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Thorold man launches podcast to help sober men of a certain age

With 'Sixty and Sober' James Clark Jones hopes to help older men navigate the path of sobriety; 'It's a real commitment to health, being active, and finding meaning in your life'
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Duncan Clark Jones has started a podcast for older men exploring the path of sobriety.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: A version of this article was originally published by ThoroldToday on May 16.

63-year-old Thorold resident James Clark Jones is celebrating three years of sobriety, and in an effort to help other older men navigate the same path, he has started a podcast called ‘Sixty and Sober.’

“I found there was not a lot of anything out there for people around my age who are male,” says Jones, in an interview with ThoroldToday. “In your late stages of middle-age you've got x amount of years left so you have to make a decision to make the best of those years and be the best human you can be.”

Jones tried quitting alcohol numerous times before finally committing to sobriety on February 25, 2020.

“Most people slide back into addiction at some point so it's a real commitment to health, being active, and finding meaning in your life," Jones says. "You can't quit for other people, it won't last. You have to sober up for yourself.”

Jones' battle with alcoholism was a long and arduous one that went on for 35 years.

“It ran my life,” he says. “At the back of my mind, no matter what I was doing, I knew when I was finished what I would be drinking. Near the end, I was drinking in the morning because I had to. You use alcohol until alcohol uses you.”

After watching a friend die from alcoholism, Jones knew he needed to get serious about getting sober.

“It's a horrible death,” Jones says. “He had an opportunity to stop and he declined. It was sad. For me it was a health wake-up call.”

While Jones stresses that it is important to talk to a doctor when going sober, he decided to quit cold turkey on his own.

“I'm blessed and cursed with two things,” Jones says. “I'm Scottish and stubborn. So I just said: ‘I’m not gonna do this anymore. I'm done.’ I spent the next five days in agony. It was just awful, but I knew at the end of it I would feel better and life would be going forward. So I just kind of stuck it out.”

Getting sober completely changed Jones’ life.

“Your life improves 99.9%,” he says. “The potential for it improving even more is even greater once you commit to it. And I think that's what scares a lot of people who want to quit. They’re afraid of what their life will look like on the other side.”

Creating the podcast has been a therapeutic experience for Jones. Even though it has only been out for a few months, it has already garnered over 500 downloads. The reaction has been overwhelming, he says.

“Most of the people who reach out to me are actually partners or kids or parents of people who are addicted to alcohol," Jones says. "[They let] me know that they understand their family members better now.”

Ultimately, Jones hopes to make a difference in the lives of middle-age men who choose sobriety.

"It’s really hard to get sober but once you are, you’re really recreating and rebuilding your life," he says. "The work starts now once you're sober.”

To listen to the 'Sixty and Sober' podcast, head over to Apple, Spotify, or Youtube.


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Bernard Lansbergen

About the Author: Bernard Lansbergen

Bernard was born and raised in Belgium but moved to Canada in 2012 and has lived in Niagara since 2020. Bernard loves telling people’s stories and wants to get to know those that make Thorold into the great place it is
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