Are You Ever Fully Recovered From Addictions? with Hilary Momberger PowersAre You Ever Fully Recovered From Addictions? with Hilary Momberger Powers
Retrieving Sanity
Hilary Momberger Powers and host Keegan question whether anyone is ever truly “recovered” from addiction, focusing on ego, warped thinking and spiritual growth. The conversation blends personal history, AA concepts and practical language for people wrestling with sobriety and long-term recovery.
51:03•1 May 2026
Are You Ever Really Recovered? Slowbriety, Ego and the Hamster Trap Mind
Episode Overview
- Stopping the substance is only the first part of recovery; the deeper issue is a "mind-powered disease" and warped thinking.
- Saying "I'm recovered" can let the ego rebuild and convince someone they no longer need support, increasing relapse risk.
- There is a key difference between admitting a problem and accepting it; acceptance shows up in action, not just words.
- Childhood wounds and family chaos can heavily shape later addiction, so healing means going back to those "original wounds".
- Building a daily relationship with a power greater than oneself is presented as essential for ongoing sobriety and stability.
“This mind is a hamster trap… glass in hand, I've warped my mind.”
How do people cope with the idea that they might never be “done” with addiction? This conversation on Retrieving Sanity brings that question straight to the point with guest Hilary Momberger Powers and host Keegan. Aimed at anyone wondering whether being sober means being “recovered,” the episode leans into AA language, personal stories, and plenty of hard truths.
Hilary challenges the myth head‑on: “One myth I would love to bust is, I'm recovered!” She explains why stopping the substance is only half the story, describing addiction as a “mind‑powered disease” and saying, “this mind is a hamster trap… glass in hand, I've warped my mind.” You’ll hear Hilary talk about childhood trauma, being pushed into Hollywood as a child, and growing up with alcoholic parents and a narcissistic mother.
She links those “original wounds” to later behaviour, showing how fear, people‑pleasing, isolation and control all fed into her addiction. Her equal‑parts blunt and humorous style shows up in lines like, “you're not thinking, you're being thunk” and “I have alcoholism, not wasm,” reminding anyone in recovery that the disease doesn’t just disappear with a detox.
She stresses radical responsibility — even for deeply painful experiences — while still grounding it all in spiritual connection: “I need to get a really big relationship with this power other than Hilary.” For people in early sobriety, long‑term recovery, or those who love someone struggling, this conversation offers honest reality checks, spiritual suggestions, and a reminder that change comes “one thought at a time, one second at a time.” What would it change for you if you stopped saying “I’ve got this” and started asking for help instead?
The episode also digs into AA concepts such as Step One, the difference between admission and acceptance, ego “smashing,” and Hilary’s idea of “slowbriety” for those who want everything fixed yesterday.
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