Sobriety Bestie Podcast

I've received a lot of DM's after yesterday's episode on Rob Reiner and Nick Reiner so am coming back today to answer the top questions. You wanted to know is Nick Reiner mentally ill and was he sober at the time of the murders. So we'll dive into that in today's episode.Also I have a clip with Rob Reiner and Nick Reiner's thoughts on Alcoholics Anonymous (thanks to the person who DM'd it to me!) so we'll roll that clip as well.Timestamps00:00 Nick Reiner charged with murder01:34 Was Nick Reiner Under The Influence?01:47 Is Nick Reiner Mentally Ill?02:41 Does Rehab Work?03:56 Rob Reiner + Nick Reiner on "Does AA work?"06:14 Nick + Rob Reiner addiction message06:44 Nick Reiner's Thoughts on 12 Step Not WorkingResources for deconstructing AA:👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free

Today's episode is a bit heavy, heartbreaking and also a deep dive into the addiction movie the now late iconic director Rob Reiner made in 2015 with his son Nick Reiner called "Being Charlie."We'll look at the addiction recovery movie through a deconstruction lens, examine the 12 step loaded language, and follow Charlie through his addiction recovery journey - a character based upon Nick Reiner. In real life, Nick Reiner went to 17+ rehabs in 7 years before being inspired to create this movie with his father. This is an invitation to think about why non effective "treatment" is continually pushed and pursued via medical professionals, treatment centers and 12 step meetings.Timestamps:00:00 Rob Reiner, Nick Reiner + Addiction Recovery Intro02:32 Nick Reiner 17+ Rehabs03:46 Deconstructing Being Charlie Movie04:17 12 Step Loaded Language07:58 How Nick Reiner Got Sober08:58 12 Step Treatment is Ineffective10:47 RIP Rob + Michele Reiner11:48 Rob Reiner + Nick Reiner InterviewResources for deconstructing AA:👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free

It's the 91 year anniversary of BIll W.'s "White Light Spiritual Experience" so we're going to unpack it all in this episode. We'll cover what drugs Bill was on, some of Towns history (the founder of the rehab Bill was in), Carl Jung's work on the numinous or spiritual / religious experiences and we'll hear from the livestream audience about their thoughts on spiritual experience. I timestamped it below in case you want to skip around.Timestamps:00:00 91 Years Later: Deconstructing Bill Wilson’s White Light Experience02:32 Bill Made His Experience Institutional "Proof"05:14 The Spiritual Experience Requirement 11:05 The Drugs Bill Was On25:08 The Jung Letter and Chain-Style Transmission29:22 Personal Psychedelic Experiences vs Universal Prescription49:23 Leaving AA and the Psychological Devastation51:57 Deconstructing ‘AA Worked For Me’ or 'Didn't Work'55:32 Bill's Hallucination Still Shapes Recovery Today1:03:44 The Cognitive Dissonance Around Bill’s LSD Use1:09:18 AA as Mythology, Not Medicine01:14:42 Carl Jung vs. Bill Wilson01:25:08 Towns Hospital 1:33:42 Healing Trauma + Exit Costs 1:41:03 Jung Was Opposite of Bill in ThinkingResources for deconstructing AA:👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free

December 11th 1934 is Bill W, the Founder of AA's, last day drinking and the day he went into Town's Hospital for alcohol addiction treatment. Today on Sobriety Bestie pod we're diving into how Bill was preyed upon when he was incredibly vulnerable (by the Oxford Group). Then how Bill turned around and built this methodology, of AA preying on the vulnerable, into his 12 step system.Resources for deconstructing AA:👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free

Ostracized for leaving AA. Told she’d die if she walked away. Came back anyway. Left again. And is still here, and finally free.In this raw, funny, and brutally honest conversation, Lilly and I talk about what it’s really like to be "AA-famous," get shunned when you “go out,” and slowly realize the thing you thought saved you is also harming you.We get into informed consent, harmful sponsorship, Al-Anon culty offshoots, drinking again without going back to meetings, ADHD/dopamine, and why so many of us feel more broken after years in 12-step than we did going in.If you’ve ever:Been terrified to leave AA because “you’ll die”Been shunned or quietly dropped when you stopped goingWondered if it’s ethical for traumatized non-professionals to hear 4th-step confessionsTried to “work on yourself” to deathOr are just sitting in that after-recovery void thinking, “What now?”…this one’s for you. You are not crazy, you are not alone, and you’re allowed to change your mind.Timestamps:00:00 Shunned After AA Intro02:08 Leaving AA07:46 Taking What She Wanted, Leaving The Rest08:30 It's Unethical To Sponsor10:01 We Met In AA15:49 What The "Daily Reprieve" Actually Is22:40 What Helped Lilly Leave AA26:26 "Informed Consent" in AA33:46 Harmful Alanon + Amends 45:36 AA Breaks You Down48:19 Half Measures AA50:02 Full Blown Cult Alanon53:30 Connecting With AA Escapees56:20 Drinking Moderately1:05:36 ADHD, Dopamine, Addiction + Hobbies 1:14:39 Feeling Angry After Leaving AA1:23:32 Cult Within A Cult + Sponsoring Yourself 1:31:18 When Your Sponsor Leaves 12 Step👉 Deprogram Lounge (Deprogram community, courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Today we're reading a book review for AA's Big Book or the book "Alcoholics Anonymous" that was featured in JAMA, the Journal of American Medical Association back in 1939, 6 months after the Big Book was published.Here's the source.👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

