Today, I’ll be talking about how to handle talking to your loved one to find out if they have a problem with addiction. Parents can have denial about their children’s addiction, and family members may not recognize signs of addiction. Find out how you can recognize the signs of addiction and what language to use in the delicate conversation of talking to your loved one who may be addicted to drugs and alcohol. How we frame our message in the conversation is important, such as, “I want to allow y...
Oct 29, 2020•26 min
Ben and I talk to Sean, who works for Behave and Detox here in South Florida in today's episode. He is here to share his story of addiction and his recovery process. Sean shares what to look for in a detox center and details about the detox process. Born in the Bronx, Sean moved to Brooklyn with his mom when his parents separated. Brooklyn was a tough place filled with violent crime, drugs, and alcohol - similar to his household. Today, his father has over 30 years of sobriety, and Sean follows ...
Oct 15, 2020•53 min
In today's episode, I talk to Jeremy about his story of addiction. He has decided to be a guest today to inspire others to also start their journey to sobriety. This is Jeremy's eighth attempt at sobriety and learning to live a clean life. Jeremy is now medically retired from the army at age 39 as a result of PTSD. He served our nation for nine years, starting at age 23. Brought up in Concord, North Carolina, Jeremy was a household child who taught respect and manners. He grew up with two siblin...
Oct 09, 2020•47 min
In today's episode, Ben and I talk to Kat, who shares her experiences, the strength she found in her recovery, and the hope she has for her future. Kat's home is in Louisiana, and she is a current resident at Rock Recovery Center. At 32, Kat's second attempt at recovery, with her previous attempt at a different location. Kat started using at the age of 15 and quickly chose heroin as her drug of choice. Much of her drug use has been with family and friends, such as her mother and younger sister. ...
Oct 01, 2020•47 min
In today's episode, Ben and I talk with Vince, a 25-year-old recovering addict from Philadelphia. He stole a bottle of vodka and drank the entire bottle in sixth grade. In the summer of his freshman year of high school, Vince started smoking pot. Cocaine became a weekend sports celebration during his junior year of high school. Vince became an addict after his team coach gave him a prescription narcotic drug in his second college year. Vince was involved in sports as early as he could remember. ...
Sep 24, 2020•50 min
In today's episode, Ben and I talk with Nick, a client here at Rock Recovery Center. Nick originates from Cleveland, Ohio, and this is his first time in recovery at the age of 27. Listen in to this episode to find out how he became addicted to drugs at 11. At a very young age, his first experience was smoking pot at age 11 and had his first drink at 12. Nick is close to his sister, whom he spent many afternoons after school hanging out. Nick followed his dad, playing the same sports. His father ...
Sep 21, 2020•45 min
In today's episode, Ben and I will talk about how addicts can get accustomed to the lifestyle of alcohol and drugs. It's often problematic for addicts to comprehend how to live a "normal" life without the use of illegal substances. Ben and I are both AA graduates, and our experience of sobriety results from working hard to successfully complete the 12 steps of sobriety outlined in AA. This work brought a spiritual foundation into my life, and this is what my sobriety hinges on today. There are m...
Sep 10, 2020•36 min
In today's episode, Ben and I discuss the turning point when a newly sober client can start to make decisions for themselves. In the beginning, the person in recovery will be assigned a sponsor who is there for support and answering questions. Along the process, there's become a point in time that the person who is healing needs to become more independent and start to create change for themselves. Working with thousands of people through the recovery process, Ben and I see many different cases. ...
Sep 03, 2020•30 min
In today's episode, Ben and I discuss how we measure our client's progress and what to expect in the first one to three months of recovery treatment. We'll talk about where we see our clients make the most common mistakes and where addicts fall short in the treatment process. During our team meeting once a week, our staff discusses challenges and celebrations among our patients. "One issue that jumped out at us yesterday is video game addiction." Ben believes that this addiction can significantl...
Aug 27, 2020•31 min
In today's episode, Ben and I are discussing the risk versus reward for addicts. We talk about the real risk of dying from a drug overdose as opposed to the more minimal chance of passing away from contracting COVID when traveling to a rehab facility or attending AA meetings. Many facilities have removed group gatherings at their location. As a result, many addicts are not able to attend their rehab meetings in person. Some have been able to participate in online, however; it's easier to not go ...
