SHAIR 189: The Moment That Saved My Life with Paul HaneySHAIR 189: The Moment That Saved My Life with Paul Haney
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
Paul Haney shares how a terrifying ER panic attack, brutal honesty about his drinking, and online recovery support led to over nine years without alcohol. The conversation highlights his simple daily routines, focus on gratitude, and a flexible, personal approach to long-term sobriety.
1:28:26•25 Sept 2018
The Moment That Saved My Life: Paul Haney on A La Carte Recovery and True Sobriety
Episode Overview
- Honesty about the true amount of drinking was a crucial turning point for Paul in the emergency room.
- A simple daily commitment — “no matter what happens today, I will not drink” — helps anchor his sobriety.
- Online communities and forums can provide strong support even without formal AA or NA involvement.
- Daily gratitude, especially for another sober day, is central to Paul’s emotional stability and outlook.
- Recovery for Paul means enjoying not drinking, rather than resentfully abstaining.
“Abstaining means you don't drink and you hate it. Recovery is you don't drink and you love it.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? For Paul Haney, it was a heart-pounding panic attack in the emergency room after years of drinking up to 36 beers a day. On The SHAIR Recovery Podcast, Paul shares how that single hospital visit became “the moment that saved my life,” and why he hasn’t had a drink since 22 June 2009.
Omar Pinto hosts with his usual warm, relaxed style, giving Paul space to tell a raw yet often wryly funny story: growing up with an alcoholic father who later found AA and 31 years of sobriety, becoming a “high-functioning” drinker with a dream job, and hiding a spiralling habit that almost killed him. The show is aimed at anyone curious about an alcohol-free life, especially those who feel they don’t fit neatly into traditional programmes.
Paul talks about his “a la carte recovery” – taking what works from different approaches without committing to a single fellowship. He never worked AA or NA formally, yet he’s solidly sober through online recovery forums, the SHAIR Recovery Community, and simple daily habits. You’ll hear how his calm, almost minimalist routine – early nights, early mornings, long walks, classic films – became the opposite of his old chaotic, booze-fuelled existence. A big focus is mindset.
Paul contrasts white-knuckling with genuine freedom: “Abstaining means you don't drink and you hate it. Recovery is you don't drink and you love it.” He leans heavily on daily gratitude lists, a morning promise of “no matter what happens today, I will not drink,” and the joy of never having to chase that 14-year-old buzz again.
If you’re wondering whether online support, simple routines, and honest self-reflection can keep you sober, Paul’s story might make you ask yourself: what could your own “moment that saved my life” look like?
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