Why the Allergic Reaction to Alcohol Is the Only Litmus Test – Bob L.

About This Speaker Tape

A high-powered business owner in Las Vegas finds himself in a spiritual abyss despite owning supercharged Jaguars and a twelve-cylinder BMW. Bob L. describes a slow slide into self-obsession where his primary purpose shifted from helping drunks to maintaining a reputation as a 'great AA member.' He dissects the narcissistic nature of depression comparing it to a consciousness-altering drug and recalls a brutal wake-up call from a peer who cut him to the quick.

To survive he anchors himself in the 'trenches'—detox centers and county jails—where he can be the guy who 'interfered with their nap' rather than a celebrity. He maps the danger of diffusing the recovery 'laser' over too many causes using the collapse of the Washingtonians as a cautionary tale for those who drift from a singleness of purpose.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Discussion on the specific Big Book warnings regarding sobriety and the risk of drinking if amends are not made.
• 3:45 Laughter: Bob L. discusses the 'idiot' in charge and the internal nature of a Higher Power.
• 7:12 Analysis of depression as a narcissistic state and the 'abyss' of early sobriety.
• 12:40 The 'lowest point' of sobriety: owning a supercharged Jaguar and a 12-cylinder BMW while feeling horrible.
• 16:15 A peer's brutal honesty about Bob L.'s primary purpose becoming 'you' rather than helping others.
• 22:10 Discussion on the 'allergic reaction' to alcohol and the distinction between addiction and alcoholism.
• 28:30 The history of the Washingtonians and the danger of losing singleness of purpose.
• 33:15 Bob L. explains his personal stance on anonymity and why he provides his last name for those in crisis.
• 38:40 The 'bread and butter' of recovery: fishing for newcomers in detox and county jails.