Denial About Addiction – Will My Son See the Truth?
A member wonders if her son will ever come to terms with what he's put the family through. Read Annie Highwater's inspiring response which offers stre…
Unhooked
Podcast: “Leave Your Drama to the Llama”
In this next podcast, Annie and Laurie analyze the meaning of drama using examples drawn from an entertaining public poll. They also discuss drama wit…
Please Don’t Tell me to Detach!
If you are the bystander watching this brutal disease from the front row, what do you do? Detach from someone you love as they are spiraling? What doe…
Reaching Level 10 Stress…and Stepping Away
The long-term stress I experienced caused me to become very forgetful, hasty in my decisions, confused and socially awkward. I also noticed that durin…
Is Your Hope at the Mercy of Others?
Through recovery work, I have learned to stop expecting people to be different and to reduce the frustration that comes from trying to cause a person …
You Oughta Be Ashamed of Yourself!
Positive reinforcement, as basic and childlike as that sounds, is a motivating force for progress. Speaking to someone’s goodness despite their wron…
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…
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…