Dry Drunk Syndrome
The term “dry drunk” was first coined in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and is used to describe someone who has quit drinking but who has not taken any additional steps to heal on a mental, emotional, or spiritual basis. For many, experiencing the symptoms of dry drunk syndrome is an early indication of an eventual relapse […]
Alcoholism & Perfectionism
There are numerous risk factors that make a person more susceptible to the development of an alcohol use disorder. Some of the better-known risk factors include genetic predisposition, the age of initial use, the presence of untreated mental health concerns, and environmental factors. Recent studies show that perfectionism is also a major risk factor in […]
The Importance of Asking For Help
Asking for help is not always easy. In order to ask for help we have to humble ourselves, coming to terms with the fact that there is a challenge we cannot conquer on our own. Some of us might feel asking for help makes us appear weak or incompetent. We might fear that asking for […]
What Is a Spiritual Awakening?
The concept of a spiritual awakening has been around for centuries, and can be summed up as a major spiritual shift a person might experience as the result of a particularly profound experience. A spiritual awakening might also be called enlightenment, achieving nirvana, or undergoing a spiritual experience. But what exactly does this mean, and […]
What is the Best Way to Get Sober?
You have come to terms with the fact that your relationship with alcohol has taken a somewhat sinister turn. What you once considered a harmless social pastime has become something else entirely. You recognize you are drinking too much and too frequently. Alcohol has started to interfere with your quality of life; your loved ones […]
Finding Comfort in Chaos
Living with an alcohol use disorder is living in a near constant state of turmoil. After struggling with alcoholism for several years, I eventually stopped caring whether I lived or died. I had to stop caring. The future was perpetually uncertain. As a blackout drinker I had no idea where I was going to wake […]
How to Join Alcoholics Anonymous
One of the most convenient components of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12 Step programs is how easy it is to join. All you really need to do is find a local meeting and show up. In the majority of AA meetings, the chairperson (the individual who is leading the meeting) will ask if it […]
What is a Sponsor?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a mutual peer support fellowship geared towards helping people overcome substance use issues and improve their overall quality of life. Since its inception in the 1930s, AA has been widely researched, and there is significant proof of its efficacy. Sponsors play a fundamental role in AA and other similarly structured AA […]
Do I Have a Problem With Alcohol?
Alcohol is the most widely consumed chemical substance in the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018 it was found that around 52.8 percent of Americans over the age of 18 consumed alcohol regularly. Of course, not everyone who consumes alcohol on a regular (even daily) basis will meet the […]
Is Alcoholics Anonymous Right For Me?
Making the choice to overcome addiction and begin living a life of sobriety is a major, life-changing decision. Once you make the decision to get clean, you will then need to decide how you are going to make it happen. Because substance use disorders are chronic and relapsing medical conditions, it is generally a good […]
