038: "Sober Nation" Tim Stoddart, the founder of Sober Nation, now 5 years clean and sober and takes us through his horrific battle with drug addiction.038: "Sober Nation" Tim Stoddart, the founder of Sober Nation, now 5 years clean and sober and takes us through his horrific battle with drug addiction.
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
Tim Stoddart recounts his journey from anxious teenager to opiate addiction, a painful emotional bottom, and finally a structured life in recovery. He also explains how Sober Nation grew into a large online community and why sharing recovery stories publicly matters so much to him.
51:56•3 Nov 2015
From Horrific Addiction to Sober Nation: Tim Stoddart’s Recovery Story
Episode Overview
- Boredom and fear of a dull life can be a major barrier to getting clean, yet Tim finds his sober life far more exciting and free.
- A quiet emotional bottom, such as realising you’re letting down family, can be more powerful than dramatic legal or physical consequences.
- Simple routines—regular work, exercise, meetings, and a weekly sponsor check-in—form the backbone of Tim’s ongoing recovery.
- Staying present and just aiming to “make it to midnight” helps reduce fear about the future and regret about the past.
- Public recovery projects like Sober Nation can create accountability and give people a place to share their experience and feel less alone.
“There’s millions and millions of people that struggle with drug addiction and so few that want to talk about it… I just want to be a part of it in whatever capacity that I can.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol and drugs? This conversation with Tim Stoddart, founder of Sober Nation, gives a very honest snapshot of what that turning point can look like. Five and a half years clean and sober at the time of recording, Tim talks with host Omar Pinto about his "horrific battle" with drugs and alcohol, growing up anxious and uncomfortable in his own skin, and how opiates quickly took over every part of his life.
His true bottom isn’t a dramatic arrest, but a quiet, painful moment in a California hospital when he realises he’s choosing withdrawal relief over being present for his very ill mum. That realisation, and his family’s gentle but firm push, leads him into treatment and then to a sober living house in Florida. You’ll hear how routine, work, and exercise became key tools in his recovery, alongside weekly meetings, sponsorship, and a simple nightly prayer.
Tim explains his approach to a higher power as feeling "tapped in" to something bigger and the importance of just aiming to "make it to midnight" on tough days. A big chunk of the chat focuses on Sober Nation: how it began as a joint idea with a friend, grew into a huge online recovery community, and why Tim spends so much time writing content and interacting with people there.
He’s passionate about showing what recovery actually looks like, contrasting it with shows like *Intervention*, where the chaos of addiction gets airtime but the long-term recovery barely appears. If you’re early in recovery, curious about online communities, or just need reassurance that life doesn’t become boring without substances, this story offers plenty to relate to. What would aiming just for midnight change about your day today?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.