In today’s episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, Tara Grace (Burn The Stigma) and I break down AA's "we're spiritual not religious" gaslight.This episode comes from today's Bernie & Bestie LIVE, where we just unpacked what a religion is, how AA maps to a religion, some of the God language inside the Big Book and taking the third step (in public!). Then we crowd sourced everyone's perspectives on the AA spiritual not religious indoctrination to add to the conversation.👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Leaving 12 step can feel like freedom and heartbreak at the same time.You thought walking away would be the hard part. But it’s the after that gets quiet and confusing.The mixed emotions. The questions you didn’t expect. The “now what?” feeling.Today on Sobriety Bestie Podcast we're diving in deep to explore what the hardest part of leaving AA is. I share my perspective and experience then we crowd source the comments to see what's been hard for others and how they've navigated it.👉 Deprogram Lounge (Deprogram community, courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

In today’s episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, Tara Grace (Burn The Stigma) and I break down how the language inside Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs can lock people into a forever-sick identity—often without realizing it.We explore common phrases like “progressive and fatal disease,” “mental obsession,” “physical allergy,” “character defects,” “daily reprieve,” and “you’re only as sick as your secrets.” These ideas can shape how we see ourselves and create a kind of learned helplessness.I share my own shift: Changing how I think about myself changed everything.I’m not forever sick, broken, or spiritually defective—and you likely aren't either.This episode comes from Sunday’s Bernie & Bestie LIVE, where we spent two hours unpacking how 12-step culture can keep people stuck—and what breaking free actually looks like.👉 Deprogram Lounge (Deprogram community, courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Wondering how long it takes to deprogram 12 step? Today we'll explore a cult recovery checklist to help get an idea of where you're at and what might be next on your deprogramming journey.Timestamps:00:00 How long is AA Deprogramming Intro04:15 Phase 1 Stabilization10:05 Phase 2 Cognitive Deconstruction20:13 Phase 3 Emotional Reprocessing35:02 Phase 4 Identity Reconstruction44:19 Phase 5 Social Reconnection51:30 Phase 6 Behavioral Unlearning54:28 Phase 7 Long Term Integration👉 Deprogram Lounge (Deprogram community, courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

So many of us "crave" meetings after we decide to leave AA. Here's what I think is going on...👉 Deprogram Lounge (Deprogram community, courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Join us for a fun Thanksgiving inspired episode as Carrie (Carrie's Substack) and I reclaim gratitude after leaving AA.A lot of us are forced into masking our feelings with "gratitude" inside 12 step. But that wasn’t gratitude — that was obedience, conformity and spiritual bypassing.So of course so many of us get the ick around gratitude after leaving AA.It’s like a post-cult mandatory-gratitude hangover — your body remembers the coercion.But we can reclaim what's been taken from us, we get to own ALL of our humanity.We can choose to reclaim gratitude.Timestamps:00:00 Reclaiming Gratitude Intro02:05 Mandatory Gratitude Rules05:50 Mandatory Gratitude Checklist10:23 Gratitude Officers Retire12:24 Mandatory Gratitude in AA22:58 Using Others To Feel Grateful32:57 Genuine Gratitude33:52 November AA Gratitude Month39:46 Spiritual Bypassing in AA46:39 "Nobody held a gun to your head"1:00:50 Reclaiming Gratitude👉 Deprogram Lounge (Deprogram community, courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Burnie + Bestie LIVE is back. Here's yesterdays livestream episode with Tara Grace from Burn the Stigma and me, Sobriety Bestie vibing in the comment section answering questions and having fun.👉 Deprogram Lounge (Membership with courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

I'm starting a new weekly live show on YouTube and wanted to share the first one here with you (from yesterday).👉 Deprogram Lounge (Membership with courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Sam ("Ebby Thacher" on Instagram) opens up about what it was actually like to leave AA after years of fear-based messaging, confusion, and being told that walking away was dangerous. The story dives into the shock of realizing that the “only way” wasn’t helping, the exhaustion of searching for real mental-health support, and the moment everything clicked: the problem wasn’t a lack of willingness — the problem was the system itself.What created real change was stepping outside AA ideology, learning the science, exploring harm reduction, and finally trusting personal experience over dogma. Sam’s story is honest, raw, and deeply validating for anyone who’s questioning AA. The takeaway is clear: choosing a different path is not only safe — it can be the beginning of actual healing and freedom.Timestamps00:00 Intro Leaving AA Saves Lives02:00 Leaving AA03:16 Phases of Leaving AA10:45 Therapy, IOP + Pushed to AA21:03 AA is a Cult + Rehab a Scam??36:53 First Time at AA39:18 The Allergy Mythology42:19 What Helped Sam Get Sober44:52 Cannabis Saved Sam's Life54:37 Still "In Recovery" ?1:00:42 Guilt Over Sponsoring + Self Gaslighting1:08:07 Inner Child, Healing + Internal Family Systems1:23:54 Speaking Out About Leaving AA1:28:17 Ebby Thatcher1:31:40 Hope For The Recovery Narrative1:36:20 You're Not Going To Die If You Leave AA👉 Deprogram Lounge (Membership with courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Burnie + Bestie are back for our second Burnie + Bestie LIVE stream episode featuring Tara Grace from Burn The Stigma and Kirsten (me, Sobriety Bestie) discussing all the addiction and recovery things. We went live on Sunday November 16th and are thinking about making this an ongoing thing LIVE on Sobriety Bestie YouTube on Sundays at 9 am pacific.Burn The Stigma channel: ‪@Burnthestigma420‬👉 Deprogram Lounge (Membership with courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club. + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Most addicts and alcoholics do recover — and up to three quarters recover without any treatment. Today we’re breaking down the author of Biology of Desire, Mark Lewis’s TED Talk to explore how he got sober and what neuroscience reveals about self-trust, belief, and recovery.Mark Lewis, PhD, is a neuroscientist and former addict whose research challenges the disease model of addiction. His story offers a science-backed, empowering perspective — one rooted in self-trust, personal agency, and belief in our ability to change.Timestamps:00:00 Marc Lewis Intro0:39 Marc Lewis TED Talk01:39 Self Trust04:14 Powerful or Powerless?05:52 Delay Discounting09:05 How Marc Lewis Got Sober10:13 Addiction Recovery is Backwards👉 Deprogram Lounge (Membership with courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club. + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Ever wonder why people in AA get defensive — even when you’re calm and factual? 🤔Turns out, there’s a neurological reason behind it.In this clip from a LIVE Deprogram Q+A inside the Deprogram Lounge, we dive into the science of amygdala hijack, nervous system activation, and why cultic ideologies trigger emotional, not rational, responses.If you’ve experienced backlash for speaking your truth about AA, this one’s for you.👉 Deprogram Lounge (Membership with courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, Book Club + Escape Kit)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

