SoberNotMature - Episode 243 (David G - A Handle Of Olive Oil & Trudging Out Of The Woods)SoberNotMature - Episode 243 (David G - A Handle Of Olive Oil & Trudging Out Of The Woods)
Sober Not Mature
David Garcia shares how a six‑year‑old, a hidden bottle, and a Father’s Day in detox pushed him from functioning alcoholic to committed recovery. The conversation blends dark humour with straight talk about trust, surrender, 12‑step work and rebuilding life after addiction.
1:40:45•17 Oct 2026
A Handle of Olive Oil and the Long Walk Out of the Woods
Episode Overview
- Trust takes years to destroy and often years to rebuild, and it returns on other people’s timelines, not yours.
- Surrendering control and letting others guide you in early recovery can be the difference between life and death.
- Relapse does not mean you are hopeless, but it does show that information alone is not enough without real change.
- Writing and journaling can be powerful tools for processing guilt, shame, and past behaviour.
- You can use your worst moments and mistakes to help someone else feel less alone and more willing to seek help.
“"You don't walk 10 miles into the woods, turn around, take two steps and expect to be out of the woods."”
What remarkable journeys have people faced head‑on against addiction? This episode of *Sober Not Mature* throws you straight into the messy, funny, and brutally honest story of David Garcia – dad, author, and recovering alcoholic – alongside the unfiltered banter of hosts Bill and Mike. David talks about growing up in Irish bars, seeing his dad as a “normal” drinker until cirrhosis killed him, and how that shock kept him away from alcohol for a decade.
Years later, toxic relationships, marriage and unexpected fatherhood pushed him into hidden daily drinking, handles of whiskey, and full‑blown functioning alcoholism. The turning point? His six‑year‑old daughter catching him swigging from a bottle hidden in her closet and shouting, *“Mommy, Daddy’s drinking olive oil.”* From there, you’ll hear about treatment, relapse, and the moment in detox when a Father’s Day gift from his daughter finally broke his denial and led to genuine surrender.
David shares how he threw himself into 12‑step recovery, learned that trust comes back on other people’s timelines, and why “you don’t walk 10 miles into the woods, turn around, take two steps and expect to be out of the woods.” He also talks about turning his journals into two books, using writing as therapy, and wanting his daughter to one day see that help is always possible.
Between the humour, swearing, and self‑deprecation, there’s a steady theme: recovery is hard, ordinary, unglamorous work – but it’s doable. If you like your recovery content raw, sweary, and honest, this chat might be exactly what you need today. Where might your own “olive oil moment” be hiding?
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