Chapter 1: The Call

The destructive paths of addiction led Carl and his girlfriend to a complex relationship filled with both love and turmoil.

"Hello? Sweetie? Are you there?"

A quiet whimper and the sound of a lighter flicking on the other end of the line fill the air, followed by a slow inhale and exhale from a cigarette.

"Sweetie! Is that you? What are you doing? Please say something. Are you alright?"

After a few more sniffles, the call abruptly ends.

Carl, sitting in his car, feels a weight settle on him. He and his girlfriend have been sober for seven days, but the early Thursday morning in America contrasts sharply with the evening where she resides.

His phone rings again.

"Hello?! Sweetie? Are you okay? Are you drinking? Please, if you are, put it down! We promised each other! We can overcome this. We both know that this will only lead to our demise."

"Fuck you, you damn American. You’re all the same. No one needs me here. I don’t want to be part of this world anymore," she cries. "I'm serious this time, Carl."

"Please, sweetie, stop saying that. Please don’t drink. It only makes things worse, you know it does."

Click. Silence.

"Damn it!"

Carl feels a surge of panic. He has no way to contact her family or friends, as she is a day and a half away by plane. His hands tremble as he searches for emergency services in her area, his thoughts racing and unfocused.

He longs to reach out to his family for support, but he often hears that he overshares and needs to keep things to himself. They label him a "Mummy's boy," and his sister has grown weary of being his emotional anchor.

Calling her again, he hears her voicemail. Desperate messages go unread. All he can do is wait.

By 7:33 AM, he’s entering the hectic part of his shift, but he’s lost in a fog he can’t shake off, making it impossible to mask his state with passengers.

Carl has always been attuned to the changes in her tone, but mentioning it only leads to conflict or silence.

Like a routine, she passes out and calls him the next morning. No texts, no prior communication, just a call.

"I'm sorry."

"It’s alright; I get it."

"No, Carl, you don’t understand. You shouldn’t have to endure this."

"It’s okay, I understand. I can get just as volatile when I drink and my mind is off-kilter."

As time progressed, the drunken rants escalated until Carl finally reached his breaking point. He knew better than to reveal his frustrations; she would twist his words to paint him in a negative light. He had always promised himself he would never let her see his own struggles with alcohol. Yet, that promise was broken.

They had vowed to reach out before drinking, but those promises faded as their demons took control. They both recognized that drinking could destroy what little they had, yet it seemed like the only escape.

The beginning of their relationship felt vastly different from the chaotic ending. Yet, perhaps it mirrored the same tumultuous cycle they both knew too well. The intensity that marked the beginning of their connection was now matched by the intensity of their conflicts.

There’s a confusing, passive-aggressive twist in how she interprets Carl's feelings.

What is this twist, you wonder?

He isn’t allowed to feel anything.

The first video titled "EP 1: The Pilot" offers a deep dive into the introduction of a series that explores the multifaceted nature of addiction, revealing the complexities and struggles that individuals face.

Chapter 2: The Cycle of Despair

The second video, "10 POWERFUL Stories of Addiction (& Recovery) | Rich Roll Podcast," shares inspiring narratives of overcoming addiction, shedding light on the resilience and strength found in recovery.