Addiction Unlimited Podcast

If you’ve been on the relapse rollercoaster stuck in that cycle of up and down, sober then relapse, over and over feeling like you are getting nowhere…listen up, my friend. I’m going to give you my top 3 pitfalls that will sabotage your sobriety every… single… time. You’re going to see that you may be looking at this thing ALL wrong. You’re also going to get some clear-cut actions you can start taking today to feel better and get farther than you’ve gotten before. Grab those earbuds and put on your running shoes, or walking shoes in my case, and let’s dive in to this solution-focused episode to change your sobriety for good.     Links mentioned in this episode:  Want to work with me? Book A : addictionunlimited.com/call Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more p

  Skills, strategies, and tools for your emotional toolbox… …any thing or activity that is good for your mental wellness and helps you stay balanced and happy. Coping skills are things we can do in the moment, when we are feeling uncomfortable/anxious/angry/overwhelmed, to help us turn down the volume of our emotions and avoid letting them take control. They help us to get through stressful situations with a little more ease, and without doing something we’ll regret later on. Having healthy coping strategies isn’t going to cure WHY you have the anger, resentment, or general discomfort in life, but what it does, is allow you to create more calm in your life by having healthier responses to emotions. And when you can respond to emotions in a healthier way you have more power in your life and you won’t need to turn to alcohol to numb. Different coping skills serve different purposes, too, so let’s dive in to the coping strategies that will change the way you live.   Links mentioned in thi

Do you wish you had more balance and control over your feelings and moods? Tens of millions of people around the world struggle with anxiety, depression, and general overwhelm with life. And, although these feelings are now more common, many find it hard to understand what they’re feeling and how to find the right solutions for them. Rest assured there are solutions to this common discomfort and that’s what we’re talking about in this episode. You need support, emotionally and physically, and with a little guidance anyone can banish the panic that comes with not being able to identify feelings and manage them. Identify, understand, and balance your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress and anxiety, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Want to work with Angela? Book A Call Here : addictionunlimited.com/call   Rate, Review, & Follow

If you’re sick of feeling like sobriety is a constant fight, it’s time to stop winging it and start building a recovery lifestyle that works. Because staying sober isn’t about white-knuckling your way through the day — it’s about creating structure, intention, and goals that support a life without alcohol. In this episode, I walk you through a 90-day recovery plan that gives you the tools to stop relapsing, stay focused, and build the confidence to live a life you’re proud of. We’ll cover: How to create a recovery lifestyle instead of just “not drinking” What a solid 90-day sobriety structure actually looks like The real reason most people relapse after 3 weeks How to set sobriety goals that help you heal emotionally, not just physically How to rebuild your life around purpose, not fear This is the foundation of long-term sobriety — the lifestyle shift that makes it stick.

At the end of my drinking career, it was not fun anymore. I hated it. I felt like its hostage, and I despised it. At the same time, I couldn’t survive without it. At that stage, I didn’t have a choice. Alcohol had me brainwashed, and that bear was fully in control. But here’s the catch- once we have some time without alcohol, the physical withdrawal is over, the mental fog starts to clear, and that bear is starting to lose control. He’s losing his grip on you and you are making your own choices now. Once you get a few weeks, a few months- you have made the choice a million times to not take a drink- so you know you’re capable. You have also made a million other choices like seeking out podcasts, going to meetings, reading books, getting a Coach- you are making choices every day. And this is where I get confused when people say they ‘hope’ they don’t relapse. You don’t ‘hope’, you DECIDE. And this episode will tell you what to do and how to do it so relapse doesn’t have to be an ongoing part of your re

  What would it feel like to continue NOT having a plan and wake up six months from now in exactly the same place- hungover again, feeling terrible, hating life? I know that moment all too well. My sponsor said to me once, “I want you to think about holding a hula hoop”, “Okay”, I said. “What all fits inside your hula hoop”? And I was like, what the hell is this dude talking about? And I looked at him and said, “Me”. To which he responded, “Exactly. And that’s everything you have control of. So if it doesn’t fit inside your hula hoop, leave it alone”! It was a moment that was equally frustrating and life-changing all at the same time, lol. But if it doesn’t fit in my hula hoop, I can’t control it and I don’t need to expend a lot of time and energy TRYING to control it. Listen in to hear more… Links mentioned in this episode:  Get the Recovery Starter Kit: https://www.myrecoverytoolbox.com/recoverystarterkit Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Want to work with Angel

Getting sober is one thing. Staying sober is the real fight. If you’ve ever relapsed and thought, “What the hell just happened?” — this one’s for you.In a raw moment of heartbreak and rage after a friend’s relapse, I wrote a letter to relapse itself. It’s not warm. It’s not fuzzy. And it’s exactly what you need to hear. We’re digging into: Why relapse doesn’t just happen — it’s a series of choices The dangerous trap of indecision that keeps you stuck What it looks like to truly commit to your sobriety 3 no-BS actions to take right now to protect your peace and your sobriety Whether you’re 10 hours sober or 10 years in, this episode will remind you who’s really in charge.

