The Things We Don’t Talk About in Meetings
We read a story in the Big Book last night that stopped me cold. Not because of how it ended—but because of how it began. A man learning to live sober, not just stay dry. I shared how sobriety is shaped through spiritual growth, self-awareness, and human connection.
But that’s only part of the story.
No one tells you when you walk into an AA meeting that alcoholics bleed to death through their esophagus. That their livers rot and rupture, and the blood pressure builds until veins explode. That in some ERs, it gets so bad the doctors wear gum boots.
That’s not poetic metaphor. It’s plasma-soaked rubber soles slapping on tile. It’s a former ER doc in our group who’s worked those deaths firsthand. She said the floor looked like an abattoir—a slaughterhouse.
And here’s the kicker:
The man on that table didn’t look like an “alcoholic.”
He looked like someone’s brother. Someone’s dad.
Because he was.
We spend a lot of time (rightfully) talking about hope and healing in recovery. But sometimes, someone needs to say it plain:
This disease doesn’t just wreck your relationships. It turns your insides into a meat grinder. And by the time the damage shows on the outside, it’s often too late.
So if someone needs a wake-up call, let it be this:
You don’t have to bottom out in a pool of your own blood.
You don’t have to become a cautionary tale ER nurses remember years later.
You can turn around now.
Before the boots come out.
About Jason Bresnehan
Jason is the founder of Evahan, a consultancy dedicated to helping individuals and organizations build both financial and legacy wealth. With over 30 years of leadership across sectors and continents, he brings commercial acumen, strategic insight, and lived experience to every engagement. His work spans business transformation, venture management, and M&A, always grounded in a belief that ideas—shared with clarity, balance, and respect—can improve individuals, families, communities, and society.
A strong advocate for freedom, limited government, and enterprise-driven progress, Jason also draws deeply from his personal recovery journey—an experience that reshaped his life and fuels his commitment to growth, contribution, and principled living. Through writing, speaking, and service, he continues to learn, share, and speak with purpose.
I can be engaged (on a remunerated or volunteer basis) to sit on Boards, Committees, Advisory and Reference Group Panels, and to speak to Business, Community, and Youth groups. I’m also open to providing comment to media on topics where I have relevant experience or insight. Please feel free to make contact.