On this Podcast, I had the privilege to interview Gigi Langer. Thirty years ago Gigi used alcohol, romance and professional accomplishments to soothe her nerves. She quit drinking and found that she had a serious thinking problem. She discovered effective tools from therapy, recovery programs, scientific research and a variety of philosophical and spiritual teachings to deal with what was going on in her life.
We talked about her recent book “50 Ways to Worry Less Now” and she gave some really helpful tips for overcoming stress, anxiety and worry – without alcohol or drugs.
”Before the age of forty I was on my third divorce and clearly something was a problem
Gigi Langer
We spoke about her take on addiction. For her, it meant that when she drank or even had one drink or a toke of marijuana she couldn’t trust herself to make decisions that kept herself or others safe. She wasn’t a daily drinker but before the age of forty, she was on her third divorce and clearly something was a problem. The therapist that she was seeing at the time said; “Try and have two drinks, no more no less and see if you have a problem”. What happens when you drink? What happens when you only have two? Can you do that?
She observed her behaviour and sometimes she had just that one drink, other times she had one, two, three, that toke of marijuana and then followed that stranger home to do things she, later on, would resent herself for.
After six months of observing herself, she realised that she couldn’t possibly predict how things would end if she had a drink.
”It’s kind of a magical moment when we become willing to ask for help and it’s one of the hardest things to do
Gigi Langer
Being the self-reliant person she is asking for help was a difficult thing to do initially but after building trust and finding herself a sponsor her recovery became a reality.
”She gave some really helpful tips for overcoming stress, anxiety and worry
Gigi Langer
We talked about her journey through recovery, her writing her book and talking through some great tips to help ourselves and others in recovery.