drinking

12 Steps at a Time  One of the most influential parts of recovery that really promotes change is when someone works the 12 steps. Working the steps allows us to let go of past resentments and feelings that may bring us back into the cycle of addiction. It helps us to realize what our part…

Building A Strong Support Group One of the best ways to remain sober is to build a strong sober network through your 12 step fellowship. Sobriety is not meant to be something that is endured alone. When people isolate and don’t reach out their chances for continuous sobriety are less likely. Connecting with others who…

What Is Early Sobriety The most prevalent question, or fear, that newcomers in sobriety worry about is the thought of “how will I ever be able to have fun again without using drugs or alcohol?” For many of us, we spent a lot of time using substances in social atmospheres in order to feel more…

Rehab Beats Being Alone For many of us, the progression of our drug use took us out of the party of many, and placed us in a party of one as addiction started to take hold. We began drinking alone for fear that those around us would protest our excessive alcohol consumption; we started using…

Harboring resentments is like drinking poison, hoping the other person gets sick. In recovery, we are taught that resentments are the main offender and keep us slaves to our anger and sadness. At the root of our anger and sadness is fear, and fear can drive us to do almost anything. After all, wasn’t it…

Coming to recovery, we have a fair few ducks to align before we can feel that we are doing well: we need to detox, we need to complete a treatment program, we need to find a sponsor, go to meetings, and start working the steps. These often feel like loose ends that need to be…

As alcoholics, we suffer from an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind. Our problem lies not in our drinking but in our thinking, for our thinking is completely warped and nothing ever satisfies us. Most of what we do is done in excess but despite our every effort we are perpetually…

It is extraordinarily difficult to be grateful for much while in active addiction. Our worlds shrink, our lives don’t make much sense, all our problems are everybody else’s fault, and nothing goes as we plan. We are constantly met with disappointment, and develop innumerable resentments as a result of our fear, anger, and sadness. Then…

The first months of sobriety are marked by feelings of improved health, new friendships and activities, achievement and accomplishment. The once small and limited worlds of our addiction have begun to open up around us, and we can hardly find fault with anything. That’s how great we feel, now that we’re taking care of ourselves.…