Getting to the Roots of Your Addiction
The phrase “knowledge is power” rings true when it comes to addiction recovery. Learning about addiction and sobriety—and yourself—is really helpful. Becoming self-aware means learning your triggers and how to cope with them. It also means learning some of the things that led you to drink or use, so that you can address any underlying […]
Why Recovery Is a Gift, Not a Punishment
In the years I knew I had a problem before I got sober, I had two ideas about sobriety. 1. It would be the end of all that was good, dooming me to a life of denying what I wanted, and 2. Sober people who touted the miracle of recovery were exaggerating or lying. Nearly […]
Finding Purpose in Recovery
Recovery is an incredible gift, because it allows you to heal, find what makes you happy, figure out who you are, grow, and so much more. I and some sober people I know have had regrets about time we “wasted” in active addiction. This is particularly common in the first year or two of recovery, […]
Taking Time to Acknowledge Growth in Recovery
In my experience, there is a lot of forward momentum in recovery. I’m constantly looking to grow and learn—making up for lost time from my years in active addiction. Growth in recovery is wonderful and intrinsically motivating. However, we can’t keep going and going without pause. The Importance of Pausing It’s important to stop sometimes […]
How Recovery Changes Over Time
In my seven years sober, I’ve learned that some things about recovery stay the same—and many things change. It continues to be full of surprises, rewards, and challenges. However, those are different as time goes on. In early recovery, your brain and body are going through the first parts of healing while you learn to […]