Why I believe sharing recovery stories is important

Vanessa Kredler Author

Last week I shared aspects of my food addiction recovery journey on the 3CR Living Free radio show.

Last week I shared aspects of my food addiction recovery journey on the 3CR Living Free radio show. This is a Melbourne-based community radio show that is aired every Thursday where people with lived experience share their addiction recovery journeys, and in particular, their experience with 12-step programs. I shared aspects of my experience with a variety of food addiction fellowships such as Overeaters Anonymous. You can listen to the podcast of the show here and I hope you get something out of it.

I really like sharing my lived experience, because, as Living Free so aptly say, “shared stories save lives. Together we can reach those who are still suffering through public information”. When I was struggling I didn’t dare tell anyone about my food issues, and it was such an isolating experience. There were parts of me that were deeply ashamed of not being in control of my food, and parts of me that just wished it all away and continued to just push through and get on with it, powering through a demanding job. It was a huge relief coming to OA and hearing that there were others like me. I remember first coming into OA and somebody telling me about recorded recovery stories from some of the American OA groups. Those stories were my lifeline at the beginning of my recovery journey. I just needed to get the identification with others who had faced the same struggles and had come out the other side! It gave me hope. So I intend to do the same in sharing my story.

Living Free interviews people who share their addiction recovery stories on a weekly basis. The show has been running for 25 years and is powered by volunteers. They have an impressive podcast library that you can stream here or on your favourite podcast platform. They don’t only feature food addiction recovery stories. You’ll also find people’s stories of recovery from drug addiction, gambling and alcohol plus their family members. Some of the 12-step programs they share about include Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon Family Groups, Adult Children of Alcoholics and SMART Recovery. 3CR survives on donations and subscriptions and are always happy to be supported by listeners.

Categories: : Food Addiction, Recovery, Speaking, Trauma