Satch Selden: Surviving The Mirror and Embracing Yourself | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this riveting episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Satch Selden, a resilient advocate for recovery with ten years of sobriety as of March 6, 2015, lays bare his transformative journey from a harrowing battle with heroin addiction to confronting a life-threatening eating disorder, offering profound insights into the intersections of addiction, trauma, and self-worth. Adopted into a supportive family by his biological aunt after his heroin- and crack-addicted biological mother gave him up, Satch grew up with material abundance but grappled with deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, exacerbated by his experiences as a gay man navigating transactional relationships and a past as an escort. His addiction led him to 27 rehab stints, culminating in a near-fatal overdose in a San Angelo motel, where a pivotal moment of maternal support sparked his commitment to sobriety. Despite achieving a decade of sobriety, Satch faced a new challenge with a severe eating disorder, losing 30 pounds dangerously and requiring a 60-day residential treatment program in October of the previous year, followed by a four-month intensive program, where he confronted body dysmorphia and learned to reframe his self-perception through therapy and 12-step principles. Now a professor in the recovery field and a beacon of hope, Satch shares his story with raw honesty, detailing how his gastric sleeve surgery complications in 2022 nearly cost him his life, yet fueled his determination to embrace nourishment and fitness healthily, guided by a steadfast sponsor and a vibrant sober roommate who infuses his life with humor and support.

#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover

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Timestamps:
00:01:13 - Celebrating Ten Years Sober
00:03:04 - Eating Disorder Threatening Sobriety
00:04:25 - Losing 30 Pounds Dangerously
00:05:28 - Linking Body Dysmorphia to Addiction
00:06:50 - Checking into Eating Disorder Treatment
00:08:13 - Uncovering Adoption-Related Trauma
00:10:26 - Questioning Worth in Relationships
00:12:10 - Caught Exercising Secretly in Treatment
00:13:11 - Feeling Like a Newcomer Despite Sobriety
00:16:00 - Recommitting to Service Work
00:20:40 - Surviving a Near-Fatal Heroin Overdose
00:22:21 - Mother’s Support Ignites Sobriety
00:28:17 - Facing Life-Threatening Surgery Complications
01:04:16 - Balancing Gym and Eating Disorder Recovery
01:08:17 - Reframing Irrational Thoughts
01:14:50 - Reconnecting with Sober Roommate
01:19:16 - Finding Solution in Mixed AA Meetings
01:24:15 - Embracing Worthiness Through Nourishment