Your style of alcoholism is so similar to mine, especially the vast sickening quantity of cheap vodka and suicidal binges. My story is long and shameful, but I just wanted to thank you, I'm glad I found your channel. I've been sober for 3 years now and feeling gratitude and pride, instead of the decades of feeling only nihilism, fear and deep shame
I relapsed after 19 days sober and had an absolutely sickening hangover yesterday made worse having lost money at a casino when drunk. Threw remaining booze down the sink, had 24 hours of hangover hell including panic attacks on Monday. Have had a much better day today. Anyone thinking of having a drink please nust don’t do if as its not worth it. 👍🏻
@@box1007Thank you for your support too. I was four months sober and I just relapsed Monday. Now I’m going through it and I haven’t even gotten the courage to pour it all out. I will do it now.
We also thank you for turning your trials and tribulations into helpful and great content. Today marks my 40th day of sobriety. Thank you very much. Like everyone’s start to sobriety, your start to Bat Country is the start to something truly great. Thank you, Jacob from Boston MA, USA.
You have such a great voice. Quite frankly, if you were reading out the phone directory, I would STILL listen to you. So calming, erudite and soothing.
Don't worry. There is not a single youtube content creator who doesn't get their share of mean comments from keyboard warriors. Keep up the good work 👍
I just found your channel the other day. I really appreciate you and all your effort you put into it. I received my 30 day chip tonight at AA. I have been attending meetings almost a year. Hopefully I have overcome this terrible addiction. I will continue to watch all your videos for support. Thank you so much.
Congrats, my dude! You have said that if you’re watching this, then you already have a problem. Allow me to offer an exception: I’m a new psychologist and your channel gives me a very detailed case study of alcohol use disorder. Also, your smooth voice, and storytelling, and videography is entertaining and intellectually compelling!
I am here to understand more of my mum's alcoholism and the fact that I need to watch my behavior with alcohol and drugs. Sad but extremely educational content.
You have helped me understand the depths of my own alcoholism as well as the courage to finally put the vodka down. I watched all of your videos and finally grew the proper sized balls to end my 3 year binge. I had no idea what Delerium Tremens were before coming across your channel. I was under the impression "DT's" were just shakes, sweats, chills and anxiety. I took my cold turkey alcohol quitting seriously due to the extremely in depth accounts you have shared and I was properly prepared. Now 9 days sober, I must give you much credit sir. I was prepared and willing and ready to face the demons. Some how by the grace of God, I experienced absolutely no withdraw effects. I am not exaggerating. There have been times where I didn't have a drink for 6 hours and I would start to feel all the moderate withdrawal symptoms in the past. However, I felt absolutely nothing bad when I quit 9 days ago. I literally thought I was in delerium Tremens or hallucinating, because I didn't think that it was possible to not feel any withdrawal symptoms. I looked online and apparently a small % of seasoned alcoholics do not go through withdrawal. I feel like I didn't deserve for it to be that easy, however, thanks to your horror stories, and informative content, I will never touch alcohol again because, like how you got lucky or through divine will, you are still alive after going through delerium tremens so many times and are still alive to tell about it. I do not believe I will ever get off this easy in the future again if I pick the bottle back up then decide to quit again. I will count this blessing. The next time, I may not be so lucky and have to endure the nightmare you and many others have had to go through. Thank you sir.
Don't thank me mate. YOU did that. You did it, and you should be proud of it every day that you remain sober. You're right, some people don't experience withdrawal very seriously. Maybe you're one of them, or maybe you prepared effectively. Stay vigilant though, your hormones and mood ave been messed up for a while, and they can snap back suddenly and hit you with depression unexpectedly. Keep us posted, and congratulations on making a difficult change!
Congratulations and thank you. I haven't fully acknowledged my alcoholism and the resulting 48 hour binges, but they obviously pale in comparison to your experiences (sort of). The truths you speak have helped. Thank you.
5K well done. I was attracted to the channel partly because of the look and the style, and that you use an esoteric vintage camera lens. But mostly the content. Thank you.
Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability. I really enjoy listening to your stories and experiences. And I love the sarcasm and your giggle, lol. I have almost a month no alcohol after a few relapses this summer. I finally joined AA and will work the steps now…I need the relapses to end. Congrats on 5000 subscribers! So glad I found your channel.
One of the most true things I heard in AA was that in order to attract the attention of a hopeless alcoholic you must carry a message that has depth and weight. Congratulations on 5k+ subscribers and growing; your continued achievement is a testament to the depth and weight of your message.
Thanks for this, your content is really helpful and engaging, I love your honesty also and at 11 weeks sober, I will be watching more. As you've said in another video, regardless of the severity or length of our alcohol problem we are all addicted and are in this together ! Keep up the good work Stu 👏
love you too man 🖤, thank you for the kind/awesome words. When I said you earned it I really meant it. This was a fantastic QandA brotha 💯 before you know it you will be doing one for 10K ;). Be easy my friend and again thank you!
Congratulations Senior Bat! I've been lurking around for a long time, enjoying your output. You da man! Much love xx You are definitely doing much better than I but I want you to know you got me through 150+ days this year, I'm on and off the wagon but no major bruises, working my way back. Success is measured by progress and all that. anyway, thanks for being there brother x
Slayer Sober is jumping on our pod in October. I've had soberdelic James on the channel, he's a good dude. LD has also recently been on our channel. His humility is remarkable. Happy to be here and meeting all these creators!
Just finished the audio version of your book. One of the very few times an audiobook read by the author was a tremendous asset. The story is gripping, human and terrifying and fills in many gaps from the Bat Country content. Hard to imagine anyone successfully accomplishing such a demanding trip, even without the alcoholism or head injuries.
I'm so glad you surfaced in my algorithm. I have watched all videos so far. The kindling effect explains a lot. I'm 68. Serial relapser. Difficult relationship with AA. No concept of a HP. Everything you cover. Think I'd better go back to AA. How much longer could I possibly have if I don't. Thank you so much for your intelligent assessment of what this destroyer of lives involves.
