Episode Three Hundred Twenty Eight
Episode Three Hundred Twenty Eight

Bob Forrest's Don't Die Podcast

Bob Forrest, Chuk and Elijah swap stories about old-school rehabs, AA community and how treatment culture has shifted away from tough honesty and "we" language. They mix sober reflections on death, harm reduction and relapse with humour and music talk, aiming their conversation at people in recovery and those who work with them.

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1:15:13•27 Mar 2026

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Truth, Treatment and Rock ’n’ Roll: Bob Forrest on 30 Years of Staying Sober

Episode Overview

Long-term sobriety still requires daily work, regular meetings and honest self-questioning, even after many years.
Addicts often respond best to other addicts who share their own experience and speak from a "we" perspective.
Community support, such as letting newcomers stay with sober friends or showing up to regular meetings, can be more powerful than formal treatment alone.
Softening consequences for wealthy or famous clients in treatment can block the honesty and boundaries people need to get well.
Blame rarely helps recovery; accountability and dropping the victim stance are repeatedly framed as essential for change.

“"Those places are where you go when you're thinking about getting sober. AA is where you come when you decide you want to be sober."”

What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? This long-running chat between addiction counsellor Bob Forrest, Chuk and Elijah wanders through 30-plus years of sobriety, treatment work, music and culture, all through the lens of staying alive and staying honest. You’ll hear them look back at old-school rehabs like Exodus and synanon-style programmes, where addicts were treated the same whether they were broke kids or famous rock stars.

Bob contrasts that with today’s high-end treatment culture, where money and celebrity can soften boundaries and blunt the truth. The trio return again and again to one simple idea: people in addiction need other addicts who’ll tell the truth and say "we", not professionals who stand at a distance. There’s plenty here for anyone in recovery or working in treatment.

They talk about AA as a “we” programme, the loss of the old tradition of letting newcomers crash on sober friends’ sofas, and how community has been replaced by isolation and screen time. Chuk shares how an online morning meeting has become his daily lifeline, a healthier replacement for scrolling social media. The conversation also jumps into free speech, cancel culture and how public shaming and constant online attack make honest conversation tougher – even in recovery spaces.

Music fans will enjoy the side trips through Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit, Greta Van Fleet and the strange sameness of modern pop writing. They end on a raw note: facing death, ALS, and the sudden loss of a friend in recovery, while still insisting that accountability, humour and community are what keep people sober.

If you’re tired of polished recovery talk and want something blunt, messy and real, this one might hit home and make you ask who’s in your "we" right now.

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