Tag: adoptee

There’s so much more to sobriety than just quitting. I’ve learned that – and continue to do so – over the years since putting down […] Read More

There’s been lots of debate about addiction being a disease going on for as long as we’ve been identifying it as a problem. If we […] Read More

As an addictions specialist, one of the questions I often ask myself is: WHO is recovery for? It’s for myself as someone who has a […] Read More

“Trigger” is a very popular word in recovery circles and it has permanently entered our everyday language – you can read and hear it in […] Read More

There’s an adage in 12-step groups that says “principles before personalities,” and it’s a simple reminder that everyone in recovery should worry about the recovery […] Read More

According to two definitions, “dislocation” can mean “disturbance from a proper, original, or usual place or state” or “injury or disability caused when the normal […] Read More

There’s a misconception that with sobriety your life becomes amazing as you bask in the happiness of clean living and all of your problems seem […] Read More

One of the biggest enemies of recovery is complacency. There’s nothing wrong with feeling solid and sure in your sobriety, but when too much self-satisfaction […] Read More

As I’ve written before, substance use disorder (SUD) – a.k.a. addiction – is a complex and complicated disorder – one whose management can sometimes resemble […] Read More

Maybe it’s the promise of a warmer weather, my first foray to my happy place this spring (my lake retreat), or just a general feeling […] Read More

One of the hardest aspects of recovery is the issue of trust. I’m talking about two sides of it – gaining it for yourself and […] Read More

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail […] Read More

All of us want and need to feel safe and secure. For many of us, fear of abandonment comes from a real trauma – for […] Read More

You know what? Sometimes I’m just not. Feeling. It. Sometimes, I get tired and bored with talking about trauma and recovery, and I feel very […] Read More

When you start your recovery from addiction you often hear about different stages that you’re to expect from it. For those of us who attend […] Read More

Many of us, in recovery and outside of it, have family members and friends who also suffer from substance use disorder. It’s never easy to […] Read More