Answer Addiction

Tag: alcoholism

  • "Facts Of Life" Star Charlotte Rae Dies At 92

    "Facts Of Life" Star Charlotte Rae Dies At 92

    Rae had been sober for decades, after attending her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in the early 1970s.

    Charlotte Rae, the actress who became famous as Mrs. Garrett on Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, died Sunday at 92. 

    Rae was diagnosed with bone cancer last year and was weighing how aggressively to treat the disease, according to People. She had previously been treated for pancreatic cancer, and was declared cancer-free after chemotherapy. 

    “So now, at the age of 91, I have to make up my mind,” she told People in April 2017. “I’m not in any pain right now. I’m feeling so terrific and so glad to be above ground. Now I have to figure out whether I want to go have treatment again to opt for life. I love life. I’ve had a wonderful one already. I have this decision to make.”

    Rae had been sober for decades, after attending her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in the early 1970s, when she was filming a short-lived appearance as the mail lady on Sesame Street. Rae was in her 40s and said that alcohol had become her drug of choice and preferred sleeping aid by the time she realized that she needed help. 

    “After the wrap party for Sesame Street, I went over to a meeting,” she told Fox News last year. “I was expecting to see a bunch of bums with red noses and burlap flying around. No—I saw a lot of well dressed, beautiful people. At the end of the meeting, we all held hands and said the Lord’s prayer. And I wept. That was the beginning of my sobriety. I’m now 42 years sober.”

    Rae’s husband, composer John Strauss, also went to AA, and later confessed to his sponsor that he was gay. 

    “The sponsor said, ‘You have to tell your wife.’ So he did. When he told me, I thought I was going to faint. I couldn’t believe it. We were very, very close,” she said. However, the couple remained cordial. “It was tough, but I never, never said anything about John to my children. Never. We continued to be friends. It was very painful, but because of my support system and my admiration for him, I survived and went on.”

    In addition to her well-known roles on Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, Rae made appearances on ER, Pretty Little Liars, Sisters, and The King of Queens. She also starred in movies including Don’t Mess with the Zohan and Tom and Jerry: The Movie, and was the voice of “Nanny” in the animated 101 Dalmations: The Series.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is Alcohol Consumption Among Women On The Rise?

    Is Alcohol Consumption Among Women On The Rise?

    A number of studies over the past few years have noted an eye-opening change in the drinking habits of women.

    It was an incident in which she put her daughter in danger that made Laura McKowen of North Shore, Massachusetts realize she needed to stop drinking.

    “I put her in danger at the wedding. I left her unattended for a long period of time. She was 4,” McKowen told WebMD. “I knew eventually, I would lose custody of my daughter if I kept drinking. It was inevitable. I knew I would lose pretty much everything.”

    And McKowen isn’t alone. Research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) shows that alcohol use disorder in women in the U.S. doubled from 2002 to 2013. 

    Today, McKowen is a prominent voice in the recovery sphere and has nearly 30,000 followers on Instagram, where she often posts about life in recovery as a mother. She uses her story to reach out to women who may be part of the rising number battling alcohol. 

    According to WebMD, historically, males have been heavier and more frequent drinkers than women. However, new research from a number of organizations is pointing to a changing trend.

    For example, high-risk drinking (3 or more drinks in one day or 7 or more in one week for women) grew about 58% from 2001-2002 to 2012-2013.

    Another study, from 2018, found that from 2014 to 2016, alcohol-related ER visits increased more steeply for women than men. Female fatalities as a result of liver cirrhosis also increased from 2000 to 2013.  

    In addition to drinking more, studies have also found that women are starting to drink earlier, WebMD notes. 

    A 2017 study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) discovered that gender gaps in drinking as early as high school and middle school were narrowing, whereas males used to far outweigh females when it came to starting drinking early. 

    “Now, by eighth grade, more females than males are drinking. Females are now, for the first time in history, more likely to drink in 10th grade than males; and by 12th grade, where there used to be a big gap 10 or 15 years ago, it’s now dead even,” Aaron White, PhD, senior scientific advisor to the director of the NIAAA. 

