For most people, the idea of recovering out loud fills them with anxiety and incites an instant cringe. All those stories, all that shame... why would you share it with others? But often, at some point in one's journey, they realize that their story has the potential to lead others to the same freedom they've found. When you've found freedom from addiction, it's natural to want to help others find their way there, too. In this episode, we're joined by John, Corey, Kristyna, and Jeff, who have all chosen to talk openly about their journey to sobriety. Some have gone fully public, talking about it in front of huge audiences. Others have quietly shared bits and pieces with people close to them. These are their stories - the fears they faced, the fulfillment they gained, and how their experiences with recovering out loud turned out. In this episode: The pros and cons of the anonymity factor of Alcoholics AnonymousWhat it's like to "come out" as sober in a drinking cultureKnowing when you're ready to shareHow our society is changing, and becoming more open and supportive of the choice to be alcohol freeOvercoming shame and embarrassmentThe difference between sharing and oversharingSharing information about your recovery at work, with bosses or HRDefining "stigma" and what it means to recovering out loudThe language we use surrounding addiction recovery goes a long way in making it more comfortable for others "One day, you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through, and it will become someone else's survival guide." - Brene' Brown --- John began drinking to manage social anxiety and perfectionism present all his life. As his drinking escalated, he appeared on the outside to be functioning - married, two kids, a practicing physician. But on the inside he was struggling to hold it all together. It took him years of trying to moderate before he realized he had to quit drinking, then many tries to actually stop drinking. He’s now sober over 3 years and more at peace than ever. --- Kristyna is a 45-year-old fierce woman, wife, and mother of 2 boys, ages 8 & 9. She is a born and raised SOUTH Jersey girl – GO BIRDS! Kristyna grew up around alcohol and had her first drink at 12 or 13 years old. From then on it was pretty much drinking whenever possible. In her 20’s she began to really feel the negative effects of her drinking. She was drinking till she blacked out every weekend and doing things she would never have done sober. But it was just a weekend thing – no big deal! It continued like that for years. She even tried to learn how to prevent blackouts; not by quitting drinking though! Then in 2014, she had enough; enough of the shame and the guilt, she quit. Kristyna had her sons in 2015 and 2016 and stayed sober. Then, slowly, she got sucked into the mommy wine culture which, eventually, spiraled out of control. Then in 2024, after 2 to 3 years of daily drinking till blackout and constant depression, anxiety, shame, and guilt, she was ready to try again. At the recommendation of her therapist, she decided to try 30 days alcohol free. That was on June 2, 2024 and she never thought she would make it to day 30 and today she is over 7 months alcohol free and never going back. --- Jeff Breedlove serves as strategic policy advisor for the Georgia Council for Recovery and the Georgia Addiction Counselors Association as well as CEO for the American Addiction Recovery Association. Jeff serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia School of Addiction Studies, the Georgia Faith & Recovery Collaboration, and the Regional Advisory Board for the Rx Summit. Jeff was announced as a member of the 2023 Atlanta Business Chronicle Power 10: Health Care List as one of the 10 most powerful health care leaders in Georgia. Jeff was awarded a personal proclamation from Governor Brain Kemp in September 2023 as an outstanding advocate for peer led recovery in Georgia. Jeff is married to Kathryn Ballou; they reside in the Grant Park neighborhood in Atlanta. They have a son, Lawrence Foster “Jack” Breedlove, who was born in Gansu, The People’s Republic of China. He is a person in long-term recovery with a passion to share his story so others know Recovery is real. --- Let’s connect! Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com to sign up for our weekly newsletter, and to gain access to our FREE weekly recovery meetings. You can also find Julie and Steve on: Instagram Facebook Tiktok
