A Recovered Alcoholic?

A Recovered Alcoholic?

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This RAW Recovery Podcast instalment drops you right into a candid, slightly chaotic morning with Dion, who introduces himself plainly as "a recovered alcoholic"—and then immediately explains what that does and doesn’t mean. You’ll hear Dion joke about neighbours, pirate day and cat videos before he shifts into some serious Big Book talk.

That mix of humour and honesty makes the heavier stuff easier to sit with, especially if you’re wrestling with what recovery is supposed to look like. Dion is clear: "I am not cured of alcoholism," but he describes being "recovered" as having sanity restored and developing neutrality around alcohol, where "we react sanely and normally" and no longer spend our days fighting the urge to drink.

He walks through Step 10 in practical terms—continuous personal inventory, quick amends, and catching himself before resentment and pettiness (like plotting revenge on his neighbours’ garage sale) turn into actions he’ll regret. He uses his own morning as a live example of changing attitude simply so his wife can have a better day, calling it "sanity" instead of martyrdom.

A big theme is the idea of a "daily reprieve, contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition." Dion talks about meetings, sponsorship, and the ongoing work of staying spiritually fit, stressing that resting on yesterday’s progress—"resting on our laurels"—is a risky move. He also touches on developing a "sixth sense" or intuition as part of becoming more "God-conscious," while keeping it grounded in everyday choices.

If you’re curious about the difference between white-knuckling sobriety and living as a "recovered" alcoholic in the Big Book sense, this conversation gives you plenty to think about in a relaxed, relatable way. Where might your own daily reprieve need a bit of maintenance today?