    One aspect of higher female drinking rates that is especially concerning is that females are more prone to certain drinking-related health issues, like liver inflammation, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity, and cancer, according to Deidra Roach, MD, medical project officer of the NIAAA Division of Treatment and Recovery Research. She adds that women are also more likely to experience blackouts.

    “This is a very serious issue for women,” she says. “We need to do more in terms of getting this message out to young women and medical providers who work with young people. Because once you end up on the slippery slope of harmful drinking, it becomes difficult to reverse.”

    According to WebMd, the reasons for the increase could have to do with a change in cultural norms, as well as an increase in depression and anxiety and possibly violence towards women.  

    As the issue continues to grow, McKowen plans to continue using her voice to let others know that sobriety is not the end. 

    “I thought sobriety was going to be a terrible death sentence, and it is by far the best thing that has ever happened in my life,” she told WebMD. “Now I have honest relationships. I am a far better mother, and I am doing work I actually love because I had the presence of mind to move to that. I am just living a more honest, joyful, and free life.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Sober Cleveland Police Officer Gives Back To Local Recovery Community

    Sober Cleveland Police Officer Gives Back To Local Recovery Community

    After a lengthy battle with alcoholism, a Cleveland detective got sober and inspired those around him to change their lives.

    Today, Cleveland police detective Chris Gibbons puts the bad guys in jail cells, but in 1992 he was on the other side of the law, sitting in a jail cell soaking wet and shivering after being brought in for public intoxication. After seven years of battling alcoholism, Gibbons had hit rock bottom. 

    “How did the son of a policeman end up here?” Gibbons said to News 5 Cleveland. 

    After that night, Gibbons was determined to turn his life around. He became a police officer just like his father and grandfather had been. And he inspired his sister, Erin Becker, to start her own path to sobriety. 

    “Most of my struggle was internal,” Becker said. “I just got to a point of hopelessness.”

    Gibbons has been sober for 26 years and Becker has been in recovery for 17 years. Now, the siblings run a sober house together, helping women start their lives in recovery. Becker co-founded the Edna House, which has grown over the years, helping woman with limited means get sober. 

    “It started with three women. Now we have 40 women,” Becker said. “The women that come in, they see that the people that are here helping them, the staff, the woman that runs the program, we’re all in recovery. That catches their attention. Nothing is asked of them here. When they come to Edna and the only thing that is asked is, ‘Do you have a willingness to work on your own recovery?’ They know something is different.”

    Gibbons is on the board of directors for Edna House and volunteers with men’s recovery programs though the area. He enjoys seeing the transformation of the 300 women who have graduated from Edna House.

    “They’re almost unrecognizable when they’re done. They look so much better. They feel so much better,” Gibbons said. “You can actually see the happiness and the glow on their face whereas when they came in they were totally broken.”

    In addition, Gibbons serves on the Cleveland Police Department’s Employee Assistance Unit, which helps officers navigate traumatic and stressful situations.

    “It gives you a little credibility,” Gibbons said. “When I approach an officer or someone in the community who is struggling with it, I can say I’ve been there and I have a good life today because of my decision not to drink.”

    Gibbons has prompted other law enforcement officials to become involved in the recovery community and sponsor events. Some of the people in recovery have even followed Gibbons’ footsteps and started a law enforcement career. 

    “Several dispatchers who actually went through this house are sober to this day because of their involvement here,” Becker said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Anthony Hopkins On Alcoholism: I Was Disgusted, Busted & Not To Be Trusted

    Anthony Hopkins On Alcoholism: I Was Disgusted, Busted & Not To Be Trusted

    “I still cannot believe that my life is what it is because I should have died in Wales, drunk or something like that.”

    It may be hard for some to imagine Anthony Hopkins as anything but a talented actor, but at a recent LEAP (Leadership, Excellence and Accelerating Your Potential) conference he shared how his alcoholism and lack of passion in acting could have left him a failure… or dead.

    He revealed to an audience of high school and college students that he is incredibly thankful he was able to stop drinking when he did. He explained why he started in the first place.

    “Because that’s what you do in theater, you drink,” he said. “I was very difficult to work with, as well, because I was usually hungover.”

    Hopkins described himself in this era as “disgusted, busted and not to be trusted.” But at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, a woman offered him what became life-changing advice: “Why don’t you put your trust in God?”

