Episode 56 | The #RecoveryFirst Podcast with Mike Todd | "Service To Others In Recovery"Episode 56 | The #RecoveryFirst Podcast with Mike Todd | "Service To Others In Recovery"
The Recovery First Addiction Recovery Podcast by Freedom Recovery Services of Greenville
Mike Todd shares how simple acts of service helped him move from self-centred living to a purpose-driven recovery, highlighted by a moving story about supporting an elderly neighbour at the end of her life. He also explains current efforts to improve recovery housing in South Carolina, with a focus on safety, naloxone access, and protecting vulnerable residents from exploitation.
10:55•2 Dec 2021
Service, Love, and Recovery Housing: Mike Todd on Putting Others First
Episode Overview
- Consistent acts of service, even small ones like setting up chairs or making coffee, can shift focus away from self and support long-term recovery.
- Being present for others, especially in vulnerable moments such as end-of-life care, can clarify what truly matters beyond money and status.
- Service work can grow into a clear sense of purpose, turning recovery into a meaningful vocation rather than a daily struggle.
- Recovery housing has evolved into an industry, which brings the risk of exploitation for vulnerable residents and demands strong advocacy.
- Ensuring naloxone is available in recovery homes and training residents to use it is seen as a basic safety standard for protecting people with substance use disorder.
“We’re not taking any of the money, the cars, the prestige. We’re not taking any of that with us, man. What we’re taking with us is love.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode of The Recovery First Addiction Recovery Podcast with Mike Todd leans hard into one simple answer: service to others. Mike talks candidly about how self-centred he became during active addiction and how early recovery felt awkward and uncomfortable.
His first sponsor pushed him into small acts of service – “putting chairs up, putting chairs out… dumping ashtrays, making coffee.” At first he did it because he was told to, but he realised, “when I did these things, it took the focus off of me and it put the focus on others.” That shift, he says, became a cornerstone of his recovery. You’ll hear him share a powerful story about helping elderly neighbours with his wife.
What started as practical help turned into something much deeper when their neighbour entered hospice and eventually died. Sitting with her in those final moments, Mike says he realised what truly matters: “We’re not taking any of the money, the cars, the prestige… What we’re taking with us is love.” It’s raw, honest, and likely to hit home for anyone rethinking their priorities in sobriety. The episode also touches on the broader recovery landscape in South Carolina.
Mike explains how recovery housing has grown from informal shared living to a full-blown industry, bringing with it serious risks of exploitation. He describes the work of the South Carolina Recovery Housing Association, which focuses on mentoring operators, advocating for ethical practice, and making sure naloxone is available and residents are trained to use it. If you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working in housing or advocacy, you’ll hear a mix of practical action and heart-level reflection.
It might just prompt you to ask: where could service to others fit into your own recovery story?
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