Thank you for watching, and welcome to Bat Country :D All that matters about AA is that it's a room full of sober people. And that's got to be worth something.
After a relapse, my sponsor said, “ you just haven’t had enough yet.” That was a turning point for me. What would be enough? Lose custody of my child? A DWI? Vehicular homicide? That was 36 years ago! Count your “yets”. Gentle hugs.
Congrats dude you deserve it. Thank you for sharing your experiences and telling your story. My 'problem' isn't alcohol, but a lot of it applies nonetheless. Hope you get another 5K and more subs soon my friend.
I love watching your channel. Your authenticity draws me in and reinforces my decision to go sober. Thank you so much. Downloaded your book on audible and look forward to listening.
Congratulations on 5.25 K Viewers. I knew that your hard work would pay off. Your message is brilliant. I always share your videos out, in an attempt to get your message to everyone still suffering. You’re a deep thinker and it creates great positivity in our world. Your experience with alcohol and your ability to share is helping all of us whom have been there. I used to live in Berlin, Germany, so I can relate to your thoughts about other countries. I’ve traveled a lot too. I wish everyone could take a walk in other countries. I really think that it would help people to realize that they’re never alone. Your book is Brilliant. I’m still reading it. You’re just an amazing human being and I thank you for all of your hard work. Well done.
For everyone out there, there are some songs that summarize addiction so well. For me, it is The Bodeans: Far Far Away from my Heart. Well the feelin’s comin’ on again It's kickin', it's screamin', deep inside me I'm so tired of fightin' with myself If you're not here, I'm nothin', and alone So I pour another drink and take a hit And I wonder where the smoke goes And I'm feeling more and more like less and less As I curse the telephone along these lines Good words are all we have and too much time And I'm far, far away from my heart Far, far away from my heart And just the voice that floats from nowhere near And a memory that’s startin’ to unravel We've been through this so many nights before That you'd think that it’d be easier by now So I let the chemical reaction cloud over the pain, that keeps on hurting As I slowly, but too slowly, drift away To a place I where know I don't have to think God I hate myself for lovin’ smoke and drink And I'm far, far away from my heart Far, far away from my heart Now I'm staring blankly at the TV Holdin’ this guitar for some comfort But it's so hard to write a simple song And try and turn these feelin’s into melody So I put it down, get on my knees, close my eyes real tight, now I'm praying To anyone, maybe can hear me Tell me everything will be ok I don't think I can make another day Far, far away from my heart
It's easy to relapse because you're brain makes up silly excuses ie you cannot handle certain situations then you drink . The vast majority I can relate to and definitely helped me out
You are a Highly Intelligent young man. You are giving back to society and making this planet a more beautiful place. Do not worry about the future. The future will take care of itself. I too suffer from TBI’s, as in several. I’m older than you so if I can avoid getting it, so will you.💞
You're my fave sobriety youtuber , altho I look at alot of ' recovery ' channels ( drugs , alcohol , eating disorders! ) as I've experienced them all ! I do a little ' aa ' zoom meets but don't really buy into most of it ! Look forward to your book comin ! We need to offer something to people struggling with alcohol who are younger other than ' aa ' , I think you are doin that ! X 😄
I can so relate to your experiences, and fears. The alcoholic dementia is a very real fear for me. I started drinking at 17, with some periods of sobriety along the way. But, the last several years were horrible. I had to be hospitalized for numerous days the last time, at that point I was 58. I'm now 60 and have very noticeable memory loss, especially short term memory. You spoke of the "wet brain" syndrome. I know a wonderful lady in my recovery group that does have that affliction. Balance, speech, cognitive all have been adversely affected. God bless her, she still has a very powerful will for living and for sobriety.
Congrats man! It’s been a rough few weeks for me. Had 5 months, then drank. You can guess what happened next. Just getting to the 72 hour mark, feels like that took a month. Extremely fast heart rate still and auditory hallucinations from the other room, but I seem to be ok. God I’m an idiot. Needless to say I’ll be watching a lot of your channel in the next few days while I patch things up.
I just LOVE the background music you use. I would be REALLY grateful if you could give me a few band names so I can start buying some music with this kind of music. It reminds me of the type of music in the scene from The Shining where Jack goes to the bar, and a party is going on. VERY evocative music.
You should be genuinely proud of what you are building and the quality of the content. The magic is that this seems to helping you as much as it’s helping the rest of us. Oh and Thanks for answering my question. I agree there is a dopamine dimension to the altruism. Or perhaps we rebaseline when the booze goes away and the simple pleasures of connection are enough. They are the new high. Congrats on 5000. I speak for everyone who tunes in regularly - this is a quality conversation you started with us all. This is the marrow of the debate and you don’t shy away. Thank you. 🙏
As a poly addict, this was fascinating, I listened while doing the dishes. I have been having drinking issues while at the same time listening to sober/addiction content for years. I recently downloaded pretty much as much of your RUclips vids to listen to during walks, drives, working out and cleaning the house. I'm currently climbing up the hole after a serious relapse and listening to you helps a ton. Thank you for sharing. PS: recommendation: I watched a few episodes of the US tv show 'intervention' recently, they do a really good job at explaining the family and friends environment. Not all of it is about booze but some of the stories really hit home. Your viewers might be interested.
I've watched you and listened to you for a minute now, and I can say that you are definitely not boring! You're an interesting, intelligent, and entertaining person without a single drop of alcohol! I hope you believe that, man! We don't need that poison to be happy and live fulfilling and meaningful lives, or to impress other people! If people can't handle that, then that's their problem! Keep posting this great content! ♥
Just a note - Antabuse (Disulfiram) makes you violently ill if you drink; Naltrexone reduces cravings before drinking and dampens or eliminates any feelings of euphoria after drinking.