    After taking the words to heart, Hopkins said he lost all desire to drink. If not for these transforming words, Hopkins believes his life would have turned out drastically different.

    “I believe we are capable of so much,” he told the audience. “I still cannot believe that my life is what it is because I should have died in Wales, drunk or something like that.”

    He also revealed that he grew up an “uptight loner” who was bullied and “not all that bright” when it came to his studies. He even admitted he went into theater because “he had nothing better to do.”

    Despite all these struggles, he’s managed to become an Academy Award-winning actor. He posted about his life philosophy in a Twitter post that featured a photo of himself with Dr. Bill Dorfman, the founder of the LEAP Foundation: “Live life as if it’s impossible to fail.”

    This isn’t the first time Hopkins delivered this message to an audience. In a 2017 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he expounded the virtues of persistence.

    “Keep going, never give up,” he said on the show. “We get questions in our head and little voices that put us down when we were kids. Get over that. That’s what I had to do—get over whatever troubles.”

    He mentioned that he keeps a photo of himself as a young boy on his phone, telling it, “We did okay, kid.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Jonathan Rhys Meyers Apologizes For Airline Incident: Alcohol Doesn't Suit Me

    Jonathan Rhys Meyers Apologizes For Airline Incident: Alcohol Doesn't Suit Me

    Meyers revealed that his recent, highly-publicized inflight trouble was the result of a lapse in his sobriety. 

    Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers issued a statement in the wake of a verbal altercation with his wife during a flight that appears to have been fueled by alcohol consumption.

    The Tudors actor, who has a history of substance-related issues, apologized for the incident, which culminated in his detainment by police at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on July 8, 2018.

    Meyers, who had allegedly been drinking prior to the incident with his wife, and according to media reports, attempted to smoke an e-cigarette in the plane’s bathroom, but was stopped by a flight attendant.

    Meyers’ wife, Mara, also issued a statement on Instagram in which she thanked the public for their “compassion on this ongoing battle with addiction we are in (sic).”

    According to TMZ, sources reported that Meyers had been drinking on the flight from Miami to Los Angeles, which prompted an argument with his wife that was allegedly “laced with profanities” and proved upsetting to other passengers.

    Meyers then left his seat for the plane’s bathroom while smoking the e-cigarette, which is a federal violation onboard a flight.

    Meyers reportedly stopped smoking after being asked by the flight attendant; upon landing, Meyers was detained by law enforcement, which also contacted the FBI over the vaping incident.

    Both the argument and the smoking issues appear to have been settled without charges against Meyers.

    Speaking on Larry King Now, Meyers took responsibility for the incident, which he said was prompted by a series of challenges including travel fatigue—Meyers and his wife had been aboard a flight from Peru prior to the departure from Miami, and were traveling with their one-year-old son, Wolf, who was teething.

    Meyers also claimed that the airline had “given away their tickets” prior to departure, which added to the stress.

    Upon boarding the American Airlines flight, Meyers said that he “very stupidly decided to order a drink,” which he said “doesn’t suit me and I had been sober for a long time.”

    The drink also sparked the argument with his wife, after which he said he “felt that mistake and got upset” before taking out the e-cigarette.

    Meyers added that he was upset by his behavior towards his wife and its impact on the other passengers, to whom he apologized. He also noted that the Los Angeles police had been “incredibly kind” to him during their conversation after the flight.

    In her Instagram post, Mara Meyers said that the incident was a result of “anger issues” that the couple had actually traveled to South America to address through holistic work. She said that the situation was “out of his character,” and that Meyers was feeling “sorry for any remote disrespect afforded to me, attendants, onlookers or officers.”

    She concluded by thanking readers for their compassion during what she called her husband’s “ongoing battle” with addiction.

    Meyers, whose credits include Velvet Goldmine, Match Point and an Emmy-nominated turn as Elvis Presley in the 2005 miniseries Elvis, has sought help through rehabilitation on several occasions since 2007, including a recent stint in 2017.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Liver Disease On The Rise, Especially Among Young Adults

    Liver Disease On The Rise, Especially Among Young Adults

    A new study found that cirrhosis-related deaths in the US increased 65% between 1999 and 2016. 

