Rob’s doctor broke the news to him yesterday: he has high blood pressure. Rob wasn’t surprised. It runs in his family, and his health habits aren’t spectacular. What did surprise Rob was one of his doctor’s recommendations: cut alcohol out of his diet. He could only wonder- does alcohol really raise blood pressure? Rob isn’t…
Will saw his parents fight…a lot. On the nights when he didn’t see them argue, he could hear them from his bedroom. This went on for a few years, until they eventually got divorced. Now, Will is all grown up and has a family of his own. He also has a substance use disorder. Is…
It’s hard to recognize yourself. After all, you just wanted to help them, right? But lately, helping has been hurting both them and you. It’s called enabling. Your support now goes beyond what’s helpful and healthy. Your “help” is now allowing your loved one to continue their addictive behavior. And for you? Your enabling has…
There’s a reason why addiction is called a family disease. Its effects ripple through our family and close relationships. And making amends in recovery to repair those relationships is a crucial step. Even if you think you’ve hidden your addiction well, there will inevitably be ways that it has impacted your relationships. Perhaps there has…
When you start attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, it can be a very intimidating experience. You may not know anyone there, and you might not even know if you want to be there. Fortunately, this tends to change pretty quickly. Once you attend some of the same meetings, you will start to see some of…
In alcohol addiction recovery, you will identify people, places, situations, and things that generate a desire to consume alcohol. You may experience an urge to consume alcohol when you are reminded of times you used to in the past because your brain associates those people, places, and situations with drinking. These experiences are known as…
For many people, Step 9 is one of the most intimidating steps and often one of the most challenging parts of AA in general. However, when done correctly, it can also be one of the most transformative. Research has shown repeatedly that involvement in a 12-Step group—including actively working the steps—is associated with better outcomes…
Going to AA meetings is often beneficial, even if you aren’t actively working the steps. For some people, it takes a little bit longer to open up and find a sponsor, but once you’ve been going to meetings for a little while and start to feel more comfortable, it’s a good idea to seek out…
Character defects are coping mechanisms developed as a means to manage life. Step 6 of Alcoholics Anonymous states, “(We) were entirely ready to have God Remove All These Defects of Character.” A famous quote by Maya Angelou states, “Do the best you can. Then, when you know better, do better.” This quote embraces the spirit…
After reading A Day in My Life: Addicted to Alcohol, you’ve seen a glimpse of what my life was like as I tried to ease my pain and the pain of those I loved. In my active addiction, I did so many terrible things – I hurt my family and close friends, I racked up…
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