There Are Many Pathways to Recovery
The first time I tried to get sober, I followed two friends into recovery and did exactly what they did. It lasted about two months—which was a lifetime of sobriety for me then, but a lot shorter than I meant to make it. When I got sober this time, six years ago and six years […]
Addiction in the Food Service Industry
The food service industry has long been notorious for rampant drinking and drug use. Former server Cinnamon Janzer said, “You’re around alcohol all day and after a long night of dealing with sometimes difficult customers, nothing sounds better than a drink. Then another person gets off of their shift and another and before you know […]
How to Support Someone With Addiction Without Enabling
It’s understandable to worry that helping someone with addiction might enable them, but helping and enabling are two very different things. People who are going through addiction and recovery need to know that they have support; it’s important not to pull away because of the fear of enabling. Enabling is essentially participating in behaviors that […]
Coping with a Broken Heart in Recovery
Heartbreak isn’t always taken as seriously as other emotional experiences, but it’s a powerful form of grief. It’s not uncommon for people to relapse as they deal with the many emotions that arise during a breakup. Heartbreak and Early Sobriety Share Many Similarities The first time I experienced withdrawal was when I was still in […]
How to Stop Addictive Behaviors

Addiction is a prison in itself. A behavior that keeps you addicted takes control of your life, hence the need to stop it and begin your journey to recovery. You can stop addictive behaviors permanently by seeking a suitable addiction treatment program. The first step is to accept that you’ve got a problem. Next, seek […]
Holly Whitaker
Holly Whitaker is a recovery advocate who created sobriety blogs The Temper and Hip Sobriety, as well as the digital recovery program Tempest. Her book, Quit Like a Woman—which details how her own experience in sobriety informed her work with Tempest—is a New York Times bestseller. Whitaker has been sober since April 15th, 2013. 12-step […]
Sober Stories: Scott
What led you to get sober? For years, I had a feeling about the person I could be. If the person you want to be is always in front of you, I found that after so many years of drinking, I was literally looking backwards. Who I felt I actually was—who I aspired to be—I […]
Six Reflections for Six Years Sober
Today I’m six years sober! As someone who drank upwards of 15 drinks every night for a decade (and did whatever drugs came my way when I was drunk), I’m proof recovery is possible. Six years ago, I couldn’t fathom how life would look without alcohol. A month, a week, a day sober—these were huge […]
Healing Your Relationship to Yourself in Recovery

In recovery, you can repair relationships that may have been damaged during active addiction. As I’ve found in my own recovery, one of the most important is with yourself. Repairing Damage from Active Addiction Low self-esteem and shame are often factors (of many others) that lead people to drink or use drugs—but addiction exacerbates them. […]
What is Rock Bottom?

“Hitting rock bottom” is when a person feels like they’ve reached the lowest possible point in addiction. This is often discussed as the point in which a person gets sober. However, you don’t have to hit rock bottom in order to get sober. Addiction is a progressive disease; negative effects tend to build as you […]