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PODCAST

Sobriety Bestie Podcast

Kirsten Johnson

The Sobriety Bestie Podcast helps you deprogram AA, heal from recovery dogma, and build a bold, empowered life on your own terms.

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

08:45

Ep 97 Welcome to AA. Now Betray Yourself. #CultyComments

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/11

Did I really have free will in my first AA meeting… or was I coerced into self-identifying?Today on Culty Comments, we’re unpacking the pressure, the mind control, and the emotional manipulation baked into Alcoholics Anonymous—starting with the forced identification as an "alcoholic."🎯 In this episode:The truth about group pressure and AA's identification ritualsWhy “you can leave any time” is a myth rooted in thought reformWhat happened when I tried not to say the words at my first meetingHow

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19:48

Ep 96 We Don’t Owe Bill Wilson’s Cult Anything...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/10

We don’t owe Bill Wilson’s cult religion sh*t.In this episode of Culty Comments, I respond to a viewer who accuses me of being “not a real alcoholic,” rallying hate, and owing something to AA because I once benefited from it.Let’s unpack the real issue: not toxic people… but toxic ideology.👉 The guilt trip.👉 The “real alcoholic” mind trap.👉 The indoctrination that tells us we must give it away to keep it.This episode isn’t about hate — it’s about deprogramming, reclaiming your mind, and getting

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24:57

Ep 95 Alcohol Addiction vs Social Media Addiction

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/09

Is TikTok trolling just bad behavior… or a hidden addiction? 00:00 Intro: Alcohol vs. TikTok Addiction09:06 Why Trolls Lash Out 11:13 Long-Term Fallout: Cross-Addictions12:36 Why TikTok Addiction Is Intense13:27 AA Steppers & Trolling14:09 AA and Cross Addictions: Deeper Truth17:40 Healing Anxiety + Trauma Tangent20:14 ADHD + Adderall Tangent22:33 My AuDHD OptimizationIn this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, we dive into the neuroscience behind alcohol addiction vs. social media

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05:41

Ep 94 How To Get Sober Without Rehab or AA (Advice To...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/08

If I could go back to 2009—right before I went to rehab and spent 10+ years in AA—this is what I wish I knew. In this video, I share 4 alternatives to rehab and Alcoholics Anonymous that could have saved me thousands of dollars and a decade of my life. These tools are cheaper than rehab, faster than AA, and backed by science.👇 Videos you may vibe with:What is Sinclair MethodWhat is a SMART Recovery meeting like?What is SMART Recovery?AA Misdiagnosed Me As Alcoholic – I'm Actually Neurodivergent👋

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16:57

Ep 93 Neuroscience Behind AA TikTok Trolls

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/08

AA TikTok trolls aren’t just passionate — they’re in a chemical loop. 00:00 Intro AA TikTok Trolls02:43 Intermittent Reward05:09 1. Dopamine — The Hook05:44 2. Norepinephrine — The Rush06:50 3. Endorphins — The Emotional Relief07:46 4. Oxytocin — Tribal Belonging08:37 5. Cortisol — The Trigger10:07 Biochemical addictive loop12:40 AA ideology fails usThis video breaks down the neuroscience behind their compulsive behavior, including dopamine addiction, trauma bonding, and identity fusion. What looks

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26:28

Ep 92 AA Trolls and the Brain: Rage Addiction?

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/07

What are AA TikTok trolls actually drunk on? It’s not alcohol. It’s control, certainty, and the chemical high of outrage. 👇 TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro AA Trolls Rage Addiction?02:05 1. Ideological Possession07:07 2. Reward-Seeking / Rage Addiction09:40 Unhinged AA Member Kept Coming Back11:47 3. Unhealed Trauma + Internalized Abuse13:11 4. Deindividuation + Mob Mentality16:02 Why TikTok Feels So Different from Other PlatformsThis episode breaks down the neuroscience behind their behavior — and how

