Ruthie R. Age 34 Sober: 5/1/18

Ruthie R. Age 34 Sober: 5/1/18

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation with Ruthie R, a 34‑year‑old New Yorker with a very dry British wit, gives a raw, funny and honest look at early recovery, relapse and rebuilding a life without alcohol. Host Mike S opens by sharing his own recent struggle: hitting five years sober and suddenly finding that his usual AA tools stopped taking the edge off his anxiety and anger.

His turning point comes from finally admitting in meetings, “I really don’t want to be here,” and learning that simply being honest about those feelings can start to ease them. Ruthie then brings a mix of humour and jaw‑dropping stories. She recalls being drunk in Florida, abandoned on a highway after a man pulled a gun on her car, ending the night in a police cruiser and still drinking for another five years.

She describes never quite fitting in growing up, the rush of that first high‑school party where alcohol seemed to “fix” her, and how drinking went from social glue to something that separated her from everyone else. One of the most powerful moments comes when she plans a secret relapse while her boyfriend is away, only for him to walk in early and find her naked, wrecked and ashamed.

Instead of leaving, he simply says, “Well, you’re an alcoholic, you drank, it’s all right, we just need to try again,” and she’s been sober since the next day. Ruthie talks about hating her first AA meetings, choosing the Chrysler Building as her higher power, and how fellowship shifted from grim artist meetings in a crumbling Bushwick church to brighter rooms as she grew in sobriety.

She’s candid about dragging her feet on amends, yet finds that people are often kinder than she expects. For anyone stuck in early days or feeling like sobriety should feel better by now, this chat asks one simple question: what if you just keep showing up and give yourself more time?