Alcohol Addiction Cost Him Everything. Why Couldn’t He Stay Sober?

Feel like you’ll never get sober? Maybe you’ve tried again and again, but nothing seems to stick. Mike knows that feeling well.Mike’s alcohol addiction eventually cost him his marriage, his business, his relationship with his kids, and nearly everything he had. He went through treatment multiple times, tried AA, and even put together years of sobriety, only to find himself drinking again.Mike knew a lot about recovery. The problem wasn’t knowing what to do. It was putting what he knew into action.In this episode, Mike shares what finally changed, why community became such an important part of his recovery, and how he rebuilt his life after years of alcohol addiction and relapse.Learn more about Mike: https://www.michael-lassman.com/Download the Sober Motivation app. See ya on the inside. Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda built much of her identity around partying. Drinking, drugs, festivals, relationships, and a large social circle weren’t just things she did—they had become part of who she believed she was.Even when a doctor warned her that continuing to use drugs could kill her, Amanda couldn’t imagine stopping. In her mind, getting sober meant losing her friends, her relationship, her social life, and everything she considered fun.As things progressed, Amanda began experiencing seizures. Then, after taking 30 days away from alcohol and drugs, she suffered another seizure while driving, crashed into a light pole, and ended up in the ICU. She says she experienced dozens more seizures in the hospital, spent days in a coma, and was told she had died for approximately five minutes.When Amanda woke up, she began questioning everything she had built her life around.In this episode, she talks about the reality behind her party lifestyle, losing her father, relationships, external validation, loneliness, walking away from her old life, and what it has actually taken to rebuild.Today, Amanda is over a year sober—and says getting sober was the first domino that changed everything.You don’t have to wait for your worst-case scenario to decide you want something different.Amanda on IG: https://www.instagram.com/adsteff/Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No one knew how much Kori was really drinking. From the outside, she was a wife, mom, and hard worker who seemed to have everything together. Behind the scenes, she was secretly taking shots, hiding her alcohol use, and questioning whether she had a drinking problem.After years working in the bar and restaurant industry, drinking had become part of Kori’s everyday life. She could still show up for work and her family, but privately she was struggling with anxiety, shame, secret drinking, and a growing dependence on alcohol.At just 29, a doctor warned Kori about elevated liver enzymes. Still, quitting drinking didn’t happen immediately.For nearly two years, Kori became sober curious. She took breaks from alcohol, tried to moderate her drinking, listened to sobriety podcasts, and wondered whether she really needed to quit alcohol completely.Then on December 10, 2023, there was no dramatic rock bottom. Kori woke up and decided she was done drinking.In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Kori shares her experience with alcohol addiction, functional drinking, motherhood, getting sober, and building a life in recovery. She also talks about what finally helped her quit drinking and why she no longer wants alcohol to be part of her life.If you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol, trying to moderate your drinking, exploring sober curiosity, or wondering what life without alcohol could look like, Kori’s sobriety story is a reminder that you don’t have to wait for everything to fall apart before making a change.Kori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkoripatton/Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more than seven years sober, Anthony never imagined he would find himself back in active addiction.In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Anthony shares his powerful story of drug addiction, cocaine addiction, sobriety, relapse, and addiction recovery. He opens up about his early struggles with cocaine, going to treatment, getting sober, and eventually building a life he was proud of in long-term sobriety.But as life got better, Anthony began letting go of some of the things that had helped him stay sober. Secrets, ego, and small justifications eventually opened the door to relapse and a return to active addiction.Anthony shares what happened next, the impact his addiction had on his marriage and family, and what it took to find recovery again. His story is a powerful reminder that getting sober is only the beginning—and staying sober requires honesty, connection, and continued action.If you’re struggling with alcohol addiction, drug addiction, quitting drinking, getting sober, relapse, or staying sober, Anthony’s recovery story offers an important look at how addiction can return and what it takes to rebuild.Anthony on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveringoutloudpodSober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will returns for Part 2 of his story.After 125 days sober, Will returned to drinking. His alcohol addiction progressed until he was facing end-stage liver cirrhosis, kidney failure, and doctors telling his family he could have just weeks left to live.Will shares what it was like receiving a liver transplant, nearly dying again after his colon ruptured and his family was given a 4% chance that he would survive the night, and eventually receiving a kidney transplant as well.But this story is about much more than survival. Will talks about relapse, shame, self-forgiveness, losing his father, finding purpose, and what finally made sobriety different this time.Today, Will is sober and working in the substance use disorder field, using what he survived to help others find recovery.Listen to Part 1 of Will’s story before this episode to hear how his relationship with alcohol began and what eventually brought him to the hospital. Episode 300 on the Podcast.Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Wilson, better known as Sober Dave, spent decades drinking before alcohol slowly took over nearly every part of his life. What began with drinking socially eventually progressed from beer to cider, wine and finally vodka — at his worst, Dave was drinking around a litre of vodka every night.He would wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning still drunk, go to work hours later, spend entire weekends drinking alone and regularly black out. Looking back, Dave says he remembers very little of his 40s.But on January 7, 2019, something changed.A friend reached out and simply asked Dave if he wanted to stop drinking with him for three months. There was no judgment or lecture — just an offer of support. Dave said yes, and he hasn’t had a drink since.In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Dave talks openly about the progression of his drinking, isolation, shame, the childhood experiences he never dealt with, losing his identity to alcohol, and why getting sober eventually required much more than simply removing the drink.Dave and Brad also discuss connection, self-compassion, relapse and setbacks, nervous-system regulation, changing your relationship with alcohol, and why you don’t need to wait for a devastating rock bottom before deciding to change.If you’ve ever wondered whether your drinking is “bad enough,” or you’re struggling to imagine a life without alcohol, Dave’s story is a powerful reminder of how much can change when you’re willing to start with one day.Connect with Dave: https://www.instagram.com/soberdave/Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Gordon’s alcohol addiction progressed to drinking as much as 1.75 liters of vodka every two days. His health deteriorated, he was diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis, and eventually his organs began shutting down.In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Will shares the reality of alcohol addiction, secret drinking, blackouts, trying to quit drinking, liver failure, transplant, and the moment doctors told him he may have only weeks to live.Now more than 1,200 days sober, Will reflects on what finally changed, the fight to survive, and what recovery and sobriety look like today.If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol, Will’s story is a powerful look at alcohol addiction, quitting drinking, liver disease, and finding a new life in sobriety.Will on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewillpowerpodcast/Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cirrhosis after nearly a decade of heavy alcohol use, but even being told she could die wasn’t enough to immediately make her stop drinking. She shares the progression of her alcohol addiction, liver failure, ascites and the moment she finally got sober on September 29, 2024. Chelsea eventually received a liver transplant and today shares what recovery, sobriety and a second chance at life look like.Chelsea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseablake_85/Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever promised yourself you would stop drinking tomorrow, only to find yourself doing the exact same thing the next day?For Shelby, weekend drinking eventually progressed into daily vodka, blackouts, hidden bottles, and trying desperately to control her relationship with alcohol. She knew she needed to quit drinking, but even after getting months of sobriety, she found herself returning to alcohol and quickly ending up back where she started.In this episode, Shelby shares the experiences that shaped her relationship with alcohol, the reality of being a mom struggling with drinking, and why accepting that she could no longer drink normally became a turning point in her recovery.She also shares how listening to sober stories, finding community, and finally asking for help changed everything.Now more than one year sober, Shelby’s story is a powerful reminder that struggling to quit drinking doesn’t mean you stop trying. Recovery is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone.Connect with Shelby Here: https://www.instagram.com/shelbyyy.cook/Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you know alcohol is hurting your family, but you still can’t stop drinking?Andy returns to the Sober Motivation Podcast to share his journey from years of secret drinking and failed attempts to quit alcohol to reaching 18 months sober.For nearly a decade, Andy knew his relationship with alcohol needed to change. He would wake up hungover, promise himself he was done, and eventually find himself drinking again. As his drinking progressed, he began hiding alcohol from his wife and family. When his son found one of the bottles, Andy realized he was risking the people and life that mattered most to him.In this honest conversation, Andy talks about alcohol addiction, quitting drinking, fatherhood, rebuilding trust, relapse prevention, and finding lasting sobriety through community. He also shares why trying to get sober alone never worked and how connecting with other sober people finally helped him make the change stick.For anyone questioning their drinking, trying to quit alcohol, exploring an alcohol-free life, or looking for real stories of addiction and recovery, Andy’s story is a reminder that you don’t have to hit rock bottom before choosing a different life.Andy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaernie/Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.comSupport the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivationContact me anytime: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.