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33:43

Ep 91 How 90 Days of AA Dissenting Changed Me

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/06

Today we're reflecting on doing 90 in 90 — not meetings, but 90 days of AA dissenting. 👇 TIMESTAMPS00:00 90 in 90 intro02:14 Breaking my anonymity online03:40 Growth in 90 days of dissenting08:02 Advice I'd give my getting sober self13:56 Deconstructing AA journey15:41 Most harmful part of AA 19:40 Taking your power back after AA 26:07 Speaking out about AA31:36 What’s next for the channel + communityFor the past three months, I’ve been deconstructing Alcoholics Anonymous out loud online. What

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18:01

Ep 89 How Cult Indoctrination Mirrors Addiction

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/04

How Cult Indoctrination Mirrors Addiction (with AA as the Case Study)👇 TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro Cult Indoctrination + Addiction02:01 1. Dopamine-Driven Reinforcement04:33 2. Withdrawal When You Question or Leave08:12 3. Intermittent Reinforcement + Trauma Bonding10:17 4. Identity Fusion = Neurological Compulsion11:26 5. Rituals Become Self-Soothing AddictionsIn this first episode of our Addiction Science series, we explore how high-control systems like Alcoholics Anonymous mirror the brain patterns

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19:31

Ep 90 People Reversing Alcohol Addiction With A Pill?

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/04

💊 🍷 What Is a Sinclair Method Meeting Like? (My Honest Experience)I didn’t even know The Sinclair Method had meetings — so I went to one! In this video, I’m sharing exactly what it was like: the vibe, the shares, how it compares to AA and SMART, and what I loved (and didn’t love) about it.Welcome to the Sobriety Bestie Podcast — I’m Kirsten, and after 10 years in AA and 5 years of deprogramming, I’m exploring real alternatives to recovery dogma. Whether you're curious about harm reduction,

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13:05

Ep 88 The Most Deranged AA Comment Yet #CultyComments

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/03

In today’s Culty Comments episode, we’re breaking down one of the worst AA defender comments I’ve received — and that’s saying a lot. From made-up accusations to full-blown victim-blaming, this one went way beyond “spirited disagreement.”Why do some people inside AA go this hard when someone speaks out?Let’s talk about it in the comments— the projection, the spiritual bypassing, the mind control, and why it’s so hard to leave AA and speak your truth.Join our deprogramming AA Community and get free

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16:48

Ep 87 Brad Pitt Just Promoted AA to Millions — Here’s...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/02

🎬 Welcome to our new series: AA PropagandaBrad Pitt just promoted AA to millions on Dax Shepard’s podcast which also got picked up on CNN and various news stations. What seems like an honest share is actually part of a much bigger problem…When celebrities talk about Alcoholics Anonymous like it’s the one true path to recovery — without acknowledging its 1930s cult roots, religious doctrine, or total lack of modern science — it spreads ideology, not information.This isn’t about Brad or Dax

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21:57

Ep 86 Drink Your Way Sober? (The Sinclair Method)

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/01

🍷 What Is The Sinclair Method? (Drink to Sobriety?)Is it actually possible to drink your way sober? Sounds wild — but the Sinclair Method is a real, evidence-based approach to ending alcohol addiction without cold turkey, meetings, or shame.After 10 years in AA and 5 years out, I’m diving deep into recovery alternatives that don’t require surrendering your life or identity. If you’re sober, sober curious, or just want options that aren’t culty church basements… this one’s for you.🎙️

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24:53

Ep 85 Alcoholism: Fatal, Progressive Disease… or...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/30

Is Alcohol Addiction a Fatal Progressive Disease… or Just a Reversible Habit?Let’s unpack one of the most fear-based ideas in AA — the “disease doing pushups in the parking lot.”Spoiler: it’s not real. But something IS happening in the brain… and it’s actually reversible.🎙️ Timestamps:00:00 – Fatal progressive or habit intro03:10 – Fatal progressive disease mythology07:41 – Consequences of AA ideology09:59 – Fatal progressive disease roots14:16 – Alcohol deprivation effect18:29 – The Sinclair

