It always starts the same way. Something, some small thing, goes wrong. No alarms go off, no immediate action is needed, but a fuse is lit. Construction has begun. A mole hill will soon become a mountain, and then, in time, a volcano. Anyone nearby would be well served to evacuate the area immediately. It’s […]
Dual Diagnosis
Everything Looks Like a Nail
I’ve dealt with depression, among other mental health issues, for most of my life. Having been in counseling since the age of seven, I’m fairly sure that my alcoholism and drug use weren’t the root cause of this, though they certainly contributed later in life, and they certainly made things worse. It seems that a […]
This is fine.
I try not to let alcohol’s dominance of the cultural zeitgeist get to me. I used to drink socially, many moons ago, and I didn’t always abuse it. There are a lot of people out there who can drink without turning into an alcoholic, I get it. The marketing of alcohol in our culture is […]
An Argument for Literal Interpretation
Confession, Prostration, and the Extreme You Makeover The initial steps in the suggested program of Alcoholics Anonymous exist to break down the facade you’ve created, whether out of pride or ignorance, that you’re in control of your drinking. This can be rectified by reducing or destroying the ego: we admit that we’re powerless over alcohol, […]
Learning the Hard Way
When I was a kid, my teeth were pretty messed up, and my parents were aware. At the time I wasn’t particularly concerned, but my mother knew that without some corrective measures, high school was probably going to be a little rough. So she did what concerned parents do when their children’s teeth are pointing […]
Depression, Industrialists, Drinking and You
It seems like you’re hearing about depression a lot more now than ever before. Life, in general, creates more stress these days than at any point in the past; ours is the first generation who will not reach or exceed our parents’ success; a full-time job no longer promises you the ability to pay for […]
Oops, I did it again
Yes, I’m a 37 year-old man who used the title of a Britney Spears song for this blog post. So. Yeah. It happened again. I relapsed. I’ll get into the why – or at least what I think the true “why” of the relapse was – in just a moment. I first want to stress […]
Of Moths and Men
Just as we addicts of all stripes often try to find the easiest way to get as un-sober as possible as often as we deem necessary. This behavior can be reflected when we’re seeking a way out. It’s very easy to make an appointment with the next available professional who deals with your problems in […]