Originally published at WorkIt Health When I think back to early recovery, the thought of reaching a month, 6 months, a year seemed insurmountable. I had so many images in my ...
Please note: This is a guest post. When suffering with substance abuse, more often than not, users who want to quit try to detach themselves from the environment that got ...
I’ve been sitting on this for a few days, debating when to actually sit down and write Cooper’s birth story. I wanted to let the memories settle a little, but ...
That January day we found out I was pregnant seems like both yesterday and a lifetime ago. Parts of that day and the emotions are so vivid, and others are ...
So many of the greatest blessings in my life were not part of my grand plan. Yet every time something new comes along, something that was not part of The ...
This past winter, I wanted out of this life I’ve created. I wanted out of Alexandria, out of my job, out of my house, out of my relationship. I felt ...
A nasty ankle sprain, hella rope burn and pee all over the floor. Those items listed may not equate to a happy heart for most people, but for me they ...
I’ve never understood people who can use their imaginations. Doing so has never come naturally to me, even when I was little. In fact, my mom will sometimes tell me ...
As I wound my car along the familiar route to work this morning, I felt the completely unprovoked tears welling up. I felt them start streaming down my face. I ...
Anyone from the Alexandria area will recognize the title of this post because it's the city's tagline. And it's a damn good tagline because it's true. I was talking to ...
The past few months have been some of the most uncomfortable of my life, with the exception of first getting sober. I’ve felt restless. Uncertain. Frustrated. Guilty. Confused. Sometimes these ...
Sometimes I just forget. I honestly just forget that I’m sober. To some people, this may sound dangerous, almost like I’ve let my focus slip. But to me it’s a ...
You know those people who have enough willpower to decide they are done with something and actually be done with it? I’m not one of those people, which is why ...
It’s hard to remember a life before Brandon – a life before our home, a life before our dogs, a life before our love. But that life existed once. Three ...
Me, too. Me, too. Me, too. Me, too. For the past few days, this phrase has been echoed time and time again as I scrolled through my Facebook feed. The ...
This was originally published at Addictioncenter.com Even though it is 2017, the concern of stigma is alive and well when it comes to addiction. Stigmas, or misconceptions or negative thoughts ...
I used to be shy. At kindergarten open house, I was so terrified of the newness surrounding me that I clung to my mom’s waist, pulling down her skirt in ...
This was originally published at The Fix. I’ve always had a bad habit of checking my phone when I wake up in the middle of the night. So last Saturday, ...
All my life, I have been in a battle with my body. Though I never suffered from an eating disorder or anything of that severity, my body-image has never been ...
This was originally published at The Fix. A few weeks ago, I stood in front of my fridge with an unopened bottle of beer in my hand, pondering what would ...
I recently had one of those workouts. You know the kind. You go into it feeling good, feeling like you got this. Then you get your ass handed to you ...
When people find out I am sober, they often ask questions—typically some variation of “But don’t you ever want to drink?” Questions are OK with me. I know people are ...
This was originally published at The Recovery Village For much of my life, I have struggled with depression. Depression is a frustrating disorder to be diagnosed with, as it is ...
I’ve been bouncing back and forth between writing this post because in a strange way it feels more personal than anything else I’ve ever written — which is saying a lot. ...
Growing up, I never understood it when women I knew said their sister was their best friend. My sister, who is four years younger than me, was a pain in ...
I’ve never been a sucker for camo or cowboy boots -- in fact, I'd always strongly disliked both. But two and a half years ago, at a Caribou Coffee in ...
This was originally published at The Recovery Village. For as long as I can remember, anxiety has been a part of my life. In situations where most people wouldn’t bat ...
Life has defining moments. And sometimes, right in the midst of them, time slows and that thought actually crosses my mind: “This is going to be a defining moment. So ...
Those of you who follow my writing know that I am a pretty open book. There isn’t much I keep to myself about my struggles with alcoholism, with self-harm, with ...
I’ve been thinking about my relationship lately. About how it’s no longer in the head-over-heels, heart-skip-a-beat phase it once was. About how he and I come home after a ...
Lately I’ve had quite a few people message me inquiring about Crossfit. They want to know what it’s like, how difficult it is, if they’ll be able to manage ...
I’ve spent the majority of today feeling like I am crawling out of my own skin. I’ve been restless and bored, unable to concentrate well. I’m unsure why, but ...
Sidenote: For those who don’t know, the Open is a 5-week, worldwide competition. Workouts are released Thursday night, and athletes have a few days to do the judged workout and ...
Completing your drug treatment program is a huge milestone that deserves to be celebrated. This big moment also represents another step in your journey that requires strategic planning to ensure ...
Many in recovery wonder about how sobriety will affect their social lives. If drinking was your go-to in social situations, then it is likely you'll need to do some adjusting ...