Leaving AA can feel impossible — not because it’s physically hard to walk away, but because of phobia indoctrination and the total lack of outside validation. When the whole world believes AA is the only way, it can feel like you’re crazy for questioning it. In this episode, I break down why that fear is programmed, how experts still miss it, and what it really means to reclaim your freedom.📚 Reading from “Cults in Our Midst” by Margaret Singer⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro – Hard to Leave AA01:44 The #1 Reason It’s Hard to Leave AA03:33 AA Mention in Cults in Our Midst06:15 “AA does not recruit deceptively”08:48 Informed Consent & Deceptive Recruitment09:53 “AA does not hide what membership entails”13:40 “Members can leave at any time”18:27 “Cults use members to grow the cult”24:46 Indoctrinating Others + Self-Forgiveness27:54 Warning Label on AA👉 Deprogram Lounge (Membership with courses, LIVE Q+As, Zooms, book club. + more)🧰 Escape Kit (resources to Deprogram AA) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free.

After years in Alcoholics Anonymous — and a lifetime of seeking belonging in controlling systems — Teri realized she didn’t need to dim her light or outsource her thinking anymore.This raw and powerful conversation explores what it’s really like to leave AA, find your voice again, and build a new life rooted in freedom, truth, genuine connection and self-trust.Timestamps:00:00 Best Thinking Got Her Out Of AA Intro01:08 Leaving AA05:33 Staying Silent, Guilt + Mormon Roots08:24 AA Was Helpful + Also Emotionally Damaging10:35 Deprogram Lounge13:10 AA Cult Within A Cult17:04 Teri's Evolution After AA26:02 Healing Trust Issues + Group Trauma36:21 Hardest Part of Leaving AA39:48 Making Friends After AA49:09 Scared to Join a Deprogramming Group58:32 Speaking About Leaving AA1:14:17 Drinking Around Social Issues1:17:04 Leaving AA Was Harder Than Getting Sober1:30:04 Deprogramming Course + Group1:46:54 Is Deprogramming a "Cult" or Forever?1:55:46 Freedom From Group Think2:02:45 Still in Recovery?2:13:14 Best Part of Leaving AA🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

You’re Angry. You’re Resentful. You’re a Dry Drunk. You’ll Be Drunk in Five Years.Have you ever heard things like this? 👀Today’s episode dives into the #1 way AA defenders come for you (and why it’s actually a logical fallacy).This one’s a total game-changer in our Critical Thinking Series, because once you see this pattern — you can’t unsee it. We’re breaking down how ad hominem (Latin for “to the person”) and appeal to authority show up in arguments, manipulation, and cult-like thinking — not just in AA, but everywhere.00:00 Way Angry AA's Come For You Intro01:28 Ad Hominem04:35 Appeal to Authority07:24 Staying Safe From Manipulation14:18 Dry Drunk Mythology18:06 Ad Hominem Deeper DiveWhether you’re deprogramming from a high-control group, rethinking recovery, or just learning to trust your own brain again — this one’s for you.🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

Today’s episode is called “I’m Sorry (My Amends)” — but this isn’t the kind of amends you think. 🕊️I just got off our Deprogram Zoom Call inside the free Deprogram Lounge, and someone said something that hit me hard:“I don’t agree with everything you say.” And honestly… that’s exactly what I hope for.This episode is about learning to think for ourselves again — after indoctrination, after dogma, after groupthink. It’s about realizing that disagreement isn’t danger. It’s freedom. 💥In this episode:Why I want you to disagree with meHow critical thinking cracked my AA brainwashingWhat “recovering from recovery” really meansWhy blind faith feels like safety — but isn’tHow we find truth together through dialogue🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

You're invited to our first ever LIVE stream episode featuring Tara Grace from Burn The Stigma and Kirsten (me, Sobriety Bestie) discussing all the addiction and recovery things. We went live on Sunday November 2nd and are thinking about making this an ongoing thing (let me know what you think!).Burn The Stigma channel:‪@Burnthestigma420‬Tara's Stanton Peel interview🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

