The Importance of Winning Small Victories in Recovery
Achieving and maintaining sobriety is an incredible accomplishment. Why not celebrate it more? Sure, most in recovery celebrate major milestones like being six months, one year, or five years sober. But why not celebrate being 17 days sober? Or going to three meetings instead of the usual two? Or the fact that you woke up […]
Having Fun in Sobriety According to Your Star Sign
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never met a single person in recovery who said getting sober was easy. It’s hard. It’s like walking-on-a-bed-of-nails-while-your-head-is-on-fire hard. But you’ve put in the work. You’re in recovery. You’re safe and living your life. Having fun in sobriety is important. So, why not make it the most amazing […]
5 Healthy Nutrition Habits for Recovery
Recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction requires an awareness of the impact substance abuse can have on the body, mind, and spirit. Developing healthy nutrition and habits involves a similar understanding of which foods and eating habits can have a negative effect on physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing and can be particularly triggering to […]
Personal Stories & Accounts
One Wild Summer: Celebrating Milestones in Recovery
Summertime is when we think of being active, outward, uplifted, and having fun. It’s a time to get outside by camping, hiking, swimming, attending outdoor concerts, and those amazing road trips with soundtracks of our lives playing right along with us. We tend to eat more naturally by having beautiful fruits and garden vegetables, visiting […]
My Name is Lloyd, a Gay Male Addict in Recovery
My name is Lloyd, and I’m a gay male addict in recovery. While I’ve always been gay, I haven’t always been in recovery! According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) often face social stigma, discrimination, and other challenges not encountered by people who identify as […]
Meditation in Recovery Is More Than What You Think
Let’s face it. I’m a crystal meth addict. Before I got sober, there was nothing about meditation that appealed to me. I thought that meditation belonged to the monks and the hippies. Even though I look like a reincarnated Tibetan monk and like to burn incense, I wasn’t interested. But when I got sober, I […]
Personal Stories & Accounts
I Always Wanted to Be the Girl in the Movies
I always wanted to change. Change who I am, how I am, how I act. I used to see a girl in a movie – or walking down the street – looking happy, comfortable. I imagined that she had always been treated kindly, cared for, and probably had a lovably overprotective dad. I’d imagine all […]
LGBTQIA+ Addiction Recovery & Treatment
This comprehensive guide addresses the unique challenges of addiction recovery for the LGBTQIA+ community, noting significantly higher rates of substance use disorders attributed to minority stress from stigma and discrimination. It emphasizes the critical need for LGBTQ-affirming treatment, which involves explicit affirmation, trauma-informed care, and cultural competency, and provides practical advice on finding supportive resources […]
What Exactly Is Harm Reduction?
Drug and alcohol harm reduction is a compassionate, evidence-based public health strategy focused on minimizing the negative consequences associated with substance use, accepting individuals regardless of their current use status. Unlike traditional recovery that often requires complete abstinence, harm reduction operates on a spectrum of approaches, utilizing various strategies like syringe service programs and medication-assisted […]
MOUD vs. MAT: What Is the Difference?
The article discusses the shift in addiction medicine and treatment terminology from MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment) to MOUD (Medications for Opioid Use Disorder) and MAUD (Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder). This change emphasizes that medication is a primary, evidence-based treatment for addiction, rather than just an “assistance” to therapy, which is a key part of reducing […]
Why the Sober-Curious Movement Is Transforming Campus Culture
The sober-curious movement is transforming college culture by encouraging Gen Z students to question their relationship with alcohol, leading to a measurable decline in drinking habits among the younger generation. This shift provides an opportunity for campuses to move beyond crisis intervention and focus on primary prevention by building supportive, alcohol-free communities and normalizing mindful […]
What Is Sobriety Fatigue?
Sobriety fatigue is a common, profound state of exhaustion encompassing physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms that occurs in early recovery as the brain and body recalibrate after substance use. It is caused by complex neurological changes like a “hypodopaminergic state,” sleep disruption, and nutritional deficiencies, with acute symptoms lasting weeks to months and full recovery […]