There is a saying in the rooms of recovery that goes, “There but for the grace of God go I.” If you haven’t heard this saying before, the context it ...
“Checking your ego, abandoning it, letting it go, is a huge part of recovery from addiction.” - Susannah Grant “I was an embarrassing drunk, man. I’d get pulled over by ...
This was originally published at The Fix. So you did it. You took the leap and decided it was time to give sobriety a try. Maybe you hit rock bottom, ...
Dear two thousand and sixteen, I’ve been thinking about you lately -- thinking about how it seemed like nothing monumental happened these past 12 months, yet you were still a ...
This was originally published at The Recovery Village. When it comes to love, men and women with substance use disorders can have a hard time maintaining romantic relationships—especially in periods ...
It is well established that substance abuse could lead to traumatic brain injuries. According to a study published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 60 percent of 211 TBI ...
This post was originally published at The Recovery Village. Though the holiday season isn’t traditionally centered around drinking, it may seem that way for those new to sobriety. Whether you’re ...
Today I woke up thinking of all of the people on this planet that are hurting. I woke up thinking about the people whose lives are still deeply affected by ...
This post was originally published at The Recovery Village Ridgefield Let’s face it —even for those who go willingly, outpatient and inpatient rehab can be a scary, confusing, and uncertain ...
This post was originally published at The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake “The worst thing is watching someone drown and not being able to convince them that they can save ...
Yesterday morning, I was so excited to be part of this historical election. I woke up ready. I was one of many voters who had no doubts that we’d be ...
For many people on the path of sobriety, receiving treatment is the easy part. It’s what follows treatment that can often scare people enough to stray from sobriety and back ...
This post was originally published at The Recovery Village. When in active alcohol addiction, many aspects of a person’s life become affected—and usually not in a positive way. Just because alcohol is ...
This post was originally published on The Fix. For many newly sober individuals, one of the hardest parts of sobriety is telling others why they are no longer drinking. Though ...
This article was originally published on The Fix. At age 20, most people are in college, eagerly awaiting to turn 21 and be able to go to bars with their ...
By Andrew Cormier Gratitude In Action I often hear people say that they are grateful to be sober. Gratitude is such a common theme in recovery programs that an entire ...
This post was originally published at https://www.palmerlakerecovery.com/blog/daily-affirmations-sobriety/. As someone who has participated in 12-step meetings as part of my recovery, I’ve heard a plethora of AA’s daily affirmations. At first, they didn’t ...
Getting sober was never something I could have done on my own. But I didn’t always feel that way. In the beginning, when I wasn’t sure I actually wanted to ...
By Rose Lockinger I spent a significant portion of my life criticizing myself, honestly, if I had talked to other people the way I talked to myself, I doubt I ...
This post was originally published on The Recovery Village. It can sometimes be awkward for individuals who are not in recovery themselves to broach the topic with a loved one ...
This post originally appeared on the Orlando Recovery Center's website. Being an ally to someone in recovery is not always an easy task. Those who are not an addict themselves ...
This post originally appeared on The Fix. When I first got sober three years ago, I never imagined I would tell even my closest friends, let alone write about my ...
I’m going to start by admitting that I don’t know where this post is going. For once, I’m just writing, trying to make sense of this world and the events ...
This post was originally published at The Recovery Village. Chances are that if you’re not an alcoholic yourself, it’s not easy to determine what to say to someone who struggles ...
This was originally published on The Fix. Before admitting I had a problem with alcohol, I spent a lot of time and energy denying that problem. Through meaningless hookups, nights ...
This was originally published at https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/recovery-blog/why-alcoholics-blame-others/. When it comes to the blame game, alcoholics are professionals. We can blame anyone and anything but ourselves when it comes to the predicaments we ...
This post was originally published at https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/recovery-blog/avoid-relapse-five-situations/. Relapse. For many, it’s part of the long, winding journey to sobriety. In fact, DrugAbuse.gov states that 40 to 60 percent of addicts and alcoholics will ...
Trust is a touchy topic for those who have struggled with addiction. Most of us found early on that we couldn’t trust most people, even those we were close to. ...
Ahhh, you guys, I am so sorry for the lack of personal blog posts. Life has been coming at me full-force lately and I just literally have not had the ...
If you’ve been in recovery for a little while, you probably already understand that while drugs and alcohol were a big problem, they weren’t the only problem. And, you probably ...
Addiction is everywhere. Some would say such a phrase is being paranoid or overly concerned, but the truth is that addiction is an ever growing problem. We live in a ...
Similar to the "chicken and the egg" question, medical researchers are asking which comes first--alcohol abuse, or depression? Are depressed individuals turning to the bottle for solace, or is depression ...
A few days ago, I complained because life was going too well. I made the comment that when things are going so perfectly, I feel like I lose any and ...