Escaping AA: Halloween Special with Carrie (AA Escapee 👻)Your best thinking got you here — now let’s get you free. In this Halloween jam, Carrie and I riff the AA clichés we lived, how we actually left, and what life’s like now without the daily-reprieve hamster wheel. Critical thinking, self-trust, nervous system regulation, and writing a new story — no chips required.Carrie's SubstackTimestamps:0:00 Escaping from AA Intro0:19 What It Was Like (in AA)08:36 What happened (to leave AA)10:59 No Daily Reprieve Needed15:36 Escaping AA18:49 What It's Like Now28:33 Reinventing + Reconstructing After AA31:34 AA Escapee Awakening34:34 Normalizing Leaving Recovery🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

There are many harmful aspects of Alcoholics Anonymous, but today we’re diving into what I believe is the most damaging paragraph in the Big Book of AA — and how it quietly stripped away my self-trust, autonomy, and personal power.If you’ve ever wondered why you still doubt yourself, feel “selfish” for wanting things, or have trouble trusting your own instincts after AA — this episode is for you.In this podcast, I break down how this one paragraph shaped my thinking for years and how I’ve been rewiring my brain since leaving AA.Timestamps:00:00 Intro Harmful Line in AA Big Book02:42 Most Harmful Big Book Paragraph03:55 Why It's Harmful07:15 How The Harmful Brainwashing Happened🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

Ever wonder how smart, self-aware people can get trapped in systems like AA for years, decades or life? 🤔In this episode, we break down the decision traps that keep us stuck — and how to reclaim your mind, freedom, and critical thinking power.If you’ve ever felt fooled, shamed, or confused after leaving a high-control group or belief system, this one’s for you.Timestamps:00:00 AA Fools Smart People Intro01:38 1 - Loss Aversion05:20 2 - Sunk Cost Fallacy08:56 3 - Framing Effect11:04 4 - Mental Accounting13:29 5 - Overconfidence or Intuition Bias16:17 Growing in Wisdom19:11 Cautious With Ideologies🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

There’s a term that unlocked massive freedom for me when I left Alcoholics Anonymous: Ideological Possession.In this episode, I share how I first heard the concept from Jordan Peterson, how it helped me see AA for what it truly is — a belief system, not a path to truth — and how understanding it completely changed the way I see the world.If you’ve ever felt possessed by an ideology — whether it’s AA, religion, politics, or something else — this one’s for you.We’ll talk about:00:00 Ideological Possession Intro04:15 “You don’t have ideas, ideas have you”06:02 Understanding Ideological Possession Unlocked Freedom07:56 True Believers vs. Periphery Cult Members10:17 Why I no longer try to convert anyoneJordan Peterson videoBiology of Desire book review video🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

Is addiction a disease, a choice — or something in between? 🤔In this episode, I dive into The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction Is Not a Disease by Mark Lewis, PhD — the book we just finished in our Deprogram Book Club inside the free Deprogram Lounge community. 💬📚Mark Lewis argues that addiction isn’t a disease or a moral failing — it’s a deeply learned habit rooted in neuroplasticity and desire. In this video, I share my biggest takeaways from the book, how my view of addiction has evolved since leaving AA, and why I now see addiction as a habit of thought, feeling, and behavior — one that can be unlearned.We’ll explore:Why the “disease model” doesn’t hold up to scienceHow neuroplasticity explains both addiction and recoveryWhat studies like Rat Park + Vietnam veterans reveal about environmentWhy “recovery” is really just the beginning of something newHow AA pathologizes normal emotions and replaces self-trust with dogmaTimestamps:00:54 Core Framework01:31 Addiction as a Habit06:03 We Over Pathologize People07:51 Evidence Against The Disease Model09:40 Habit Loops12:23 Our Brains Recover On Their Own🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

Leaving AA isn’t just about walking away from meetings — it’s about rewiring your brain.In this episode of The Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I share 7 ways Alcoholics Anonymous can hijack your thinking (often subtly, then aggressively)… and how to get your critical thinking and self-trust back.I spent 10 years in AA and left in 2020. What I’ve discovered since will blow your mind. This video is part of our Critical Thinking Series — because freedom starts with changing our minds. Timestamps:00:00 Intro – AA Brainwashing Intro01:13 1 – Authority Bias04:10 2 – Groupthink06:42 3 – Confirmation Bias13:27 4 – Learned Helplessness 18:14 5 – Negativity Bias23:47 6 – Anchoring Bias28:03 7 – Illusory Truth EffectVideos mentioned:5 Ways to Stop Second Guessing Yourself After Leaving AADeconstructing Sobriety Birthdays + AA Sober TimeLeaving AA Conversations (playlist)🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram LoungeLet’s get f*cking free.

Have you ever caught yourself spinning on a decision — looping between “what if” and “maybe not”? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing 5 powerful ways to stop second-guessing yourself, especially if you’re leaving AA, deconstructing 12-step ideology, or just learning to trust your own thinking again.By the end of this video, you’ll understand:Why second-guessing happensHow to spot cognitive dissonance in real timeA simple move to get unstuck fastThis is for anyone who’s been taught to doubt themselves — by society, religion, recovery programs, or high-control groups — and is now reclaiming their critical thinking, intuition, and freedom.Timestamps:00:00 Stop Second Guessing Yourself in Recovery intro00:59 Why I Was Second Guessing Myself After Leaving AA03:30 1 - Cognitive Dissonance11:32 2 - Fear of Mistakes or Regrets16:45 3- Conditioning and Authority23:36 4 - Perfectionism and Control29:08 5 - Threat Mode Biology38:55 Recap 5 Ways to Stop Second Guessing Yourself🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click hereLet’s get f*cking free.

