96 - Relapsing after 5 years sober - What Glenn has learned in his Sobriety Journey

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Today I will talk to a former drug addict, Glenn, who almost lost everything because of his addiction to drugs. Many addicts come from a background where addiction is present or the environment they lived in as a child promotes drug and alcohol abuse, however, Glenn is an exception to this rule. His family background is from a supportive family with a stay-at-home mom and a dad who worked out with him at the gym every week.

Sports were big for Glenn, especially wrestling. He excelled at wrestling and had the opportunity to wrestle in college. When the time came to sign to go to college, Glenn told his dad he didn't want to wrestle in college. His dad was surprised but gave him his blessing, and Glenn attended college. Glen decided to not wrestle after his senior year because wrestling was too high pressure.

Glenn talks about how his workouts and winning were addictions, and he won't play a game unless he could win. His friends in college were all leaders of the sport they played. This was his main group of friends. Glenn and his buddies would go hang out in the woods and drink, usually ending up passing out in the basement of his house. Glenn's parents would not allow alcohol in the house, but they were OK with his friends sleeping over.

In 2008, his dad had a stroke and was fired from his job because he couldn't perform his work duties. Being the only income in the household, Glenn decided to pitch in to help pay the mortgage for his dad and mom. He secured a job with a local union that paid well and continued to drink on the weekends. One weekend he fell and separated his shoulder snowboarding. His doctor prescribed pain killers, and after his doctor cut him off, he went through detox. One of his co-workers started selling him his personally prescribed pain killers, which led Glenn down the road to addiction at age 19.

One of his friends offered him heroin, and Glenn was addicted in a week. Heroin was less expensive and gave him a better feeling at age 21. He continued to work his job, but called out often and didn't get paid much. Glenn would only go to work when he needed money for drugs.

He was pulled over a few months later and was arrested with a DWAI. His parents wanted him to go to rehab, he started isolating himself. When he wanted to go home to his parents, they refused to take him in, and Glenn checked himself into rehab. His family knew something was wrong, but no one would address the problem.

Listen in to find out how Glenn found solace in the structure of sober living at Rock Recovery Center, why getting out of the town he lived in was a positive for him, how finding out about his son having a brain tumor affected him and how he lost his sobriety after drinking on a cruise vacation with his family.

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Show Notes:

• [04:04] Glenn talks about his life as a child and his environment growing up.
• [12:16] How Glenn started drinking in college with other leaders in sports.
• [14:30] Glenn's new addiction to painkillers.
• [17:37] Glenn is introduced to heroin.
• [20:35] How Glenn's addiction affected his relationship with his parents.
• [26:13] What Glenn was able to get away from when he came to Florida for rehab.
• [28:21] After getting clean, getting married, Glenn falls back into addiction.
• [29:40] Glenn's mindset while living at the hospital with his wife to take care of his son.
• [30:56] Glenn decided to not go back to meetings after five years of being sober.
• [31:37] Glenn's experience with drinking.
• [33:35] Alcohol can get you re-addicted even if you didn't drink as an addict.
• [37:18] How getting off your diet is similar to getting back onto drugs.
• [38:35] Glenn relapsed for six months then ran out of money.

Links and Resources:

• Real Recovery Live Chat
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• Rock Recovery Center