Thank you so much for using my question on this video. I'd actually forgotten I'd posted a question and this morning, while I was psyching myself up for my first pre detox meeting, I heard my name mentioned. It meant a lot and made me feel a lot more hopeful in a strange way.
Congratulations Stu. I always like your content and keeping it real right from the first delirium tremens upload. I can relate to the not sharing much in AA which is really weird as I’m very happy talking about my alcoholism in generally any other setting other than a room full of alcoholics. Work that one out. Saying that though AA is my go to place for recovery and wouldn’t be where I am today without it. Thanks for your honesty and some wild tales. You did some brave things in the midst of your drinking. I could barely leave the house unless it was for a bottle of vodka. God bless Martyn Martyn
Thank you for the support Martyn. And wow, that's so true about being willing to talk openly about alcoholism everywhere BUT in the rooms. Why is that?
Congratulations, very glad for you… you have worked very hard, and have made a tremendous difference in my own life and I have no doubt there will be many more to follow. Thank you very sincerely for doing this. I am beyond grateful. Xo.
Great video Stu! The video you did on a binge drinking scenario is probably my favorite video by you..... Well except maybe for the recent video about when you knew you should probably stop drinking and your French kitchen staff experiences... Keep up the great work! Onwards and upwards
@@_BatCountry I did sir. I often fall asleep to the tones of Hitchens and have now added your channel to the list. Praise indeed as the man himself might have said. 3 years sober for myself and I find your content very relatable and a great comfort. For that, I thank you.
I for one love when you say Comrades ✋️it always makes me smile. I also giggled when you asked yourself "Am I a influencer?" It made think of the Kadashians.Great Q & A session also. 😉 p.s you are a influencer, as some one who struggles with addiction your channel really helps - so again thank you.
It's a shame the audiobook isn't on Spotify but i'll sure be buying this when i get paid. I hope it is narrated by you as you have the perfect audiobook voice. Two weeks sober here and your videos have helped massively, not just for the advice and interesting stories, but to distract me from the battle inside my mind by being so engrossing i think of nothing else while watching as i am totally hung on every word. Keep up the good work Bat Country
Yes stu..my sister was a meth addict and now shes a drunk so yes definitely traded addictions..i mean shes drunk about 10 hours out of the day every day..
Thanks for sharing, and being honest enough to say I dont know. My pet peeve with any influencer/podcaster type person is how they never admit they dont know something.
Loved the lil' mic movement at the beginning and the fact you kept eye contact with the cam the whole time. That's commitment! Bravo Comrade! I'm so glad to be a part of the journey that you're putting out there.....
Hey man, really appreciate your content, it is very well produced and you obviously spend time making it comforting, informal and intimate. I wonder because I haven't heard about this but as a light smoker i cannot have a cigarette until the afternoon as it makes me feel weird, even after supressing the withdrawals with alcohol. It seems to do something with my brain chemistry, as strange as that may sound. I get shakey and feel a bit "out of it" for a brief period of time. Also I'm wondering about appetite and eating habits and your experience with that. Much love amigo
Hello Karl! My diet isn't managed very closely, I eat a lot. But I also work out a lot, so that's my trade. I'm even less of an expert on smoking than I am on alcohol, so I'd be interested in your theories about it.
@_BatCountry Thanks for the reply it seems that there is some kind of interaction going on with smoking and withdrawal symptoms which seems very weird. That aside, I meant about your eating habits during your alcoholism as I find it quite difficult to eat 3 straight meals a day despite loving cooking and eating and staying fit, appetite is virtually none existent
Another exquisite listen, Bat. Quick question, How likely is it the authorities will forever have me down as an alcoholic, the A&E having treated me sober? Sober 3 months now and feeling better. PS, I tipped the Southern Discomfort down the loo instead of doing the topping and tapering idea.
Thank you mate. But I don't really know. I'm pretty sure the police will always consider me an alcoholic because I got arrested a couple of times while drunk. But healthcare? I really don't know. What do you think?
I appreciate the duality of man, that contrast that is in all human beings. At the start of this video, with that stare, for just a second, I can see the other Stu. Great content and so relatable for me. Don't stop man!
Man,I just have so much to say when watching your videos. Consider that a compliment. I think the USSR's economy was more or less founded on alcoholism tbh. Without even talking about GoMmUnIsM.
i would definitely say youre an influencer. dont be too modest. its not about reaching the most people. its about making the most impact on each and every one of them.
16 days sober 🎉although I had to go through delusions and hallucinations and awfull withdrawals in hospital to get here. The DTs get worse every time I've found!! Saying comrade reminds me of Christopher Hitchens who I loved. I've been hospitalised over 40 xs since last November, astonishingly I have a normal liver function. I lost the use of my legs too I couldn't even stand. However, I'm lucky because my friend has end stage liver disease and is still drinking. Now I am back to power lifting and can run for 30 minutes. When I started I couldn't do one press up. Thank-you so much for your content. 👍
im not really alcoholic, i force myself not to drink in the week (something cave in Thursdays) but i love your channel, you've really got a nack for youtube.
Congrats on hitting 5K! 😊 I'm pretty sure your channel will blow up even further, as your videos are so unique in style. Thank you for all your work and your honesty. Never underestimate the positive impact your videos have on your audience. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel, as it has helped me in many different ways since. Better understanding family members that are struggling with alcohol, making sense of my own past and my addictive behaviors, calming down my anxiety and so on.
@@_BatCountry Usually I'm very quiet here on youtube and leaving comments feels strange, but I know it helps the channel and it's a very simple way to give back. Just saw you're on Hard Knox Talks tomorrow! That's so cool. I started watching their podcast videos a few weeks ago.
