The Functioning Alcoholic is a Myth (Here’s Why)

The single most dangerous lie in addiction. In this video, Shane Ramer proves that "Functioning" isn't a type of alcoholic.

📄Free Sobriety Survival Checklist: https://thesoberstrong.com/sober-strong-survival-checklist Subscribe for more raw truths about sobriety, growth, and reclaiming your life.

Shane went from a "social drinker" with a college degree to facing multiple felonies and a prison sentence in less than 40 minutes. He wasn't homeless. He wasn't "one of those people." He was just like you.

In this interview, we break down:

The "Walgreens Paradox": Why we trust alcohol just because it’s legal (and why that’s a fatal mistake).

The "Dr. Jekyll" Effect: The biological reason your personality flips when the Prefrontal Cortex shuts off.

The Replacement Stack: Why "willpower" fails and how to use Sun, Sweat, and Service to hack your dopamine.

The Suicide Standoff: The raw, unfiltered story of Shane’s "Rock Bottom" that changed everything.

0:00 - Society's Blind Spot: The Legal Neurotoxin

0:54 - The "Ignorance Debt": Why the First Drink Lied

2:20 - The Slide: From 7th Grade to Heroin

4:51 - The High-Functioning Shame Cycle

7:52 - Rock Bottom: Waking Up in a Psych Pod

11:02 - The Turning Point: "Get Your Head Out of Your Butt"

13:10 - Consequences: The Permanent Felony

16:51 - Volume Negates Luck: Getting Hired With a Record

20:44 - The "Not That Bad" Trap (Comparison is Deadly)

24:17 - How to Earn Trust When You've Burned It

29:23 - The ROI of Sobriety: Being There for the End

34:50 - The Replacement Stack: Sun, Exercise, & Purpose

42:00 - It’s Not Addiction, It’s Trauma (EMDR)

47:31 - Year One Tactics: Building the Bunker

50:44 - Breaking the Stigma: Bad Chemistry, Not Bad People

53:14 - Daily Protocol: Winning the Morning

55:52 - Pattern Recognition: Stopping Relapse Early

👉 Stay In Touch: https://thesoberstrong.com/contact

👉 Be On My Podcast: • Sobriety Uncensored: Real Stories. Real Pe...

🌐 My Website: https://thesoberstrong.com/

📧 Email Me: meghan@thesoberstrong.com

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I am a alcohol survivor sharing my story. If you need medical help, please contact a professional.