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She thought the answer to her problems was another man, another night out, another bottle hidden just well enough to get through the day. Helen takes us back to 2013, when alcohol addiction and chaotic thinking collided with motherhood, marriage and crushing shame, until one blunt truth cut through the fog. Her kids loved her, but they were scared of her. That moment leads to rehab and a 12-step recovery path that transforms how she lives, parents and asks for help.

We go deep on what sobriety really looks like after the detox glow fades. From losing friends and being judged by other mums to making amends without guarantees and learning how to be “sober me” rather than only a wife or a mother. Helen also shares the reality of raising her daughter with Prader-Willi syndrome, including the medical and behavioural challenges, the constant food management and the emotional weight carers carry. If you’re searching for honest conversations about addiction recovery, relapse prevention, parenting in recover, and disability caregiving, this one is packed with lived experience.

The story takes another sharp turn when Helen’s second husband, also an addict, stops working his program and spirals into gambling and infidelity before disappearing overseas and leaving debts behind. Helen describes reaching a terrifying point where she doesn’t want to drink, but she does want to die and how sponsorship, meetings, online community and dropping her pride helps her survive and rebuild. Listener discretion advised, and if you need immediate support in Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

If Helen’s story lands with you, please subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find Everyday Warriors. What’s one thing that has helped you ask for help sooner?

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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast.

Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...