I thankfully didnt binge drink in the way you describe on this channel, but my liver is apparently predisposed to damage and ive cirrhosis class b edging c. However the direction is towards class a. There are complications which keep me off the transplant list but no need to go into it now, but i look at people who are drinking heavily but luckily have a fatty liver for example…these people, i feel like shaking them by the shoulders and beg them to see that theres still time for them. Dont wait until the glass dome comes down around you and you are trapped with end stage liver disease! Im 47 in November. I have 3 different teams of medical specialists managing this and keeping me alive. The clock is ticking now like a bomb.
@@_BatCountry to be honest, at the moment I feel aversion to alcohol... recently I mistakenly bought a beer with alcohol instead of 0% and swallowing it, not knowing that it was with alcohol, I was not able to swallow it... emotionally it's the same... I despise that time I drank.. I think that the life of every drunkard is boring and pathetic... no matter whether he is a homeless bum or the CEO of a large company
@@_BatCountry and it isn't like it was my first time I drank beer 0%... I drink it regularly.. and my life, watching it from outside could seem interesting.. infantry soldier for seven years... two tours to afgnasnistan during that time... then working as a private security contractor at maritime industry (working onboard big oil tankers in east african coast area).. but still..
Your channel is doing a lot of good BC. For those of us that have already found our way out of the spiral, and also for those that are looking to. Keep it up with the ASMR-style, fuckin funny, informative and memorable stories. The channel will continue to blow.
I always think of my Boyfriend when you mention your heritage,He's Scottish/Irish and there's so many similarities with your family and his.im primarily Estonian and Romainian -Estémainian?🤣 And my late Father's family is similar yet different and there's more drugs involved, specifically opiates, and that's my "drug of choice" and I can definitely relate to how you've described some of Eastern Europe.I love him and dearly.He even mentioned that alot of the men in his family married Eastern European Women.Thank you for the video,my Boyfriend and I are definitely on board with you.
Wow we DO have a lot in common: my girlfriend is Finnish and her former addiction is the same as yours. Thank you for the comment, congratulations on your sobriety and your boyfriend's, long may it continue!
Hey brotha! Congrats on 5k subscribers. That's HUGE!!!! I didn't see where I could have asked a question otherwise I would have. I can't stress enough how helpful your channel and your message is in helping me stay sober. Keep up the good work brotha! This video is long so I'm having to watch it in chunks before I go to work but it's great. Thanks again! ODAAT!
Congrats! Tell us some more crazy stories pls. Give us some new material. I’m doing really, really good with staying away from liquor 🥃 I am not using illegal drugs either thank God! I’m just focused on getting my trucking career goin, I gave up playing drums in rock bands and church. I don’t go on FB or IG. I kinda just said FTW and did my own thing in sobriety. I too like to be alone and kinda fly beneath the radar. 🇺🇸
I come from the future: around October 31st you'll pass the 10K mark and people are saying you're doing amazing work! Thanks you.
Made true manifest your destiny
Your style of alcoholism is so similar to mine, especially the vast sickening quantity of cheap vodka and suicidal binges. My story is long and shameful, but I just wanted to thank you, I'm glad I found your channel. I've been sober for 3 years now and feeling gratitude and pride, instead of the decades of feeling only nihilism, fear and deep shame
I relapsed after 19 days sober and had an absolutely sickening hangover yesterday made worse having lost money at a casino when drunk. Threw remaining booze down the sink, had 24 hours of hangover hell including panic attacks on Monday. Have had a much better day today. Anyone thinking of having a drink please nust don’t do if as its not worth it. 👍🏻
you didnt have a hangover you were going through withdrawl
congrats on throwing out that bottle. I've only done it a handful of times. you're on the right path. stay strong brother
Thanks for your support. 👍🏻
@@box1007Thank you for your support too. I was four months sober and I just relapsed Monday. Now I’m going through it and I haven’t even gotten the courage to pour it all out. I will do it now.
She get rid of it as soon as possible and get through the next 24 hours and you will start to feel better. Good luck. 👍🏻
We also thank you for turning your trials and tribulations into helpful and great content. Today marks my 40th day of sobriety. Thank you very much. Like everyone’s start to sobriety, your start to Bat Country is the start to something truly great. Thank you, Jacob from Boston MA, USA.
You have such a great voice. Quite frankly, if you were reading out the phone directory, I would STILL listen to you. So calming, erudite and soothing.
Don't worry. There is not a single youtube content creator who doesn't get their share of mean comments from keyboard warriors. Keep up the good work 👍
Thank you, that is some consolation :)
I just found your channel the other day. I really appreciate you and all your effort you put into it. I received my 30 day chip tonight at AA. I have been attending meetings almost a year. Hopefully I have overcome this terrible addiction. I will continue to watch all your videos for support. Thank you so much.
Huge congratulations on your 30 days! That's a big milestone, and I hope you're already feeling the benefits.
@@_BatCountry thank you
Congrats, my dude! You have said that if you’re watching this, then you already have a problem. Allow me to offer an exception: I’m a new psychologist and your channel gives me a very detailed case study of alcohol use disorder. Also, your smooth voice, and storytelling, and videography is entertaining and intellectually compelling!
I am here to understand more of my mum's alcoholism and the fact that I need to watch my behavior with alcohol and drugs. Sad but extremely educational content.
Man i relate too much to your stories. 3 months sober today, thank you for the video's mate.
Can't wait for the documentary. Channel is 🔥. Really bolsters my sobriety knowing where things could have gone. Congrats on 5k!
