It took intense emotional, psychological, and physical energy to mourn my lifelong relationship with drugs and alcohol and process the trauma I had spent my life suppressing.
Tag: AA
Facts & Fables: William Schaberg Explores the Big Book's True Origins
Both Big Book zealots and AA’s harshest critics will have a problem with this book—you’re either blasphemous for criticizing a saint or not going far enough to expose a fraud.
Why Aren't There More People of Color in the Recovery Movement?
For many white people, recovery is a redemption story, proof that they were good people all along. For people of color, a known history of drug use might be the only excuse a prospective employer needs to shut the door.
Brad Pitt Praises Alcoholics Anonymous
“You had all these men sitting around being open and honest in a way I have never heard,” Pitt said in a recent interview.
How I Learned to Show Up for Life Without Alcohol
Sobriety means—or will come to mean—different things for different people. But I can attest to one thing: The path is beautiful, and the difficulties you may encounter along the way are worth it.
Can 12-Step Programs Treat Dual Diagnoses?
Effective treatment needs to include both the substance use disorder and the co-occurring disorder in an integrated approach because the two conditions build on each other.
Drinking in Japan
Japan was never the problem: it had been me all along! That realization led to an important discovery about my relationship with alcohol.
I Don’t Always Feel Better After a 12-Step Meeting
Why would someone continue to go to something that they don’t always like and don’t feel immediate relief from? I’m playing the long game.
Staying Sober Through a Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: My Story
Two incredibly painful paths have made my life better: a design for living from the program, and a new reverence for life from cancer. Both brought me closer to my higher power.
Is Recovery Possible Without Abstinence?
If I told an AA meeting I was having wine once in a while, the group would tell me that I am headed for certain demise.