Six months ago I finally hit publish on my first video about leaving AA—and it changed everything. What started as fear turned into freedom, growth, and a whole new life. In this episode I reflect on six months of dissenting out loud, what I’ve learned from deconstructing Alcoholics Anonymous, and why this work matters so much. From 123 videos to playlists on AA mind control, cult comparisons, grieving, and alternatives, we’ve built a massive resource for anyone ready to get AA out of their head (playlists linked below)Playlists:AA Mind ControlAA Is A CultAA Culty CommentsLeaving AA ConversationsDeprogramming BooksGrieving AAAA AlternativesAA PropagandaEscape StoriesAddiction ScienceNow, as I move from deconstruction into critical thinking and reconstruction, I’m inviting you to keep evolving with me. Team Freedom—let’s keep getting free together.🌀 Deprogram AA Course📚 Deprogram Book List 🪩 Get free tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Victor from Quackaholics Anonymous shares his powerful journey of breaking free from Alcoholics Anonymous and finding the power to quit drinking on his own.In this candid conversation, Victor opens up about being branded a “chronic relapser” in AA, feeling isolated and hopeless, and how leaving the program set him free. From realizing AA was a scam, to rebuilding life on his own terms, to starting one of the first dissenting AA YouTube channels — this is his story of reclaiming self-esteem, critical thinking, and true sobriety.Whether you loved AA, hated it, or are just questioning it, this interview shines light on what life after AA can look like.Quackaholics Anonymous YouTube ChannelTimestamps:00:00 Intro Quackaholics Anonymous03:48 Deprogramming Out Loud, Online05:28 First Leaving Alcoholics Anonymous10:24 Seeing Old Timers "True Colors"13:58 DUI + Getting Back On Your Feet16:57 Feeling Empty After Leaving AA19:31 Deciding To Leave AA24:35 Finding The Power To Stop Drinking Without AA28:14 Realizing AA Is A Scam35:17 Starting A Dissenting + Deprogramming AA YouTube Channel47:33 The Mindset That Got Him Sober Without AA54:20 Rebuilding Life After AA1:03:13 Deconstructing AA Martyrdom + Self Sacrafice1:11:58 Best Part About AA Dissenting1:23:20 AA Disables Critical Thinking + Self Esteem1:28:14 AA Friendships After Leaving AA?1:34:00 Commenting With Trolls, Haters + AA Lovers🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I’m unpacking a culty comment that accuses my podcast of being “alcoholic thinking and behaving at its finest.”🚫 Here’s the truth: there is no such thing as “alcoholic thinking” or “alcoholic behavior” outside of literally drinking alcohol. These terms were invented and weaponized by AA to control the narrative, sell the disease model, and funnel people toward God as the supposed solution.We’ll break down:How Bill W. used Dr. Silkworth’s “fatal disease” pitch to sell GodWhy terms like “alcoholic thinking” are propaganda, not scienceHow attacking the messenger distracts from the real issue: the harmful ideologyHow critical thinking is a path to freedom🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Welcome to our sobriety birthday party podcast. Today September 29th I'm 16 years sober and Carrie (here's her Substack) turned 26 years sober on September 17th, the day we recorded this. You're in for a fun treat as we unpack all the sobriety birthday and sober time things.In this candid convo, Carrie and I unpack the status game around sober time, the shame of “starting over,” why slips don’t erase growth, and what feels actually worth celebrating now. If you’ve ever felt weird about chips, countdowns, or announcing your sobriety date, this one’s for you.We explore:What sobriety dates measure—and what they don’tThe difference between early-days momentum vs. long-term identityHow purity culture sneaks into recovery languageAlternative markers of progress (health, boundaries, critical thinking, purpose)Harm-reduction openness and letting people choose what works for them00:00 Intro deconstructing sobriety birthdays and AA sober time1:04 Carrie's sobriety birthday feels06:26 Rethinking slips, relapses and changing sobriety date10:36 AA conference slipped alcohol16:02 Rigidity around sobriety birthday announcements21:39 What does a sobriety birthday actually measure?23:04 Does drinking actually "erase" sobriety time?31:04 Why anchor to an old bad habit?36:59 Sobriety date becomes new birthday40:18 Sobriety birthday parties47:37 How long does it take to deprogram?55:18 Sobriety time "status" game57:27 Coerced into marketing AA via sobriety chips1:07:52 What feels relevant to celebrate now?1:17:22 Do sobriety birthdays matter?1:24:20 Sober time hierarchy + countdowns Carrie's Substack: https://carrieengland.substack.com/🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

