Category Archives: Recovery
It doesn’t matter if you think addiction is not a disease
Despite being officially recognized as a brain disease for more than thirty years, Substance Use Disorder’s designation as such is continually ridiculed and stigmatized by people both inside and outside the recovery community. You may have seen the recent viral video posted by “Arthur Vines,” which has garnered more than 18 million views on Facebook. In the video […]
The obstacle is the way: finding purpose in my addiction
This month marks one year from when I had the words “The Obstacle Is The Way” tattooed on my left arm. It serves as an important personal reminder that all obstacles have hidden lessons and gifts waiting to be discovered. Embracing the weight of my addiction and facing my disease has allowed me to […]
You can’t keep it unless you give it away
How I almost chose death over stigma
I woke up on my office floor. I was face down, lying in my own dried vomit, amazed to find myself still seemingly alive. I don’t remember making the decision to become addicted to drugs, nor weighing the odds of dying from overdose and deciding it was worth the risk, but this is where my substance use disorder brought me […]
What someone thinks about you is not your business
The work that I do in recovery every day is enough; the reactions of others do not determine my value. Will I continue to invest myself into something where the result is not guaranteed? If I approach my recovery correctly, I should focus on fulfilling my own standards of myself. I should find serenity in doing the work instead of being consumed by expectations […]