You have helped me understand the depths of my own alcoholism as well as the courage to finally put the vodka down. I watched all of your videos and finally grew the proper sized balls to end my 3 year binge. I had no idea what Delerium Tremens were before coming across your channel. I was under the impression "DT's" were just shakes, sweats, chills and anxiety. I took my cold turkey alcohol quitting seriously due to the extremely in depth accounts you have shared and I was properly prepared. Now 9 days sober, I must give you much credit sir. I was prepared and willing and ready to face the demons. Some how by the grace of God, I experienced absolutely no withdraw effects. I am not exaggerating. There have been times where I didn't have a drink for 6 hours and I would start to feel all the moderate withdrawal symptoms in the past. However, I felt absolutely nothing bad when I quit 9 days ago. I literally thought I was in delerium Tremens or hallucinating, because I didn't think that it was possible to not feel any withdrawal symptoms. I looked online and apparently a small % of seasoned alcoholics do not go through withdrawal. I feel like I didn't deserve for it to be that easy, however, thanks to your horror stories, and informative content, I will never touch alcohol again because, like how you got lucky or through divine will, you are still alive after going through delerium tremens so many times and are still alive to tell about it. I do not believe I will ever get off this easy in the future again if I pick the bottle back up then decide to quit again. I will count this blessing. The next time, I may not be so lucky and have to endure the nightmare you and many others have had to go through. Thank you sir.
Don't thank me mate. YOU did that. You did it, and you should be proud of it every day that you remain sober.
You're right, some people don't experience withdrawal very seriously. Maybe you're one of them, or maybe you prepared effectively. Stay vigilant though, your hormones and mood ave been messed up for a while, and they can snap back suddenly and hit you with depression unexpectedly. Keep us posted, and congratulations on making a difficult change!
Great channel - the deep dives and old school music make this channel unique, quirky and funny
Congratulations and thank you. I haven't fully acknowledged my alcoholism and the resulting 48 hour binges, but they obviously pale in comparison to your experiences (sort of). The truths you speak have helped. Thank you.
Congratulations! I’ve enjoyed the channel since I found it and there were nights of temptation where listening to your videos helped me avoid alcohol.
Thank you, and that makes me incredibly proud. You should be too.
5K well done. I was attracted to the channel partly because of the look and the style, and that you use an esoteric vintage camera lens. But mostly the content. Thank you.
Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability. I really enjoy listening to your stories and experiences. And I love the sarcasm and your giggle, lol. I have almost a month no alcohol after a few relapses this summer. I finally joined AA and will work the steps now…I need the relapses to end. Congrats on 5000 subscribers! So glad I found your channel.
Thank you allison, congrats on your sobriety and good luck withe the steps!
One of the most true things I heard in AA was that in order to attract the attention of a hopeless alcoholic you must carry a message that has depth and weight. Congratulations on 5k+ subscribers and growing; your continued achievement is a testament to the depth and weight of your message.
Oof, that really hit home. Thank you Seb.
81 days sober ❤
You got this mate. Stay vigilant.
Thanks for this, your content is really helpful and engaging, I love your honesty also and at 11 weeks sober, I will be watching more. As you've said in another video, regardless of the severity or length of our alcohol problem we are all addicted and are in this together ! Keep up the good work Stu 👏
Thanks so much for watching and for the lovely compliment. One day at a time mate.
love you too man 🖤, thank you for the kind/awesome words. When I said you earned it I really meant it.
This was a fantastic QandA brotha 💯 before you know it you will be doing one for 10K ;). Be easy my friend and again thank you!
Also would be happy to do a podcast/video one day! 💪
@@Slayer-7373💯💞
Congratulations Senior Bat! I've been lurking around for a long time, enjoying your output. You da man! Much love xx
You are definitely doing much better than I but I want you to know you got me through 150+ days this year, I'm on and off the wagon but no major bruises, working my way back. Success is measured by progress and all that.
anyway, thanks for being there brother x
Hey Flippant! Thanks so much for the comments, and I respect your attitude to all this stuff. Onwards and upwards mate.
Slayer Sober is jumping on our pod in October. I've had soberdelic James on the channel, he's a good dude. LD has also recently been on our channel. His humility is remarkable. Happy to be here and meeting all these creators!
Just finished the audio version of your book. One of the very few times an audiobook read by the author was a tremendous asset. The story is gripping, human and terrifying and fills in many gaps from the Bat Country content. Hard to imagine anyone successfully accomplishing such a demanding trip, even without the alcoholism or head injuries.
Thank you so much! Ya know I've never actually heard the audio version in full myself, I struggle with it a bit. So I hope it's good :D
I'm so glad you surfaced in my algorithm. I have watched all videos so far. The kindling effect explains a lot. I'm 68. Serial relapser. Difficult relationship with AA. No concept of a HP. Everything you cover. Think I'd better go back to AA. How much longer could I possibly have if I don't. Thank you so much for your intelligent assessment of what this destroyer of lives involves.
Thank you for watching, and welcome to Bat Country :D
All that matters about AA is that it's a room full of sober people. And that's got to be worth something.
After a relapse, my sponsor said, “ you just haven’t had enough yet.” That was a turning point for me. What would be enough? Lose custody of my child? A DWI? Vehicular homicide? That was 36 years ago! Count your “yets”. Gentle hugs.
Congrats dude you deserve it. Thank you for sharing your experiences and telling your story. My 'problem' isn't alcohol, but a lot of it applies nonetheless. Hope you get another 5K and more subs soon my friend.
I love watching your channel. Your authenticity draws me in and reinforces my decision to go sober. Thank you so much. Downloaded your book on audible and look forward to listening.
Oh amazing, thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it. And I truly appreciate the comment, thank you :D
Congratulations on 5.25 K Viewers. I knew that your hard work would pay off. Your message is brilliant. I always share your videos out, in an attempt to get your message to everyone still suffering. You’re a deep thinker and it creates great positivity in our world. Your experience with alcohol and your ability to share is helping all of us whom have been there.
I used to live in Berlin, Germany, so I can relate to your thoughts about other countries. I’ve traveled a lot too. I wish everyone could take a walk in other countries. I really think that it would help people to realize that they’re never alone. Your book is Brilliant. I’m still reading it. You’re just an amazing human being and I thank you for all of your hard work. Well done.
Thank you so much, and I'm delighted you're enjoying the book!
For everyone out there, there are some songs that summarize addiction so well. For me, it is The Bodeans: Far Far Away from my Heart.
