In this episode John talks to Lou about what he wishes he had known about the early stages of recovery. Lou and John explore John’s thirties as an “alcoholic motorway”: chaos everywhere, seemingly no exits, and denial hardened into identity. John recalls losing his marriage to drink, then ironically treating separation as permission to drink “like a gentleman” (he didn't). John shares the fear many problem drinkers hold—“If I stop, then what?”—believing sobriety would be empty despair, even that he’d “used up” his happiness. Early sobriety was hard, but support revealed life after alcohol. A turning point came when he thought, “I wouldn’t mind having me as a friend.” Recovery brought real freedom, purpose, adventure, and a new life.Please be very clear that, at Bottled Up we strongly advise people not to remain in violent or abusive relationships. We understand fully that in many cases circumstances can become untenable. We discuss this fully in our Podcast "Should I Stay or Should I Go".For more information on the service Bottled Up provides, visit: www.bottled-up.comDr John McMahon is a professor and was the senior lecturer for addiction counsellors at the University of the West of Scotland. He has led prominent studies into alcohol addiction for more than 15 years. Before this, for many years, John had an addiction to alcohol. He has been sober for over 40 years.Lou Lewis is a professional counsellor and the co-founder of Bottled Up with John. Lou's first husband had an addiction to alcohol for many years, from that experience and her counselling Lou has a deep understanding of the difficulties of living with problem drinkers.John and Lou are married and live in England. They founded Bottled Up in the hope that it would help change your life.The Bottled Up program is innovative and advocates that the partners of alcoholics can introduce changes to their lives, which will empower them and influence their drinkers to change. If you live with an alcoholic partner, or are looking for help to quit drinking, then Bottled Up is for you.For more help and advice visit www.bottled-up.comFor advertising and sponsorship opportunities email [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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