As far as we’ve come as a society in our understanding of addiction there is still an overarching societal stigma that comes with being an addict or an alcoholic. The pervasive thought being that addicts and alcoholics are some shadowy figures lurking around the corner ready to rob you for their fix. While in some cases this may be true, the reality is that more and likely the addict or alcoholic lives next door to you. They may be your co-worker or friend and they can be fou

The Sober Grid app is one of my favorite go-to recovery tools. No matter what kind of thought or feeling I am experiencing, I can post on the newsfeed and find someone who has been there and is willing to work through it with me. I love that I can also help others along their journey. Feeling like I can make a difference in someone else's life is huge for me. Going onto Sober Grid feels like going to a close friend's house - I am accepted, supported, and encouraged. It is a p

If you’ve ever talked to someone who is just getting sober, or you yourself are sober, then you know how important the rebuilding of relationships can be. It seems to be the first thing on most people’s minds when they sober up, because the reality of the things that they have done sets in and they are awash with guilt. I know that this was the case for me when I was first getting sober. All of a sudden I was left without my coping mechanisms, in a treatment center far from h

There was a period of time a few months ago when I was going through a particularly hard time in my sobriety. I had just moved back to Virginia after being in South Florida for almost 2 years and this transition was more difficult than I initially thought it would be. There was a flood of new emotion and being away from the support network that I had built up left me feeling adrift. One night I was on the phone with a friend of mine discussing this with her and without missin