Addiction Resources

Getting sober is a big life change. It means quitting a substance you are physically dependent on, changing your habits that formed around using, making new friends, and adopting a healthier lifestyle. As with any change, it will feel weird at first but you will eventually feel normal again. Whether you experience sobriety as a […]

Creativity has long been associated with drugs and alcohol. Writers are especially known to drink and musicians are especially known to use drugs. And drink. If creative pursuits are especially important to you, either professionally or recreationally, the belief that you need drugs or alcohol to be creative can be an impediment to recovery. Fortunately, […]

Eating a healthy diet is one of the most important lifestyle changes you can make in recovery. A healthy diet helps repair the physical damage caused by addiction, it gives you more energy, and it improves your mood. While it’s important to eat a diverse selection of nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, beans, and […]

Alcohol is often described as a social lubricant, when it’s really more of a social anaesthetic. It gives you temporary relief from the anxiety associated with social interaction but it doesn’t do anything to improve those interactions. In fact, it does the opposite. It’s hard to listen and participate in a meaningful conversation if you […]

We often call alcohol a social lubricant. It makes us less self-conscious and more willing to open up to others, and we believe this leads to deeper relationships. People trying to get sober often worry that by giving up alcohol, they will also be giving up social connection. This is especially true for people who […]

‘Dry people, dry places’ is an important concept early in recovery. The idea is simple: if you want to stay sober, stay away from people who drink and stay away from places that serve alcohol. This isn’t always convenient. You will probably have friends who still drink and you are probably used to spending time […]

There’s a saying in AA that ‘We’re only as sick as our secrets’. It’s not obvious that something like keeping secrets can be closely connected to addiction, but it’s true. Keeping secrets is a major impediment to recovery. That’s why steps four and five are so important. These steps are making a ‘searching and fearless […]

Addiction and food have a strange sort of relationship. It’s common for people who struggle with addiction to eat too much or too little. Often, the factors that lead to addiction also lead to a perverse relationship with food. People will often get sober only to discover several months later that they have gained a lot […]

If you carry your smartphone everywhere already, why not use it as a tool in your recovery? There are many apps you can download right now that can help you in various ways. Best of all, most of them are free. You might as well try several, see which help you, and delete the rest. […]

At the beginning, recovery can seem daunting. Basically, you’re saying that you will never again do this thing that you can’t seem to stop doing for even one day. Once you start detox, and feel the pain of withdrawal, you know it won’t be easy and there’s still a long way to go. It’s natural […]