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Mental Health

In the archives of Alcoholics Anonymous, the intersection of mental health and addiction is a recurring and vital theme. These speaker tapes illustrate that for many, the battle with alcohol is inextricably linked to deeper emotional and spiritual maladies, including severe depression, OCD, and trauma-induced loneliness. The significance of this topic lies in the recognition that sobriety requires more than simple abstinence; it necessitates a comprehensive approach to psychological stability and spiritual growth. Listeners can expect raw, honest accounts of the bottom, featuring narratives of psychiatric hospitalizations, suicide attempts, and the struggle to navigate a world where one feels like a square peg in a round hole. Core principles highlighted across these recordings include the use of the Twelve Steps to uncover core character defects—such as perfectionism—and the implementation of rigorous daily maintenance through the Tenth and Eleventh Steps to prevent relapse and manage mental wellness. These tapes emphasize that while the disease may manifest as substance abuse, the root often resides in a psychological void or a spiritual malady. By sharing their journeys through psych wards, professional collapses, and the failures of clinical treatment alone, these speakers demonstrate that recovery is possible even for those with complex mental health histories. The overarching message is one of hope: by surrendering the obsession and committing to a spiritual program of recovery and a supportive community, individuals can move from a state of intense despair to a sustainable, balanced manner of living.

82 tapes

Top Speakers in This Category

Wayne B. 5 Carla R. 4 Mildred F. 4 Sandy B. 4 Earl H. 3 Bob E. 2 Buzz A. 2 Clancy I. 2 Fr K. 2 Morris B. 2 Polly P. 2 Tim H. 2 Tom F. 2 19800823 Clancy I 1 Astrid H. 1

All Tapes

Fr K.
Fr K. – The Cunning Baffling Power of Church Wine – 2005
★★★★★No ratings
Sarah A.
Sarah A. – Step 1 – The First Word Is We – 2025
★★★★★No ratings
Polly P.
Polly P. – Steps 10-12 – Beyond the Magic of One Alcoholic Talking to Another – 2014
★★★★★No ratings
Chris R.
Chris R. – Stop Qualifying the Drunks – 2016
★★★★★No ratings
Scott R.
Scott R. – The Cancer Of The Soul – 2025
★★★★★No ratings
Fr K.
Steps – Fr K. – Humorous Walk thru The 12 – 2005
★★★★★No ratings
Bob
There Is a Solution – Part 3 – Bob – 2004
★★★★★No ratings
19800823 Clancy I
How I Ended Up Sponsored by Skid Row Instead of Madison Avenue – 19800823 Clancy I
★★★★★5(1 vote)
Charles P.
Ninth Step Amends to the Doctor I Convinced to Remove My Perfectly Good Appendix – Charles P.
★★★★★No ratings
Brandon S.
Page 33 Said Young Drinkers Wouldn’t Want to Stop — Took Three Psych Wards Before I Did – Brandon S.
★★★★★No ratings
Donna S.
Bill Wilson Got Depressed Too — Nobody Says It in AA but a Lot of Us Live with Both – Donna S.
★★★★★No ratings
Eric W.
At Fifty-Something My Sponsor Has Me Doing Tenth and Eleventh Step with Pen and Paper Every Night – Eric W.
★★★★★No ratings
Rick M.
The Mental Obsession Went Quiet Only After I Quit Asking My Own Brain to Fix It – Rick M.
★★★★★No ratings
George M.
Mark Fell Over Laughing at the Fifth Step Mountain I’d Made From a Molehill – George M.
★★★★★No ratings
Patty P.
Stopping Drinking Is Not the Same as Getting Sober — a High Bottom Still Needs the Steps – Patty P.
★★★★★No ratings
Isaac T.
Terminal Uniqueness at Seven Years Old Is How I Drank Before I Ever Drank – Isaac T.
★★★★★No ratings
Wayne B.
After Twenty-One Years I Still Wake Up Feeling Normal — By Seven My Sponsees Remind Me I’m Not – Wayne B.
★★★★★No ratings
Dave P.
Doc Said the Librium Would Make Me Drink Less — Mostly by Keeping Me Unconscious 🫠 – Dave P.
★★★★★No ratings
Sandy W.
Thirteen Years Sober and Planning to Jump Off the Building Before My Sponsor Said Get Professional Help – Sandy W.
★★★★★No ratings
Mary L.
I Want to Never Have Another Expectation — Only Great Expectancy That a Higher Power Will Meet My Needs – Mary L.
★★★★★No ratings
Bob D.
The Ism Is the I — I Separate Myself and Call It Being Different – Bob D.
★★★★★No ratings
Tom F.
My Gooficity Level Was High — Your Steps Have Considerably Lowered It – Tom F.
★★★★★No ratings
Dave C.
Why Knowing the Steps by Heart Means Nothing If You Won’t Be Honest with Yourself – Dave C.
★★★★★No ratings
Wayne B.
The Psychiatrist Said Chemical Imbalance — His Sponsor Said Spiritual Malady — Only One of Them Was Right – Wayne B.
★★★★★No ratings
Wayne B.
That’s a List of My Finer Qualities — Anybody Want to Date? 🤣 – Wayne B.
★★★★★No ratings
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