In today’s Culty Comments episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, we’re breaking down a classic AA defender argument: “You got sober in the wrong country — AA is different elsewhere.”I’ve been to meetings across the U.S., Australia, Bali, India, Nepal, and Europe — and here’s the truth: no matter the culture, no matter the meeting format, it all comes back to the same book and the same controlling ideology.👉 In this episode we’ll cover:Attacking the messenger instead of the messageMy firsthand experiences in Australia AAHow AA’s “Big Book” is inherently controlling Why the 12 Steps are always the same path🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Charlie Sheen has been one of the most outspoken celebrities about his relationship with Alcoholics Anonymous and sobriety. From his infamous “winning” era in 2011 to creating his own Sober Valley Lodge, to now approaching 8 years sober, Charlie has been refreshingly candid about what worked—and what didn’t—for him.In this video, we react to Charlie Sheen’s recent appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, dive into his brand-new book The Book of Sheen (2025), and unpack his raw thoughts on AA, interventions, sponsorship, and making the decision to quit drinking on his own terms.2011 Charlie Sheen Interview Joe Rogan Podcast with Charlie SheenThe Book of Sheen Timestamps:00:00 How Charlie Sheen Got Sober Intro01:37 Charlie Sheen on Joe Rogan Podcast05:26 Charlie Sheen's Intervention07:33 How Charlie Sheen Got Sober (this time)14:32 Making A Decision + Sticking To It 18:21 Charlie Sheen On AA's Indoctrination Process24:51 Charlie Sheen Got Sober On His Own🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Alan Carr flips the script on alcohol. Instead of using willpower to fight cravings, he shows how to remove the desire to drink altogether. 🎉In this episode, I review Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Quit Drinking Without Willpower and share how the method connected with my own journey—both quitting cigarettes and alcohol.Whether you’re looking for an AA alternative, rethinking your relationship with alcohol, or just curious about habit change, this perspective shift might blow your mind.Get the book here.Timestamps:00:00 Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Drinking Intro02:35 How I Quit Smoking Cigarettes09:07 All Brains Can Become Addicted10:46 Brainwashed Quitting is Hard13:46 Brainwashed into Drinking Trap15:45 Little Monster (Withdrawal) + Big Monster (Desire to Drink)21:08 New Attitude on Sobriety23:07 Addictive Personality Mythology27:01 Alcohol Does Not Cause Pleasure29:56 Don't Drink Poison Ever🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Bobby C from Anonymous Addiction Podcast spent 35 years inside Alcoholics Anonymous — but he was never fully at peace with the ideology. Trapped by cognitive dissonance, he questioned the slogans, the control structures, and the religious roots even while he kept showing up.In this conversation, Bobby shares how he saw “cults within the cult,” why the chips and steps never sat right, and how he finally shifted into true freedom outside the 12-step frame.Bobby C's YouTubeBobby C's Facebook GroupBobby C's TikTok Timestamps:00:00 — Intro Bobby C Deprogramming While In AA02:05 — Joining AA + First Sponsor08:29 — In Alcoholics Anonymous 35 Years10:08 — Control structure: Steps, Traditions, Concepts, Trustees14:36 — Roots in religion: Oxford Group, Sister Ignatia, priests18:14 — Labels, DSM skepticism, and “dis-ease”23:14 — Culture & media: why AA dominates screen time39:30 — Paradigm shift away from 12-step + leaving timeline50:45 — Becoming a SMART Recovery facilitator56:05 — Boundaries, in-person community, and the “becoming” lens1:11:10 — How Bobby C and Sobriety Bestie "met"🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

AA loves to say “Your best thinking got you here.” But when I arrived at AA, I was in survival mode with my worst thinking—traumatized, anxious, medicated, and terrified. To call that my “best” is pure doublespeak. In this episode, I break down why this phrase is manipulative, how it positions members to distrust their own thoughts, and how Bill Wilson’s best thinking (propaganda, PR, Oxford Group ideology) is what actually got me to AA.We’ll unpack:Why “best thinking” is not survival mode.How AA reframes your worst mental state as your “best” to enforce obedience.The propaganda that made AA seem like the only path.What “best thinking” actually means (from a neuroscience perspective).Why leaving AA required my true best thinking.Timestamps:00:00 Your Best Thinking Got You Here Intro01:48 My Worst Thinking Got Me To AA06:49 Survival Thinking vs Best Thinking09:42 Bill Wilson’s Best Thinking + AA Propaganda13:12 What My Best Thinking Looks Like15:02 Invitation to the Deprogram Lounge🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

A random AA stranger tried to convince me that I’m powerless—that I can’t even know if I’ll drink tomorrow. He compared my choices to predicting the lottery. 🤦‍♀️ This episode breaks down the logical fallacies and culty ideology behind the powerless narrative AA keeps pushing. Of course I have no clue what YOU should or will do. But I do know I'm not drinking tomorrow.We’re powerful. We can change habits, rewire our brains, and decide our own future. Anyone trying to convince you otherwise? 🚩 That’s control, not truth.🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Welcome back to our Big Book Deconstruction series. In this episode, Kirsten and Carrie (Carrie’s Substack here) unpack The Doctor’s Opinion — the chapter that AA uses as its "medical" foundation. We explore how Dr. Silkworth’s unproven ideas about a “fatal progressive disease” became the sales pitch that trapped millions into a lifetime of dependence.🕒 Timestamps00:00 – Deconstructing The Doctor's Opinion Intro01:23 – Dr. Silkworth Traps + Converts Us04:08 – Lies AA Coerced Us Into Believing08:25 – Bill + Dr. Silkworth Fall Off The Pedestal15:56 – We Need A New "Marty Mann"22:44 – Predators in Alcoholics Anonymous29:34 – AA Opinions Are Not Facts34:29 – Deconstructing The Doctor's Opinion40:17 – Bill Becoming A Millionaire47:31 – Deconstructing Dr. Silkworth's Letter57:15 – Body + Mind "Abnormal" Mythology01:08:23 – The "Allergy" Manipulation01:13:31 – Toxicity + Learned Helplessness in AA01:19:39 – Bill's Best Thinking Got Us To AA01:29:22 – Breaking AA's Global Indoctrination🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, we’re breaking down the most common forms of abuse and mistreatment in Alcoholics Anonymous—from being told you have a “progressive, fatal disease,” to being convinced you’re powerless, to the gaslighting baked into terms like “dry drunk” or “denial.”These points come from Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey, written 30 years ago but still just as relevant today. We’ll unpack the first 10 examples from the book and talk about how AA’s harmful messaging keeps people stuck in fear, shame, and learned helplessness.This conversation is about more than deconstructing AA—it’s about critical thinking, self-trust, and freedom.Rational Recovery book: https://amzn.to/47AyGlhTimestamps:00:00 Intro Common Abuse in AA02:22 1 — "Fatal progressive disease"04:41 2 — "Can't abstain on your own"05:21 3 — "AA is the only way"06:31 4 — "AA is not religious"07:22 5 — "Must surrender to AA ideology"08:58 6 — "You'll relapse without AA"09:18 7 — "Dry drunk"11:34 8 — "Alcoholism symptoms"12:30 9 — "Leaving AA means you'll relapse"14:25 — 10 "Doubting AA means is a symptom"16:12 We save ourselves🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

