Stacy H. Age 51. Sober since 10/6/86

Stacy H. Age 51. Sober since 10/6/86

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation with Stacy H, 51 and sober since 6 October 1986, offers a calm, grounded look at long-term recovery that’s both honest and quietly funny. Born and raised in northern Louisiana, Stacy talks about starting drinking at 14 on Boone’s Farm and tequila, moving on to pills from her dad’s pharmacy and, eventually, shooting up cocaine and crystal meth.

Two rehabs by 19 might sound like a short, wild run, but she explains how the real turning point was a “spiritual bottom” where she says, “I just felt dead on the inside,” followed by a foxhole-style prayer and one final Ozzy Osbourne concert before heading back to treatment. The episode spends plenty of time on sponsorship and the AA programme.

Stacy walks through multiple sponsors over 33 years, sharing what each taught her—from laughing at her problems to being called out on “that’s a lie” inventories.

Her current sponsor Bubba, in Arkansas, reminds her that his only job is to connect her to a higher power, not to tell her whether to “wear white underwear or pink underwear.” One of the most powerful moments comes when Stacy describes making amends to a former employer she’d stolen from: “There is no drug or alcohol that could ever make me feel the way I feel right now.

I feel so good.” For anyone who worries life will be flat without that old euphoric high, her story shows how real relief and peace can come from uncomfortable, very human actions like telling the truth and paying money back. If you’re sober, sober-curious, or just wondering whether long-term recovery can actually feel worth it, this conversation might give you a fresh angle to think about—what kind of amends, support, or daily habits could help you feel that good too?