Seen & Heard: Everyone Could Benefit from the 12 Steps

I get a quote in my email from the Alcoholics Anonymous publication, AA Grapevine. A few days ago the quote was something that I have thought for a long time. It said: “While I wouldn’t recommend that anyone become an alcoholic, I believe that sober alcoholics living the AA way of life have been blessed …

Working Step 10 of the 12 Steps of AA

Step ten in Alcoholics Anonymous is the first of the maintenance steps of the program. It says: “We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” Steps four through nine allow us to see the truth about our past behavior and how we have treated others. With that new awareness …

Seen & Heard: Service Is Important in Recovery

I recently saw a tweet that said this: “I said I was good and didn’t need to go to a meeting. My sponsor said, ‘Really? What about everyone else?’” A big part of going to meetings is meant to help us maintain our own sobriety. But AA works because it is one alcoholic helping another. …

Avoidance in Addiction Recovery

I talked to my sponsor a few weeks ago about a character defect I’m working on. I have a problem with not keeping in touch with friends or family who aren’t nearby. I genuinely have the best intentions, but I just don’t do it very well. And the more time passes, the harder it is …

Seen & Heard: Trauma is the Real Gateway Drug

I recently posted the quote above on my Facebook page. I think the first place I read that was in a longer quote from Russell Brand. His quote says this: It’s so true, isn’t it? Addiction to drugs or alcohol is often a symptom of something much bigger. Something that nearly always has its roots …

My Addiction Recovery Story

I was asked to share my story at one of my recovery meetings a couple of months ago. It’s been a while since I stood up in front of a bunch of people and talked about my alcoholism and getting sober, so I was nervous. It was also the first time that my daughter was …

Am I a Dry Drunk?

In addiction recovery, complacency breeds old behavior, which can quickly lead to unnecessary problems, including relapse. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous explains complacency on page 85. It says, “It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for …

Back with the Good, Bad, and Ugly of My Addiction Recovery

Here I am. It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Not because I don’t have anything to say about recovery anymore, but just because life gets busy sometimes. The last couple of years have not let me down in that area, that’s for sure. We’ve settled into life in Alabama, and I am in love …

No Addiction without Lies, No Recovery without Honesty

Last week, we went to an AA meeting and because there was a newcomer in the room, the topic was the first step. I love first step meetings. They help keep everything fresh for me. Those of us who have been in recovery for a while need to be reminded where we came from and …

Why Do We Self-Sabotage in Recovery?

Being in recovery for the last ten years has taught me a lot about myself and other recovering addicts. While we’re all unique individuals with different, often dysfunctional, histories, we also have a lot in common. One of the most common similarities that I’ve seen time and time again is our ability to self-sabotage. Addiction …