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The eighth and ninth steps of AA and other 12-step addiction recovery programs, which instruct those in recovery to make a list of everyone they harmed due to addiction and then to make amends to these people, have elicited confusion and consternation among those first going through the 12 steps. The phrase “living amends,” like […]

Early recovery is often wracked by doubt and instability. What was once familiar is now foreign; routines, thought patterns, and even friends are all changed. After leaving an addiction recovery facility, those in recovery have to do the work of recovery on their own for the first time, a scary prospect. One way to ease […]

Although it may not seem obvious at first, alcohol and drug addiction are closely tied to weight. Addiction can cause either extreme weight loss or gain, and oftentimes addiction recovery is accompanied by unwanted weight gain. While addiction recovery centers can work with clients to adopt an appropriate nutrition and exercise plan, many people in […]

It seems like the best job in the world: Traveling the globe, mixing for sold-out crowds, and living the VIP lifestyle. But for many DJs, life isn’t all glamour and excitement. Long tours, hectic traveling schedules, isolation, and the rampant party culture all affect DJs and send many spiralling into addiction. And due to their […]

Addiction is often marked by solipsism, or an intense self-focus that doesn’t leave room for family or friends. When a drug claims precedence over everything else in an addict’s life, they will do anything to find their next fix, consumed by their addiction. Sooner or later, it’s not about seeking a high anymore; it’s simply […]

The U.S. is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, 18,893 people died from prescription painkiller overdose and 10,574 died from heroin overdose in 2014 alone. Bills are being written and laws passed to help combat this onrush of death and destruction, and at the heart of […]

Drug addiction can be a slippery slope. What starts out as a way to unwind or party on the weekends slowly creeps into the rest of the week, until you’re using drugs or alcohol every day. No one wants to admit that they’re addicted. I’m not a drunk, they rationalize. I hold down a steady […]

In the U.K., some Brits celebrate the new year by abstaining from alcohol for the entire month of January. Starting in 2012, the British organization Alcohol Concern sponsored the first Dry January, a challenge to stop drinking alcohol during the month of January. According to the organization, over two million people participated in Dry January […]

Alcohol inflicts unimaginable harm upon the body, including the risk of certain cancers. According to the National Cancer Institute, over one hundred studies have researched the link between alcohol and breast cancer risk, and have found that drinking more alcohol is connected to a higher risk for breast cancer. A paper which analyzed the results […]

At some point along the recovery journey, you may find that you’re ready to share your story with others, especially those just starting treatment in an addiction recovery center or feeling discouraged after a relapse. Sharing your story is an incredible way to reach out to people, inspire others, forge connections, and remind yourself of […]