The path to loving and accepting my body has been challenging to say the least. In the last year I have slowly but surely traveled towards seeing my body in ...
At this moment, I'm straight up burnt out on writing. I used to think I'd never say that, but it's the truth. The only time I ever write anymore is ...
This post was originally published at www.cosmopolitan.com It's one month after my sophomore year of college. I've always been comfortable with public speaking, but not today. I'm petrified. I'm slouched ...
Chances are if you’ve ever considered getting sober, there’s a reason. Whether it be because of poor health, bad behavior or repercussions of drinking, there’s a way to make the ...
This was originally published at www.orlandorecovery.com Often, an individual in active addiction is the last to realize or admit to having a problem. Family members or friends may notice and ...
This is a column I wrote for the local paper I work at, the Echo Press. College binge-drinking isn’t always just binge-drinking – sometimes it’s alcoholism. I know because it ...
This post was originally published at www.thefix.com The first couple weeks of sobriety were the scariest of my life. There are so many things I wish people had told me ...
This post was originally published at http://www.orlandorecovery.com/. I still vividly remember my first day of treatment even though it was over two and a half years ago. I did outpatient treatment, ...
This post was originally published at http://www.orlandorecovery.com/. “I will literally never have fun again. My life is over. It’s ruined.” This was one of the first things to cross my mind ...
This post was originally published at http://www.orlandorecovery.com/. For many individuals, alcohol and drug abuse are often accompanied by other mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. In fact, about ...
This post was originally published at http://www.orlandorecovery.com/. It may sound like a funny comparison, but choosing the right rehabilitation center is a lot like choosing the right college. There are ...
This post was originally published at http://www.orlandorecovery.com/. When I first got sober, I started hearing all these little mantras about life and sobriety. At first many of them made me ...
Hey all - Since I switched to being self-hosted, you'll need to resubscribe to updates. Subscribers should have carried over but for some reason did not seem to. Thanks for ...
By Joy Anderson What To Do When You Become Overwhelmed in Recovery Having trouble managing the beautiful onslaught that is life in recovery? Just getting a few months under your ...
I love lists. As an extremely Type-A person, I make them constantly. There is something about literally writing down and numbering that makes a daunting task feel so much more ...
Six years ago, under my mother's pressure to find an after-school job, I begrudgingly accepted a position at a local daycare. I didn't want to work with kids, but I ...
AA, Anonymity, And The Digital Age: That Thing Bill W. Didn't Write About One of the first things I did while in treatment was post on Facebook and tell all ...
I just returned from my second ICYPAA (International Conference of Young People in AA) and happened to come across these words from a blog post I never published. I'm speaking ...
Before getting sober, I only had one general idea of an alcoholic. He was an older man, someone who had lost everything in his life at the hands of alcohol. ...
This was originally published at www.libertyproject.com I have always dated the wrong guys. Let me explain: I have always been attracted to confidence, which too often walks the line with ...
This was originally published at www.libertyproject.com While most of my fellow college grads were still scrambling to find a job, I had beat out hundreds of applicants and landed what ...
For the first time since getting sober, I am in a serious relationship. Actually, it's my first serious relationship in years, even before getting sober. Once sobriety became a priority ...
Being an indecisive person in day-to-day life may not sound like the greatest of burdens in this troubled world, but it certainly presents its challenges – challenges that people who ...
A lot of people will say that one of the hardest things about sobriety is learning how to have free time. The time that would typically be spent using and ...
I’ve been in love before. And, as a result, I’ve had my heart broken before. Both feelings have always been associated with another person, another living, breathing human being. But ...
When I first ventured into sobriety two years ago, a family friend, who is also sober, said to me: “You’ll be amazed how full your life can be.” At the ...
After four years, hundreds of minutes played, a plethora of injuries and too many tackles to count, my collegiate rugby career has officially come to an end. You'd think this ...
As of one week ago, I am officially in my last month as an undergrad, which means an insane amount of final homework and papers. I now have post-graduation plans, ...
There are numerous reasons that sobriety and sober people are hella sexy. Here's my top 10. Two years ago, I would not have thought sober people were appealing. At all. ...
This was originally published at www.elitedaily.com Media dictates so much in today’s world — including relationships. Whether portraying unrequited love, forbidden love or passionate love, the media’s ideas of love ...
Three hundred and sixty-five days. Over one hundred posts. Numerous platforms. Thousands of shares. In honor of my first blogiversary (March 19, the day I was published on Thought Catalog ...
Everything always makes more sense in retrospect. I know that as much as the next person. Even so, I cringe thinking about how much trouble and heartache I could have ...
I never thought I’d be typing this sentence. It’s traumatic, really. Here goes. Imetmyboyfriendonline. Yes, I met my boyfriend online. On one of the sketchier dating sites, in fact. Ahhh, Tinder, ...
