By Christa Banister
The fact that everyone seems to have a podcast these days is not lost on Dominic Lawson. As the host and producer of the Beyond Theory podcast for Meadows Behavioral Healthcare (MBH), the recovery podcast vet has discovered something extraordinary about the decidedly old-school medium: the ability to tell a complete, three-dimensional narrative. This approach is helping MBH’s newest addiction recovery podcast, Recovery Replay, stand out in a crowd.
Considering how the road to recovery isn’t “a journey anyone can take alone,” Lawson wanted that salient truth reflected in the stories of Recovery Replay. Along with highlighting the perspective of the person in recovery, the podcast also features a support person (usually a family member or loved one) and a clinician to give depth and help put everything into perspective. Lawson finds this approach adds “so much color” and helps to “fill in the gaps” with true stories of addiction recovery.
People who struggle with addiction come from all walks of life, all demographics, and all backgrounds. They are so much more than their addiction. — Recovery Replay Host Dominic Lawson
Above all, he wants everyone listening to feel hopeful and less alone in the process. “People who struggle with addiction come from all walks of life, all demographics, and all backgrounds,” Lawson says. “They are so much more than their addiction. We want to remind people of what it takes to move forward and demystify the process: tell addiction recovery stories where people say, ‘I can relate to that.’”
The Normalization of Alcohol
The first episode of Recovery Replay focuses on alcohol addiction. What’s always been tricky about alcohol is that, unlike cocaine, heroin, or meth, it’s a legal substance. Drinking is so socially acceptable that it’s even become the focal point of many celebrations and social gatherings.
On popular TV shows, movies, sporting events, and even memes, it’s practically ubiquitous. It’s seen as something fun — a social lubricant — that doubles as a cure-all for masking emotional and physical pain.
So, exactly how much is too much? It may be less than you think. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “a drink” is .6 ounces of pure alcohol. Basically, the equivalent of one 12-ounce can of regular beer, five ounces of table wine, or 1.5 ounces — a single shot — of brandy, cognac, gin, rum, tequila, or whiskey. The CDC categorizes moderate drinking as two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less for women, with anything beyond that considered excessive.
True Stories of Addiction Recovery
So, how can consuming something seemingly innocuous go downhill so quickly? When exactly does drinking cross the line from social activity to a dependence compounded by a number of health challenges?
The story of Chuck Hyppa, an Arizona golf professional featured on Recovery Replay‘s first season, is illuminating on both fronts. While we’ve come a long way in our understanding of addiction and its impact on society, the modern family, and people of all ages, there are still certain stereotypes and character profiles associated with people in recovery.
That’s where addiction recovery stories like Chuck’s are incredibly valuable. In addition to showing how drinking impacted his health, relationships, and career, it also unveils how unprocessed wounds and a lack of coping mechanisms from childhood and adolescence factor in.
Along with hearing from Chuck, we learn about the day-to-day realities from his wife, Erin. In the same episode, she candidly details the difficulties, illustrating how heart-wrenching the struggle is for all involved. The feelings of helplessness. The push and pull of loving someone, but being frustrated by the fallout of addiction. The lack of trust.
“I would be sitting at work thinking about him and trying to call him. He wouldn’t answer,” Erin says. “So that would turn into worry, and, of course, thinking the absolute worst-case scenario. My days were filled with constant worry … I could never get a real answer of what was going on.”
Offering Hope for the Hurting
One of the reasons a recovery podcast like Recovery Replay resonates with a wide-ranging audience is because it cuts to the heart of the matter. While statistics are certainly helpful and eye-opening in gauging the swath of people facing addiction, a story like Chuck and Erin’s gives those numbers real, living, breathing resonance.
So many “regular” people with families and thriving careers struggle with alcohol dependency.
It’s also a reminder that success or a happy homelife isn’t the cure for all that ails. So many “regular” people with families and thriving careers struggle with alcohol dependency. While it may begin with a few drinks in a social setting, it can spiral into a life-altering habit with crushing, real-world consequences if left untreated.
Considering that an estimated 95,000 people — approximately 68,000 men and 27,000 women — die from alcohol-related causes annually, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), true stories of addiction recovery have never been more timely or vital. To learn more about proven addiction treatment for you or your loved one, reach out to one of our caring staff members at The Meadows today to begin your own recovery journey.