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Dow’s revolving-door story of getting sober, slipping, and struggling to get sober again and again should be heard by AAs everywhere. It’s a cautionary tale that shines a bright light on the cunning, baffling, and powerful nature of alcoholism. It’s the disease that’s always lurking just outside the perimeter of AA ready to claim those who let up on this Program of action. In Dow’s case, his family history of alcoholism and drug addiction replicated early in his life when his loneliness and fear of disappointing others needed relief. Drinking, smoking marijuana, and later cocaine use were vital to his ability to cope with life. As a functional alcoholic and addict, he actually succeeded in his academic pursuits, including a law school degree, but his constant need to escape from himself was ever present. Finally, after run-ins with the law and other consequences of his disease, he ended up in rehab for the first time, during which he was introduced to AA. While he stayed sober for a period of time, his success with sobriety also fed his ego. Rather than gratefully embracing the Program, he reclaimed illusory management of his life and soon found himself actually planning his next relapse. During his subsequent 7-year slip diverging from any hope of recovery, he fed his addictions with reckless living fueled by brain-damaging crack cocaine and nefarious relationships. When he finally hit his bottom after three more treatment centers, Dow crawled back into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. But his erroneous belief that it would be easy to come back was crushed by the excruciating realization that he would have to give up and give in to the Program once and for all if he was to get sober and stay alive. But this time he embraced the Program, did the work, and is sober to this day.
Those listeners who have relapsed one or more times will identify immediately with Dow’s poignant story. Those who’ve ever considered relapse may think twice or be dissuaded to follow through with a slip. However you hear his story, I think you’ll find the next hour to be extremely valuable. By the way, I apologize for a rare technical glitch with the interviewer portion of this podcast that makes it sound like I’m conducting the interview from a phone booth, for those of you who remember what a phone booth is! But the quality of content is still excellent and should make up for any sub-par audio. So, without further ado, AA Recovery Interviews and I are pleased to welcome my long-time friend and AA brother, Dow H.
[This is an encore of Episode 51, originally released November 10, 2021].
If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.
I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.