Colette Baron-Reid & Dr. Bob Weathers (Part 1) – Humanizing Addiction, Sustaining Long-Term Recovery: Healing Effects of Trauma, Stigma & Shame, and Forging Lives of Connection, Service & Gratitude

Ep. 110 (Part 1 of 2) | Colette Baron-Reid and Dr. Bob Weathers shine a bright light on the big picture state of addiction in our fragmented culture today—how people have become addicted to disconnection, dissociation, and identifying as victims in addition to substance use and other more traditional addictions—as well as sharing the essential elements and practices that have made their sustained long-term recovery possible. Dr. Bob explains that the first step in addressing addiction is to humanize the conversation around it and why. Our tendency toward addiction is universal, embedded in human nature itself, for one. And research shows that people who have suffered childhood trauma are five to ten times more susceptible to becoming addicts—their stress threshold five to ten times lower than other people’s, their stress hormones five to ten times higher. Studies also show that addiction is the most highly stigmatized mental disorder of all. It is humbling to realize what addicts are up against, calling us to compassion, understanding, and action.Both Colette and Bob are solidly grounded in long-term sobriety and deeply dedicated to helping others out of their suffering. Top down, intellectual information is clearly not adequate to sustain recovery—so what is? Spiritual connection, social connection, shadow work, healing shame, surrendering. As Colette says, “In recovery, you discover there is something greater than yourself, your pain, your story, and your limitations—this is the solace.” There comes a turning point when it stops being all about us, and the desire to serve arises. With service comes the all-important experience of belonging. As Bob relates, “It’s not just about not drugging or drinking—I want a vital life.” And what is missing on a global, universal level? Again, connection and community. Recorded August 28, 2023.“Addiction means to be enslaved.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Oracle expert, personal transformation thought leader, and bestselling author Colette Baron-Reid; and recovery coach, addiction educator, author & speaker, Dr. Bob Weathers (01:04)The changing face of addiction with technology and the internet: the addiction to disconnection, dissociation, even the addiction to identify as traumatized, as a victim (04:06)Colette’s entire reason for being clean & sober: conscious contact to a higher power (05:47)Fragmentation: addiction used to be more social, but now we are becoming more and more fragmented as we become increasingly disconnected (06:19)Victimology and the universal nature of addiction (07:51)Addiction is the most stigmatized of all disorders and 46.3 million Americans over 12 years old have been identified as substance use addicted (09:18) Addiction means to be enslaved: the first step is to humanize the conversation about it (10:47)Normality is looking more and more like developmental arrest: we’re all fearful, addicted, and so much less than we could be (12:20)In recovery you discover there is something greater than yourself, your pain, your story, and your limitations—this is the solace (14:13)What are we here to recover? Our original face before we were born (15:28)The importance of practice: Roger’s therapeutic life changes (TLCs) and John’s work on Integral Recovery...