Recent Seasons of the shows POSE and Feel Good Deliver Honest and Complex Portrayals of Addiction
Attn: Spoilers TW: Sexual Assault, AIDS, Death The most recent seasons of the shows POSE and Feel Good both deal with addiction. While the two are very different, each illuminates the links between trauma and substance use disorders. This last season of POSE, season 3, takes place in 1994; previous seasons were in the late […]
Eileen Myles
The poet Eileen Myles—who reached some mainstream fame as the inspiration for a character on the show Transparent—has been sober for decades. “I remember the first spring I wasn’t drinking; it was 1983,” they said. “My friend Tom and I were walking around the West Village, and we were staring up and pointing. ‘Isn’t that […]
Is My Loved One a Functioning Alcoholic?
Are you concerned that someone you love has a problem with alcohol, but you can’t quite tell? You see that they are functioning well at work, paying their bills on time, raising a family, and other signs of “normalcy.” But you also see this person consuming increasing amounts of alcohol. Are they dependent? Are they […]
Star-Studded Addictions: Eric Clapton
Musician Eric Clapton has been sober for over three decades. He went into addiction treatment for the second time in 1987, ten years after releasing a cover of the song “Cocaine” and a year after his son Conor was born. He’s been sober ever since. Clapton’s addiction was to cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. At one […]
Star-Studded Addictions: Tim Allen
In March, the actor Tim Allen—best known for his role on the show Home Improvement—reached 23 years sober. Allen has seen lots of success in his career, but it didn’t always seem like his life would take this path. Before he became famous, Allen spent two and a half years in federal prison for cocaine […]
Staying Sober in This New World
A lot has been written about the pandemic’s negative effect on people in recovery. This is important to discuss; addiction rates have spiked during COVID-19. But it’s also true that as things reopen, we sober folks may face new challenges. Staying Home Sometimes Meant Less Triggers I know several people who got sober during COVID-19. […]
A Conversation With Author Michelle Tea
Michelle Tea is a queer author, poet, and literary organizer who has been sober for close to two decades. I am also queer and sober, and a big fan of Tea’s work, so talking to her was an honor. We spoke about addiction, recovery, and how being sober impacts her writing and creative life. What […]
Matthew Perry
Leading up to the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. reunion, fans are worried about Matthew Perry. He’s struggled with addiction since the 90’s and has had periods of sobriety, but his slurred speech in promo videos is causing speculation about a relapse. It’s unclear whether Perry did relapse or is having health problems, but he has been open about […]
Star-Studded Addictions: Macklemore
The first time rapper Macklemore drank, he was 13 or 14. He drank alone—stealing from his parents’ liquor cabinet—and had about 12 shots.[1] Throughout his freshman year of high school, he skipped school to drink and smoke weed. He later began misusing OxyContin. Macklemore has been making music since about the age he started drinking, […]
Star-Studded Addictions: Carrie Fisher
Actor and writer Carrie Fisher—best known for playing Princess Leia in the Stars Wars movies—spent her life destigmatizing addiction and mental health disorders. She approached her own addictions and bipolar disorder with total honesty and a sense of humor. Fisher said she used the opioid Percodan to “dial down” her manic episodes.[1] “I mean, that’s […]