What I Did to Get Better
If I'm out at a party at a friend's house, staying present in the party, in the moment, and enjoying every single moment with them, because that's whe…
Category: SELF-CARE – recovery for family member (You!)
Level 10 Stress – Sound Familiar?
The long-term stress I experienced caused me to become very forgetful, hasty in my decisions, confused and socially awkward. Even more than usual! I a…
He’s In Treatment: It’s Your Cue to Step Back
There’s a lot of starting and stopping in early sobriety. This can unfortunately last some time. It’s going to take patience and trust in …
Hope Deferred Makes the Heart Sick
Through recovery work I have learned to stop expecting people to be different and to reduce the frustration that comes from trying to cause …
He’s Been Smoking Pot Half His Young Life
If I had to characterize pot users in one sentence I would describe them as observers of their own life. This passivity cripples ambition and motivati…
My Mom is an Expert at Arguing (part 2)
Vitriol can be described as a solution-less rant of hate-filled criticism. A brand of sulfuric acid was named Vitriol, reason being that the acid was …
My Mom is an Expert at Arguing (part 1)
It’s been said that for every one person struggling with addiction, there are at least 15 people affected. The effects are painful and relentless fo…
Arguing with an Addicted Loved One Can Be Like Reasoning with a Hurricane
It’s no secret that addiction has ripped its way through my home and family. At least not since my book “Unhooked, a Mother’s Story …
Fast Forward to February: On Getting Through the Holiday Season with an Absent Child
Guest author Annie Highwater writes, "Through the worst of holiday seasons, I have found myself literally forcing a smile as people joyfully wish me s…
I Will Not Lie for Him or Make Up Excuses
My boundaries are in place to uphold my integrity and morals and values. Respectfully, I will not bend on them. He can be as loud and try to manipulat…