What Do We Do When We Feel Lost?What Do We Do When We Feel Lost?
RAW Recovery Podcast
Dion talks through a rough, confusing day in recovery, from a crisis with his cat and money worries to feeling spiritually lost yet still sober. He reflects on slips versus relapse, the weight of guilt, and how basic recovery tools and connection can carry someone through when life feels overwhelming.
32:10•2 Nov 2026
Feeling Lost but Staying Sober: Dion’s RAW Take on Slips, Stress and Direction
Episode Overview
- A slip is returning to recovery after drinking; a relapse is going out and staying out without coming back to meetings.
- Guilt and shame after a slip often come more from other people’s reactions than from our own feelings.
- On days that feel overwhelming, sticking to basic tools like steps one, two and three can be enough.
- Doing too much service work can lead to separation from the group and self‑pity, so others need to share the load.
- Feeling lost, sad or tired does not have to end in a drink; it’s possible to sit with it, ask for guidance and stay sober.
“Being lost doesn’t necessarily mean that I’ve failed… what’s the hope today? That you can feel this way and not drink.”
What emotional and inspiring tales of recovery are out there? This RAW Recovery Podcast instalment features Dion sharing a rough day that snowballed from a sick cat and a bizarre empty vet clinic into money worries, marital tension, and that familiar feeling of being completely lost. You’ll hear him talk frankly about anxiety, PTSD flaring up, and snapping at his wife, then owning it with amends and some self-awareness.
He mixes humour with honesty, joking about his “Barry White voice” and “evil duck” side that wants to give up and chase quick cash, while another part of him still cares deeply about doing the right thing. A big chunk of the chat centres on the difference between a slip and a relapse. Dion explains that a relapse is going out and staying out, while a slip is returning to recovery even after a few days or weeks of drinking.
He uses Jason’s 89‑day slip as a real example of learning from mistakes rather than drowning in shame, stressing that “what we say does matter” in recovery and that guilt from others can sting more than our own. The episode is aimed at people in recovery who are sober yet feel directionless: AA has given them a design for living, but life still feels heavy and unclear.
Dion talks about AA service work losing its spark, feeling like he’s doing too much, and the danger of separating from the group and slipping into self‑pity. Through it all, he comes back to basics: steps one, two and three, asking for guidance, staying connected, and accepting that some days “all I have” is showing up and not drinking.
If you’ve ever felt broke, exhausted, and spiritually stuck yet determined to stay sober, this raw, slightly sweary and surprisingly funny session might make you feel a bit less alone. How do you handle those days when you’re sober, but still feel utterly lost?
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