In this #CultyComments episode, we’re breaking down two of AA’s most common contradictions:👉 “AA has no leaders.” Really? Sponsors, old-timers, secretaries, and even professional recruiters all lead — they just hide it behind the doublespeak of “trusted servants.”👉 “You can leave anytime.” On the surface, yes. But the ideology repeats that leaving = relapse, jails, institutions, or death. That’s phobia indoctrination, and it keeps people trapped even when they want out.This isn’t about shaming one person. It’s about exposing how AA’s own language and thought reform tactics convince members they’re free, while quietly controlling their choices.✨ In this video, I unpack:The doublespeak of “trusted servants”Why AA says you can leave while planting fear of leavingHow recruitment gets disguised as “suggestion” or careWhat cult recovery teaches us about breaking freeAny group that tells you you’ll die if you leave? 🚩 Run for the hills.🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Emma from Group Thinking Podcast left AA after nearly 13 years—and chose moderation. In this candid conversation, we unpack what made her walk away, how she rebuilt community, why “your disease is getting worse even when you’re sober” never sat right, and what deprogramming looks like in real life. We get into AA culture, Finland AA vs. international AA, sponsorship red flags, nervous system regulation, trying alcohol again (including first-week hangovers and fear), and the power of speaking out. Emma also shares how launching a deconstructing AA podcast became both purpose and therapy—and why multiple recovery paths (not one ideology) should be the norm. ⛪📘🧠Emma's Group Thinking PodcastTimestamps:00:00 Emma from Group Thinking Podcast intro01:00 Leaving AA After 13 Years07:54 ACA, 12 Step Pathologizing Culture10:38 Starting A Deprogramming Podcast13:20 Nervous System Regulation After AA15:30 Deciding To Drink Alcohol Again18:00 Podcasting To Help Deprogramming Journey22:10 Coming Out Online About Leaving AA23:54 Drinking in Front of AA Family Member27:19 Feeling Confident Drinking31:05 Steps to Leaving AA37:00 Finland AA Vs. International AA39:22 Emma's Message43:23 Rebuilding Life After AA50:37 Advice to Former Self54:20 Most Harmful Part of AA1:00:09 Best Part of Leaving AA1:04:07 Tried to Make AA Safer1:09:35 Feedback From Podcast Listeners🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

Any group that tells you you’ll die if you leave? 🚩 Run for the hills.In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I dive into the hidden danger in AA meetings — not just shady individuals or mini–cult leaders, but the ideology itself.📖 Inspired by Rational Recovery: The New Cure for Substance Addiction by Jack Trimpey, we’ll unpack his concept of Recovery Group Disorder (RGD) — the compulsive dependency on recovery meetings that looks and feels a lot like addiction itself.Rational Recovery book: https://amzn.to/47AyGlh Timestamps:00:00 Intro — hidden dangers in AA01:14 What is “Recovery Group Disorder”?03:06 Are recovery meetings required?05:55 Expanded definition of RGD08:08 Problems AA creates in identity + thinking10:40 How AA builds dependency14:28 Moving on with life🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

You are powerful. You can decide your future. You don’t need AA, sponsors, or church basements to stay sober.In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I dive into Rational Recovery: The New Cure for Substance Addiction by Jack Trimpey — the revolutionary AA alternative that says: once you decide, that’s it. No “recovery process,” no lifelong meetings.We’ll explore:Why Rational Recovery rejects the disease modelThe Addictive Voice Recognition Technique (AVRT) & “The Beast”The power of making a Big PlanHow Rational Recovery success rates compare to AAWhy recovery groups can actually keep you stuckI wish I had found this book when I got sober in 2009. It’s bold, liberating, and a must-read if you’re deprogramming from AA or exploring real freedom. You can check out the Rational Recovery book here.Timestamps00:00 Rational Recovery intro03:16 Rational Recovery history04:56 No recovery meetings required07:05 Rational Recovery core philosophy10:22 Recovery reality check13:50 Addictive Voice Recognition Technique15:43 Being "in two minds" about drinking19:28 Deciding to not drink23:13 Common myths Rational Recovery challenges25:15 "Recovery Group Disorder"26:34 Rational Recovery main takeaway🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

