The Tremendous Fact — We Have Found A Solution (The Daily Trudge)

The Tremendous Fact — We Have Found A Solution (The Daily Trudge)

What emotional and inspiring tales of recovery are out there? This RAW Recovery episode of The Daily Trudge focuses on what the Big Book calls “the tremendous fact” – that there *is* a real, working solution for alcoholism, not just a hopeful theory. Dion keeps things light at the start with his “daily funnies”, tossing out cheeseburger and scarecrow jokes before shifting gears into serious Big Book study.

You’ll hear him read and unpack passages from pages 17, 21, 23 and 28, stressing that thousands of people “have solved the drink problem” and that recovery means freedom from a “hopeless state of mind and body”, not pretending alcohol was never an issue. He talks about the unique bond in Alcoholics Anonymous – people who “would not normally mix” but are held together by shared pain and a common solution.

Loneliness, shame, and the sense of never quite fitting in are all laid on the table, alongside the relief of finally walking into a room where you can say “I’m lonely” and everyone understands without extra explanation. Dion also reads the classic “real alcoholic” description, highlighting the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde personality, secret stashes, morning shakes and baffling relapses.

He points out that losing cars or houses isn’t what defines alcoholism; it’s the loss of control once the first drink is taken. For newcomers, he stresses the importance of going through the Big Book with someone else rather than trying to figure it out alone, warning that intelligence and overthinking can get in the way. He also suggests that if you’re angry, “be angry at the disease, not the person,” while reminding listeners that acceptance has to come eventually.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “one of them”, this candid mix of humour, AA history and straight Big Book reading might help you decide whether you want this solution too.