Myers R. Zoom Speaker Meeting 10/1/2026Myers R. Zoom Speaker Meeting 10/1/2026
Mad Dog Recovery AA Speakers
Myers Ramer shares how years of restless sobriety pushed him towards deeper engagement with the AA Big Book, sponsorship and service. The talk focuses on moving from simply being sober to living as a recovered person through AA’s common solution and spiritual practice.
52:03•6 Oct 2026
From Just Sober to Recovered: Myers Ramer on AA’s Common Solution
Episode Overview
- Relying on stories and meetings alone may leave people sober but still mentally and spiritually unwell.
- Studying the AA Big Book helps clarify the disease, the solution and the difference between sobriety and recovery.
- Sponsorship and service are described as non-negotiable disciplines, not optional extras in recovery.
- People in recovery often drift into other addictions if restlessness, irritability and discontent are not treated through the programme.
- Consistent prayer and meditation in step 11 are presented as key to experiencing lasting change and serenity.
“The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we've discovered a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? In this Zoom speaker meeting, Myers Ramer from central Texas shares a raw and often funny look at how simply "not drinking and going to meetings" left him suicidal, overloaded with possessions, and still deeply unwell seven years into sobriety. Myers starts with a passage from pages 17–18 of the AA Big Book, stressing that a "common peril" – swapping war stories – isn't enough to hold people together.
For him, the turning point came when he finally engaged with the "common solution" in the book through structured studies, learning the difference between being merely sober and being truly recovered. He jokes about Blue Bell ice cream and owning three aeroplanes while still feeling like a "walking dumpster fire", showing how untreated restlessness, irritability and discontent can simply shift into new addictions. A big thread throughout is the importance of sponsorship and service.
Myers describes going from almost a decade sober without sponsoring anyone to suddenly having four sponsees after a Salvation Army meeting, and how that change transformed his marriage, family life and sense of purpose. He challenges the idea that you need to be special or have huge amounts of time to help others, calling newcomers "desperate, but picky" and questioning the belief that just sitting in meetings will somehow fix everything. Spiritual practice also features strongly.
Myers talks about step 11, time with a creator, and moments when actions seem to come "from God" rather than from self-will. His tone is direct, humorous and no-nonsense, but always rooted in experience of pain, relapse-risk and recovery. If you’ve ever wondered why sobriety alone doesn’t feel like enough, this talk may nudge you to ask harder questions and lean into the Big Book, service, and spiritual growth.
What might shift for you if you stopped settling for just being "sober today"?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.