571: 5 Hidden Signs of Alcoholism You’re Probably Missing
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one srtuggling with addiction? Most people think alcoholism is easy to spot — heavy drinking, blackouts, or DUIs. But the truth is, some of the most dangerous signs are the subtle ones you’re probably missing. In this video, I break down five hidden signs of alcoholism that don’t always get talked about but can completely change the way you view addiction. These are the red flags I’ve seen over and over again working with individuals and families for years in the recovery field — and you may even recognize one of them in yourself or someone you...
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570: Firefighter Told He’d Never Ride Again… Alcohol Nearly Killed Him
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one srtuggling with addiction? In this episode of Real Recovery Talk, we sit down with Mattie Johnson, a firefighter who was told he would never ride a fire truck again. Why? Because alcohol nearly killed him. For years, Mattie lived fast — drinking hard, partying, and pushing his limits while working in the fire service. He ignored repeated warnings from doctors: “If you don’t stop drinking, you’re going to die.” The wake-up calls came in the form of multiple ICU visits, coughing up blood, and finally stage 4 liver failure. At one point,...
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569: She Got Sober Without Treatment: Here’s How
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one srtuggling with addiction? In this episode of Real Recovery Talk, Tom and Ben sit down with Franchesca, who shares her powerful story of getting clean without traditional addiction treatment. After multiple failed attempts at rehab, Franchesca found recovery in the rooms of a 12-step fellowship — and she’s been clean for 13 years. This conversation dives into her early struggles, being a teen mom, losing and regaining custody of her son, detoxing without medical help, and how community, surrender, and honesty saved her life. Whether you’re in...
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568: Big Book Study: A Vision for you
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one who struggles with addiction?: In today’s episode, Erik takes us through A Vision For You from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Treatment Prep Guide: SoberLink: Join our Big Book Study! Join our FREE FB Support group!: Download our free guides!: Tom IG: Ben IG: RRT IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalkpodcast/
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567: We want to OFFER YOU MORE with less...
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have someone in your life that struggles with addiction and you feel lost or alone? Join us here! We are excited for this new adventure, and freaked out a little bit too! 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more real conversations about addiction, recovery, and hope. 📩 Questions or need help? Reach out: [email protected]
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566: Pregnant and Addicted: Why There’s No Help for Women
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have someone in your life that struggles with addiction and you feel lost or alone? Join us here! What happens when a woman struggling with addiction becomes pregnant — and discovers there are little to no resources to help her? In this episode of Real Recovery Talk, Tom and Ben sit down with Heather, a researcher and advocate, to unpack the hidden struggles women face when battling addiction, especially during pregnancy. From stigma and lack of support to how treatment centers and families can respond, this conversation pulls back the curtain on an issue most people never talk...
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565: Big Book Study: Working with others Part 2
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one who struggles with addiction?: In today’s episode, Erik takes us through Working with Others: Part 2 from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Treatment Prep Guide: SoberLink: Join our Big Book Study! Join our FREE FB Support group!: Download our free guides!: Tom IG: Ben IG: RRT IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalkpodcast/
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564: Build Your Sobriety Like a Business
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one srtuggling with addiction? I was listening to a guy on a podcast talk about what it really takes to build a successful business. He said most entrepreneurs spend the first few years working seven days a week, sixteen hours a day, pouring absolutely everything into it. And I thought—man, that’s exactly what early sobriety should look like. You get out what you put in. If you treat your recovery like it’s part-time, you’re going to get part-time results. But if you go all-in, the payoff is massive. So today, we are breaking down three...
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563: Make your sobriety count! George Graduated with 2 Masters Degrees!
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one srtuggling with addiction? In this episode of Real Recovery Talk, we sit down with George, who recently graduated with not one — but two master’s degrees. His story is a powerful reminder that getting clean and sober isn’t the end of the road — it’s the start of an entirely new life. George opens up about his journey through addiction, the turning points that led him to sobriety, and how he’s used his recovery as a launching pad for personal and professional transformation. From rebuilding his self-worth to achieving academic excellence,...
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562: Big Book Study: Working with others
Real Recovery Talk
Do you have a family member/loved one who struggles with addiction?: In today’s episode, Erik takes us through Working with Others from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Treatment Prep Guide: SoberLink: Join our Big Book Study! Join our FREE FB Support group!: Download our free guides!: Tom IG: Ben IG: RRT IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalkpodcast/
info_outline“I have a place that I was comfortable with that I was already a part of for my recovery.” -Reed
Today, Ben and I chatted with Reed, who tells his story about how his addiction started in college. Raised locally in Palm Beach Gardens, Reed had a good life growing up with loving parents who gave him many opportunities in life. However, with his parents being conservative regarding drinking, Reed didn’t get drugs and alcohol from his parents.
Experimenting with Drugs
While in high school, Reed did drink and smoke weed, but drugs and alcohol weren’t a big problem at this point in his life. However, when he went to the University of Mississippi, he started to heavily get into drugs and alcohol. In his second year at university, his roommate sold multiple forms of hard drugs.
With easy access to drugs and alcohol, it was easy for Reed to become addicted to his personality. “That opened the door of my first year of solid, heavy drug use.” When his house was raided by the DEA, and his roommate passed away from an overdose, Reed was charged, went to jail, and left school.
Talking to Your Kids About Drugs and Alcohol
Reed agrees with us when we talk about being overly strict with your kids about drugs and alcohol, especially in teen years. Instead of telling them not to do anything, be open and frank with your children and have discussions with them about the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol.
When kids aren’t allowed to do anything and have a very restrictive home life, they will generally go out and start to party hard out of control because they were too sheltered in high school.
Check out our website, where you can download episodes with helpful information for those in recovery and their families. Share this podcast with a friend and leave us a review!
Show Highlights
[06:04] Starting by experimenting with drugs and alcohol during his high school years.
[09:48] Reed’s progression from college drinking and drugs to DEA raids.
[21:27] Why being a helicopter parent can persuade your kids to do drugs.
[32:19] Entering into his first treatment program.
[41:27] Needing a geographical change depends on your home life.
[50:11] We discuss the pros and cons of methadone.
[57:46] Speaking to other through AA to educate college students on drugs and alcohol.
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Podcast editing and show notes by Pro Podcast Solutions