In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Philip Barb shares how a DUI at 22 became the turning point that led to 18 years of sobriety. This is a powerful conversation about alcohol addiction, anxiety, grief, and long-term recovery.

Philip opens up about using alcohol to silence anxiety, growing up under pressure, and how ego and perfectionism kept him stuck. What started as drinking to cope eventually led to arrests and legal consequences — and ultimately a decision to quit drinking for good.

We discuss:

• DUI and the wake-up call that changed everything

• Alcohol addiction and anxiety

• Ego in recovery

• The role of community and support meetings

• What long-term sobriety really requires

If you’re struggling with alcohol, thinking about quitting drinking, or looking for insight into long-term sobriety, this episode offers real perspective and hope.

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Philip on IG: https://www.instagram.com/phillipbarbb/

From Casual Drinking to Liver Failure: Jacob’s Story of Alcoholic Cirrhosis, Sobriety, and Second Chances

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Jacob shares his powerful journey from a normal upbringing and moderate drinking to developing alcoholic liver cirrhosis after a slow, 10-year descent into alcohol dependency.

Growing up in Wisconsin with a loving family, sports, and strong values, Jacob never saw alcohol as dangerous. Drinking started socially and casually — a beer here, wine at dinner, fun with friends. But as stress increased through marriage, business responsibilities, and parenting, alcohol quietly shifted from celebration to coping.

In 2023, Jacob was hospitalized with severe abdominal swelling (ascites), jaundice, and ultimately diagnosed with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Doctors gave him a grim prognosis and discussed palliative care.

But this is not a tragedy story. It's about what Jacob is doing with his second chance.

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Join the Sober Motivation Community: https://sobermotivation.mn.co/

Jacob in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feel_sober_good/

Alcohol didn’t crash into Antoine’s life — it slowly became normal.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Antoine shares how drinking started at just 12 years old, was reinforced through culture, school, and social life, and quietly followed him for three decades. From boarding school overseas where alcohol was normalized, to college, hospitality, and years of “functioning” drinking, his story shows how easy it is to miss the warning signs when everyone around you is doing the same thing.

We talk about the pressure to fit in, living with ADHD, blackouts that were brushed off, and the moment in Apex, North Carolina that forced him to take a hard look at his relationship with alcohol. Antoine opens up about trying to cut back, why that didn’t work, and what finally made sobriety stick.

This episode is for anyone who’s questioning their drinking, feels stuck in the cycle, or wonders what life could look like without alcohol.

You don’t have to hit rock bottom to choose a different path.

One story at a time—you’re not alone.

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Connect with Antoine on IG: https://www.instagram.com/asavageslife/

Derek shares a raw, unforgettable sobriety story: growing up in a chaotic home, learning early that alcohol was “dangerous,” and still getting pulled into a cycle of binge drinking, DUIs, and arrests. He opens up about the restaurant industry drinking culture, people-pleasing, shame, and how secrecy (“what happens in this house stays in this house”) fueled isolation.

Eventually, alcohol dependence escalated to 25–30 beers per day, severe withdrawal, grand mal seizures, and DTs, leading to hospitalization and a medically critical turning point. Learn how he turns it all around.

We also talk about Derek’s book The Dog Bowl—a fictional story built from real addiction pain and real recovery truth.

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Derek On IG: https://www.instagram.com/dpaquette1/

“How do I get sober?”

It’s the most common question people ask when they’re struggling with alcohol — and it’s a fair one. But in this solo episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad challenges the idea that how is the real problem.

Instead, he offers a powerful reframe drawn from 16 years of personal recovery and 14 years of supporting people in sobriety:

👉 The real question isn’t how do I get sober — it’s what are you willing to do to get sober and stay sober?

In this honest and reflective episode, Brad explores why so many people feel stuck when trying to quit drinking, even after trying rehab, meetings, therapy, books, podcasts, and recovery programs. He explains how the search for the “right way” to get sober often becomes a form of avoidance, and why willingness — not information — is what actually leads to lasting change.

This episode covers:

• Why asking how to get sober can keep people stuck

• The role willingness plays in quitting alcohol and staying sober

• Why many people believe they’re “different” — and how that belief blocks recovery

• The fear of discomfort and change in early sobriety

• Why alcohol feels like it “worked” for so long

• The importance of changing routines, environments, and relationships

• Why doing sobriety alone rarely works

• How shame and ego prevent people from asking for help

• Why support and connection matter more than willpower

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Destiny for a raw and powerful conversation about addiction, recovery, and the moment everything changed.

Destiny grew up carrying responsibility far too young, learned early how to survive chaos, and spent years believing she was “different” — that addiction wouldn’t take her where it had taken others in her life. What started as partying slowly escalated into something much darker, affecting her relationships, her identity, and her ability to show up as a mother.

A near-fatal overdose became a turning point — not because someone forced her to change, but because she was finally ready. Destiny shares what didn’t work for years, what finally did, and why community and belonging became the foundation of her recovery.

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Destiny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xo_des97/

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Nicole to share a powerful and honest sobriety story. Nicole grew up in California in a home affected by alcoholism, struggled with anxiety and a deep sense of not belonging, and discovered early that alcohol could instantly change the way she felt. What started as weekend drinking eventually became daily drinking, secrecy, relationship chaos, and escalating consequences.

Nicole opens up about how she used alcohol for energy, confidence, and relief—until it stopped working and her life hit a devastating turning point in July 2022. She shares what finally created true willingness, why her first rehab stay didn’t stick, and how treatment, sober living, meetings, sponsorship, and rebuilding trust helped her stay sober. Today, Nicole is approaching four years sober, has rebuilt her relationship with her family, and is focused on living a life rooted in connection, service, and self-respect.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get sober, how to stop secret drinking, or how to rebuild after relapse, this episode will hit home.

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Nicole on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cargonicole/

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Ashton to talk about sobriety, party culture, and what happens when alcohol becomes tied to identity, confidence, and belonging.

Ashton shares how growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa normalized drinking as a “rite of passage,” and how a chaotic childhood shaped his ability to adapt—but also made real attachment and emotional safety difficult. He opens up about using alcohol and cocaine to socialize, manage anxiety, and feel confident—until the consequences caught up.

This conversation goes deep into shame, anger, trauma, public backlash, mental health, and the moment Ashton realized alcohol wasn’t the real problem—it was the tool he used to avoid what needed healing. He also explains the recovery shift that made sobriety stick: rebuilding discipline, changing environments, and addressing the physiology of recovery (dopamine, nervous system regulation, gut health, blood sugar, genetics, brain fog).

If you’re sober curious, trying to stop drinking, stuck in “weekend-only” drinking, or rebuilding after regret—this episode is a real blueprint for growth.

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Links:

Ashton on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ashtonpienaar/

Support The Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation