041: "Addiction Survival Kit" David Chaloner, the Author of Ask the Addiction Survival Kit shares with us his Battle with Alcoholism and Journey into Recovery.041: "Addiction Survival Kit" David Chaloner, the Author of Ask the Addiction Survival Kit shares with us his Battle with Alcoholism and Journey into Recovery.
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
Author and counsellor David Chaloner talks about his years of alcoholism, his turning point in rehab, and the spiritual and practical tools that support his long-term sobriety. He reflects on abstinence, ego, and why non-judgemental support is so important for anyone starting recovery.
58:45•24 Nov 2015
Addiction Survival Kit: David Chaloner on Ego, Abstinence and 28 Years Clean
Episode Overview
- Ego and the belief in self-control can keep people from accepting they are powerless over alcohol and drugs.
- Simple tools, like a short questionnaire, can trigger an honest self-assessment and spark the admission "I'm an alcoholic."
- Once someone has crossed into true dependency, David argues that abstinence is the only meaningful form of harm reduction.
- Non-judgemental support, whether through 12-step groups or counselling, is vital for people who already feel deep shame.
- "Keep coming back" remains David’s core advice to newcomers who relapse or resist change: persistence matters more than perfection.
“"Don't go away. Keep coming back until you get it."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode of The SHAIR Recovery Podcast centres on David Chaloner, author of *ASK: The Addiction Survival Kit*, who shares 28 years of lived experience with alcoholism, drug use and long-term recovery.
Omar Pinto chats with David about how his life looks today in Auckland, New Zealand: prayer and meditation each morning, walks in nature, a deep love of blues and classical music, and a small counselling practice where he sees no more than 20 clients a week. His focus is simple but demanding – give each person his full attention and judge no one.
David explains why he wrote *The Addiction Survival Kit* as a short, easy read that you can open on any page. He wants it to make sense both to people with addictions and to partners, family members and employers who feel baffled by "the apparent insanity of addiction".
As he puts it, "If you want to understand an addict, don't think rationally." He talks frankly about hiding bottles, wrecking his car and barely knowing his own children, before being "manoeuvred" into a residential rehab in rural New Zealand.
He stresses that there is no single method that works for everyone – for some it’s 12-step groups, for others deep therapy or cognitive tools – but he is clear on one thing: once you’ve crossed the line into true dependency, "the only harm reduction that has any relevance is abstinence." If you or someone you care about is stuck between denial and change, this conversation might have you asking: what would it look like to "keep coming back" instead of giving up?
A simple 20-question checklist in a small paperback led to the shocking inner admission: "Christ, I'm an alcoholic." That moment, plus his first AA meeting and the feeling of being "at home" in a smoky hall full of recovering Alcoholics, became the turning point. From there, David found his vocation as an addictions counsellor and a spiritual path rooted in Christian mysticism, while staying open to many traditions.
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.