Keeping It Simple In The New Year

"Keep It Simple" is a phrase we hear often in recovery, but what does that really mean? On this episode of The Bubble Hour we talk about how we plan to keep it simple in the New Year. We will share some tips and suggestions that have worked for us in recovery, as well as some things that didn't work that we plan to avoid doing this coming year. This show is not about high expectations or extreme New Year's resolutions. In fact, it's really the opposite of that. We will focus on ways we plan to be kind to ourselves and let go of trying to do everything perfectly in the New Year. So much pressure goes into the resolutions we make for ourselves. Let's talk about how we can be more gentle on ourselves. 

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Grief in Recovery

In recovery, we are promised a safe landing, not a calm passage. We will have to experience grief like anyone in this life. Grief can arise from many of life’s challenging situations such as the ending of a relationship, the death of a loved one, the loss or change of jobs, a serious illness or operation. Even getting sober - giving up our addictions - can give rise to grief.

Now that we are sober, we will sit with many strong emotions - anger, frustration, fear, sadness, guilt, hopelessness, relief, loneliness. And although grief can be a major trigger for relapse (that old impulse to numb our feelings), we find that in sobriety we can handle hard things. We seek fellowship with others in recovery, we use our tools, and we have compassion for our grieving hearts. Join us as we meet some people who are healing their grieving hearts in recovery. With loving kindness, we share this journey and find that our hearts are capable of holding the sacredness of grief.

Click on the link below to listen to this episode. 

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Other Addictions

We here at The Bubble Hour recognize that our friends and family members may be suffering from a more diverse array of addictions than alcoholism and drug addiction.

The Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health offers this definition of addiction:

“A primary, chronic, neurobiologic disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. . . . It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control... compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving” (Savage et al., 2003)

And every addict knows the pain of being separated from his or her ideal self by this complex web.

Join us as our guests share how the compulsive use of gambling and food can lead into darkness followed by recovery. We will discuss how these addictions share roots, characteristics, triggers, and recovery methods. As complicated an issue as addiction is, the faith and hope of recovery exists for everyone.

Click on the widget below to listen to this episode.

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Re-Broadcast: The Importance of Boundaries

Healthy boundaries create healthy relationships.  Unhealthy boundaries create dysfunctional ones.  

By establishing clear boundaries, we define ourselves in relation to others.  To do this, however, we must be able to identify and respect our needs, feelings, opinions, and rights.  Otherwise our efforts would be like putting a fence around a yard without knowing the property lines.

On this show, we will discuss boundaries - how we establish them, how we know when they are (or aren't) healthy, and why boundaries are important to sobriety.

Please join us for this important conversation!

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As they say..."A Grateful Heart Will Never Drink"

Google the phrase 'the power of gratitude' and you'll find many links to articles and research that show how living a life in gratitude can increase our sense of well-being and optimism and can decrease our levels of stress, anxiety and depression. 

Those benefits alone would make this a worthy topic - who doesn't want to feel happier? - but for the alcoholic and addict, an active gratitude practice can be a game changer. Alcoholism and addiction are characterized by a mental obsession. Our behaviors and thought patterns can defy logic, such as when we drink or use despite consequences or vows to stop. We may feel justified in our drinking or using by anxiety, worry, anger, depression. We may get stuck in this thinking with self-pity, shame, and blame, and the painful cycle continues. 

Gratitude is the fastest way out of the despair caused by this cycle! This is why many people in long term recovery subscribe to the notion that an active gratitude practice is an essential part of their sobriety. Join us as we discuss with our guests the ins and outs of a gratitude practice - the ways it helps them stay sober, examples of its benefits, and how to build a practice. In sobriety, we can have Thanksgiving every day!"

Click on the wideget below to listen to this inspirational show!

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A Sober Holiday Is A Happy Holiday!

The holidays can be a joyous and festive time, but there are pressures that come with family and social gatherings, entertaining, and juggling a busy calendar.  These events and stressors can be big triggers for the sober merry-maker!

Listen in as we discuss the anxieties and triggers to watch for and the methods to avoid minefields and old habits, defuse tension, and enjoy the holidays to their fullest potential. 

