228: Sin Growth. Nice!228: Sin Growth. Nice!
Since Right Now
The boys chat about such lively topics as codepen…
1:12:09•7 Sept 2022
Codependency, Tiny Lies and Big Feelings: Sobriety with No Filter
Episode Overview
- Question the old advice of letting people hit bottom; research mentioned in the chat suggests earlier, supportive intervention may save lives.
- Small, unnecessary lies and omissions can damage trust in relationships, even when no relapse is involved.
- Being the only sober person in a room full of intoxicated people can feel deeply isolating, and it is okay to set boundaries or leave.
- Radical, upfront honesty in new relationships can feel scary but may create safer, more stable connections in recovery.
- AA events and social gatherings may be awkward, yet they can help keep people in the “middle of the boat” and connected to recovery.
“Being the only sober person when everyone else is drunk or high can feel more lonely than if they were gone.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? Since Right Now’s “Sin Growth. Nice!” throws you straight into a fast-paced, unfiltered chat between long-time recovery pals Jeff, Matt and Chris. The trio bounce from 90s “sellout” culture to AA picnics on a meticulously landscaped 12‑acre plot, but the heart of the conversation sits in three big themes: codependency, lying, and social anxiety in sobriety.
Jeff brings in a New York Times piece arguing that the old idea of letting loved ones “hit bottom” might be doing more harm than good. The group wrestle with the tension between so-called enabling and real support, especially for parents watching kids repeat familiar patterns. No neat answers, just honest questioning. Lying and “sins of omission” get brutally real.
Matt owns up to small, needless lies about things like going to watch a baseball game alone, and how those tiny cover‑ups can still blow up trust in a new relationship. Chris talks about starting his current relationship with “rigorous honesty” and how hard it is to trust fully after years of being let down. Social anxiety and feeling like the odd one out around drinkers is another big thread.
Chris explains that being the only sober person in a room full of drunk or high people can feel “more lonely than if they were gone,” while Matt reflects on relapsing at a dinner party where everyone else was hammered and he just wanted to belong. Through humour, self‑mockery and plenty of swearing, this episode speaks to anyone in recovery who’s tired of slogans and wants the messy truth about relationships, family, and staying sober in a drinking culture.
It might leave you asking: where are you still hiding, and what would happen if you told the whole truth?
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