Prison, Pain and Purpose - Sam's Path to Recovery

My guest this week is Sam Lander who hit rock bottom when she was sent to prison. In this episode:- Sam's first drink was in 7th grade and her first drug use (weed) in 8th grade. From there she progressed to heavy substance use, including GHB, cocaine, and meth. She was blackout drinking and using drugs to alter her state of mind. Despite her addiction, she was high functioning – she was a varsity athlete, spinning instructor, and held down various jobs. Her turning point was certainly a dramatic one – a SWAT Raid of her home which led to a 27 month prison sentence Even in prison she didn’t get clean Eventually Sam accepted that her life was unmanageable and went to rehab She describes her rehab experience as liberating - experiencing joy and laughter again!. She was sober for 13 years but then had a relapse due to struggles with motherhood, marriage and isolation Sam was drinking a bottle of gin a day throughout Covid As her addiction got worse she lost some people close to her and she finally realised what was blocking her recovery She wasn’t doing the work and realised that she was lacking the humility she needed Sams relapse after 13 years is such a warning sign to those of us that have clocked up years of sobriety – if we still see alcohol as a way to relieve our struggles then we are at risk The key is to develop alternative coping mechanism so that we don’t go to our default and seek a way to numb out from our problems These days Sam has clocked up more than a year of sobriety, focusing on daily gratitude and service work She is now a Health Coach and helps women to address their health:-  Gut health Hormone imbalances and Stress management She combines nutrition, functional lab testing, and personalized programs. She also encourages clean eating, proper supplementation, and weightlifting for sustainable health. She had some advice:- For those struggling: Be vulnerable and admit you need help – there is no shame in seeking support. First-year sobriety struggles: Address gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and underlying issues. For those having sugar cravings: Use natural alternatives like honey, maple syrup, and balanced meals. Her take on exercise is that its key: Start slow, prioritize weightlifting, and integrate daily movement like walking. Sam Offers free health clarity calls to assess needs and recommend lab tests. Contact her via Instagram  @seefitliving More Info Tribe Sober membership – you can join up HERE. To access our website, click HERE. If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email [email protected]. If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email [email protected].   Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today Read more about our program and subscribe here Bootcamp on Demand          To kickstart your alcohol free life check out our Bootcamp on Demand here   Help us to Spread the Word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts. Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you! We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. You can join our private Facebook group HERE. PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device) Open the Podcasts app. EASY. Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Tribe Sober) into the search field. Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes). Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews. Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).