Laura N. Age. 31 Sober since: 7/28/18

Laura N. Age. 31 Sober since: 7/28/18

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation between host Mike S and guest Laura N, sober since July 2018, offers a raw, funny and painfully honest look at early recovery, trauma, and learning to live without alcohol.

Her turning point comes after her dad quietly says he’s worried about her drinking, followed by one bleak night out that leaves her waking up with a new kind of certainty: “I woke up and I was like, I’m done.” You’ll hear her describe the terror of first meetings, crying silently through a speaker’s share and being baffled by “that gallows humour that we get in the rooms.” A simple suggestion to raise her hand becomes her first taste of service and a hint that her story “might be able to help someone else.” Laura talks candidly about social anxiety, using flirtation and chaos at parties to grab attention, and having to relearn how to socialise sober — from awkwardly greeting at morning meetings to choosing small coffee catch-ups over boozy brunch groups.

Laura shares how her drinking began at 14 and escalated into isolated, secretive consumption where “the idea of running out of liquor was a non-starter.” She talks openly about sexual assault, being disbelieved, and how those experiences fed a worldview where people were dangerous and drink felt like the only escape.

She digs into step work, fear inventories, and the slow, unglamorous process of humility: realising she’s not the centre of the universe and that suffering is, in her words, “a volunteer opportunity.” For anyone curious about what early sobriety actually looks and feels like — messy emotions, dark humour, spiritual questions and all — this episode offers a grounded, relatable view of recovery. Could Laura’s experience help you feel a bit less alone with your own story?