RE 591: Open Up To Life

Description

Today we have Meg. She is 36 years old, lives in Houston, TX and she took her last drink on October 11th, 2020. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – claim your $100 enrollment bonus Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, check out our new FREE 7-day guide. [02:26] Thoughts from Paul: You've heard the opposite of addiction is connection. Alcohol wants you turning away from people into a more isolated life. Paul encourages us to find small moments in the day when you can open up towards life and shares some examples of how we can engage with other people and nature throughout our lives. [07:21] Paul introduces Meg: Meg is 36 years old and lives in Houston, TX with her two cats Fred and George. She works as an HR coordinator for Meow Wolf and for fun, Meg enjoys walking, puzzling and writing. Meg didn't have her first drink until she was 18 years old but instantly knew it was a special elixir that was going to allow her to be more social and comfortable. Throughout college, Meg says she always drank, often to excess with the purpose of getting drunk. She didn't recognize it as a problem at that point and just continued to spend time with friends who drank like her. Meg got two DUIs when she was in her early 20s. She developed relationships where drinking was part of how they would relate to one another. It wasn't until she was in a relationship with a normal drinker that her drinking became very noticeable. She found herself trying to moderate around him, but says it backfired often. Meg's says that she had some cognitive dissonance growing because she knew that the alcohol was pulling her away from her authenticity but found herself drinking more to try and shut that voice down. The drinking escalated during COVID when Meg was working at home, drinking all day, and hiding bottles from her boyfriend. She soon lost her job and the next day her boyfriend broke up with her. Meg moved from Califor