Episode 256: Why Medication Can Be A Lifesaving Bridge To Long-Term Sobriety with Trent Carter

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“Addiction is a chronic disease, and it needs to be treated like one.”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why ER detox loops and poor discharge planning fail people
• Gaps in addiction care quality and education
• Why medication-assisted treatment is a bridge, not a crutch
• How outpatient and IOP programs support real-life recovery
• Why inpatient treatment must be followed by strong aftercare

Skip the reading & watch the YouTube video instead: 

Why Stopping Drinking Isn’t Enough for Long-Term Sobriety

One of the biggest myths about sobriety is that if you can just stop drinking, everything else will fall into place.

I wish that were true.
It would make this whole thing a lot easier.

But after 13 years sober, thousands of conversations with women inside The Sobriety Circle, and countless podcast episodes like this one with Trent Carter, I can tell you this with certainty:

Sobriety is not about willpower.
It’s not about white-knuckling.
And it’s definitely not just about removing alcohol.

It’s about changing how you live.

In this episode of the Sober Vibes Podcast, Trent and I talked honestly about detox, medication, inpatient vs outpatient care, and why so many people feel like they’re “failing” at sobriety when the system itself is failing them. This conversation matters because too many people are stuck in cycles that look like effort but don’t lead to lasting change.

Let’s break it down.

The ER Detox Loop That Keeps People Stuck

There’s a pattern I see far too often.

Someone drinks heavily.
They try to stop.
Their body reacts.
They end up in the emergency room.

The ER stabilizes them. They detox. They’re safe. And then they’re sent home with little to no long-term support.

For a lot of people, that ER becomes a safety net. Not because they want to keep drinking, but because they know it’s there if things get dangerous. Over time, that safety net turns into a loop. Drink. Detox. Repeat.

Here’s the problem. Emergency rooms are designed to save lives, not build sobriety. They can get you through the immediate crisis, but they don’t help you change the patterns that led you there in the first place.

When detox becomes the plan instead of the starting point, people stay stuck.

And that’s not a personal failure. That’s a systems issue.

Why One-Size-Fits-All Recovery Doesn’t Work

Addiction is a chronic condition. Yet so much of recovery care is still built around short-term fixes and standardized approaches.

Same medication. Same dosage. Same timeline. Come back in a month.

But human beings are not identical, and neither are their nervous systems, trauma histories, or environments.

What Trent and I talked about in this episode is something I see constantly in my coaching work. People know their bodies. They know when things are getting dangerous. They know what hasn’t worked before. But they’re often not given space to participate in their own care.

When recovery ignores individuality, people internalize the failure. They assume they didn’t try hard enough, didn’t want it badly enough, or aren’t strong enough.

That narrative is harmful and wrong.

Medication Is a Tool, Not a Moral Failing

This is one of the most important conversations we need to normalize.

Medication-assisted treatment is not cheating.
It’s not a crutch.
And it’s not a sign that someone is doing sobriety “wrong.”

For some people, medication is a short-term bridge. For others, it’s part of long-term stability. Both are valid.

We don’t shame people for staying on blood pressure medication or insulin. Addiction deserves the same respect. There is no gold star for suffering longer than necessary.

Sobriety does not have a deadline. Healing does not have a stopwatch.

When people are supported medically and emotionally, their chances of staying sober increase dramatically. When they’re rushed or judged, relapse becomes more likely.

Inpatient Rehab vs Real Life

Inpatient treatment can be lifesaving. It can also be incredibly misleading.

Inside rehab, everything is structured. Meals are planned. Triggers are limited. Support is constant. It can feel like a reset button.

Then people go home.

Same house. Same stress. Same relationships. Same routines.

Without a bridge between inpatient care and real life, the contrast is jarring. And for many people, overwhelming. This is why relapse rates spike after discharge. Not because people don’t care, but because nothing around them has changed.

Outpatient programs and IOPs can sometimes do a better job of preparing people for reality. You’re still living your life while learning how to cope differently inside it.

Sobriety doesn’t happen in isolation. It has to work in your actual environment.

Sobriety Is a Lifestyle Shift, Not a Meeting Schedule

This is where a lot of people get tripped up.

They think sobriety is about meetings. Or rules. Or counting days.

Meetings can be helpful. Counting days can be motivating. But neither replaces lifestyle change.

If you drank to cope with stress, what’s replacing that?
If alcohol was your reward, what are you rewarding yourself with now?
If drinking was how you connected, how are you building relationships differently?

Sobriety asks you to rework your evenings, your boundaries, your coping tools, and sometimes your relationships. That doesn’t happen overnight. It happens slowly, intentionally, and often uncomfortably.

Trying to change everything at once usually leads to burnout. Sustainable sobriety is built in layers.

Relationships Change When You Get Sober

This part can be hard to talk about, but it matters.

When one person changes their lifestyle, the entire dynamic of their relationships shifts. Some people grow with you. Some don’t.

Supportive partners and communities can be game changers. On the flip side, relying only on the people closest to you can be complicated. They may love you deeply and still not understand what you’re navigating.

This is why outside accountability is so powerful. Having support that isn’t emotionally entangled gives you space to be honest without guilt or fear of disappointing someone.

Sobriety is easier when you’re not doing it alone.

Treating People Like Humans Changes Everything

One thing Trent said that stuck with me is how different outcomes become when people are treated like humans instead of statistics.

When recovery is reduced to numbers, compliance, and timelines, people feel disposable. When care is compassionate, flexible, and individualized, people stay.

Sobriety is not about perfection. It’s about building a system that supports your nervous system, your mental health, and your actual life.

That’s the work.

Final Thoughts: Sobriety Is Built, Not Forced

If you’re struggling right now, it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It doesn’t mean you lack discipline. And it definitely doesn’t mean you haven’t tried hard enough.

It may simply mean you’ve been trying to fit yourself into a model that doesn’t fit you.

Long-term sobriety isn’t about removing alcohol and hoping for the best. It’s about building a life where alcohol no longer makes sense as a solution.

That takes time.
It takes support.
And it takes compassion.

And it is absolutely possible. 

Thank you for listening!

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PODCAST SPONSOR:

This episode is sponsored by Soberlink, a trusted accountability tool for anyone navigating early recovery. Whether you're rebuilding trust with loved ones or want more structure in your sobriety, Soberlink offers a discreet and empowering way to stay on track.

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This episode is sponsored by ExactNature, a trusted holistic tool for anyone navigating recovery and sobriety. Use code SV25 at checkout to save on your order. Click here to shop 

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