The case of the woman about to start medical school who’s scared to ask for help with her drinking.

Chloe loves her life. There’s just one problem: she’s starting to drink more than she wants to, and she doesn’t understand why.

But Chloe is scared that asking for help could threaten the career she’s worked so hard for. So how do you deal with a drinking problem before it becomes an emergency? How do you know when it’s serious enough to do something? And what actually helps people change?

In this episode, we find Chloe a proxy: an addiction psychiatrist who got sober at the same age Chloe is now. Together, they talk about genetics, trauma, secrecy, accountability, AA, and what it takes to address a problem before your life falls apart.

Proxy’s fall membership drive is happening now. If you want to help keep the show independent — and get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, live Proxy hangs, and more — become a paid member at proxyhq.org 🍏

Learn about alcohol treatment:

— National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism — evidence-based information about medications, behavioral treatment, and mutual-support options

— NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator — finding quality treatment in the U.S.

— Healthdirect Australia — alcohol treatment and support in Australia

Resources for doctors and medical students:

— Drs4Drs — confidential support for doctors and medical students across Australia

— Australian Doctors in Recovery— confidential peer support for healthcare professionals in recovery

— Federation of State Physician Health Programs— directory of U.S. physician heath programs

New to Proxy?Try Bisexual Wife Guy for a classic case, or Sam Doesn’t Know How to Be Rich, another story about trying to understand a troubling pattern before it turns into an emergency.

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Visit — proxypodcast.com

Get in touch — [email protected]