255 - He moved 3,000 miles away to get SOBER!

255 - He moved 3,000 miles away to get SOBER!

Curious about how others manage their sobriety journey? This conversation between host Tom Conrad and guest Tim offers a raw, honest look at what it can take to finally say, "I can't do this anymore." Tim shares how he grew up in what he calls a "spoiled" but loving home in California, yet still carried deep self-doubt, bullying memories and a constant urge to escape.

His "aha" moment came in high school with marijuana, followed by sneaking alcohol from the family liquor cabinet and later chugging vodka alone in car parks and behind gaming tables. He never really drank socially; he drank to disappear. From there, you’ll hear about a long stretch of treatment attempts: AA-based programmes, holistic rehabs, SMART Recovery, sober livings that ranged from supportive to outright chaotic – including one place with "blood on the floors" and theft as standard.

Tim openly admits that for years he went to treatment to avoid homelessness, not to get sober: "I had no intention of stopping. I was just going to drink less this time." The turning point comes after repeated hospital visits, terrifying home detox attempts and the realisation that he was "just existing" – no art, no hobbies, no friends, just work and vodka.

With his mum still refusing to give up on him, he contacts Tom from a place Tom calls the "gift of desperation" and moves 3,000 miles from California to Rock Recovery Center in Florida. What follows is a fresh start: dropping the baggage of his old life, confronting the "masks" he’s worn for years, coming out about his sexuality for the first time in treatment, and beginning to build genuine connections.

Tim describes it simply: "It’s made me want to live again." If you or someone you love keeps relapsing, this story might leave you asking: what would it look like to stop giving up on yourself, even after the sixth or seventh try?