Sometimes it takes every ounce of energy you’ve got just to drag yourself out of bed in the morning. You count all the empty bottles and your head reminds you what was in them the night before. You firmly resolve it will be the last time that happens. No matter what which drug or activity you prefer, you probably already know what’s going to happen next. If you’re struggling with addiction, you’re going to go right back to those bottles. The...

Finding out that someone you love is a sex offender can turn your world upside down. Maybe you’ve been dating for a while, and your love interest breaks the news before things get too serious. Or maybe you find out through public notices in the paper or state registries. Whatever the case, you might feel angry, scared, confused – or all of the above. But you can turn your world upright again. Here are 7 things to know if someone you love is a...

An addict knows trauma. His or her brain is usually soaked in it. The agony of past hurts, cravings, and dependence cannot be undone on his or her own. Wound tightly in his or her brain and body, is harmful, unprocessed emotional pain. Some recognizable and some hidden from their conscious selves for far too long. Whatever the addiction–internet gaming, gambling, or porn; drinking too much; drugging dangerously; or sexually acting out–the root...

We’ve all gotten used to a certain glow on the faces of our significant others. Not the glow of happiness and contentment. Not the glow of intimate connection and fulfillment. No, this glow is blue-ish, maybe green. Emanating from the palms of their hands, and accompanied by the occasional vibration, beep, or buzz. But who are we kidding… they aren’t the only ones to succumb to it. We’re drawn in too. We keep on smartphone clicking, posting,...

You’re in recovery. Congratulations. That’s amazing. You’re on your way. Where? Back from despair, desperation, maybe even the brink of death or losing it all. Back to life. You are working on becoming a whole person again. How? Through caring and accountability. Through intentional steps toward self-awareness and selflessness. And by allowing a lot more humanity bloom in yourself and in your life. That humanity is actually a relationship...

Addiction can cause you to look at another human being and see very little, feel nothing much, and hear only the nagging whine of your own need. That need has no empathy. Addiction wants to drag you down to that lonely, selfish place forever. And it does a heartbreakingly good job of destroying your life and relationships along the way. So, when you decide to recover, you must also recover a deeper emotional connection to those around you. If...