Topic: Why We Help Each OtherTopic: Why We Help Each Other
Sober Cast: An (unofficial) Alcoholics Anonymous Podcast AA
Glenn F shares how a chaotic alcoholic upbringing, disability and prison led him to Alcoholics Anonymous, where sponsorship, service and spiritual principles became central to his sobriety. The talk focuses on why helping each other in AA is vital, especially in tackling selfishness and building a meaningful, sober life.
56:18•21 Sept 2026
Glenn F on Why We Help Each Other in AA
Episode Overview
- AA basics such as a sobriety date, sponsor, Big Book and home group are presented as essential foundations for recovery.
- Glenn stresses that knowledge and willpower alone are insufficient; a higher power and the 12 steps are needed to remove the obsession to drink.
- Selfishness and self-will are identified as central problems, with ongoing Step Ten work used to spot selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear.
- Sponsorship, regular contact with a sponsor and active service help keep him connected to AA’s principles of unity and group conscience.
- Helping others in AA is shown as a practical way to stay sober, be authentic, and move away from isolation and self-centred thinking.
“"Above everything, we must be rid of this selfishness. I got to get rid of this selfishness or it’ll kill me. God makes that possible."”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? In this AA speaker meeting, Glenn F shares his journey on the topic "Why We Help Each Other," blending raw honesty, humour, and Big Book wisdom in a way that’ll resonate with anyone touched by alcoholism.
You’ll hear Glenn talk about growing up in a chaotic, abusive, alcoholic home, and how early approval around drinking and drugs shaped his ideas about connection: alcohol "made me feel like I was one of the guys" after a lifetime of feeling lonely and stuck in his head. He describes becoming "an alcohol and anything-that-can-increase-that-pleasure guy," chasing combinations of substances and ending up in a car crash that meant he "never walked again" and later serving time in prison.
Rather than staying in self-pity, Glenn focuses on how AA and other people saved his life.
He highlights the basics: a sobriety date (May 4, 2017), a sponsor, a home group, and the Big Book: "If anyone doesn’t have these things…the sobriety date, the sponsor, the big book, the home group, you can get them all right here." He explains how sponsorship, weekly meetings with his sponsor Bill T, and service as a GSR keep him grounded in AA’s principles of unity and group conscience.
A key theme is selfishness and the need for spiritual help: "Above everything, we must be rid of this selfishness…God makes that possible." Glenn admits being a "please-like-meaholic" and describes how working the steps, especially Step Ten, helps him watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear so he can be more authentic and less self-centred. This talk suits anyone curious about why AA emphasises helping others, how fellowship supports long-term sobriety, and why self-will alone isn’t enough.
Glenn’s mix of Big Book quotes, personal story, and gentle humour offers both comfort and challenge – leaving you to ask: how might helping others become part of your own recovery journey?
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