Blocked and Reported

Episode 279: How To Drink Your Way Sober

October 6, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The episode opens with a discussion about Yom Kippur fasting, which is impacting one host's ability to think clearly, before pivoting to the main topics of the *Blocked and Reported* episode. 
  • The hosts discuss *Slam Frank*, a musical described as a revisionary account of Anne Frank aligned with social justice ideology, which one host found surprisingly well-executed despite its controversial premise. 
  • The primary focus shifts to Katie Herzog's new book, *Drink Your Way Sober: The Science-Based Method to Break Free from Alcohol*, which advocates for medication-assisted treatment like the Sinclair Method (using Naltrexone) as an effective alternative to traditional abstinence-only recovery methods. 
  • Pharmacological interventions like Naltrexone can offer a 'fast-track' to sobriety by eliminating the desire to drink, contrasting with the long-term commitment often required by traditional methods like AA. 
  • Addiction is characterized by a persistent mental obsession, and achieving sobriety, regardless of the method used (AA, medication, etc.), is fundamentally about quieting this obsessive voice. 
  • There is no single path to sobriety; the traditional message that AA is the only solution is false, and individuals should pursue the method that works for them, even if it involves controversial approaches like medication or avoiding deep moral inventories. 

Segments

Yom Kippur Fasting and Book Promotion
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:15)
  • Key Takeaway: One host is observing Yom Kippur by fasting for 18 hours, which impacts their ability to focus during the recording of Blocked and Reported Episode 279.
  • Summary: The host is observing Yom Kippur, noting that the lack of caffeine is more challenging than the lack of food. The episode is framed as a ‘Yom Kippur edition’ of the podcast. The main topic is introduced as Katie Herzog’s new book, Drink Your Way Sober.
Review of Slam Frank Musical
Copied to clipboard!
(00:02:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Slam Frank is a musical offering a revisionary, social justice-aligned account of Anne Frank, which one host found surprisingly well-executed and impressive.
  • Summary: The musical Slam Frank is described as an attempt to make the story of Anne Frank more intersectional, stemming from a perceived need to address her ‘white privilege.’ The production is praised for going ‘balls deep’ into the spoof, successfully balancing the controversial premise with quality execution, though some audience members walked out during an offensive number.
Jesse Gets Canceled in Portland
Copied to clipboard!
(00:05:58)
  • Key Takeaway: A Portland venue owner canceled a planned Blocked and Reported listener meetup after learning the host was Jesse Single, citing discomfort.
  • Summary: Jesse recounts how a venue owner rescinded a booking for a listener meetup after receiving an email from him, stating they were ’no longer comfortable hosting this event.’ The hosts debate whether this constitutes cancel culture or consequence culture, with Jesse hesitant to name the venue to avoid further backlash against the bartenders.
Promoting Drink Your Way Sober
Copied to clipboard!
(00:10:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Katie Herzog is contractually obligated to promote her new book, Drink Your Way Sober, extensively across the heterodox podcast network.
  • Summary: The host apologizes for over-promoting the book, noting she is paying to distribute copies in free libraries herself, suggesting she is not profiting significantly. The plan for the segment involves Jesse praising the book, Katie reading an excerpt, and playing a pre-recorded interview with Sarah Hepola and Nancy Rommelmann.
Reading Book Excerpt and Praise
Copied to clipboard!
(00:14:07)
  • Key Takeaway: The book excerpt details the author’s past as a ‘barfly’ surrounded by heavy drinkers, using the character ‘Hank’ to illustrate the comparison trap used to justify continued drinking.
  • Summary: Jesse praises the book for smoothly integrating memoir, personal stories, and scientific information, noting the author exposed embarrassing details willingly because storytelling was prioritized over self-preservation. The excerpt describes the author’s life in a bar community where she felt superior to heavier drinkers like Hank, who eventually died of cancer.
Discussion on Drinking History and Terms
Copied to clipboard!
(00:25:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The author’s first realization of a drinking problem occurred in her early 20s after cheating on her girlfriend, leading her to conclude the common element was either being a sociopath or a drunk.
  • Summary: The author describes a dramatic breakup in Portland where her girlfriend hit her at her job at Grand Central Baking after discovering her infidelity, which was fueled by alcohol. This event served as the first ‘aha moment’ that her behavior was patterned, though she resisted accepting the label of ‘alcoholic’ for another 15 years because it implied quitting.
Alcoholic Terminology and AA Stance
Copied to clipboard!
(00:32:52)
  • Key Takeaway: While ‘alcoholic’ is stigmatized in medical circles, within AA, the term has become hopeful because it implies a desire to take action, contrasting with softer terms like ’lousy drunk.’
  • Summary: The term ‘alcoholic’ is now largely associated with AA, as the medical community prefers ‘alcohol use disorder’ (AUD) to describe the wide spectrum of the issue. Saying ‘I am an alcoholic’ is compared to saying ‘I love you’—a declaration that is hard to take back and signifies a commitment to change. The author notes that for her, the realization was terrifying because it meant accepting the only solution was to quit drinking.
Medication-Assisted Recovery (Sinclair Method)
Copied to clipboard!
(00:43:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The Sinclair Method, using the opioid blocker Naltrexone taken one hour before drinking, works by achieving ‘pharmacological extinction’ by blocking the euphoric endorphin response to alcohol.
