#15: Mathew Dwyer — Service Industry Drinking, Spiritual Surrender & Finding Recovery

Mathew Dwyer’s story is a raw, honest journey through alcohol addiction, service industry drinking culture, relapse, treatment, recovery, spirituality, and service.From Wisconsin barrooms to Nashville restaurants, Mathew spent years hiding his drinking, managing consequences, and convincing himself he had it under control. After pancreatitis, blackouts, job losses, DUIs, and a relapse that led him to treatment during the early days of COVID, Mathew finally found recovery through surrender, community, service, and the rooms of AA.Today, Mathew is sober, active in Nashville’s recovery community, involved with the Log Cabin Group, and helping others find hope before they lose everything.You’ll Hear:• What Mathew would say to himself in active addiction  • How Wisconsin drinking culture shaped his early relationship with alcohol  • Why the service industry can protect and normalize addiction  • The lies he told himself to keep drinking  • How pancreatitis, blackouts, DUIs, and relapse became part of his story  • Why cocaine eventually led him back to alcohol  • What finally made treatment different  • How spirituality, meditation, and service became part of his recovery  • Why the Log Cabin Group has become a powerful recovery community in Nashville  Why Listen:• To hear an honest alcohol recovery story filled with humor, pain, and clarity  • To understand how addiction can hide behind work, personality, and “functioning”  • To learn why half measures often fail  • To see how community and service can help sustain sobriety  • To be reminded that you do not have to lose everything before you stop digging  If you or someone you love is struggling, help is available.  To learn more about National Addiction Specialists and the Breaking Down Addiction podcast, visit: https://www.nationaladdictionspecialists.com