Aug 06, 2020•29 min
“There’s always hope, you have to take the first steps.” - Tony In today’s episode, I’m talking with a current patient who has been with us at Rock Recovery Center for three weeks and is 31 days clean today! He is 37 years old and comes to us from Detroit, Michigan. His sister would take care of him and his siblings, as his mom was “in and out a lot” as a result of her addiction to drugs and alcohol. He didn’t lead a “normal” childhood life and grew up on the rough streets of Detroit. Tony remem...
Jul 23, 2020•48 min
In today’s episode, Benjamin and I are going to talk about the “why” behind being an addict. Drinking and doing drugs is a cover for an underlying emotional issue that must be addressed to fully recover successfully. Our clients, because of the choices they have made in the past, do not have the best behavior or comments when they are moving through the process of recovery. In today’s episode, Ben and I will talk about questions and feedback we hear from clients most often, and how we respond to...
Jul 09, 2020•27 min
“When I started coming to meetings, I actually saw freedom in people’s faces, and in the way they spoke, they were just really happy! And I wanted that, you know? It gave me a whole new perspective.” - Patricia Ben and I are chatting with Patricia today. She is a very successful member of our community. Patricia took our suggestions and acted on them to become sober. Consuming her first drink at 12, Patricia decided she liked the feeling of drinking, trying to escape her feelings. This process b...
Jul 02, 2020•46 min
“I have little brothers and sisters that currently don’t have a dad so I feel like if I work on myself and get better for myself I can be a better role model and support for my family back home.’ ” - Mitchell Ben and I are chatting with Mitchell, who is 21 and has been in treatment five times because of his previous cocaine addiction. He started his addiction at 16, with college friends smoking weed mixed with cocaine. Then, he had two knee surgeries as a result of football injuries at age 17 an...
Jun 25, 2020•35 min
“I remember looking in the bathroom mirror and saying to myself, ‘You’re an alcoholic because you are drinking just like your old man.’ ” -John S. Ben and I are chatting with John S., who is a “real alcoholic” in his words. We are going to talk to John about sponsorship, which he is very adamant about. Our group chat will also dive into the differences between privately run and not-for-profit run treatment centers. John is a “real alcoholic” who was born in New Orleans, which is the drinking cit...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 3 min
Benjamin and I will give you advice on how to overcome the three biggest challenges you may face when you are moving from a life of addiction to a life of sobriety. First, you have to establish new relationships with other sober people. Don’t hang out with your old friends who are drinking or doing drugs. They will be a negative influence on your life and can drag you back down to return to being an active addict. You’ll outgrow the addicts that used to be your “friends,” recover your family rel...
Jun 04, 2020•28 min
Benjamin and I will give you advice on the questions you should ask and how you can research recovery and addiction centers. There are seven key questions or points you should discuss when you are looking for a center. #1 Confirm that the person who answers the phone actually works at the facility and isn’t a hotline operator. Make sure you are speaking to someone at the center, not an answering service. A team member can give you a better idea of what is going on at their treatment center and d...
May 28, 2020•52 min
“In every single way, my sobriety has become a blessing for me.” -Sean, Rock Recovery Center I have a guest today, Sean, who is from Long Island, New York. He came to our recovery center eight years ago for thirty days and decided to become a resident of Florida. We talk about Sean’s stage character, how he dropped his walls, and his process of recovery. Two days before he came to Rock Recovery Center, Sean remembers “almost drinking myself to death. Everything was dark in my life. I didn’t see ...
May 21, 2020•1 hr
Set some friggin boundaries please www.realrecoverytalk.com tom@realrecoverytalk.com ben@realrecoverytalk.com I can’t tell you how many phone calls I get from parents that don’t know what to do with her addict son or daughter, a good place to start is setting some boundaries. Having a loved one with addiction problems can be a very stressful situation. Often times we try and navigate this path on our own and think that we know what’s best for our loved one. When we can understand that we do not ...
May 07, 2020•22 min
I have a guest today, Maggie, from Pittsburgh, who has come forward to share her story with us. This is the third time she has been in recovery from alcoholism and is going to tell her story of her past, her present, and where she plans on taking her life in the future. Maggie is in our program at Rock Recovery Center. She is 25 years old and started drinking 13 years ago as a result of trying to keep up with her two older brothers. The crack head down the street would go and buy them alcohol in...
