Does The Big HP Remove ALL Character Defects?

Does The Big HP Remove ALL Character Defects?

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This RAW Recovery Podcast instalment follows Dion as he reflects on Steps Six and Seven, asking whether a Higher Power actually wipes out every character defect or if the real work happens moment by moment. You’ll hear Dion talk frankly about his changing relationship with the wider recovery community, his decision to step back from much of it, and his focus on helping individuals rather than trying to overhaul systems.

He keeps it real with everyday life touches – football chat, turning his office into a bedroom, and caring for poorly cats – all woven in with serious AA principles. The heart of the episode sits in his breakdown of the Big Book and Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions.

Dion questions the idea of instant spiritual perfection and instead emphasises ongoing willingness and honesty: becoming “entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character” while accepting that emotions like anger still show up. As he puts it, “anger is not a character defect, it’s a human emotion.

The character defect is what you do with the anger.” He shares how his obsession to drink was lifted on 16 April 2016, describing it as grace – a free gift – while stressing that growth around other defects takes effort, conversation with trusted people, and a lot of humility. There’s open talk about revenge versus justice, using anger as motivation rather than destruction, and the fear and self-doubt that can creep in even years into sobriety.

For anyone working the steps, wondering whether they’re "fixed" yet, or wrestling with old patterns that keep showing up, this candid chat offers relatable experience and a reminder that character building is a daily practice, not a one-time event. Where might you be ready to stop protecting old defects and start letting real change happen?