Recovery 101 Living Sober
Living sober: Are romantic relationships in early recovery a good idea?
Valentine’s Day brings with it thoughts of love, but for those involved in romantic relationships in early recovery, such love can be a sobriety hazard. There’s a reason, after all, that drug and alcohol treatment programs, both of the professional and self-help variety, warn against romantic relationships in early recovery. And for those navigating those…
Read MoreCornerstone’s Howard Bowlin reflects on (almost!) 41 years of sobriety
The final six months of 1979 were some of the darkest of Howard Bowlin’s life. Today, the spiritual advisor, military veteran and retired Episcopal priest recalls them with the stoicism of a man who’s spent 40 years working a one-day-at-a-time program of acceptance and change. At Cornerstone of Recovery, the drug and alcohol treatment center…
Read MoreA sober New Year’s resolution: Keeping or breaking it can be beneficial
You don’t have to be an alcoholic to make a sober New Year’s resolution, but if you’re struggling to get a handle on your drinking, it’s a good one to aim for. Resolutions are noble endeavors indeed, and they’re often made with the best of intentions. However, it’s important to understand that making a sober…
Read MoreFinancial guru Jeff Sekinger discovers a new way of life through recovery
It’s a week before Christmas, and financial guru Jeff Sekinger marvels at how much has changed over the past three years. Now: He awakens in his Miami condo overlooking the water, spends a few minutes meditating outside on his balcony, checks the financial reports and gets to work on his two businesses — Zero Percent,…
Read MoreA virtual recovery tour: One woman’s strategy for maintaining sobriety during the coronavirus
Ashley M. (last name withheld out of respect for a recovery tradition) knows a thing or two about maintaining sobriety during the coronavirus. In fact, she’s gotten so good at it, she recently attended four noon recovery meetings in a single day. While that old sobriety saw “don’t leave before the miracle happens” doesn’t exactly…
Read More‘Tis the season for perseverance: Why are the holidays so hard?
It’s supposed to be a time of peace, joy and good will, but far too often, we find ourselves asking, “Why are the holidays so hard?” To be clear, a lot of people feel this way, and for good reason: “The holidays often present a dizzying array of demands — cooking meals, shopping, baking, cleaning…
Read MoreTips on avoiding COVID fatigue and staying sober during the coronavirus
Staying sober during the coronavirus has been a challenge for eight months now, and while news of a possible vaccine development is cause for hope, we’re all so very tired. And for those of us in recovery from addiction or alcoholism, that can be dangerous territory. To be fair, it can be dangerous territory for…
Read MoreInternational Overdose Awareness Day: A light of hope for these dark times
Monday, Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, and as the eighth month of 2020 comes to a close, the numbers of those who lose their lives to addiction are grim. After falling by 4.6 percent in 2018 — from 70,237 [1] to 60,367 [2] — overdose deaths rose again in 2019, the latest year…
Read MoreAs local rates hold steady, TSPN remains vigilant going into Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
In late March, six months before Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and as the COVID-19 pandemic tightened its chokehold on all aspects of East Tennessee life, the Knox County Regional Forensics Center found itself investigating nine suspected suicides in a 48-hour period [1]. Four days later, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs reported that 12 suicides had…
Read MoreH.A.L.T.! In the name of your recovery, and hit the reset button
There’s an acronym recovering addicts hear early on: H.A.L.T. It stands for “Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired.” It’s a warning sign, our peers and predecessors tell us, that we need to watch out for. Addicts, especially those early in recovery, aren’t known for their stellar decision-making abilities. And when those abilities are hindered by hunger,…
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