My name is Fabian Chavolla and I'm an alcoholic. I grew up on Catalina Island off the coast of California. I lived in a very small, one-square-mile town. I couldn't escape an island but when I found booze in 2008 at the age of 13, I was finally free! Or so I thought. It was the beginning of an 11 year sentence. I stopped drinking booze on June 13th, 2019 almost exactly 11 years after my first buzz. I gotta admit I didn't do it alone, and I went to rehab. It's proven successful thus far. Ive made the commitment to never drink again. Who the f**k knows how long forever is? In order to solidify good habits and hold myself accountable, I have decided to pursue podcasting! I've met so many interesting people with fascinating stories throughout my sobriety journey. I continue to be mesmerized by the resiliency inside of all of us. Whenever we feel like throwing in the towel, we find a f*****g way. Have you ever noticed when were happy or sad, WE KEEP F*****G GOING. We put up with a lot of our own b******t and when we finally reach that breaking point, we decided to do something about it. To finally find a reason, a cure, or a route away from all the drugs and the booze. We did damage to ourselves, our friends and families, significant others. We decided that was it. Enough was enough. Then we get sober and find out that it's uncomfortable for a really long time. We constantly think about using to escape our anxiety. We face adversity at every corner and somehow manage to stay sober. Alcoholism and addiction are such a nasty battle that it's often fought alone and in the dark. Its a beautiful thing to hear inspirational stories from people who perhaps prayed for death every day. I know this cause I was there. I wanna know what they endured, how they got through the dark days, breakthrough moments, mental state then versus now, health differences and the like. I will be having a guest on the show every week and picking the brains of addicts and alcoholics. I hope you get as much insight and joy from listening to my podcast as much as I enjoy making it. Thank you all so much!
Sorry folks, I know I have been missing for two months now!! Ran into a bit of depression and a ton of school work but we are still sober and moving forward! Two years sober on June 13th!
Jim helped found one of A.A.'s first colored groups. Jim tells us about some contributing factors like religion, employment, and geographical attributors to his alcoholism. Through A.A. and the twelve steps, Jim was able to overcome alcoholism and help others recover as well.
An early founding member of AA gives us a great look into the self-destructive and cyclic behavior we as alcoholics and addicts carry.
This episode is a story from the AA book and has many examples on how emotions can falsely encourage relapse.
Although alcohol does run more rampant amongst puny-brained, men and boys, the superior race also struggles with it too. Here is a great look into the absurdity of Dorthy's actions. I hope you enjoy the podcast. Thank you for being here.
In this episode of The Sotally Tober Podcast, we go over the adversities and recovery tactics utilized by this founding member of Canadas earliest A.A. groups in 1944.
The ability to perform at work is crucial to maintain a healthy standard of living. Alcoholics may look undisciplined in the financial factor of their lives, however this chapter assures you that if you give your alcoholic employee the correct tools to defeat his problem, they will be you and the company back tenfold.
Chapter 25 talks about the psychic changes that happen in the family; conversations or remarks to avoid when addressing alcoholics, and what to expect as adversity arises.
Chapter 8 of Alcoholics Anonymous dives into strategies for wives and significant others to execute when dealing with an alcoholic/addicted partner.
I read chapter four and go in depth about my personal higher power, and my weekly issues.
Chapter three dives into the dangerous of the first drink. How simply being armed with the facts of being an alcoholic, isn't enough to remain sober. Explained with a sense of urgency, the listener, if truly an alcoholic will listen attentively. Ask yourself the real question. Have you endured enough hell?
Honestly I forget what kind of non sense I start out with, but I finish reading chapter two, There is a solution.
I go through all the obstacles and scenarios that had a high level of stress and generated fantasies of relapse. Ultimately, I stayed grounded and collected my one year sober from alcohol. Here's how I did it.
Did alcohol contribute to my drinking? Maybe not. But hearing racial slurs thrown my way from a young age, has added extra sadness and insecurities that I never asked for. In this episode, I go over some of the things I heard and experienced growing up colored in America. Although I know directly, it did not alter my drinking, psychologically it may have impacted me in a negative way
Sergeant Johnson with the U.S. Army and I talk excessive drinking and life in the military
My roommate John and I talk about different challenges in sobriety.
Today I talk about the dangers of pride and the importance of developing an open mind in recovery.
Resentment and how to avoid it. Emotional immaturity and how to practice humility
Suddenly I can feel emotions again and everything seems great!
Tate struggles with a love/hate relationship with drugs and chaos.
In this episode, I interview my boy Joe whom I met in rehab and talk about heroin and moving on.
In the fourth episode I sit down with my brother, Carmelo and ask him what it was like watching his older brother slowly lose his mind due to alcohol.
Greg has been sober since September 4th, 2003. Over 16 years without a drink. Here's how he did it.
In this first episode I go over my struggles with alcohol, and the insecurities that lead and kept me in depression. My name is Fabian Chavolla and I'm an alcoholic. I checked into rehab on June 13th, 2019 and I've been booze free ever since. I am enjoying the benefits of it and I hope to hold onto lifelong sobriety. In the last eight months , I have been presented with some of the most difficult challenges and have been pushed to the edge of drinking. Even at times of extreme happiness, I've been tempted with a drink. So I've decided to start this podcast and just jump right into things and learn as I go. I figured if I say i'm going to interview people once a week, well then I have to do it. It'll hold me accountable and its something I find fascinating. To hear a good come-back story.
In this episode of the Sotally Tober Podcast I sit down with my roommate John and discuss his addiction with heroin.