Whether you're on it, off it, or somewhere in between
Last year, my husband and I decided to quit smoking cigarettes. Along with my vanity and health, the cost was a huge motivator as at $16 a pack on Long Island, we were spending far too much money on early graves. We chose a quit date of November 1st, and off we went. While I […]
When we first come into recovery, whether by way of rehab, counseling, or a 12-step group, many of us are inundated with new experiences. Our days may be filled with therapy, support group meetings, and other activities designed to show us a new way to live. But as we learn to integrate these techniques into […]
For many of us who suffer from substance use disorder, everyday can start to feel the same when in active addiction. Like the movie Groundhog Day, where Phil Connors (Bill Murray) relives the same day over and over again, each day started to feel identical when I was drinking. While the circumstances of each day […]
For years I was really into journaling, writing nightly with a pen onto a bound book of beautiful empty pages. Then one day, I stopped. As far as I can figure, this occurred around the time Wi-Fi came into my life and my apartment. Instead of bringing my journal into bed with me, I brought […]
“Radical Acceptance is the willingness to experience ourselves and our lives as it is.” – From Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach, Ph.D. Back in 2011, when I was in my second rehab and freaking out over being there, an addiction counselor told me to practice acceptance. “Acceptance is the answer to all of your problems […]
As a person in recovery, practicing gratitude is a key part of my daily life. It has to be — otherwise, I start to slowly slip back into a self-centered, self-pitying, reckless way of thinking that if left unchecked, will most likely lead me back to the easy-out comfort of my former best friend, vodka. […]
Webster’s definition of rock bottom is “the lowest point possible.” While the expression can be used to identify low points on Earth, people hitting rock bottom from a substance use disorder can feel lower than the lowest points on the planet. What is a rock bottom? Hitting rock bottom means […]
The Wagon loves a good recovery story. Here are five of my favorite, totally random celebrity recovery stories that you may not have heard — yet! Adam Clayton, U2 Adam Clayton, the bassist for U2, has been outspoken about his mental health struggles and history with alcoholism. […]
Ketamine and Matthew Perry. Two things that few Friends fans would have associated with each other before this week. But after the full release of the late actor’s autopsy report on Friday, the dissociative anesthetic and the beloved sitcom star are forever linked. And it’s really unfortunate. And unfair.
When I was in active addiction, I thought the TV show Intervention was the best thing ever. Not because I identified with or cared about any of the people I saw on the screen. Rather, it served as a wonderfully effective way to justify my drinking.