Written by Lindsey Whittaker of The Discovery House. For most people, the thought of going on a first, second, or third date sans alcohol sounds like an absolute nightmare. Drinking calms the nerves and can make a lousy date bearable. Alcohol is something that people hold onto – it’s the first date lifeline. There is a reason […]
The internet is both a treasure trove of invaluable goodies and a dark morass of misinformation and ugliness. In that way it does not differ much from the “real world.” Knowing what to take and what to leave behind is the true skill one must acquire when navigating the world wide web. For those who […]
Before I got into recovery, I was entirely certain that the last thing in life I wanted was to be sober. It was a repulsive idea, actually. Not doing drugs was one thing but not drinking? Were these people mad? I was convinced that being an alcoholic and being a drug addict were two entirely […]
In a now famous Ted Talk, British journalist and author of Chasing The Scream Johann Hari shared his conclusion from significant research, that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety but connection. Hari’s opinion is supported by psychiatrist and author Dr. Gabor Maté, who identified issues of isolation and poor interpersonal relationships as key issues […]
Many questions and concerns can arise when someone is considering dating a recovering addict. For those who have not had the experience of addiction, lack of knowledge can be the greatest challenge. Addiction recovery is a complex process and it is important to understand what that process entails when entering a relationship with a recovering […]
What The Hell Are You? This question plagues your mind each day, but the answer is simple. A monster. A goddamn drug addict. You often feel as though you have expired, with the exception that your biological shell seems to continue to battle. Your heart still manages to beat. This, you do not get. […]
“The lotus flower blooms the most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud.” – Buddhist Proverb I grew up with what many would describe as a “normal” childhood. It was nothing too crazy or out of the ordinary. My parents had disagreements, I had a pet that died, I had a fight with my best […]
In my last post, I shared a number of books about addiction and recovery. It is difficult to cover such a growing and important genre of writing in one post so, I’m back! In the area of “How To”, there are a number of notable books worth reading if you or someone you care about […]
The genre of addiction recovery literature is ever growing with new offerings available almost daily. There are specific areas of interest in this genre including “How to”, “Early Sobriety”, and “Memoirs”. I am going to share a few of my “favorites” in the How to and memoir areas. This is by no means a comprehensive […]
Reentering the dating world in midlife can be both exciting and stressful. Statistics are showing a growing trend in middle aged single (divorced, widowed) people. Add to that the the average life expectancy in the US is between 78 and 81 years old and we find a large number of single people with many vibrant […]