Well the feelin’s comin’ on again
It's kickin', it's screamin', deep inside me
I'm so tired of fightin' with myself
If you're not here, I'm nothin', and alone
So I pour another drink and take a hit
And I wonder where the smoke goes
And I'm feeling more and more like less and less
As I curse the telephone along these lines
Good words are all we have and too much time
And I'm far, far away from my heart
Far, far away from my heart
And just the voice that floats from nowhere near
And a memory that’s startin’ to unravel
We've been through this so many nights before
That you'd think that it’d be easier by now
So I let the chemical reaction cloud over the pain, that keeps on hurting
As I slowly, but too slowly, drift away
To a place I where know I don't have to think
God I hate myself for lovin’ smoke and drink
And I'm far, far away from my heart
Far, far away from my heart
Now I'm staring blankly at the TV
Holdin’ this guitar for some comfort
But it's so hard to write a simple song
And try and turn these feelin’s into melody
So I put it down, get on my knees, close my eyes real tight, now I'm praying
To anyone, maybe can hear me
Tell me everything will be ok
I don't think I can make another day
Far, far away from my heart
It's easy to relapse because you're brain makes up silly excuses ie you cannot handle certain situations then you drink . The vast majority I can relate to and definitely helped me out
You are a Highly Intelligent young man. You are giving back to society and making this planet a more beautiful place. Do not worry about the future. The future will take care of itself. I too suffer from TBI’s, as in several. I’m older than you so if I can avoid getting it, so will you.💞
Thank YOU for keeping me sober brother!! (day 115)
You're my fave sobriety youtuber , altho I look at alot of ' recovery ' channels ( drugs , alcohol , eating disorders! ) as I've experienced them all ! I do a little ' aa ' zoom meets but don't really buy into most of it ! Look forward to your book comin ! We need to offer something to people struggling with alcohol who are younger other than ' aa ' , I think you are doin that ! X 😄
Well I hope so. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy the book!
I can so relate to your experiences, and fears. The alcoholic dementia is a very real fear for me. I started drinking at 17, with some periods of sobriety along the way. But, the last several years were horrible. I had to be hospitalized for numerous days the last time, at that point I was 58. I'm now 60 and have very noticeable memory loss, especially short term memory. You spoke of the "wet brain" syndrome. I know a wonderful lady in my recovery group that does have that affliction. Balance, speech, cognitive all have been adversely affected. God bless her, she still has a very powerful will for living and for sobriety.
Congrats man! It’s been a rough few weeks for me. Had 5 months, then drank. You can guess what happened next. Just getting to the 72 hour mark, feels like that took a month. Extremely fast heart rate still and auditory hallucinations from the other room, but I seem to be ok. God I’m an idiot. Needless to say I’ll be watching a lot of your channel in the next few days while I patch things up.
Sorry to hear that mate. I hope the way you're feeling now can be motivation to not repeat it in future.
sounds like its about time to do a live
I just LOVE the background music you use. I would be REALLY grateful if you could give me a few band names so I can start buying some music with this kind of music. It reminds me of the type of music in the scene from The Shining where Jack goes to the bar, and a party is going on. VERY evocative music.
I concur! Please share a few!
Lloyd the barman..
@@words4dyslexicon That was it! I'd forgotten the barman's name....Lloyd.
You should be genuinely proud of what you are building and the quality of the content. The magic is that this seems to helping you as much as it’s helping the rest of us.
Oh and Thanks for answering my question. I agree there is a dopamine dimension to the altruism. Or perhaps we rebaseline when the booze goes away and the simple pleasures of connection are enough. They are the new high. Congrats on 5000. I speak for everyone who tunes in regularly - this is a quality conversation you started with us all. This is the marrow of the debate and you don’t shy away. Thank you. 🙏
Thanks Giles. Onwards an upwards always.
Man, you, slayer, LD, shades, 'a normal alcoholic', you guys are beautiful people. Thank you for everything you do.
As a poly addict, this was fascinating, I listened while doing the dishes.
I have been having drinking issues while at the same time listening to sober/addiction content for years.
I recently downloaded pretty much as much of your RUclips vids to listen to during walks, drives, working out and cleaning the house.
I'm currently climbing up the hole after a serious relapse and listening to you helps a ton.
Thank you for sharing.
PS: recommendation: I watched a few episodes of the US tv show 'intervention' recently, they do a really good job at explaining the family and friends environment. Not all of it is about booze but some of the stories really hit home. Your viewers might be interested.
I've watched you and listened to you for a minute now, and I can say that you are definitely not boring! You're an interesting, intelligent, and entertaining person without a single drop of alcohol! I hope you believe that, man! We don't need that poison to be happy and live fulfilling and meaningful lives, or to impress other people! If people can't handle that, then that's their problem! Keep posting this great content! ♥
I'm currently in antaliya in Turkey and this is currently on now
Congratulations on the 5k subs brother! You've created an amazing channel..Awesome job!!
Thanks for being here mate.
Just a note - Antabuse (Disulfiram) makes you violently ill if you drink; Naltrexone reduces cravings before drinking and dampens or eliminates any feelings of euphoria after drinking.
Ah thank you for that calrification!
You are so excellent making your points in a serious way.
Thank you for watching, and for the comment!
Congrats on 5,000 subs bro! You deserve more!
Look forward to the new video.
Won't be long before you reach 50K. This is a genuinely fascinating channel. Onwards and upwards Stu!
Thanks again for your perspective, this stuff is so valuable to me
Thank you so much for using my question on this video. I'd actually forgotten I'd posted a question and this morning, while I was psyching myself up for my first pre detox meeting, I heard my name mentioned.
It meant a lot and made me feel a lot more hopeful in a strange way.
It was a great question, and I hope things went well for you today. Stay strong mate.
Congratulations Stu. I always like your content and keeping it real right from the first delirium tremens upload.
