{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Sober.Coffee Podcast","title":"Challenges in Sobriety: Emotional Relapse (Restless, Irritable, Discontent) - FROM THE VAULT","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1800,"description":"Challenges in Sobriety: Emotional Relapse (Restless, Irritable, Discontent) - From the Vault\nSeries Note: This episode is the fifth release in a special series of replays from the Sober.Coffee vault, featuring Mike and Glenn while they take a sabbatical.\n\nSober.Coffee Podcast (Episode B31)\n\nHosts: Mike & Glenn\nEpisode Overview\nMike and Glenn settle into the coffee shop to explore the subtle warning signs that precede a physical slip: emotional relapse. Drawing from recovery literature and personal experience, they unpack the famous phrase from the Doctor's Opinion in the Big Book—describing alcoholics as \"restless, irritable, and discontented\" until they seek relief. The hosts discuss how to recognize when you are running \"off,\" why internal emotions cannot always be trusted, and how objective tools and accountability keep you grounded before a relapse takes physical form.\nThe 3 Stages of Relapse & The \"First Five Minutes\"\nThe Progression: Relapse is not an instantaneous event; it develops across three distinct phases: Emotional, Mental, and Physical.\nThe Emotional Trap: Long before someone plans a drink (mental) or takes a sip (physical), they experience emotional dis-ease—feeling disconnected, restless, irritable, or discontent.\nChasing Lightning: Glenn shares the realization behind his last relapse nearly eight years prior, where he meticulously planned a slip for weeks to chase the elusive \"first five minutes\" of ease and comfort. Instead of relief, 15 minutes in he found himself sick over a toilet, reinforcing that the desired feeling of active addiction can never be recaptured.\nSubjective Feelings vs. Objective Truth\nYou Can’t Read the Label from Inside the Jar: Mike notes an exercise he tried: looking up antonyms for restlessness (such as calm, quiet, unworried, composed) to gauge his state. Glenn counters that internal emotions are inherently subjective and often distorted in an alcoholic brain.\nUsing Objective Metrics: Just as a diabetic checks blood...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/lbvonW-QZLM4NmaZlNyZ24zW1GAeM2iURuVyAh7wbrc/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE5NDE2LzE2MTU1/OTcyNTUtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}