  • Summary: The author credits medication, specifically Naltrexone via the Sinclair Method, as the only thing that allowed her to quit after failing traditional methods because it addressed the underlying desire to drink. This method is most effective for ‘fun drunks’ who seek euphoria, as it dulls the high, making drinking boring over time. The spiritual experience described by AA founder Bill Wilson may be related to neuroplasticity changes achieved through this process of extinction.
Pharmacological vs. AA Sobriety
Copied to clipboard!
(00:53:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The speaker theorizes that the spiritual experience in AA literature might relate to neuroplasticity changes occurring after prolonged abstinence, which pharmacological aids can potentially accelerate.
  • Summary: The speaker describes achieving sobriety through a process they term ‘pharmacological extinction,’ where the brain stops desiring alcohol after a period, possibly mirroring the spiritual awakening described by Bill Wilson. This process took the speaker several years, highlighting the difficulty of traditional methods for some individuals. The speaker advocates for pharmacological aids as a way to fast-track the removal of the desire to drink, which AA failed to achieve for them.
Naltrexone as ‘Ozempic of Booze’
Copied to clipboard!
(00:55:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Naltrexone is described as the ‘Ozempic of booze’ because it removes the desire to drink, offering a path to peace that traditional methods could not provide for the speaker.
  • Summary: The book about this method covers the science, history, and self-help aspects, including habit change and mentality shifts. The drug, developed in the 1960s, works by eliminating the desire to drink, which the speaker views as superior to the willpower required by AA. The speaker dismisses moral judgments against using medication as an ’easy way out’ when dealing with a life-threatening disorder.
AA Philosophy and Medication Stance
Copied to clipboard!
(00:58:38)
  • Key Takeaway: A core concern with medication like Naltrexone is that it might not fix the underlying problem, which AA aims to address by transforming the desire to get wasted.
  • Summary: The speaker contrasts medication, which removes the desire, with AA, which aims to fix the underlying reason for wanting to drink, emphasizing the importance of the ‘mind stuff’ and ‘soul stuff.’ The speaker has three years sober, achieved via Naltrexone starting in 2021, and felt initial ‘stolen valor’ writing a sobriety book with less time sober than traditionalists. The speaker prefers ’living amends’ by exiting the lives of those they hurt rather than actively seeking confrontation.
Introspection vs. Action in Sobriety
Copied to clipboard!
(01:01:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Excessive focus on self-inventory and personal problems can lead to increased selfishness and a worsening state, suggesting action over introspection can be more beneficial for some.
  • Summary: The speaker admits to being non-introspective and disliking therapy or deep moral inventories, finding that focusing too much on personal problems makes them more myopic and selfish. Their life is monumentally better sober, and they became a better spouse, friend, and person without a spiritual awakening or discussing problems in secret. For those with immense baggage, sobriety makes addressing those issues significantly easier by silencing the obsessive voice.
Multiple Paths to Recovery
Copied to clipboard!
(01:04:33)
  • Key Takeaway: The overarching point of the book is that there is no single solution for addiction; AA was never meant to be the only way out.
  • Summary: The speaker respects AA because it works for many, but it did not work for them, reinforcing the idea that multiple solutions exist (AA, rehab, ayahuasca, medication). They note that Bill Wilson, the co-founder of AA, was open-minded and likely would have appreciated drugs like Naltrexone, given his own experimentation with LSD. The persistent idea that there is no going back once one crosses the line into alcoholism is disputed, as natural recovery is common.
Loneliness and Support Groups
Copied to clipboard!
(01:09:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The profound loneliness inherent in addiction disorders (like alcoholism or eating disorders) is powerfully combated by the social support and accountability offered by groups like AA.
  • Summary: The speaker relates to the description of addiction as a constant, hated companion, noting that the mental obsession shifts forms (food, men) after quitting drinking. Support groups are powerful because they address the intense shame associated with addiction and provide a place to go and accountability. However, support groups may not work well for highly competitive disorders like anorexia, according to an author interviewed on the show.
Criticism of AA Dogma
Copied to clipboard!
(01:13:52)
  • Key Takeaway: There is a conversation to be had about whether remaining in daily AA meetings and announcing one’s alcoholic status keeps some individuals perpetually stuck rather than truly free.
  • Summary: The speaker observed people with years of sobriety who remained obsessed, leading them to question if they were truly free. While Bill Wilson did not mandate lifelong attendance, some members treat meetings like ‘open mic night,’ repeating the same stories. AA can feel embattled by pharmacological aids, and sponsors sometimes shame members for using psychopharmaceuticals, despite AA’s official stance not to interfere with medical advice.
Google Searches and Early Writing
Copied to clipboard!
(01:16:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The speaker’s early writing, including a piece about alcohol being their ‘first love’ published in Salon, was targeted for removal due to the permanent nature of the internet.
  • Summary: The host’s Google search results included references to their book and controversies, but also a specific early essay published in Salon about drinking. The host actively tried to erase most of their early personal essays from the internet due to embarrassment over the writing style, which they felt was derivative of David Foster Wallace. Salon’s policy is generally against taking down articles, only allowing minor changes like altering names, even when writers regret publishing sensitive details.