I can relate to the not sharing much in AA which is really weird as I’m very happy talking about my alcoholism in generally any other setting other than a room full of alcoholics. Work that one out. Saying that though AA is my go to place for recovery and wouldn’t be where I am today without it. Thanks for your honesty and some wild tales. You did some brave things in the midst of your drinking. I could barely leave the house unless it was for a bottle of vodka.
God bless
Martyn
Martyn
Thank you for the support Martyn. And wow, that's so true about being willing to talk openly about alcoholism everywhere BUT in the rooms. Why is that?
You just got 5001.
congrats your videos help me 12 weeks done pinkcloud being squashed thanks for making time to upload
Congrats, 12 weeks is a huge milestone!
Congratulations, very glad for you… you have worked very hard, and have made a tremendous difference in my own life and I have no doubt there will be many more to follow. Thank you very sincerely for doing this. I am beyond grateful. Xo.
Great video Stu! The video you did on a binge drinking scenario is probably my favorite video by you.....
Well except maybe for the recent video about when you knew you should probably stop drinking and your French kitchen staff experiences...
Keep up the great work! Onwards and upwards
Love the channel, the influence of Christopher Hitchens runs deep
The Hitch runs SO deep here mate. I'm happy you spotted that!
@@_BatCountry I did sir. I often fall asleep to the tones of Hitchens and have now added your channel to the list. Praise indeed as the man himself might have said. 3 years sober for myself and I find your content very relatable and a great comfort. For that, I thank you.
Well done Stuart, you have a very unique and informative channel that's certainly been very helpful to me and people like me 🎉
I do that exact same face with the noise when the shame hits
Hahahah I'm actually relieved it's not just me.
I for one love when you say Comrades ✋️it always makes me smile. I also giggled when you asked yourself "Am I a influencer?" It made think of the Kadashians.Great Q & A session also. 😉 p.s you are a influencer, as some one who struggles with addiction your channel really helps - so again thank you.
It's a shame the audiobook isn't on Spotify but i'll sure be buying this when i get paid. I hope it is narrated by you as you have the perfect audiobook voice. Two weeks sober here and your videos have helped massively, not just for the advice and interesting stories, but to distract me from the battle inside my mind by being so engrossing i think of nothing else while watching as i am totally hung on every word. Keep up the good work Bat Country
Great show and have been following the channel for some months now. Can't wait to see the documentary style episode.
Thank you! I think you will like it. If I can ever get it finished, that is.
Worse words than comrade. Moist springs to mind 😂. Enjoying the vid as ever. And congratulations on over 5,000 subs. Well deserved 🙌🏽😂
Moist can go in the bin.
Thanks for watching!
Great channel! Sober October !
Happy Oksoberfest!
Love your work, you are awesome xx
Congratulations Bat country in reaching 5k+ subs! I appreciate all your videos. There’s strength in numbers…so true!
Thank you so much for your support.
Yes stu..my sister was a meth addict and now shes a drunk so yes definitely traded addictions..i mean shes drunk about 10 hours out of the day every day..
I’ve heard that addiction is like the pony express. Same rider, different horse. I’m sorry that you are both suffering.
Thanks for sharing, and being honest enough to say I dont know. My pet peeve with any influencer/podcaster type person is how they never admit they dont know something.
I am very much at peace with being a big dumb idiot :)
Thanks for watching!
Loved the lil' mic movement at the beginning and the fact you kept eye contact with the cam the whole time. That's commitment! Bravo Comrade! I'm so glad to be a part of the journey that you're putting out there.....
Thank you mate. I never know how to start videos.
@@_BatCountry
i appreciate the jokes, they are a good start!
Hey man, really appreciate your content, it is very well produced and you obviously spend time making it comforting, informal and intimate. I wonder because I haven't heard about this but as a light smoker i cannot have a cigarette until the afternoon as it makes me feel weird, even after supressing the withdrawals with alcohol. It seems to do something with my brain chemistry, as strange as that may sound. I get shakey and feel a bit "out of it" for a brief period of time. Also I'm wondering about appetite and eating habits and your experience with that. Much love amigo
Hello Karl! My diet isn't managed very closely, I eat a lot. But I also work out a lot, so that's my trade. I'm even less of an expert on smoking than I am on alcohol, so I'd be interested in your theories about it.
@_BatCountry Thanks for the reply it seems that there is some kind of interaction going on with smoking and withdrawal symptoms which seems very weird. That aside, I meant about your eating habits during your alcoholism as I find it quite difficult to eat 3 straight meals a day despite loving cooking and eating and staying fit, appetite is virtually none existent
Another exquisite listen, Bat. Quick question, How likely is it the authorities will forever have me down as an alcoholic, the A&E having treated me sober? Sober 3 months now and feeling better. PS, I tipped the Southern Discomfort down the loo instead of doing the topping and tapering idea.
Thank you mate. But I don't really know. I'm pretty sure the police will always consider me an alcoholic because I got arrested a couple of times while drunk. But healthcare? I really don't know. What do you think?
Bravo Stuart and thank you for your content.
Thank you!
I appreciate the duality of man, that contrast that is in all human beings. At the start of this video, with that stare, for just a second, I can see the other Stu. Great content and so relatable for me. Don't stop man!
Man,I just have so much to say when watching your videos. Consider that a compliment. I think the USSR's economy was more or less founded on alcoholism tbh. Without even talking about GoMmUnIsM.
You could well make a case that that is true figuratively and literally.
I seen you post earlier today and I purposely waited to watch this as my bedtime story lol🎉
Awww a little Bat Country lullaby :D
The audiobook was excellent!
i would definitely say youre an influencer. dont be too modest. its not about reaching the most people. its about making the most impact on each and every one of them.
Oh that's very well put, thank you for that.
Just ordered the book ❤
Amazing, thank you so much!