    According to a new study, alcohol is to blame for an increase in fatal cirrhosis cases in young adults in recent years. 

    Researchers at the University of Michigan discovered that between 2009 and 2016, those in the 25 to 34 age group saw greater than a 10% increase in deaths as a result of cirrhosis.

    According to USA Today, cirrhosis is an “irreversible scarring of the liver.” Researchers claim the cases were “driven entirely” by liver disease due to excessive alcohol consumption. 

    Additionally, the study found that overall cirrhosis-related deaths in the US increased 65% between 1999 and 2016. Researchers came to this conclusion through examining public data on deaths from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

    Elliot Tapper, the study’s lead author and a liver specialist at the University of Michigan, tells the Washington Post that those who consume multiple drinks per night or have numerous nights of binge drinking are more at risk for life-threatening cirrhosis. He also states that women tend to be more susceptible to liver damage.

    Tapper adds that if those with an alcohol-related disease cease drinking, it’s possible the liver could repair itself.

    “Many other organs have the ability to regenerate to some degree, but none have the same capacity as the liver,” he told the Post. 

    Jessica Mellinger, a clinical lecturer at the University of Michigan, tells the Post that the beginning stages of cirrhosis involve yellowing skin, jaundice and a swollen abdominal area. She adds that patients often say the symptoms came on “all of a sudden.” Down the line, the disease can lead to brain injury, severe bleeding and kidney failure. 

    In addition to the rise in cirrhosis among younger age groups, the study also found that men are twice as likely as women to die from liver cancer.

    Additionally, race and geographical location played a role. Researchers found that whites, Native Americans and Hispanic Americans are seeing increasing rates of cirrhosis, as are those in Kentucky, Arkansas and New Mexico. 

    Another report earlier this month is also in line with these findings. According to US News, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report stating that age-adjusted rates for cancer of the liver rose from 2000 through 2016 for men and women, and that it moved from the ninth leading cause of death in 2000, to the sixth in 2016.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Jack Black Details What He Learned About Recovery While Filming "Don’t Worry"

    Jack Black Details What He Learned About Recovery While Filming "Don’t Worry"

    “It’s a battle for survival for millions of people around the world, and some of them are battling silently by themselves and no one else knows it.”

    Actor Jack Black said that he gained new perspectives about addiction and recovery filming “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot.”

    The film, which was released last week, tells the story of real-life artist John Callahan, who became famous for his cartoons. Callahan was a heavy drinker who nearly died after a night of partying when he was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair.

    After the accident he entered treatment for alcoholism and started drawing, eventually gaining a following. 

    Black, who plays a supporting role in the movie, said that being on set and learning what the real Callahan went through renewed his empathy for people in recovery.

    “Whether it’s alcohol or heroin or food or sex or whatever is it, people can get stuck in a hole and it can take all of your energy and powers and spiritual awakenings to get out and survive,” Black said, according to USA Today.  

    He noted that you can’t always tell from the outside who is struggling with substance abuse.

    “It’s a battle for survival for millions of people around the world, and some of them are battling silently by themselves and no one else knows it. They seem to be perfectly fine on the outside,” he said. “And some people are visibly heading down a dark path.” 

    He hopes that people will find hope from the film, which is based on a memoir that Callahan wrote. 

    “This is just one man’s journey on his way back to living a healthy happy life,” Black said. “It’s a cool story and a cool way to experience that in a small way.”

    Black didn’t mention his own substance abuse in relation to the movie, but in the past he has admitted to using cocaine as a teenager growing up in Los Angeles.

    “I remember just lots of turmoil from that time period,” he said in 2015. “I was having a lot of troubles with cocaine … I was hanging out with some pretty rough characters. I was scared to go to school [because] one of them wanted to kill me. I wanted to get out of there.”

    Ultimately, his mother put him in an alternative school that helped him address his cocaine problem.

    “It was a huge release and a huge relief,” he said. “I left feeling euphoric, like an enormous weight had been lifted from me. It changed me.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Native American Walk for Sobriety Focuses on Self-Empowerment and Self-Esteem

    Native American Walk for Sobriety Focuses on Self-Empowerment and Self-Esteem

    “Mass extermination and ethnic cleansing of Native Americans over centuries has Indian Country’ suffering from historic trauma. And for many of us, unsolved grief has led to alcoholism.”

