We Thoroughly Follow the Path or We Drink

We Thoroughly Follow the Path or We Drink

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? This RAW Recovery episode centres on that razor-thin line between staying on the path and slipping back into old thinking, summed up by the blunt theme: "We thoroughly follow the path or we drink." Hosted by Dion, the conversation has the feel of a messy, honest living-room chat rather than a polished lecture.

You’ll hear jokes about cats wanting to be on the show, grumbles about seventh tradition “begging”, and bad-coffee humour mixed in with some very serious truths about relapse, ego and daily spiritual practice. Dion talks openly about his own slips – “at least 22 times” in the last few years – and how they often started with something as simple as skipping a meeting because things seemed to be going well.

He questions the word “relapse”, prefers calling it a slip, and challenges the shame and stigma that say a night of chaos means you’ve lost everything. A big chunk of the episode focuses on the idea that recovery isn’t a one-time fix but a daily rhythm: meetings, prayer, service work and staying honest.

As he puts it, “We do not remain sober merely because we once admitted we were an alcoholic… it is a continuation, a maintenance.” He stresses service as non‑negotiable, calls out “two‑stepping” sponsors who haven’t finished the steps, and describes AA as “cognitive behavioural therapy with God.” Alongside the heavy stuff, there’s talk about choosing happiness, working with an inner child, and learning to handle excitement without letting it snowball into overwhelm and the urge to numb out.

The episode is aimed at people in recovery who are tired of half-measures and want straight talk about why consistency, connection and spiritual maintenance really matter. If you’ve been drifting from meetings or wondering whether your programme has gone a bit soft, this conversation might be the nudge you need to ask: are you walking the path, or just standing near it?