You may think you just have anxiety, alcoholism or ADD, but wait ’til you hear what’s going on under the surface and how to heal it. My special guest, Dr. Don Wood is an inspired leader in the field of trauma, healing, and how our brain controls us. This isn’t only a field of interest for him, but a personal crusade that began with a desire to support his wife in her healing, and to unravel his daughter’s illness from the inside out. He has worked with some of the world’s top athletes, is a renowned author, and has a special offer for Addiction Unlimited listeners! Dr. Wood reveals how we’ve created codes in our brains that dictate our behaviors, like addiction, AND the way to re-write the code. You won’t want to miss this.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Want to work with Angela? Book A Call Here : addictionunlimited.com/call   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.” <

There are many theories about the causes of addiction and many of us are curious about what our underlying issues are, that lead us to an unhealthy relationship with substances and behaviors. What we know for sure is it’s a combination of factors – biological, psychological, social, and environmental. This is also what makes addiction more challenging to treat because it isn’t an illness that can be approached with a single solution. It’s not a matter of just putting down the drink and moving on with your life. Even if there was a way to fix the genetic piece of addiction, that solution wouldn’t be able to fix the psychological pieces. And when you work on the psychological healing, that won’t fix the biology or change the environmental and social aspects. Many of my clients spend a lot of time searching for why this happened to them. How did I end up like this? Why did this happen to me? But one theory that is super interesting to me, and will offer you some additional insight, is attachment theory. &#

Why is your inner critic so freakin’ mean?? We all have that inner monologue – We talk to ourselves all day long. We debate with ourselves about eating another cookie, or drinking another cup of coffee, or how to respond to an email. Regardless of the topic, we hear that inner critic running through our head all day. At times this little voice can actually be helpful and keep you motivated toward reaching goals—like when it reminds you that what you’re about to eat isn’t healthy or what you’re about to do may not be the best decision. But oftentimes, this voice can be more harmful than helpful, particularly when it gets into excessive negativity that can really bring you down. Basically, negative self-talk is any inner dialogue you have with yourself that may be limiting your ability to believe in yourself and your own capabilities. It isn’t just stressful; it can also make it difficult to get motivated and achieve the things you want for your life and family. Today w

The REAL reason for feeling some depression or symptoms of depression when you quit drinking alcohol. And one of these may be something you’ve never heard of. If you’ve ever used alcohol to deal with feelings of depression, you may have found that after your buzz wears off, you feel even lower than before. It’s a chicken and egg situation – which came first? Were you struggling because you were drinking, or were you drinking because you were struggling? Well, both can be true. Drinking can increase depression – but depression is also linked to heavier alcohol use. There are a few things to be aware of to make sense of what you may be feeling and, more importantly, help you cope and have the understanding that it is fixable.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Want to work with Angela? Book A Call Here : addictionunlimited.com/call   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podc

If you find yourself in yo-yo sobriety, and you can’t figure out why you keep going back to drinking when you KNOW you don’t drink well – I’m going to give you some solutions. If you have followed me for any length of time, you know I’m all about solutions and I’m a believer in investing the majority of my time and energy into solving a problem rather than obsessing about it. One thing I can tell you with certainty is, I know what works for recovery. Not only from my personal recovery and fighting all the same battles you’re fighting, but also from the thousands of people I’ve worked with over all the years of my career. Addiction, alcoholism, alcohol use disorder… whatever you want to call it – is very predictable. It’s course and progression is the same in everyone, and the core solutions are the same, too. So if you are back at ‘day one again’ or you have been sober for a minute and you’re fighting your head telling you, “maybe it wasn’t that bad”, “maybe you can control it now”, “you can get away wi

Does recovery give you a framework to follow to build a happy and fulfilled life? Pete Sousa definitely thinks so, and he’s here to tell you all about it in this week’s episode! In this episode, Pete breaks down his addiction step-by-step and shares all the things he did to get, and stay, sober. Pete is a news anchor in Texas, an ESPN broadcaster, and a powerful recovery advocate on his podcast The Payoff with Pete and today he’s sharing his whole story with you. From backing his car into a ditch at his friend’s party, going to treatment, and working at KFC to strengthen his recovery, Pete’s dedication to sobriety is second to none. This episode is overflowing with moving personal stories, self-acceptance, and real life examples of how to live a recovery lifestyle for years to come. Click here to listen on the web, or go to your favorite podcast app to listen to this incredible conversation with Pete!   Links mentioned in this episode:  The Payoff with Pete:  https://open.spotify.com/show/7eoXPG5Mq

