Dear Rae, Now That I’m Sober, Can I Get a Puppy?
Dear Rae, After many years of starting and stopping drinking alcohol, I have been sober for six months! I am thinking about getting a puppy to celebrate. Do you have any advice as to whether that is a good idea or not? SJV Dear SJV: Congratulations on six months of sobriety; that is a benchmark […]
Ask Rae: Alcohol-Free Holidays? That’s Not Fair
Dear Rae: I just got an email from my aunt saying our cousin (we’ll call him Bill) is in early recovery from addiction. She is imposing an alcohol-free holiday season starting with Halloween to support him. She is not allowing any alcohol in her house for the holidays. I have to admit it makes me […]
Ask Rae: College Student with Family History of Alcoholism
Dear Rae: I am starting college this month and have been worrying about whether I am genetically more likely to become addicted to drugs and alcohol. I have been vaping weed most mornings this summer and drink hard seltzer. There is a family history of alcoholism, and I worry I might be susceptible to addiction […]
Dear Rae: How Do I Talk to My Spouse About Their Drinking?
Dear Rae: I’ll get right to the point. Lately, my husband has been using alcohol as a crutch. In other words, he drinks to reduce his stress, but it adds to the stress in our home. He drinks every evening (sometimes starting at lunchtime). It definitely impacts our relationship because when he drinks, he either […]
Ask Rae: Adult Children of Alcoholics Breaking the Cycle
Dear Rae: I am an adult child of an alcoholic (ACA), and I am in a relationship with someone who drinks too much and is abusive when he does so. I keep trying to “fix” the situation and drink more to make myself less anxious. This is not my first time falling for someone with […]
Sanford Behavioral Health – “We’re in the Resolutions Business”
(For the Video Click the Link Below) It’s February 2nd; according to statistics, most of us have already succumbed to temptation. Surprisingly, New Year’s resolutions fail 80% of the time. To that end, Susan Shaw and Wood TV 8 have done a series of interviews during January called “New Me in 2023.” Sanford Behavioral Health […]
Dear Rae: No Alcohol for the Holidays? I’m Mad!
Dear Rae: I just got an email from my aunt saying our cousin (we’ll call him Bill) is in early recovery from addiction, and to support him, she is not allowing any alcohol in her house for the holidays. I have to admit it makes me mad! My aunt is always the center of our […]
Dear Rae: What to Do When He Abuses Alcohol?
Dear Rae: He drinks way more than I thought! I am embarrassed to say I met a guy 3 years ago online and I fell in love. Yes, he drank, but I was not aware of the degree. Trust is an issue with me, but I tried to be open. We married 2 years ago, […]
Dear Rae: Should We Delay Treatment for Our Son?
Dear Rae: Should we delay treatment for our son? Since March, our 21-year old son has been showing signs of alcohol and marijuana addiction. He is always sneaking off in our back yard, and there have been many times when he has been staggeringly drunk or high. I guess we are seeing it now that […]
Dear Rae: Is My High Anxiety Threatening My Recovery?
Dear Rae: I’m home alone and scared – is my high anxiety threatening my recovery? I am reading everywhere that this difficult time is particularly hard on those of us in recovery. I am a year sober from alcohol and drugs myself, live with my boyfriend and I am really struggling with high anxiety. I’m […]
