drinking?

 

Al-Anon 20 Questions

1. Do you worry about how much someone drinks?

 2. Do you have money problems because of someone else’s drinking?

 3. Do you tell lies to cover up for someone else’s drinking?

 4. Do you feel that if the drinker cared about you, he or she would stop drinking to please you?

 5. Do you blame the drinker’s behavior on his or her companions?

 6. Are plans frequently upset or canceled or meals delayed because of the drinker?

 7. Do you make threats, such as, “If you don’t stop drinking, I’ll leave you”?

 8. Do you secretly try to smell the drinker’s breath?

 9. Are you afraid to upset someone for fear it will set off a drinking bout?

 10. Have you been hurt or embarrassed by a drinker’s behavior?

 11. Are holidays and gatherings spoiled because of drinking?

 12. Have you considered calling the police for help in fear of abuse?

 13. Do you search for hidden alcohol?

 14. Do you ever ride in a car with a driver who has been drinking?

 15. Have you refused social invitations out of fear or anxiety?

 16. Do you feel like a failure because you can’t control the drinking?

 17. Do you think that if the drinker stopped drinking, your other problems would be solved?

 18. Do you ever threaten to hurt yourself to scare the drinker?

 19. Do you feel angry, confused, or depressed most of the time?

 20. Do you feel there is no one who understands your problems?

 

any relationship?

 

 

Check out this episode!

What 12 Step Fellowship Do You Belong To?

150 150 Mark S

Help us prepare for our next show on .
Monday, June 30, 2014
Air Time:  6:30 EDT (-4 GMT)
Click HERE and join us live and participate in the chat room during the show.
Call in and give us your experience on the differences between AA and Al-Anon
Call 1-734-288-7510

Take our survey and help us know our audience better.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.