Quick - what does the word 'vulnerability' mean to you? Does it have positive or negative connotations for you? Or both?
The dictionary defines vulnerability as this: "the inability to
withstand the effects of a hostile environment". Other definitions
include: "reduced defensive measures" or "susceptible to physical or
emotional attack".
Doesn't sound so good, right?
So
why is vulnerability such a cornerstone to recovery? How do we navigate
its potentially treacherous waters? Why is it so pivotal?
Listen Lisa, Amanda and Ellie, co-hosts of The Bubble Hour, as we have an open (and, yes, vulnerable)
conversation about the topic of vulnerability.
Through the power of
story and shared experience, we discuss what vulnerability means to us,
and how it continues to evolve for us as women in recovery from
alcoholism.
Listen through the widget below, or subscribe to our podcast through the link on the right hand sidebar (or read how in the tab above):
Currently, Sacha is a Rosalynn Carter fellow for mental health journalism through the Carter Center in Atlanta. Among other things, she writes about mental health, addiction, and pop fiction. Sacha is a columnist at The Fix, where she tackles the science of addiction, and a frequent contributor toThe Huffington Post. She is also a contributing editor at The New Republic.
Formerly a senior editor at Reader’s Digest, Sacha has written about everything from space camp to pulp fiction.
She lives with her husband, Peter; son, Theodore; and terrier, SciFi, in Washington, DC.
We were thrilled to have her as a guest on our show! Come listen to our funny, down-to-earth and informative conversation with Sacha about everything from how to know if you've hit bottom, to how to handle social situations sober, to how relationships change and evolve in sobriety.
If you want to subscribe to our podcast, click on the link (on the picture) on our right hand sidebar.
Sarah Allen Benton is author of the book, 'Understanding the High Functioning Alcoholic' , and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and therapist at McLean Hospital in MA.
She has been featured in a NY Times article by Jane Brody, has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CBS Early Show, NPR, is a blogger for PsychologyToday.com and more.
Sarah is a recovering alcoholic and has been sober since February of 2004. She gives lectures and trainings on the topic of high-functioning alcoholics at colleges, boarding schools, and at professional conferences including Harvard’s Treating the Addictions.
Please visit her website The High Functioning Alcoholic for more information about Sarah, her book and additional resources.
In this episode Sarah tells a bit of her own story of alcoholism and recovery, and answers questions about High Functioning Alcoholism, including how to define it, what common personality traits and drinking patters are found with high functioning alcoholics, and steps people who fit this description can find ways to get help.
A very informative episode, and we thank Sarah for her time, and for being such a valuable resource in helping educate us all about this aspect of what is a confounding disease for so many.
Listen to this episode here (or click on the picture in our sidebar to subscribe to our iTunes Podcast):
In this episode, women talk 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). Approximately one in ten people in the USA suffer from the disease of addiction, and many (if not most) are high functioning: holding down jobs, raising children, being productive members of society.
Eight women share their stories of how the stigma - the destructive label given alcoholics - effected their drinking and also their recovery.
From their stories, we learn that there is a stigma that children of alcoholics can have, who tragically witnessed the worst this disease has to offer as they were growing up. They talk about how in their mind that became what an alcoholic looked like: a parent who abandoned their kid, ended up in jail, passed out on the floor every night. As long as they "weren't THAT bad" they couldn't be an alcoholic in their own mind.
They talk about the stigma that comes from the outside world; the misconception that alcoholism is a matter of willpower, and therefore admitting you're an alcoholic is to admit you're weak or morally corrupt. The fact that society is only beginning to understand that alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease that left untreated is almost always fatal - just like diabetes or cancer, but because the symptoms of alcoholism are behavioral, the stigma persists that stopping drinking is a matter of willpower alone.
They talk about how they had great jobs, are loving mothers, are financially stable, didn't drink for months when pregnant, are active in their communities, and therefore can't be an alcoholic in their own mind, even as the niggling fear that they respond differently to alcohol than "normal" people grew in their mind.
All of these brave women have one thing in common; they found the courage to reach out for help, or agreed to help when pressed by loved ones. They didn't let the stigma stop them from getting sober. They are finding their way through the stigma in recovery; some by being open and honest with everyone, some by selectively telling only trusted friends and family members, some by telling no one, but joining online support groups or attending recovery meetings where they can find the people who understand.
This show is meant to chip away at that stigma, even if just a little. Stigmas are, by definition, automatic responses our brain has to a person, or a word. We all have them, about a lot of issues.
It is the Bubble Hour's mission - through the power of these brave women's stories - to demonstrate that rushing to label someone is destructive and wrong, whether we're talking about race, ethnic background, education level, economic level or alcoholism.
Facing fear of judgment and labeling and overcoming a disease like alcoholism is one of the hardest and bravest thing anyone can ever do. Staring at your flaws, your fears, the wreckage your disease left in your life and putting down the drink anyway, asking for help and staying sober a day at a time is a miracle.
We hope this episode helped raise education and about this disease that impacts more than half the adult population - either directly or indirectly.
The holidays -no matter what religious affiliation you are- are difficult times for people in recovery, or struggling to get sober.
Everywhere we turn are ads on television for alcohol, holiday and office parties, and images of people drinking jumping out of the woodwork. Facebook posts are full of images of people drinking (or taking pictures of their drinks - that one always amazes us).
Tonight's episode is all about creating your "Holiday Bubble" - how to keep yourself safe (and hopefully happy!) during the holidays.
It is also our first "call-in" show, which we are really excited about, where people called in with real-life dilemmas about how to make it through their first sober (or not even their first) sober holiday.
We shared stories, cautionary tales, tips and advice and laughed a little along the way.
If YOU have questions for us about how to survive this holiday season, you can always email us at: thebubblehour@gmail.com
We'd love to hear from you.
Enjoy tonight's show! P.S. - There is a glitch on the show with a silent gap that lasts for about a minute - sorry - it's our first time doing a call in show ... please be patient and wait. :)
