Raw Recovery
3 episodes tagged "Raw Recovery".
Addiction Recovery Isn’t A Straight Line!
🔥 Relapse: The Psychological Landmine That No One Talks About Welcome back to Sober Psychology, the podcast where we stop sugarcoating recovery and start calling out your excuses with dark humor, real science, and zero tolerance for BS. I’m Michael — your host, psychologist-in-training, sober dad, and living proof that recovery looks more like a heart monitor than a straight line. Today, we're talking about relapse — not the watered-down, “oops I messed up” version, but the full-on psychological ambush that hijacks your brain when you're not paying attention. This isn't just you slipping up. This is war. It’s emotional sabotage, mental denial, and neurological rewiring all working against your better judgment. Let’s be real: Relapse doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s the end result of ignoring every flashing warning light your brain throws at you. And while you’re out here pretending you’ve got it handled, addiction’s setting up camp in the back of your mind like a drunk raccoon with a grudge. I’m breaking it all down: Why relapse is a process, not a moment How your brain manipulates you into sabotaging your sobriety What to look for before things go sideways — and how to stop it cold This is raw. It’s real. And if it stings a little, good. That means it’s working.
Whiskey Addiction My Terrifying Experience with Alcohol Withdrawal
🥃 “Two Gallons a Day—The Brutal Truth of What Alcohol Did to My Body” | Raw Recovery Short Ever wonder why your trauma blurts out at the worst moments? It’s not drama—it’s biology. Your body is trying to recalibrate after years of chemical dependency. At my worst, I was drinking over two gallons of whiskey a day. Not a typo. Two. Gallons. Per. Day. Full handles. Daily. My body didn’t just crave alcohol—it depended on it to function. 🧠 If I stopped? DTs (delirium tremens) kicked in. I was shaking—sometimes physically, always internally. Cold flashes. Hot flashes. Cramping so bad around my liver I felt like I'd been stabbed. I couldn’t even brush my teeth in the morning without gagging—unless I took a shot of whiskey. Yeah. That was my 6:00 a.m. routine. This isn’t about shame. This is about truth. Your body adapts to survive your addiction. And when you take that substance away, it freaks the hell out. So when you’re randomly emotional or emotionally numb in recovery? That’s not weakness—it’s withdrawal. It’s your nervous system rewiring. Be kind to yourself. You’re not just getting sober—you’re healing at the cellular level.
Why Oversharing Is a Cry for Help
🎙️ “Verbal Diarrhea & Validation: The Psychology of Oversharing” | Raw Recovery Short Hey, I’m Michael—your host, a psychologist-in-training, and a guy who clawed his way out of the whiskey-soaked trenches of addiction. Today we’re tackling a topic that’s more uncomfortable than a hangover on a Monday: oversharing. Yeah… that thing where you dump your life story on a barista, or blast your darkest secrets to the world on social media—just for a few dopamine-fueled likes. So why do we do it? 🧠 Oversharing isn’t just awkward—it’s a psychological red flag. A 2019 study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that 60% of people overshare to seek validation. That’s not connection—that’s a cry for affirmation. For those of us in recovery, it’s also a dangerous minefield. You see, oversharing often comes from a need to be seen, but ironically it can leave you feeling more exposed, more ashamed—and more likely to relapse. This isn’t your grandma’s self-help show. We’re going raw. Unfiltered. No coddling. But yeah—it’s still love. Always love. Just don’t expect hugs after every hard truth. Stick around if you’re ready to confront it.