Sarah M. – Sober Since May 1996 (Encore Episode)
From AA Recovery Interviews with Howard L. by Howard L.
February 4, 2026 · 1h 4m · Episode 185
About this episode
Sarah M. shares her journey of recovery from addiction, highlighting her struggles with eating disorders and the impact of Alcoholics Anonymous on her life.
Sarah’s remarkable story begins with a relatively happy childhood in a family with little connection to alcohol. While other addictive behaviors may have been present, Sarah experienced issues with anorexia and bulimia years before her first drink. It manifested into feelings of low self-esteem and negative body-image, causing further shame and fear. By the time she found alcohol at age 16, she was able to ease her negative feelings and fit in, but such escape lead to problems. With difficulties at home and a stint at college cut short by alcohol, Sarah set off on the road to destruction, adding cocaine and crystal meth to the deadly mix along the way. Fortunately, her exposure to recovery for her eating disorders many years earlier left her with a friend who encouraged Sarah to attend AA. After some fits and starts, she finally made it into the Program in 1996. From the start, she worked a Program of diligence and meaning. That early anchoring in AA allowed her to continue to work safely in a bar. She earned enough to pay for education that extricated her from that same tavern job several years later. As her life was steadily improving as the result of Alcoholics Anonymous, she…
People in this episode
Host: Howard L.
Guest: Sarah M.
Topics covered
- addiction
- recovery
- mental health
- self-improvement
- personal story
Keywords
- sober
- addiction recovery
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- eating disorders
- personal growth
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Alcoholics Anonymous
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- Craig S. – Sober 4 Years · March 11, 2026
- Amy B. – Sober Since October 2018 (Encore Episode) · March 6, 2026 · 1h 4m
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