16 days sober 🎉although I had to go through delusions and hallucinations and awfull withdrawals in hospital to get here. The DTs get worse every time I've found!! Saying comrade reminds me of Christopher Hitchens who I loved. I've been hospitalised over 40 xs since last November, astonishingly I have a normal liver function. I lost the use of my legs too I couldn't even stand. However, I'm lucky because my friend has end stage liver disease and is still drinking. Now I am back to power lifting and can run for 30 minutes. When I started I couldn't do one press up. Thank-you so much for your content. 👍
I stole that line DIRECTLY from Cristopher Hitchens :D
Huge congratulations on your sobriety and your progress. Long may it continue.
im not really alcoholic, i force myself not to drink in the week (something cave in Thursdays) but i love your channel, you've really got a nack for youtube.
Thanks for the answer!
Thanks for the question :)
I just find you really engaging and I love listening to you. Well done on your 5k
Aw thanks so much :)
Congrats on hitting 5K! 😊 I'm pretty sure your channel will blow up even further, as your videos are so unique in style. Thank you for all your work and your honesty. Never underestimate the positive impact your videos have on your audience. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel, as it has helped me in many different ways since. Better understanding family members that are struggling with alcohol, making sense of my own past and my addictive behaviors, calming down my anxiety and so on.
I really appreciate your continued support for the channel. It means a lot.
@@_BatCountry Usually I'm very quiet here on youtube and leaving comments feels strange, but I know it helps the channel and it's a very simple way to give back.
Just saw you're on Hard Knox Talks tomorrow! That's so cool. I started watching their podcast videos a few weeks ago.
5k today but you’ll keep growing for sure. No doubt. This community is actually way bigger than I thought and you’re making great content.
Thank you, that means a lot to me.
I thankfully didnt binge drink in the way you describe on this channel, but my liver is apparently predisposed to damage and ive cirrhosis class b edging c. However the direction is towards class a. There are complications which keep me off the transplant list but no need to go into it now, but i look at people who are drinking heavily but luckily have a fatty liver for example…these people, i feel like shaking them by the shoulders and beg them to see that theres still time for them. Dont wait until the glass dome comes down around you and you are trapped with end stage liver disease! Im 47 in November. I have 3 different teams of medical specialists managing this and keeping me alive. The clock is ticking now like a bomb.
Great advice Andrew, thank you for your comment. I hope everyone reads it and takes it to heart.
About relapses... my friend used to say "when you are at the AA meeting your addiction is staying outside doing push-ups"
Absolutely. But we only have to be one degree stronger, and we will win every time.
@@_BatCountry to be honest, at the moment I feel aversion to alcohol... recently I mistakenly bought a beer with alcohol instead of 0% and swallowing it, not knowing that it was with alcohol, I was not able to swallow it... emotionally it's the same... I despise that time I drank.. I think that the life of every drunkard is boring and pathetic... no matter whether he is a homeless bum or the CEO of a large company
@@_BatCountry and it isn't like it was my first time I drank beer 0%... I drink it regularly.. and my life, watching it from outside could seem interesting.. infantry soldier for seven years... two tours to afgnasnistan during that time... then working as a private security contractor at maritime industry (working onboard big oil tankers in east african coast area).. but still..
Your channel is doing a lot of good BC. For those of us that have already found our way out of the spiral, and also for those that are looking to.
Keep it up with the ASMR-style, fuckin funny, informative and memorable stories. The channel will continue to blow.
This channel is not only keeping you sober, my friend.
I always think of my Boyfriend when you mention your heritage,He's Scottish/Irish and there's so many similarities with your family and his.im primarily Estonian and Romainian -Estémainian?🤣 And my late Father's family is similar yet different and there's more drugs involved, specifically opiates, and that's my "drug of choice" and I can definitely relate to how you've described some of Eastern Europe.I love him and dearly.He even mentioned that alot of the men in his family married Eastern European Women.Thank you for the video,my Boyfriend and I are definitely on board with you.
Wow we DO have a lot in common: my girlfriend is Finnish and her former addiction is the same as yours.
Thank you for the comment, congratulations on your sobriety and your boyfriend's, long may it continue!
I'm not gonna watch this video right now, but congrats! I love your channel!
This made my day. Snuggled up in bed with Bat Country 😮
Many congratulations on the 5000 milestone 🎉
Thank you so much for your brilliant content. You don't need to guess. Alcoholic here. Anyway. Congrats for 5230 followers🎉❤
Thank you so much mate!
Right on Stu, I have mad respect for your dedication 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you mate!
Hey brotha! Congrats on 5k subscribers. That's HUGE!!!! I didn't see where I could have asked a question otherwise I would have. I can't stress enough how helpful your channel and your message is in helping me stay sober. Keep up the good work brotha! This video is long so I'm having to watch it in chunks before I go to work but it's great. Thanks again! ODAAT!
Hey DYD! Thank you mate, I really appreciate i. ODAAT!
Congrats on the 5k subs. You deserve it. The content is always great and I always look forward to another episode.
Congratulations on the milestone - it’s extremely well deserved!!!
Thank you Steve, hope you're doing well!
hey! good job, bud! had my slip ups this week. the way she goes i guess but good to see the channel growing!
Sorry to hear that mate. Onwards and upwards.
How long you been sober? I love your mindset too. Don't sell out.
It depends how you count, but it's a couple of years.
Omg you are back I will be watching this tonight:) so relaxing with the billy holiday music going on and the lights . ❤❤❤❤❤❤
So glad to celebrate this milestone with you 🎉 You’re an inspiration to all. 🎉❤
Thanks so much Eden!
Subs are well deserved. Your amazing.x😊
You're too kind, thank you very much :)
Congrats! Tell us some more crazy stories pls. Give us some new material. I’m doing really, really good with staying away from liquor 🥃 I am not using illegal drugs either thank God! I’m just focused on getting my trucking career goin, I gave up playing drums in rock bands and church. I don’t go on FB or IG. I kinda just said FTW and did my own thing in sobriety. I too like to be alone and kinda fly beneath the radar. 🇺🇸
Well done on the 5k stu! So well deserved!!! Awesome 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you so much for the support!