In this deeply personal and unexpectedly funny episode, hosts John and Jason sit down with Sarah, who recounts her path from a successful career to the edge of despair and back. Sarah shares the hidden life of a "high-bottom" alcoholic, from starting her drinking day at 2 PM while working from home to the elaborate schemes she devised to hide the extent of her addiction. Her story is a powerful testament to the insanity of the disease and the profound peace that can be found in surrender. She opens up about her "blackout naps," the moment her cats saved her life, and the surprising journey to finding a Higher Power she could finally connect with.

Key Topics & Themes Discussed:

• The High-Bottom Drunk: Sarah discusses the deceptive nature of being a high-functioning alcoholic, where external success masks a deep internal struggle and suicidal ideations.
• The Art of Hiding: The conversation explores the meticulous efforts to conceal drinking, including taking empty bottles to the dumpster in the dead of night to avoid a roommate's suspicion.
• A Feline Intervention: A raw and moving account of how the simple thought of who would care for her cats pulled her back from the brink of suicide.
• Discovering a Higher Power: Sarah shares her initial resistance to and eventual embrace of a Higher Power of her own understanding, a journey from a "recovering Catholic" to someone with a daily spiritual connection.
• The Power of Zoom: How the accessibility of online meetings during the pandemic broke down the barriers to her first meeting and ultimately saved her life.
• Letting Go of Resentment: The freedom found in working the steps and releasing the anger and resentments that fueled her drinking for so long.

Memorable Quotes:

• "I didn't lose my job. So, you know, I was an employed suicidal person. It was great." - On the dark humor of being a "high-bottom" alcoholic.
• "But in my insane fucking mind, that was not what was happening. She wouldn't know if I took the first bottle and took it outside." - On the irrationality of alcoholic thinking.
• "Oh, thank God we are here. Like, for real." - The chilling moment her alcoholism seemed to celebrate finding the perfect place to hide and die.
• "I think it's the fountain of youth and the Holy Grail and all the things, is letting go of resentments."
• "You're just a different human who has had a different experience with life." - On finding compassion for others and letting go of the need to control them.

In this honest and sometimes hilarious episode, Marc talks about hitting rock bottom later in life. From celebrating his 50th birthday in detox to pooping his pants on the freeway, Marc details the moments of despair and absurdity that led him to recovery. His journey is a testament to the fact that it's never too late to ask for help and find a new way to live.

Key Topics & Themes Discussed:

• Late-in-Life Addiction: Marc discusses how his rock bottom didn't happen until his late 40s, triggered by a series of life crises including divorce and family illness.
• The Power of the Decision: Marc emphasizes that the most critical moment for him wasn't just getting sober, but the conscious, firm decision to get well and ask for help.
• From Isolation to Fellowship: He describes the shift from the "go to your room" mentality of dealing with problems alone to the life-changing power of sharing himself and building a supportive community.
• Finding a Higher Power: Marc shares his journey from being a "born and raised agnostic" to developing a concept of a higher power that worked for him, starting with the simple premise that "this is not my simulation."
• Finding Humor in Humiliation: The group finds connection and laughter in some of Marc's most embarrassing moments, highlighting how the shared insanity of addiction can become a source of strength and identification in recovery.

Memorable Quotes:

• "I was actually underneath the stairs of my condominium... and I'm sitting in a puddle of vodka with a broken bottle... that's when I realized, oh my gosh, I might have a problem."
• "My first time alone at 47." - On the terrifying reality of having to finally face himself without the buffer of relationships or substances.
• "One of the reasons that I bought a truck at one point in my life was to help people move. I know that sounds fucking crazy." - On his lifelong pattern of putting others' needs before his own.
• On the detox group witnessing him jumping naked on his bed: "And none of them thought it was strange... 'Yep, been there.'"

In this raw and surprisingly humorous episode, hosts John and Jason are joined by J, who shares her journey through addiction and recovery. From grade school hangovers to hiding wine bottles from her partner to covering up a liquor spill with rubbing alcohol, J's story is a masterclass in alcoholic thinking. She shares the chaos of her past relationships, the rock bottom that led her to her first meeting, and the profound, sometimes hilarious, miracles she's discovered in sobriety.

Key Topics & Themes Discussed:

• Early Life & Trauma: Jenevieve discusses her early introduction to alcohol, growing up with partying parents,
• The Art of Deception: The conversation dives into the complex lies and gaslighting inherent in active addiction, both towards loved ones and oneself.
• The "Bottom": Jenevieve shares the series of events that led to her "involuntary spiritual experience" and her desperate run to the rooms of recovery.
• Surprises in Sobriety: Discovering the simple joy of waking up without a hangover, the power of her children's pride, and the changing, expanding nature of her Higher Power.
• The Power of Inventory: How the seemingly dreaded task of writing an inventory can bring immediate clarity and freedom from resentment.
• Finding Humor in the Darkness: Throughout the episode, the group finds laughter and identification in even the most painful memories, highlighting the shared experience of recovery.

Memorable Quotes:

• "I'm the biggest, brightest, shiniest piece of shit in the room." - On the alcoholic paradox of shame and ego.
• "It's just for arts and crafts!" - On explaining a hidden cache of empty wine bottles.
• "Tell me all the horrible things you did and let me love you anyway." - On the unconditional love found in the recovery community.
• "I was the victim of my own incessant lying."
• On the PTA moms: "The PTA, they can drink. Those chicks... Never trust the Stanley cup. There is shit in their Stanley cup. They are drinkers."