RE 584: I'm One of ThemRE 584: I'm One of Them
Recovery Elevator
Paul shares a powerful moment of publicly owning his recovery, then Chris recounts his journey from 24/7 drinking and depression to 11 years alcohol‑free. Together they talk about community, SMART Recovery, and why zero drinks can be the simplest choice.
53:14•27 Apr 2026
“I’m One of Them”: Chris on Owning Sobriety and Keeping Zero the Easiest Number
Episode Overview
- Honesty about being a recovering alcoholic can strengthen connection rather than invite stigma.
- Alcohol often feels like a solution to depression and stress but may be causing most of the damage.
- A mix of tools – meetings, podcasts, books, therapy and exercise – can be more effective than relying on one approach.
- Smart Recovery’s rational strategies help some people question beliefs like “I need a drink to cope” and weigh true costs and benefits.
- For many, total abstinence is easier to manage than constant negotiation over “just one or two” drinks.
“As things change, you might need to change along with it and do something different. Keep adding, keep subtracting.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This Recovery Elevator episode centres on honesty, identity, and why saying "I'm one of them" can feel like freedom rather than shame.
Paul opens by sharing how, during a fundraising speech at Yellowstone Alliance Adventures, he unexpectedly told a room of 250 people that he is a "recovering alcoholic" – and then added, "And I'm one of them." Instead of rejection, he was met with warmth and connection, reinforcing his belief that people are hungry for authenticity in a world that often feels shallow and staged.
From there, the focus shifts to Chris from Madison, Wisconsin, who took his last drink on 7 April 2015. Growing up with a father whose drinking contributed to his parents’ divorce, he threw himself into school and activities to avoid home. Alcohol barely featured in his teens, but university brought heavy drinking, drugs, depression, and a suicide attempt.
He explains how he chased the myth of the tortured, doomed musician while ignoring the obvious: alcohol had been "bad right away" and was driving most of his problems. Chris talks about losing a job, a DUI, divorce, and mornings spent choking down cheap vodka at 6 a.m. before work. He links alcohol and depression, echoing Paul's term "iatrogenic" – thinking something is the cure when it's actually the cause.
Quitting meant trying *lots* of things: SMART Recovery, AA, podcasts, quit‑lit, therapy, and serious exercise, then keeping what worked and dropping what didn’t. As he puts it, "As things change, you might need to change along with it and do something different.
Keep adding, keep subtracting." He now prefers SMART Recovery’s rational tools, swears by community over going it alone, and loves the simplicity of "zero is a much easier number to manage." The message is clear: you definitely can do this, but you don’t have to do it by yourself. So where could you start saying, "I'm one of them" and let that be your strength instead of your secret?
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