Dr. S. and the Obsession of the Mind – Eric H.

About This Speaker Tape

8:30 AM, and all he wants to do is puke. Eric H. stands at the podium not as a polished orator, but as a man who knows the "gangrene of the soul." He describes a life governed by the obsession of the mind—a big fat idea that outweighs every other thought until the only solution is the bottle.

For Eric, alcohol wasn't just a drink; it was a lover and a best friend that masked a terrifying self-image and a spiritual malady. He recalls the wreckage of his drinking: the oversized bills at the Bayview Country Club and the professional collapse of a hockey coach who tried to con his way into staying employed. He speaks of the "allergy of the body," where one drink leads to a disgustingly drunk haze.

Recovery began not with a desire to be sober, but with a psychic change in a Toronto room where he finally saw himself through the eyes of others. Now, he relies on a Higher Power and the grit of service to stay clean.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Eric H. opens with the nerves of speaking and the advice of his former sponsor, Bob D.
• 3:15 Laughter: Story about a man snoring through his talk and the 'red Flintstone' snore.
• 6:40 Discussion of the 'real' alcoholic's questions, including the art of puking from a moving vehicle.
• 11:20 Eric H. explains the 'socially inept' nature of newcomers being put on greeting and chair detail.
• 15:45 Analysis of the 'spiritual malady' and the difference between the alcoholic and the social drinker.
• 21:10 The turning point: Hearing Terry speak at the Bayview Group and identifying with the internal state of alcoholism.
• 28:30 Story about the 'everlasting bottle of whiskey' genie and the nature of the alcoholic's craving.
• 33:10 The 'alcoholic's paradise' of the Bayview Country Club and the danger of the first drink.
• 38:50 The 'full flight from reality' and the necessity of a Higher Power to love oneself again.
• 43:15 Discussion of the 12 Steps as a program of action and the importance of living in Steps 10, 11, and 12.
• 48:20 The value of service and the story of helping Michelle on the phones.
• 54:10 Closing story about the poisonous snake and the warning against rationalizing the first drink.