210 - Why we need to learn to trust people when getting sober

210 - Why we need to learn to trust people when getting sober

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol or drugs when trust has been shattered? This episode of Real Recovery Talk gets right into that question, focusing on why learning to trust people is so crucial in early sobriety. Host Tom Conrad chats with Steve, a recovering addict with over 13 years clean and a background in social work, who now supports clients with life skills and alumni work at Rock Recovery Center.

Steve shares how his first attempt at doing recovery "my own way" fell apart, and how everything changed when he started taking suggestions and trusting others instead of relying on his own thinking. One of the strongest themes is that trust is risky but essential. As Steve puts it, "A lot of times trust isn't how trustworthy you are.

Trust is routine." He talks about trusting people with shameful past experiences, cravings, and trauma, and how that trust is built slowly through consistent action, not overnight promises. You’ll hear practical examples, like the day Steve thought he saw his old dealer, felt intense cravings, and followed advice to spend the whole day at a meeting space instead of using.

You’ll also hear how, years later, a friend casually handing him a key to his flat became a milestone moment of restored trust after Steve had previously stolen from him. Tom and Steve also talk honestly about broken trust with parents, partners and sponsors, and why it’s okay not to trust everyone.

They stress the value of a small, solid circle—"four quarters instead of 100 pennies"—and why men should stick with men and women with women for close support, especially early on. If trust feels impossible right now, could starting with just one or two trustworthy people be your next small step?