A sober holiday is a happy holiday. Let's prepare for the festive season together!

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Special Guest: Ann Dowsett Johnston, "Drink, The Intimate Relationship Between Women & Alcohol

We are thrilled to have a Special Guest, Ann Dowsett Johnston, author of "Drink, The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol" on our show!

While women over the past few decades have been closing the gender gap in their professional and educational lives, they are achieving parity with men in rates of alcoholism with alarming momentum--in the U.S., rates of alcoholism among women have risen more than 50 percent in the past decade.

Johnston illuminates this startling epidemic, dissecting the psychological, social, and industry factors that have contributed to its rise, and exploring its long-lasting impact on our society and individual lives.

Drink is groundbreaking and EVERY woman - whether she struggles with alcohol or not - should read this book.

Listen to this show by clicking on the widget below, or click on the link on the right hand side bar to subscribe to our podcast (note: it is much easier to listen to the show by downloading the podcast if you are viewing this from a mobile device): 

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Sunday, November 10, 2013

We had technical difficulties on Sunday, November 10, 2013 so we will be airing our show with special guest Ann Dowsett Johnston, Author of "Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol" on Sunday, November 17, 2013 at our regulary scheduled time. Please go to the "Upcoming Shows" tab for more information. Thanks!

On Balance

On this show we discussed balance - both in life and in recovery.

Our co-host, Lisa N., has a lot of exciting things happening in her life, and she is taking a hiatus from co-hosting the show for awhile. 

We talk to her about her decision, catch up on how she is doing and have a conversation about the importance of balance in our lives.

This is the one year anniversary month of the show, and so we also talk about what the past year has been like for us as we continue to grow and learn.

Listen to this show by clicking on the widget below, or click on the link on the right hand side bar to subscribe to our podcast (note: it is much easier to listen to the show by downloading the podcast if you are viewing this from a mobile device):

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Denial Equals Death

There is an epidemic of addiction in our country, especially amongst younger people, and it is EVERYWHERE.

In this show will talk with Jeff Bertolet, a father who is in recovery himself and whose daughter Morgan is recovering from a nearly fatal drug overdose.  His heartbreaking and hopeful story will amaze you.

We will also talk with Dr. Mark Libon, Chief Clinical Officer at Gosnold, Inc. - a treatment center in Cape Cod, Massachusetts - about his experiences talking with both young people and communities about how they feel about drug use and addiction in their communities.  What he has to say will startle you, and hopefully call you to action in helping to speak out about this deadly epidemic.

We will also talk about ways to help people struggling with addiction and what you can do within your community to help.

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Accepting Acceptance

We hear often that acceptance is key in both getting sober and staying sober.

But what does this really mean?  What does acceptance mean to you? 

We know that in order to get sober, we must accept that we are powerless over drugs and/or alcohol. 

But even during sobriety, accepting things we do not have control over - which turns out is all people, places and things - is critical to maintaining recovery.

In this show we talk all about Acceptance:  why it is important, how it can be elusive, what gets in the way of acceptance, what it means to us, tools we use to find acceptance, how we know when we're not accepting something and what we do to get it back. 

We also share stories of times lack of acceptance has made us struggle or suffer, and share our experiences with times acceptance has helped us not just stay sober but maintain a healthy recovery.

You can listen through the widget below, or look in the tab above to find out how to subscribe to our podcast!   You can also click on the link on the right below our video, which takes you directly to iTunes. 

Thank you!  

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Rebroadcast: The Power of Truth & Story ... Drinking and Shame

One major issue that keeps people stuck in the cycle of alcoholism, even when they know they have a problem, or a niggling doubt that their drinking is getting worse, is SHAME.

On this episode we will hear from six women who are brand new to sobriety, have had more than one Day One recently, but who are still out there swinging, talking to people, becoming part of community, and telling their story - bravely - to offer hope to others and to help heal themselves.

The antidote to shame is truth.

Through the power of story we share our truths; we're not trying to give answers, or how-to's.   They are sharing their stories to demonstrate that the only thing anyone can do wrong is not try at all, not reach out for help, not love yourself enough to face their drinking head-on.

You can listen through the widget below, or look in the tab above to find out how to subscribe to our podcast!   