Apr 30, 2020•58 min
Ben and I have two guests today who are sharing their experience with their current recovery experience concerning their past recovery experiences. We will talk to Dakota and Chris about what had impacted them from when they started their sobriety journey to where their journey is taking them in the future. My guests will also talk about how their hard work has paid off, and benefits sobriety has brought to their lives. Dakota was addicted to heroin and has been sober for a year at the end of Ma...
Apr 23, 2020•31 min
Ben and I have a guest with us today who is a patient at Rock Recovery Center. Mathew K, our special guest, shares his history and experience with recovery from alcohol addiction. Matt has been in several different types of treatment several times over the past five years. We discuss Matt’s past wins, mistakes, and his past history related to his addiction. Currently, in his mid-30’s, he started drinking at age 14 and his first use of drugs at age 15. His earliest childhood memories at the age o...
Apr 16, 2020•1 hr 6 min
Ben and I both share the same birthday - April 7th, 1984, with Ben just a few hours older than me! COVID update from South Florida, as we are starting to get to the height of the Coronavirus. Professionals are currently predicting April 16th as the peak time for COVID in Florida. We are continuing our support for our clients with changes as necessary to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. We are both predicting addiction rates increasing because of the economic downturn and lack of work available...
Apr 09, 2020•34 min
Here we are, chatting outside in the beautiful Florida weather, with Real Recovery Talk! COVID-19 has affected so many aspects of our lives, including how Ben and I record our podcasts. We are doing our best to provide recovery at Rock Recovery Center, along with abiding by all state, federal, and local guidelines regarding patient care and the COVID virus. Many people are struggling with the decision to put their loved one on a plane to send them to recovery. They are worried their family membe...
Apr 02, 2020•33 min
Here we are with Real Recovery Talk! Ben and I are driving and podcasting at the same time today, we are here having our car chat and recording this episode. Have you considered an addict that you need to be managed? This is a hard proposition to accept, as we want to feel in control of our lives. Much of the management is in the context of timelines and includes goals. Ultimately, you and your mentor wish to get to the same place in your recovery; however, the path you choose may not be your be...
Mar 12, 2020•25 min
Here we are with Real Recovery Talk! Let's find out what the five stages of change are and how you could be enabling your loved one to stay addicted to drugs and alcohol. Addicts can transfer from one stage to another daily. There are many different factors in the addict's life, which will play into what stage the addict is currently experiencing. This episode is not only for those who are addicted but for the loved ones, friends, and family who have a role in the addict's life. Stage #1: Precon...
Mar 05, 2020•31 min
Here we are with Real Recovery Talk! Ben is hosting our show today with our guest Johnny, a recovered alcoholic and drug addict and part of the team at Futures Recovery Health Care in Jupiter, Florida. Johnny grew up in a financially stable household and was a very privileged child, attended prep school, and expected people to always tell him he was brilliant. He graduated from college and landed a great job in Washington DC, making great money for his age at 21. He soon fell into cocaine addict...
Feb 28, 2020•41 min
Here we are with Real Recovery Talk! Ben is with me today, and we are going to talk about what you can expect from day 31 on when you are a recovering addict. The first thirty days are all about detox and living in a safe environment. The next phase for patients is intensive outpatient treatment. You can easily underestimate how well you will do after 30 days and may want to skip this phase, however, many who do jump the second 30 days of outpatient treatment usually end up using again. When you...
Feb 20, 2020•36 min
5 Min or Less Original Song by Ben B! Visit: www.realrecoverytalk.com for all the episodes Ben and I Can be reached at: Ben@realrecoverytalk.com Tom@realrecoverytalk.com Also Follow us on FB and YouTube @RealRecoveryTalk Original song with a message for today! Everyone experiences pain. Whether it be addiction, trauma, mental health, or the like. These are just a few examples. My question to you is, what are you gonna do with that pain? Are you going to turn it into a strength? Are you gonna let...
Feb 17, 2020•7 min
Here we are with Real Recovery Talk! Do you know someone who is considering going to a treatment facility for up to 30 days? Today, I’m going to talk about how you most likely won’t be cured by going to treatment for 30 days. There are a few people who have been successful after just 30 days; however, they are few and far between. The first day of treatment consists of detox, which generally ranges from day one to day seven. Detox can vary from one to fourteen days, depending on the individual a...
Feb 13, 2020•22 min
