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100. Shattering the Big Delusion: Harold Long on Addiction, Recovery, and the Power of Honest Transformation

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

Release Date: 05/22/2025

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What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

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A Radical Rethink on Addiction and Healing
In this episode of What’s the Point?, Bill Ellis is joined by Harold Long, a theologian, recovery coach, and author of The Big Delusion: Shattering the Delusions of Alcoholism and Addiction. With over 40 years of experience in recovery, Harold brings a deeply compassionate and honest perspective on what really keeps people trapped in addiction—and what it takes to finally break free.

Drawing from personal experience, decades of volunteer work in the criminal justice system, and countless conversations with those in treatment and recovery, Harold shares the hard truths about addiction. This conversation isn’t just for those struggling with substance abuse—it’s for loved ones, professionals, and anyone ready to better understand the spiritual and psychological grip of addiction.

Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways:

  • The Big Delusion: Why most people struggling with addiction never find long-term recovery—and what’s really blocking them.
  • Delusion of Inequality: Feeling like a square peg in a round hole—and how that fuels addiction.
  • Victimhood and Hopelessness: Why many stuck in addiction believe recovery isn’t possible for them.
  • Naming the Problem: “You’ve got to name it before you can climb it.” Harold explains how language and truth are essential to healing.
  • Who the Book is For: A resource not just for addicts, but also for families, counselors, recovery groups, faith communities, and skeptics.
  • From Denial to Delusion: Understanding why addiction goes far deeper than denial—and why it takes a spiritual shift to recover.
  • Taking Ownership: Healing begins when people stop blaming others and start owning their piece of the puzzle.
  • Dumping the Puzzle on the Table: Harold’s metaphor for finding freedom—letting go of pride and inviting others to help you rebuild.

Harold Long reminds us that addiction recovery is not about willpower—it’s about truth, connection, and radical honesty. Whether you’re struggling yourself or walking alongside someone who is, this episode is a powerful invitation to step into the light and begin the real work of healing.

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Quick Episode Summary: 

  • 0:00 Welcome and introduction to Harold Long and The Big Delusion
  • 2:00 The 30-year journey that led to writing the book
  • 5:00 The roots of addiction and how most people never reach recovery
  • 8:00 Who the book is for and why it’s not just another recovery guide
  • 10:00 The importance of removing ego and certainty to access transformation
  • 14:00 Why spiritual separation and the fractured self are at the heart of addiction
  • 18:00 The delusion of inequality and how it drives poor decisions
  • 22:00 Denial vs. delusion—why addicts often can’t see the truth
  • 28:00 Victimhood and the lie that it’s “not my fault”
  • 32:00 Hopelessness and why so many give up before even trying recovery
  • 36:00 Finding agency and equality in recovery circles
  • 40:00 The power of community and walking shoulder to shoulder
  • 43:00 Recovery as a spiritual and emotional transformation
  • 46:00 What’s the Point? Harold shares the deeper reason behind recovery work

Don’t miss an episode of What’s the Point?. Subscribe on your favorite platform and share this episode with someone who needs to hear that recovery is possible—and worth the fight.