    Over the weekend, a band of community members participated in the 4th annual Native American Walk for Sobriety in Richmond, California.

    The event, which took place on Saturday, July 14, was organized by the California chapter of the United Urban Warrior Society (UUWS), a national organization that advocates for the rights of Native Americans.

    “The most important goal of the Native Walk for Sobriety [are] the ideas of self-empowerment, self-worth and self-esteem,” said Mike Kinney, chairperson for the California chapter of the UUWS.

    The walk is especially important to the Native American community because substance abuse has long been a problem: “mass extermination and ethnic cleansing of Native Americans over centuries has Indian Country’ suffering from historic trauma,” Kinney explained in a recent essay published by the Richmond Standard. “For many of us, unsolved grief has led to alcoholism,” he said.

    The goal of the walk is to make the community aware of the issues surrounding substance abuse, said Kinney. “Native Americans have historically had extreme difficulty with the use of alcohol. Problems continue among contemporary Native Americans.”

    As more people become aware of these issues, some Native American communities, like UUWS, are taking action to stop the cycle. “The return to our traditional spiritual beliefs and values helps us to lead lives free of alcohol, and Native Sobriety walks are crucial in raising awareness surrounding the issues of alcoholism and alcohol abuse in the Native communities,” said Kinney in his essay.

    A day prior to the approximately one-mile walk from the Grocery Outlet to the Native American Health Center in Richmond, supporters of the UUWS gathered at the local Souper Center to serve a hot meal to about 145 people in need. The service was made possible by a donation from Rebecca Marlin Pet Care in nearby San Pablo.

    “We in the Native Community know how important it is for we as Native People to set positive and spiritual examples to our high-risk teens and young adults,” said Kinney.

    “Historically, Indian Country has always had social marches throughout the United States to bring awareness to mainstream society to better educate them about our conditions and how we were living both then and now. Native Sobriety Walks are a direct outgrowth of that,” he said.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Iggy Azalea On Demi Lovato’s Relapse: "To Be Honest With The World Is Admirable"

    Iggy Azalea On Demi Lovato’s Relapse: "To Be Honest With The World Is Admirable"

    “I had known about it, as a close friend. So I had really wanted for her to be the one to tell people about that, and I worried a lot…”

    Australian rapper Iggy Azalea is proud of her friend and fellow artist Demi Lovato for the way she “owned up” to a relapse after six years of sobriety. 

    “I had known about it, as a close friend. So I had really wanted for her to be the one to tell people about that, and I worried a lot… that something was going to leak or somebody would take that and use it negatively against her, or to make her seem like she’s got a secret,” Azalea told Entertainment Tonight ahead of a July 22 show where the two artists will perform together at the California Mid-State Fair.

    Earlier this year, Azalea had said that Lovato’s tireless advocacy for mental health awareness had made her more open to receiving help at a time when she was “mentally exhausted.”

    Lovato, who has shared every step of her recovery with the world for the last six years, released a candid confession via song last month called “Sober,” revealing that she had relapsed after six years.

    “I don’t know why I do it every time/ It’s only when I’m lonely/ Sometimes I just wanna cave/ And I don’t wanna fight,” she sings. “To the ones who never left me we’ve been down this road before/ I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore.”

    While worried for her friend, Azalea was pleasantly surprised by how Lovato handled the situation. “I didn’t know that she was recording that song,” she told ET. “I was just really proud of her that she was honest, because it’s really hard to be honest with yourself. So, to be honest with the whole world, [to share] something that you struggled with very publicly, it’s something that is very admirable.”

    In some recovery communities, a relapse is no longer a mark of shame or failure, but rather, a part of the process of recovery and growth. Lovato herself has been a tireless advocate for mental health and recovery support, working to erase the shame and stigma surrounding mental illness and substance abuse.

    She’s shared every part of her recovery including her rock bottom and her struggle with bipolar disorder, and admits when she’s feeling vulnerable.

    Her recent confession is just another part of her journey.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 5 Tips For Staying Sober In College

    5 Tips For Staying Sober In College

    At the end of the day, the college experience is about so much more than just alcohol.

    For most people, college is not associated with sobriety.