Thank you!  

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Recovery Advocacy - What Is It? Why and How to Get Involved.

More and more, we hear about Recovery Advocacy. But what does that really mean? Why should we care about Recovery Advocacy? What resources are out there? How can people get involved?

We get these questions frequently, and as National Recovery Month comes to a close, we wanted to wrap up our experiences from this past month: what we witnessed, what we learned, what resources we found and how we got active.

We will also share resources for where you can involved in Recovery Advocacy right in your own community - how to help with policy change, how to get more drug/alcohol education in your school, what organizations are already out there who need your help. We will also talk about what we are doing from a grass roots standpoint with our non-profit Shining Strong; one of the most valuable things we have learned over the past year is that if you can't find the resources you want or need, you can create them! We are blessed to have found many partners and fellow advocates willing to help spread the words that there IS hope, and RECOVERY WORKS.

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Shame. How It Hurts Our Recovery, And Ways To Overcome

Guilt and shame are frequently thought of as the same concept, and the terms are often used interchangeably, they seem to go hand in hand; however, they are not the same. 

Both emotions involve concepts of “wrong” behavior or having done something “wrong,” either by omission or commission. 

They also both involve negative emotions and feelings. On this show, we will explore the difference in these two heavy words. "Guilt says I've done something wrong; shame says there is something wrong with me. Guilt says I've made a mistake; shame says I am a mistake. Guilt says what did was not good; shame says I am no good." 

Shame is so common in recovery - especially early recovery. Coming to terms with the things we did while actively drinking is a big part of healing. In recovery, we face not just the reality of our own past actions, but the stigma that surrounds addiction as a whole. 

There is so much hope, though. By sharing our stories and our truths, we learn we are not alone, and the power of honesty and community help us move out of the darkness of shame and into the light of recovery.

Shame is one of the primary things that keeps people stuck in the cycle of addiction.  In this show we talk about some of the ways we deal with our own guilt and shame, through story and conversation. 

Listen through the widget below, or see the tab above on how to subscribe to our podcast: 

 

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Special Guest - Joy Rigberg from Next Step Recovery

Have you ever been curious about Recovery Coaching and other recovery paths?

We're very excited to have Joy Rigberg, Founder of Next Step Recovery Coaching as a guest on our show!

As an Addiction Recovery & Life Coach, Joy blends Masters-level credentials in Counseling & Education with transformative life coaching to help people rebuild self-trust, connect with your strengths, and create the future they want & deserve.

We talk with Joy about her own experiences as someone who loves a recovery person (and what it was like to love them when they were active), as well as about what Recovery Coaching is .. what types of recovery paths she explores with her clients, and what resources are out there for people seeking to learn more.

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Special Guest - Greg Williams, Creator of the Documentary Film The Anonymous People

We were very excited to have Greg Williams, Filmmaker and Creator of the documentary The Anonymous People as a special guest on our show! Greg is a person in long-term recovery from alcohol and other drugs since age seventeen. He is a health policy advocate, and documentary filmmaker who specializes in the creation of compelling and purposeful content. At age 29, The Anonymous People, is Greg’s first independent feature-length film. His new film is bringing lasting solutions to the screen for one of America’s top health problems.

The Anonymous People is a documentary film about the over 23 million Americans living in long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction. Deeply entrenched social stigma have kept recovery voices silent and faces hidden for decades. The vacuum has been filled with sensational mass media depictions of people with addiction that perpetuate a lurid fascination with the dysfunctional side of what is a preventable and treatable health condition. Just like women with breast cancer, or people with HIV/AIDS, a grass roots social justice movement is emerging. Courageous addiction recovery advocates have come out of the shadows and are organizing to end discrimination and move toward recovery-based solutions.

The moving story of The Anonymous People is told through the faces and voices of citizens, leaders, volunteers, corporate executives, public figures, and celebrities who are laying it all on the line to save the lives of others just like them. This passionate new public recovery movement aims to transform public opinion, engage communities and elected officials, and finally shift problematic policy toward lasting solutions.

You can learn more about the Anonymous People and this recovery movement by going to their brand new Facebook page, Many Faces 1 Voice HERE. On their site you can watch amazing videos from people telling their recovery story, as well as learn more about the film and how to take action.

