Justine's Story

In this episode, we hear from Justine S, who shares her personal journey of recovery from alcoholism. Justine's family was once wealthy and prestigious, but fell into poverty and shame when her father, a local politician and lawyer, was impeached and disbarred due to his drinking problems. The family lost their home and car, and had to move into a cottage with no heat, relying on welfare to survive. Justine's mother was pregnant with her youngest sibling at the time, and the family had to sleep on sleeping bags in front of a fireplace. Justine started drinking heavily in college and continued into adulthood, leading to daily binge drinking and increasing tolerance. Her mental health declined, and her personality changed as a result of excessive drinking, leading to bizarre behavior and blackouts where days would disappear. When her husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and died, Justine struggled to process her grief and turned to unhealthy drinking to try and suppress it. Justine's journey of recovery began when she realized that she had a problem with alcohol and started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. It took some time, but eventually, she found hope and got a sponsor to help her in her recovery. Justine shares how AA helped her to work on her character defects and selfishness, and how it gave her a sense of community and camaraderie. Justine admits to lying, manipulating, and justifying her actions, even when it came to her character defects. She realized that taking her ego out of situations and being honest about her mistakes gave her more freedom and allowed her to improve. Justine also shares how she changed her sobriety date to start living on honest terms with herself and her program, even after a slip-up involving a seltzer infused with THC during Thanksgiving. Throughout the episode, Justine reflects on her upbringing, family tragedies, and how they contributed to her drinking process and sobriety. She also mentions two guardian angels on earth, one being her sponsor in AA. Listeners will gain insight into the challenges that Justine faced and the strength it takes to confront addiction. Her honesty about her struggles, as well as the hope and wisdom she shares, makes this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to overcome addiction.