An Alcohol Addiction Almost Destroyed Hanora McCarty’s Hope and Self-esteemAn Alcohol Addiction Almost Destroyed Hanora McCarty’s Hope and Self-esteem
Project Recovery
Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley talk with Honora McCarty about how alcohol, insecurity and constant moving nearly wrecked her life, and how honesty, medical support and a 12-step community helped her build a hopeful, connected sobriety. Her story highlights the shift from running away to finally asking for help and choosing recovery day by day.
1:07:50•10 Sept 2024
From Running Away to Showing Up: How Alcohol Almost Broke Hanora McCarty
Episode Overview
- Changing cities or countries does not fix addiction; the underlying problem travels with you.
- Honesty with yourself, family and health professionals is a turning point for rebuilding hope and self-esteem.
- Dangerous behaviours like blackout driving are clear warning signs that alcohol use is out of control.
- Supportive employers, family and a 12-step community can create a safety net when asking for help.
- Service, meetings, sponsorship and daily practices like gratitude, prayer and meditation help maintain long-term sobriety.
“I was scared to not drink, but I was more scared that I was never going to get better.”
What emotional and inspiring tales of recovery are out there? This conversation on Project Recovery shines a light on how alcohol almost crushed Hanora McCarty’s confidence, hope, and sense of self – and how she found a different way to live. Growing up in a big Irish family, Hanora describes plenty of love, parties and laughter, but also the pain of being born with a bright red haemangioma covering one side of her face.
The episode follows her pattern of “blowing up” jobs, relationships and entire lives, then moving cities or even countries – Spain, Chicago, Houston – convinced, “If I just change my environment, I can be happy.” Instead, the drinking escalated to daily blackouts, dangerous driving and the bleak belief that “the only time anyone’s ever going to come into a room to celebrate me will be at my funeral.” You’ll hear the slow, painful slide from 2019 to 2022 as she keeps trying to fix things with new doctors, new prescriptions and new locations, until one hungover morning she realises she’s “just getting lucky” not to be dead or in jail.
As a teenager she chased perfection through restrictive eating, then in college swapped control for chaos: “We were drinking to black out… I could never just sit down and have two cocktails.” Alcohol became a shortcut to feeling pretty, confident and accepted. That’s the day she finally says out loud, “I need help,” to her mentor, her brother, her parents and her doctor. Hanora shares how honesty, an abuse, therapy, and a 12‑step community turned everything around.
Now over two years sober, she talks about buying a home in Salt Lake City, being present for her family, sponsoring other women and showing up to ask, “How can I help?” instead of “Where’s the booze?” If you’ve ever thought a new city, new job or new relationship might fix your drinking, this story might make you ask a different question: what would happen if you stopped running and told the truth instead?
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