Sober Talk SA - SamSober Talk SA - Sam
Sober Talk SA
Sam recounts her long battle with alcohol, relapse after early AA sobriety, and the devastation it caused to her family and life. She also shares how returning to AA, developing a spiritual practice and embracing gratitude have helped her rebuild relationships and maintain three years of continuous sobriety.
34:33•1 Oct 2026
Sam’s Second Chance: Relapse, Return to AA and Rebuilding a Sober Life
Episode Overview
- Staying connected to AA and not leaving after a relapse can be more important than the relapse itself.
- A home group, regular meetings and a trusted sponsor provide vital structure and accountability.
- Daily practices like prayer, meditation, breathing and mindfulness can ease anxiety and keep focus in the present.
- Gratitude lists and living amends help shift from shame and victimhood to responsibility and acceptance.
- Rebuilding relationships with children and family is possible through consistent sobriety and showing up over time.
“"I realised that picking up a drink was probably not the worst thing I did. Looking back, leaving the program was the worst thing I did."”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? In this honest share on Sober Talk SA, Sam talks about decades of bender drinking, repeated relapses, and the devastating impact alcohol had on her family, career and mental health. Sam explains how she first came to Alcoholics Anonymous in 2007, stayed sober for 16 months, then stopped going to meetings and was drinking again within a month.
She later spent nine years away from AA, during which she lost almost everything: her children, relationships with her parents and brothers, and any sense of self-respect. A house fire during a suicide attempt left her with an arson conviction and years of shame to carry. Her story shifts as she describes returning to AA in 2022 after a three‑month binge, the longest drink of her life, which left her isolated and suicidal.
Bumping into another AA member in detox led her back to meetings and, eventually, to three years of continuous sobriety. As she puts it, "I realised that picking up a drink was probably not the worst thing I did. Looking back, leaving the program was the worst thing I did." You’ll hear how a home group, a solid sponsor, and a spiritual practice of prayer, meditation and mindfulness keep her steady.
She talks about learning to "pause when agitated", using breathing and meditation to manage anxiety, and focusing on gratitude so much that she can now list "100 things every day" she’s thankful for. Sam’s story is especially relatable for parents. She talks about her children being removed multiple times, the years of estrangement, and the slow rebuilding of trust through living amends and consistent sobriety.
Her message to anyone struggling is simple and direct: "Anybody who's new or struggling, just honestly, yeah, don't, don't leave. Just don't leave." If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s worth coming back after relapse, this story might be exactly what you need to hear today.
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