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12:34

Ep 84 Blinded by the Big Book #CultyComments

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/29

What do you call it when someone is so deep in AA ideology, they literally can’t see reality anymore?In today’s Culty Comments, we unpack a wild comment that accuses me of “k*lling the real alcoholic” — all because I dared to say I’m not one. From purple-glasses metaphors to brainwashing cracks, we’re diving into ideological possession, thought control, and the bizarre ways AA defenders protect the system at all costs.🧠 Topics inside:What is ideological possession?“Real alcoholic” as a control

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07:53

Ep 83 The AA "Real Alcoholic" Gaslight #CultyComments

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/28

What happens when someone says AA worked for them — but they never did a 4th step, and now they can socially drink?In today’s episode of Culty Comments, we unpack the wild logic of “real alcoholic” rhetoric, circular definitions, and why AA defenders erase anyone who doesn’t fit the narrative. Plus… did someone really claim AA is scientific because Dr. Bob was a rectal surgeon?!Let’s talk about:The No True Scotsman fallacy in AAStepper-splaining and circular dogmaWhy questioning AA = instant

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15:31

Ep 82 What is SMART Recovery? | AA Alternatives Ep 02

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/27

Today I share an overview of SMART Recovery—what it is, how it works, and how it compares to AA. I attended my first SMART Recovery meeting and completed the facilitator training to better understand the structure, tools, and philosophy behind the program.Timestamps:00:00 – What is SMART Recovery intro03:14 – What is SMART Recovery?05:41 – Who is SMART Recovery for?06:39 – Core features of SMART Recovery09:08 – How SMART differs from AA13:16 – What SMART meetings are like14:17 – SMART Recovery

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24:58

Ep 81 What a SMART Recovery Meeting Is Like | AA...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/26

My First SMART Recovery Meeting: What It Was Really LikeToday I’m sharing my honest experience going to a SMART Recovery meeting for the first time — even though I’ve been sober since 2009 and wasn’t looking for support getting sober. I did it to explore non-12-step recovery options and expand the conversation beyond AA.👇 Timestamps00:00 What SMART Recovery is like intro02:11 Who SMART is for02:57 Why I didn't go to SMART to get sober03:44 I went to an online SMART meeting07:25 SMART Recovery

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08:09

Ep 80 Why Is AA Adverting Now? #CultyComments

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/25

Is AA really attraction not promotion as it's traditions state? Let’s Talk About Those Billboards… 🚨⛓️AA claims attraction, not promotion — but national billboard campaigns, train ads, and bus stop posters tell a different story. In this episode of #CultyComments, we break down a recent 2024 paid ad campaign by Alcoholics Anonymous and explore why they might be ramping up promotion now.🎯 Is this a sign that AA is struggling to survive?💥 Is it gaslighting to call this “not advertising”?🧠 And what

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10:07

Ep 79 AA Cult Logic: You’re The Problem #CultyComments

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/24

Rule #1 of a cult? It’s not a cult. Rule #2? You’re the problem.In this episode of #CultyComments, we dive into a classic AA-defender mindset: “You’re just bashing AA—you offer nothing helpful!” But what happens when you do offer resources... and they still say you’re wrong?🧠 This video explores:— Why AA ideology can’t tolerate dissent— The gaslighting built into “it works if you work it”— Why deconstructing AA ≠ bashing— And why AA’s tiny market share proves it's not “the only way”Continue your

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22:40

Ep 78 How AA Is Like Scientology Ep 01 — AA vs Cult

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/06/23

AA vs. Cult: How Is Alcoholics Anonymous Like Scientology?In our new series AA vs. Cult series, we’re unpacking how Alcoholics Anonymous mirrors the structure, control, and indoctrination tactics of high-control groups — starting with Scientology.Join our deprogramming AA Community and get free resources in the → 🔓 AA Escape KitWant to dive deeper? Join my Deprogramming AA course:→ 🌀 Deprogram AA Course💬 Let’s Connect IG @SobrietyBestieTIkTok @SobrietyBestieDM me or comment on any Sobriety Bestie

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