217: "How Do You Know if You're an Addict?" with Xander Clark

Today's episode is with my good friend Xander Clark, who identifies himself as a recovering drug addict. Xander tells his story of leaving to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints only to come home early after a couple months due to a stomach wound and how that led him to a dependency on pain medication. We address the commonly asked questions of "how do you know if you're an addict?" and "why continue to call yourself an addict once you've found recovery?". Time Stamps: [00:36] - Xander Clark talks about a mission trip which led to him needing surgery. What happened? [05:28] - Xander explains what he felt when coming home from the mission trip. [09:18] - Neil and Xander discuss the cultural aspect of mission trips within the community. How did these expectations impact Xander? [13:25] - How did Xander end up at AA meetings? [19:01] - “I feel so blessed.” [21:24] - Looking back, when did Xander first realize he had an addiction? [27:21] - How does someone know they’re an addict? [32:08] - Xander explains why he continues to refer to himself as an addict. [39:20] - Neil and Xander talk about navigating life with an addiction and staying mindful of what they expose themselves to. [44:40] - What if someone is in denial about their addiction? [49:05] - Xander offers his advice for starting a journey to sustainable recovery. [55:16] - “Don’t give up hope. Keep trying and keep coming back.” Supporting Resources: Alcoholics Anonymous quiz "Is AA for you?"  Signs you or a loved one my have a drug addiction Sexaholics Anonymous quiz "Test yourself"  Find an ARP meeting near you  Xander's Instagram