450- John R - Thirst Part 2

450- John R - Thirst Part 2

What remarkable journeys have people faced head-on against addiction? This conversation with John R from Buckinghamshire, England, gives a raw, funny and very relatable look at what happens when alcohol moves from being a treat to becoming "instant everything" – and then stops working. John R, a stand-up comedian, broadcaster and author, talks through his drinking history using the structure of his book *Thirst*, built around 12 specific drinks that map his descent into and then escape from alcoholism.

You’ll hear about his white Russian binge in Australia (yes, including googling whether you can get milk poisoning), his obsession with weak beer as a moderation tactic, and the moment he realised, "I got to a point where I just wanted to die. I wanted to drink until I died." He explains how much energy goes into fighting alcohol – planning around weddings, dinners and flights – rather than simply drinking all day as many assume alcoholics do.

A key turning point comes from the AA Big Book line about ceasing to fight everyone and everything, and the devastating illusion that one day an alcoholic will control and enjoy their drinking. Sobriety doesn’t get a glossy edit here. John talks honestly about discovering he had depression once the booze stopped, the emotional "admin" that comes back in sobriety, and why he describes recovery as a part-time job that has to fit around work and family.

Yet there’s humour, warmth and a steady thread of hope as he shares the toolkit he’s building for calm, and the idea of "choose your hard" – that drinking and sobriety are both difficult, so you might as well choose the difficulty that leads to peace. If you’ve ever tried to moderate, failed dry January, or feel exhausted by the constant mental battle with alcohol, this one might feel uncomfortably familiar – and strangely comforting.