I Knew I Was an Alcoholic Long Before I Quit Drinking….
I knew I was an alcoholic long before I finally put the alcohol down. I knew this because I became emotionally dependent and would use a drink to satisfy everything. Coming home from work I would slam the bottle of wine on the counter and tell myself that I deserved a drink. Whether I had […]
Sober New Year’s Parties and Resolutions? Not a Fan…
I am not a fan of New Year’s Eve parties and nights out. I find all that hugging and Happy New Year chanting a bit much and incredibly uncomfortable. In my active drinking days, I would rarely remember midnight as I almost always blacked-out – either awake or asleep. What I do love is […]
Spend the Holidays in Rehab? I’ll Think About That Tomorrow
When Scarlett O’Hara said I’ll think about that tomorrow, she was putting aside a difficult decision for a more convenient time. That’s the problem with procrastinating about something painful, like addressing a substance use disorder (SUD). There is never a good time, but there’s always a good excuse. No excuses to put off […]
Do You Really WANT to Change (and Be Sober)?
You have to want to change in order to change. I could type a million words about why I love being sober, but if you don’t want to stop drinking it will make no difference. The tools and techniques of change… I could talk until I run out of puff about all the […]
What is This Thing Called Addiction RECOVERY?
This is not a trick question. Nor does it have a “right” answer. However, there is a wise old saying by Yogi Berra that sums it up, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” And with addiction recovery, it is up to each one of us to define […]
Gratitude, Thankfulness and Recovery in the Real World…
I went away to a retreat last weekend. I was feeling a bit “rusty” in my recovery and decided I could use a tune-up. One of the things that hit me like a gong at a Buddhist temple while I was there, was the fact I had stopped doing a daily check on the […]
The Power of Words in Recovery – The Best of Excursions Magazine
We are all seeking pleasure in our lives. Especially those new to recovery. After a long stretch of misery cloaked in the “reward” of an addictive substance, folks who have quit their drug of choice are looking for the real deal. Listening to Our Readers… Many of our Excursions articles stand the test […]
I’m an Expert on Cravings…
The wall of words… I feel like I’ve become a bit of an expert on cravings. It’s been hard not to, given I am an addict through-and-through and my brain likes to crave things… How the Brain Craves… After I quit booze I became very aware of how my brain craved. I spent many, […]
I Am Wickedly Rebellious (Sober)
One of the things I love most about being sober is the notion that it’s a wickedly rebellious act. It is! Think about it. An alcohol soaked world… We live in a world that is literally soaked in booze. Every social occasion, gathering, celebration, achievement, commiseration, high point, low point and Friday night is […]
Toxic Masculinity – The Hidden Trauma in Men’s Lives
Updated 4/29/2024 Human suffering is all around us. We learn of untold, hidden trauma—sexual abuse, bullying, domestic violence, early and sudden deaths of loved ones, exposure to combat, life-altering injuries, etc. It makes us wonder how men and women survive and move on to live life after traumatic experiences. Heroic stories of survival and […]
