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Ellie Nova's avatar

Thank you for sharing this Josh - so helpful to have it all broken down here. And I very much relate to that experience of showing up and being brave, and how that has built my confidence and self-trust over time.

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Josh Woll's avatar

Thank you Ellie!

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Caitlin McColl 🇨🇦's avatar

congrats on your sobriety. My mom was an alcoholic (and died from it, 10 years ago this coming Monday). Because of that, I don't drink myself, but I know the impacts of it - on loved ones (and also on the rest of my family).

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Josh Woll's avatar

Wow Caitlin, I’m so sorry for your loss. I can’t even begin to imagine the grief you’ve experienced. I appreciate you sharing. It’s powerful and important for others to see. Thank you.

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Caitlin McColl 🇨🇦's avatar

Thanks Josh, appreciate it. Yeah, it's been...tough. As you can imagine, my relationship with my mom was...complicated, due to her drinking. Her sister (my aunt) was also an alcoholic, but unlike my mom, got sober through AA and was sober for over 20 years, before sadly she passed away as well (cancer) just a couple years after my mom. Also, I meant to say in my initial Note that I'm proud of you for your sobriety! You've done what many (like my mom) don't, so...congrats.

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Jane's avatar

"Alcohol doesn’t just numb the discomfort of avoidance - it prevents you from building the capacity to face it." Ohmygosh THIS! I learned at 16 alcohol numbed the hurt of not being included and at 21, having a couple of beers before my very critical MIL visited, cemented this avoidance in my brain. It took another 2 decades for me to finally break free

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Josh Woll's avatar

I love the insight with you sharing this Jane, thank you!

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Sam Illingworth's avatar

Thank you for sharing Josh. Not just your powerful journey, but also the science that backs this up. 🙏

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Josh Woll's avatar

Absolutely Sam, thank you for your comment and reading. I love the format of this series. Life, with all its complexities, I try to explore more with curiosity these days. Lots of questions. 😝 The not knowing, the grasping can be hard. I appreciate how science brings a bit of softening to that.

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