Former CTV News Anchor’s Story of Addiction Recovery

Talk Recovery Radio airs every Thursday on 100.5 fm in Vancouver from 12 pm to 1 pm, hundreds of shows over 6 years.  Bringing addiction recovery issues to the airways. Powered by Last Door Recovery Society

Replay the Show:

Guest 1

Joel Gotlib Battles Addiction and recovers, here’s his story.

Joel Gotlib sat alone on a queen-size bed in a four-star Miami Beach hotel room with a glorious view of the ocean and the beach.

It was a warm, sunny day, but the drapes were closed, and he had headphones on, his eyes fixed on an iPad as he watched the same music video over and over.

“Dad, I’m big, but we’re smaller than small,” the lyrics said. “In the scheme of things, well, we’re nothing at all.” His girlfriend had asked him to go outside for a walk. But he had refused to leave the room.

“I went on this trip that was supposed to be fun and happy and healing, and it was none of that,” Gotlib said of that January day more than a year ago. “And I realized just how addicted I was to the pills. And I was scared I was going to run out.

“I didn’t have anything booked for rehab. I didn’t know what to do next.”

Talking about addiction treatment and the workplace

We get to talk recovery with Joel Gottlieb, former CTV News anchor joined Talk Recovery Radio to share his story and his struggle with opioid addiction for seven years.

Anyone that comes from the public eye, in any form has a bigger risk to the reputation and why anonymity is a respected principle. Joel, you must have had many opinions to honor that anonymity and privacy right off. How early did he wave that right and why?

He was quiet about his addiction until his one-year anniversary off opiates, he tweeted a plaque he received from the Orchard Recovery Centre. I tweeted the picture. The tweet said “proud to be off opiates for one year”

He never thought it was possible when he was stuck in the middle of the addiction.

Perspective about addiction treatment.

Joel must look forward, not backwards at what was right. This is what happened in the later stages of his TV news career and he had to move forward in some way, shape or form. After 25 years of TV news, he really felt inside he needed to do something different with his life.

He didn’t know what that was, But he knew that after treatment to move forward for himself he had to come clean with the truth about what was, what is and where I need to go.

Joel was ashamed, he did not tell his employer that he had an opiate problem at the time. Several things happened to him in his life that sent him spiraling downwards. He believes in retrospect, Ultimately, it led to him to get knocked off the desk, which was a good thing because it forced him to act.

Addiction in the workplace

All Joel could do is tell his employer CTV what happened. Hopefully your employer will give you hope that, recovery is possible. Joel say’s “it’s incumbent upon employers”

Employers know that there is an addiction and overdoses crisis happening. And it’s incumbent upon them to form some sort of policy or program where people who do have addiction issues are encouraged to seek addiction treatment and know that their job will be there when they come back.

Addiction Medicine

Joel’s first doctor who prescribed opiates, heavy warned him that it was an addictive drug. After about three years, he moved Joel to Oxy Neo. Right. Which is the less addictive form of the drug. But it gives you the oxy fix. Sadly, Joel figured out how to abuse those, too. Nobody ever really mapped out a full program for me, although my second doctor did suggest a tapering off program that would take two years.

Hear the full show how Joel begged them for the drugs and the tapering program. His addiction treatment and recovery story.

Guest 2

Personal Addiction Recovery Story

Every Thursday we invite a person with lived experience to join us, hear Beau’s story this week.

This week’s personal addiction recovery story comes from Golden British Columbia. Beau started using drugs when he was six and diagnosed with ADHD.   They prescribed him Dexedrine and that’s when his story started, when he was eight years old he remembers missing his does and taking a double dose. Those double doses made him a happier person. He has always struggled being that happier person.

Beau struggles with his sexuality, drug addiction, multiple treatment attempts, he now says he has found recovery, hear his full story.

I knew at that ge that I was different. And so I was always pretty unhappy and I didn’t know who I was. I was always lost. And then, yeah, at eight years old is when I took an extra dose. And from there it was just like as content. I was happy. I forgot about like everything and flourished, but it just started from there.

He doesn’t think he has any kind of magic hocus pocus, what he does to recover can be heard in his interview.

Beau’s personal story of overcoming addiction. Talk Recovery Radio airs live every Thursday on 100.5 fm. Powered by #NewWestRecovery #StopOverdoses #WeDoRecover #RecoveryStories

Posted by Talk Recovery on Thursday, 14 November 2019

Listen and Subscribe

Talk Recovery airs live every Thursday at noon on 100.5 FM, Vancouver Coop Radio. The Last Door produces this weekly radio show discussing the many pathways to addiction recovery. To end stigma we must continue to talk about recovery. Talk Recovery is in its 7th Season, Hundreds of guests, thousands of listeners, thank you. Show ideas? Email community@lastdoor.org

Powered by #NewWestRecovery