If you have not yet seen the trailer for the ground-breaking film, please watch it here:

Please listen to this important show in the widget below, or look in the tab above to see how to subscribe to our podcast: 

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Re-Broadcast: Am I or Aren't I an Alcoholic?

Am I an alcoholic?  Or not?

This is one of the most frequent questions we're asked from people who are wondering about their drinking.

The only person who can answer this question, though, is the person asking it. 

Alcoholism is a disease that relies on the patient to diagnose his/herself.

Even though our factual experiences/stories are different, we find out in recovery that we share some common experiences and emotions (commonly known as "signposts") as we progress down the road of addiction.

The hardest signs to recognize are the sneaky, subtle ones that happen earlier on in the 'drinking arc'.  As the disease progresses, the signs become more obvious, but many of us normalize it somehow, or are simply in straight out denial that our drinking is becoming a problem.

This most recent show features special guest Michele, who shares some of her own signposts, and Lisa and I contribute some of ours as well. 

If you can identify with anything you hear tonight, please click on the tab above that offers some sober resources with information and community you may find helpful.

There is no one way to define "alcoholic".  In fact, that label keeps many people stuck and alone.  In this show we want to focus on the common feelings and experiences - things we wish we'd known along our own path were warning signs. 

It's not how much or how often you drink, it's what it does to you that matters. 

That's what this episode is all about; our similarities, and the fact that you're NOT alone. 

Here's the episode, but you can also listen to it on our sidebar.  Click on the tab above to learn how to subscribe to our podcast as well:

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Getting Sober When You're Young - Featured Guest Devin Fox from Young People in Recovery

Getting sober when you are young is amazing in many ways - you get to be present for most of the major milestones in your life.  It also presents it's own challenges, with the pervasiveness of drugs and alcohol abuse in today's culture.

We are thrilled to Welcome Devin Fox as a featured guest on our show, along with other inspiring young people who will share their experience, strength and hope about what it's like to be young and sober.

Devin is Executive Director of Young People in Recovery, which is a movement that is united at all levels to empower young people to find and sustain recovery.  Their Facebook page can be found HERE.

YPR uses voices and lived experiences to advocate, educate, and collaborate. Young People In Recovery envisions a world where all young people in or seeking recovery have the opportunity to reach their maximum potential.

The conversation about recovery and addiction is changing, and young people in recovery are at the forefront of this exciting movement.   If you want to become more involved please visit YPR's website to find out more!

Please listen to this important show!  NOTE:  we had some technical difficulties towards the end of the show where three people dropped suddenly and there is about ten seconds of silence - but the show DOES go on so please keep listening!  

You can listen live through the widget below, or follow the instructions in the tab above for how to subscribe to our podcast!

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Too Old To Get Sober? Never.

There’s an old saying that you’re only as old as you feel. But that’s just telling half of the story. When it comes to those of us of a “certain age,” whatever that age may be, who have been comfortably ensconced in our particular drug of choice for many a year, it may often mean that we believe we are too old to get sober.

Research studies, however, show the negative assessment to be largely a result of conditioning. In other words, if we think something bad about our prospects, especially about our ability to get clean and sober and stay that way, and we’re older adults, guess what? Our belief tends to become reality.

On the other hand, as psychologists and behavioral health professionals readily agree, if we adopt more positive attitudes toward ourselves and our capabilities, it doesn’t matter how old we are. We can still find peace and happiness in a life of sobriety, and we won’t cut ourselves off from the chance to realize this new lifestyle.

On this show we talk to women who got sober "after a certain age" and how they faced their own doubts, the stigma and how they stay sober now. 

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Re-Broadcast: The Stigma of Alcoholism

In this episode, we will have women on the show talking about how the stigma of alcoholism impacted their ability to reach out for help and get sober.

We all know what the stigma is: the homeless man in a door stoop with a bottle in a paper bag, or the woman who can't hold down a job or take care of her children are just a few examples of what we picture in our head when we hear the word "alcoholic".

The reality is that the stigma is one of the biggest roadblocks to getting sober (denial being the other one) and it isn't true 99% of the time. One in ten people in the USA suffer from this disease, and many (if not most) are high functioning: holding down jobs, raising children, being productive members of society.