    Such was the case for me during the first two years I spent away from home. I drank often and partied hard, convincing myself that it was normal. I liked to be the one outdoing everyone else, thought there was some badge of honor I could earn by doing so. And honestly, I had a blast—until I didn’t. I didn’t realize this right away, but I drank differently than my peers. While they knew how and when to stop, I didn’t. I all too often crossed from having fun to being a sloppy, drunk mess, saying and doing things I regretted come morning light.

    It all came to a head at the end of my sophomore year, when I ended up hospitalized with a .34 blood alcohol content. My parents gave me an ultimatum: get sober, or I wasn’t allowed back home for the summer. I went along with getting sober, never planning for it to actually be something I stuck with. I wasn’t even 21 and was still in college. Who got sober in college? I didn’t know of anyone, and I didn’t intend to be that person.

    But as time passed and I refrained from drinking, I realized that I felt good, both physically and emotionally. I liked being in control of my actions, knowing what happened the night before. It felt freeing. So, I ran with the whole sobriety thing, staying sober my junior and senior year of college, and now, for the three years following college.

    I won’t lie, maintaining a social life while being sober in college wasn’t easy. In fact, at times it was one of the hardest things I’ve done. But it is possible. Along the way I discovered a number of tricks that helped remind me why I was sober and made it easier to stay that way. Here are a few:

    1. Be honest with the people close to you. Sobriety isn’t easy. But it’s even harder when you try to do it alone. It’s understandable that telling people about your decision to stop drinking is scary. It’s not something very many people choose to be open about, especially in college. But if you can, pick two or three people you are close to and tell them the truth. Tell them why you decided to get sober and why it’s important to you to maintain that sobriety. If they ask how they can help, tell them. Express what you need, what makes you feel supported. They wouldn’t ask if they didn’t genuinely care and want to do what is best for you. Give people the chance to surprise you with their support, because they often will.
    1. Make self-care a priority. It’s easy to let self-care fall to the side in college. You get so busy with classes, with friends, with study groups, with sports, that you forget to take time for yourself. This is always important, but even more so when you are sober. In sobriety, you need to know when and how to take time for yourself. This means different things for different people. For one person, it may be a bubble bath and reading a book for fun. For another, it could be working out, or journaling, or attending 12-step meetings. Whatever the case, make sure you identify what it is you need and make it a priority in your schedule.
    1. Remind yourself you won’t be hungover come morning. For some reason, this was always a powerful tool for me. Just knowing how physically awful hangovers felt and how unproductive they made me for the entire next day was usually enough to quell any desire for a drink. When I first got sober, someone told me hangovers are actually a form of withdrawals from alcohol, which is why mine had been getting progressively worse. Reminding myself that the morning would be clear and I would be able to be productive and reach my full potential always brought me back to reality when I found myself wishing I could drink with my college friends.
    1. Connect with sober peers. Though it’s somewhat unlikely you will find these people in college, it’s not impossible. But if you don’t, there are other options. Because I went to a semi-small college, there were no other people my age who had gotten sober. But by going to some 12-step meetings and joining online communities, I was able to connect with people who shared my experiences and who were in situations similar to mine. Having that connection with others in recovery is vital in moments when you need support and understanding, or even need someone to tell you it just isn’t worth it to pick up a drink.
    1. Remember that the main reason for college is to receive an education—an expensive one, at that. This may sound odd, but for some reason it really helped me when I was wishing I could have a “normal” college experience and drink with my friends. I found it helpful to remind myself that first and foremost I was at college to get an education so I could pursue the career I wanted to pursue. College is not a cheap investment by any means. If I had continued to drink at the rate I had been, I likely would have wasted a good amount of money and not received the quality education I had hoped to attain at the college I chose. But today, I can say I got the most out of my education (the last two years of it at least) because I was fully present and invested.

    At the end of the day, the college experience is about so much more than just alcohol. Sure, at times this may be hard to remember. There will be days when it may seem like everyone around you is drinking or talking about drinking. It’s easy to feel left out, like you’re missing out on a college rite of passage. But that’s not true. These are the days it’s important to remind yourself why you set out to live a sober life and why it’s important for you to continue to do so.

    View the original article at thefix.com