This post was originally published on thefix.com I'm 22, I've never consumed a legal drink, and I never plan to, for better and worse. Being in recovery at any age ...
This post was originally published at http://www.thefix.com/content/10-things-i-don%E2%80%99t-miss-about-drinking. When my parents forced me to get sober, I was convinced I would never be happy again. I didn’t think I would ever enjoy ...
In the past five years, my New Year’s Eve activities have ranged from staying home, to partying with high school friends, to babysitting (tip: parents pay well because it’s tough ...
Originally published at http://affectmagazine.com/2014/11/beth-alcoholic-why-im-thankful-to-be-sober-at-21/ It was 6am on May 7, 2013 when I forced my makeup-crusted eyes open and peered down to realize that I was wearing a faded pastel gown and ...
Sometimes I still ache for the rush of an alcohol-fueled night of the unknown. Sometimes I miss the way booze could make problems dissipate. Sometimes I wish that I could ...
Originally published at http://www.thefix.com/content/young-sober-and-single-navigating-romance-without-booze. When people look at me, they don’t see an alcoholic. They see a content 22-year-old student-athlete with a 3.8 GPA, the editor-in-chief of the college newspaper, someone ...
Really though. My track record proves it – I have a tenancy to fall for them. Maybe it’s me that’s the problem, maybe it’s not. Either way, that age-old adage ...
I may not know if I want kids, but that doesn't mean I don't think about it sometimes. So many people my age are starting to have babies...it's hard not ...
By Beth Leipholtz and Sarah Ober Twenty-five years ago, the St. Joseph community was rocked after the abduction of 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling. Twenty-five years later, the case is still unsolved, ...
Perspective. It all comes down to perspective. Choose a spot outside. Do nothing for ten minutes. Write about it. Twenty of us doing this same class exercise, yet twenty of ...
I consider myself a pretty happy, content person. Life is usually good. I have a loving family, incredible friends and attend an amazing institution with countless opportunities. I can’t find ...
Screw dating rules. We follow rules in every other aspect of life – we shouldn’t have to when it comes to dating, yet we feel pressured to. I know I do ...
I’ve always valued my alone time, but I also enjoy leading a relatively busy life. Unfortunately in the world of a communication major, this means alone time is rare – it ...
Here’s the short version of this post for those of you with attention span issues: I spent four days in August with 6,000 alcoholics – 6,000 people just like me ...
This may be the absolute best article I have ever read pertaining how to treat a sober friend: http://www.xojane.com/issues/how-not-to-be-a-dick-to-your-recovering-alcoholic-friend READ IT.
After browsing through the archives of my personal blog during the peak of my use (sophomore year of college), I realized something: I made so many damn excuses. Nothing was ...
*This is not intended come off as if sobriety is the choice for everyone, or that I am better than anyone – this is simply my personal experience put to ...
He was never mine to care about, so letting him go shouldn’t be an issue. Right? Wrong. As usual, I have only myself to blame for this predicament. I knew ...
For 14 years, I identified myself as a soccer player. I played year-round on multiple teams, dedicated endless hours to practices and games, and thought I loved the sport. But ...
I've posted this in the past, but it remains one of my favorite posts about 20-something drinking problems. I can relate to so much, especially this passage: "I used to ...
Some beautiful writing from a fellow Thought Catalog writer about the realities of addiction: http://thoughtcatalog.com/laura-richardson/2014/07/363901/
We are intelligent, goal-oriented, and determined. We are attractive enough, involved in numerous activities, not too shy. We like to think we have our lives together, that we are people worth knowing, ...
I don’t remember falling in love with words. It just happened. Writing has always been my coping mechanism, starting with journals when I was eight years old. Maybe it’s my OCD ...
I’m no dating expert, but as I’ve mentioned before, I do know a thing or two about overthinking (which, not surprisingly, is probably why I am no dating expert). Recent ...
The bend in the road is familiar. After years of driving here, it no longer takes any thought. I slowly direct my car into the driveway, my headlights landing on ...
When it comes to addiction, it's always the little things that remind us. They remind us to refocus ourselves. They remind us of memories that frankly, we would rather not ...
Lately I have been receiving numerous questions pertaining to the “how to” of the blogging world. So I figured why not address this topic in a blog post? Keep in ...
Based on the level of engagement and agreement (and okay, occasional disagreement) with my last post, “7 Things Only Chronic Overthinkers Will Understand,” I decided to write a Part II ...
There was a bonfire. Hookah. Green Apple Burnett’s. I wish I remembered more from the day that ended up altering the course of my life, but I don’t. It will ...
1. Recovery jargon. Words and phrases like “higher power,” “12 steps,” “Serenity prayer,” and “surrender” become part of your daily life. 2. Who your real friends are. These might be ...