 Go HERE to see the show's page on Blog Talk Radio!

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Sister Addictions - Food and Alcohol

Many people in recovery struggle with both alcohol AND food disorders. This issue is so common you often hear food addiction referred to as a "sister" addiction to alcoholism.

We have had many requests for a show that addresses the particular challenges for people in recovery who struggle with both, so we are thrilled to welcome Alison Ross, LMFT to our show!

Alison is a licensed psychotherapist and the Founder of Center for Eating Recovery where she helps women and men of all ages heal their relationship with food and become body-confident. In addition to her work at the Center, she is a consultant for Harmony Place a drug and alcohol treatment center, and formerly Beit T’Shuvah, where she helps to create an environment in which women can heal their relationship with food and body while adjusting to sobriety.

On the show, Alison and Carissa, a Mentor at the Center, discuss three cultural narratives that keep us stuck in food addiction and body image distress and how to break free and get healthy from the inside-out.

Listen through the widget below, or read the tab above about how to subscribe to our podcast! 

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Re-Broadcast: What You Don't Know About PAWS - Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome - May Surprise You

You may think withdrawal from substance abuse only refers to the immediate physical symptoms experienced when your body is trying to adjust to NOT having drugs and/or alcohol in its system. We are all mostly aware of some of the more obvious signs of withdrawal: shaking, sweating, racing heartbeat, muscle twitches, insomnia and acute anxiety.

But did you know PAWS symptoms can occur 7-14 days after your last drink, even after the acute withdrawal symptoms recede?  Did you know recovery from nervous system damage requires 6-24 months in a healthy program of recovery?

On this show we will talk more about PAWS, share our own stories about how we were effected by the myriad of physical and psychological symptoms that can be experienced, and share ways to ameliorate the effect of PAWS.  You do not have to be a long-time heavy drinker to experience these uncomfortable side effects, and understanding them can be key to maintaining your sobriety, especially in the early days.

 Go HERE to see the show's page on Blog Talk Radio!

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Starting Over - Facing Yourself After Relapse

Many people who try to quit drinking alcohol have at least one relapse before achieving long-term sobriety. For many, a relapse is part of the recovery process. If you had a relapse, all is not lost. It is time to face the facts, pick yourself up, and start back on the road to recovery. A relapse can be a valuable lesson that helps to strengthen resolve and continue to live an even more authentic and fulfilling sober life. Relapsing is not an indictment, it is simply a reality. The problem is that once it has happened to you, it can be overwhelming to face what has happened. There is a tendency to heap blame on yourself, to feel that you are a failure. That is counter-productive. This week on the show, we will be looking at constructive ways to face yourself and move forward after relapse.

Join us as we hear stories from guests who have relapsed. We will take an honest look at relapse as it relates to recovery.

Click HERE to go to the show's page on Blog Talk Radio.

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Re-Broadcast: Vulnerability and Recovery

For the summer months, we will be broadcasting live shows every other week, instead of every week. 

During the "off" weeks, we will re-broadcast popular or topically relevant shows. This Sunday we will be airing "Vulnerability and Recovery".

The three co-hosts of the show will be sharing their experience with vulnerability, sharing some feedback we have on some informal research/poll of what people think of vulnerability.

The show will air on Sunday, July 14th, at 9pm EST, 8pm Central, 7pm Mountain and 6pm Pacific.

 Go HERE to see the show's page on Blog Talk Radio!

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The Importance of Boundaries

Healthy boundaries create healthy relationships.  Unhealthy boundaries create dysfunctional ones. 

By establishing clear boundaries, we define ourselves in relation to others.  To do this, however, we must be able to identify and respect our needs, feelings, opinions, and rights.  Otherwise our efforts would be like putting a fence around a yard without knowing the property lines.

On this show, we will discuss boundaries - how we establish them, how we know when they are (or aren't) healthy, and why boundaries are important to sobriety.

Please join us for this important conversation!

Show airs at 9pm EST, 8pm Central, 7pm Mountain, 6pm Pacific.

 Go HERE to see the show's page on Blog Talk Radio!

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