After 36 years in Alcoholics Anonymous, filmmaker Monica Richardson discovered the truth she never expected: AA has a dark side.In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, Monica shares her journey from devoted member to whistleblower, revealing:How violent offenders and predators are court-ordered into meetingsThe cover-ups and silence that keep people trappedWhy she decided to make her documentary, The 13th StepHow she finally broke free after 36 yearsThis is a powerful conversation about trust, recovery, and taking your power back.Monica Richardson's links:Watch The 13th Step DocumentaryMonica's Deprogram FB Group Monica's YouTubeConnect with Monica: [email protected] Timestamp:00:00 Monica's AA Escape Story1:04 Criminals Court Ordered to AA05:09 Monica's 13th Step Film06:35 Cracks in the Brainwashing13:00 Dark Side of LA and Hawaii AA18:59 More Reasons to Leave AA24:49 Making a Plan to Leave AA39:13 Nurses, Doctors, Pilots Forced into AA46:11 Anger and AA47:50 Navigating Being 13th Stepped54:57 A Wave of 12 Step Harm Awarness1:04:45 Autism, Sexual Abuse + Gaslighting1:09:16 Kicked out of Sober Living, Psychedelics + Healing1:12:31 Monica's Deprogramming 12 Step Facebook Group1:15:20 Advice to Someone Leaving AAAdditional Resources Monica Mentioned:Orange PapersOne Little Pill documentary (Sinclair Method)The Business of Recovery MovieQuackaholics Anonymous YouTubeBurn The Stigma YouTubeBobby C YouTube 🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

RFK Jr. just admitted it: AA is brainwashing — and he wanted it. 🤯 In this episode, we break down his April 2025 speech on the opioid crisis in Nashville and expose how deeply Alcoholics Anonymous ideology is woven into his words. From “your disease is doing pushups” to magical thinking and lifelong indoctrination, this talk is packed with AA propaganda — and it’s being spread from the top of American health leadership.This isn’t about RFK Jr. as a person — it’s about the dangerous ideology being promoted as fact. If you’ve ever questioned AA, felt trapped by its dogma, or wondered why so much of this sounds like cult language… this episode will be a game-changer.You can watch the original video here.Timestamps:00:00 Intro RFK Jr Indoctrinating The World01:50 "Disease" learned helplessness indoctrination04:50 "It's irrelevant how I got it"07:75 "My addiction is doing push ups"10:04 12 step brainwashing + propaganda17:00 12 step religious conversion20:26 42 years of daily meetings24:38 Jails, institutions, death + identity manipulation36:07 What about church and state?39:33 Misinformation about AA roots51:24 Daily reprieve manipulation54:57 Spiritual bypassing🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

AA doesn’t just “help” people. It also harms — and in some cases, kills. This episode is a deep dive into AA: Who It Helps, Who It Harms, Who It Kills, and Why by Dr. Edward Wilson, PhD.We’ll explore the central premise of the book: that AA is either irrelevant or actively harmful for most people who misuse alcohol. You’ll hear clips from the author himself, and then I unpack the book through the lens of my own experience after 10 years in AA and 5 years out.We’ll look at why AA only works for a narrow group, how it harms “normals” who might have recovered naturally, and why it can be deadly for the bright, creative, independent thinkers who are forced to conform and cut off from self-trust.For anyone deprogramming from the cult religion of Alcoholics Anonymous, or anyone seeking new ways to understand alcohol addiction, this book is a liberating resource.Get the book hereWatch video from reaction hereTimestamps:00:00 AA Helps, Harms, Kills intro01:24 Author Dr. Edward Wilson reaction05:10 Minnesota Model doesn't work?07:26 Why people think AA works10:28 Ego development: protect + conform 11:36 Ego development: outgrow AA12:06 Ego development: AA harms15:54 Ego development: AA is toxic18:21 Who AA helps, harms, kills19:01 Recovery + growth outside AA 20:26 "In Recovery" identity stunts growth21:04 Dr. Wilson's multi solution approach🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.

We’re kicking off a brand-new series deconstructing the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous — exposing the hidden messages, the power-stripping language, and the indoctrination baked into its pages.In this episode, we unpack the Forward to the First Edition — where AA starts shaping how you see yourself, your “disease,” and your ability to choose your own recovery path. We’ll talk about how the language trains self-abandonment, why this sets you up for lifelong dependence on the program, and how to reclaim your agency.Whether you’ve left AA, are thinking about leaving, or just want to understand the mechanics of its influence, this series will help you see the text with new eyes — and take your power back.Timestamps:00:00 Intro Big Book Deconstruction01:22 Carrie's intro to the AA Big Book04:20 AA sponsors as cult leaders11:00 Kirsten's intro to the AA Big Book14:50 AA Big Book Title page20:32 Forward to First Edition 28:22 Bill decides we are "sick"41:15 AA's care about the system not the people47:07 Bill knows how we should live54:50 We're allowed to feel angry57:15 Bill's pitch to exploit us1:00:20 MANY requirements for AA membership1:13:09 Learning through AA mishaps1:20:24 Can't separate AA good from AA harm🪩 Get fee tools, community, Zooms and book club to deprogram 12-step ideology 📚👉 Inside the Deprogram Lounge click here.💬 Let’s Connect @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie socials. I’m here for the conversation.Let’s get f*cking free.