Being High-Functioning Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Have a Drinking Problem I understand why you feel that way and how easy it is to separate from the pack when your habits and struggles look different. It does create a sense of being different and not fitting in to traditional methods and programs. And it’s hard to call yourself an alcoholic when your picture of what an alcoholic is, is not good. But let me ask you this – if you are high-functioning, does that mean your problem is different? Or your lifestyle is different? And if you continue to view your problem as different, which is probably what you’ve been doing, then you could continue to stay stuck in yo-yo sobriety, wasting your time and energy for months or years. So what do high-functioning problem drinkers do to be successful at sobriety? Well, we start with facing the real problem, instead of being distracted by the lifestyle and labels. Think about it – there are tens of millions of people with drinking problems across the globe. There is no way

The uncomfortable topic no one is talking about. Or, not too many people are talking about because it can be awkward and weird like everything else in life. But it’s so important for women to understand. And, there are some great recovery revelations in this episode that have nothing to do with life stages or being a man or a woman – but have everything to do with getting sober and living the life you really want. You may know today’s guest from the To 50 & Beyond podcast. When she quit drinking at forty-five, she felt like she had been run over by a truck for years. She was doing the back and forth, back and forth thing, and she finally decided to quit drinking after thirty years of a close relationship with alcohol – finally tired of settling for that life. Lori Massicot loves to talk about the disadvantage of just a small amount of alcohol. From sleepless nights, waking up in the morning fuzzy and hungover, to ending the day with another drink even when you promised yourself you weren’t going to

Many of us love to get annoyed with the AA one-liners and all the recovery phrases out there, but the truth is, they work. And if you get them, they can change your whole trajectory. When you understand what they mean, the few simple words take on a whole new meaning and it becomes its own shorthand language where you hear these few words, and you know exactly what to do. It’s a game changer. Especially if you are caught up in future-tripping, thinking about a bunch of possibilities, what if this happens... what if they do this or say this... what will I do if this… Did you know that studies show 85% of the things you worry about, never happen? 85%!! That’s a lot of wasted time and energy. I’m going to go through 6 of my favorite, life-changing phrases, what they mean to me, and how to use them. And, if you’re signed up for the 30 Days to Fast Track Your Recovery series, you’re going to have access to six more, with a little surprise bonus I’m putting together for you. Links mentioned in this episod

    What does an addictive personality actually look like? People always tell me, “I have a very addictive personality”. Well, I’m right there with you, my friend - if you struggle with substances, it just makes sense we will struggle with behavior addictions, too. Today we’re talking about having an addictive personality and the behavior addictions we can pick up along the way. If I do something and I like it, I want more of it. Food, people, work, exercise, self-improvement and recovery, television, ice cream – it could literally be anything. If I get some gratification from it, I want to do it again, as soon as possible. One common factor underlying nearly every addiction is the feeling of reward. Your brain registers all pleasures in the same way, whether it’s a cold beer after work, a shopping spree, morning sex, or a delicious meal. When you experience that feeling of reward, the brain is flooded with the neurotransmitter dopamine. It’s the feel-good neurotransmitter and it is the thing we

Whether you’re in the early stages of sobriety or have been in recovery for a while, understanding post-acute withdrawal can help you navigate the ups and downs of addiction recovery more effectively. PAWS can be a challenging phase in the addiction recovery journey, and knowing the symptoms and signs can help you create processes and gather tools to get through it without relapse.

Recovery fears are the absolute worst, because let's be real: all you want to do is get your life together and be present with your family, but you can’t stop thinking about all the ways your life will change and wondering if you can handle it. This can also come in the form of not wanting to engage so much with friends because you are feeling torn between two lives and totally uncertain about what your future is going to look like. And I get it – I know that life, sober or not, isn’t always rainbows and kittens, but you shouldn’t be stuck in fear and letting it hold you back. You may know Charlie LeVoir from the Way Out Podcast where he talks about powerful sobriety topics and recovery stories to inspire your recovery journey. He was struggling with a drinking problem, but convinced his wife he could quit whenever he wanted to. In his attempt to moderate his drinking he almost lost a hand while carving the Thanksgiving turkey and that’s when it all came crashing down. No more denial, no more convincing t

Alcoholism, or Alcohol use disorder, is a brain disorder that impairs your ability to stop or control your drinking. Welcome to our first 30 Days to Fast Track Your Recovery series where each week for the next 30 days I’m dropping an extra episode to answer some of the most confusing questions about this crazy alcohol issue we’re dealing with. Today we’re talking about the stages of alcoholism to help you get clarity on yourself, and your habits, so that you can stop screwing around and get the support you want. Alcoholism develops gradually and symptoms range from mild to severe, depending on what stage you’re in. If you’re asking yourself: what the heck is happening to me do I have to quit forever or can I moderate ...you’re in the right place. We’re going to talk about different stages of drinking, how it works, and when you cross the line where attempts to moderate your drinking are going to be a waste of time and energy. It is important to know the signs so that you can accurately gauge where