My name is Renee, and I am an alcoholic. A recovering one at this point, but never recovered. Always recovering. How it Started: Sparkly Golden Chardonnay I took my first drink at age 14. At that time, I worked for a catering company, and the owners were my neighbors. They paid me $5/hour under the …
by Renee W. Although I’ve had a handful of relapses, one will be cemented into my memory forever. Around three and a half years of sobriety, the restlessness began. I couldn’t sit, I couldn’t just be, I couldn’t concentrate. Then, the thoughts. The ones I never shared with anyone until way later. You’re probably not …
by Renee W. My first stretch of sobriety lasted for three years and (almost) four months. 1,231 days, to be exact, and I only know that because I Googled the dates. During those three-plus years, I stopped drinking, threw myself into AA meetings, worked with a sponsor, lost weight, got fit, left a toxic marriage, …
by Renee W. Christmas time brings loads of cheer and celebrations, or at least it’s supposed to, right? For a recovering alcoholic, the holiday season may also bring on loads of stress and anxiety. Newly sober, I dreaded the Christmas holiday season. A time that is meant to give gifts, share meals, and be with …
by Renee W. While deep in my alcohol addiction, I was about as self-absorbed as I could be. All my thoughts and behaviours revolved around the centre of my universe: me. It wasn’t until months of recovery that I began to realize just how much I thought of myself. I do not mean I thought …
by Renee W. I knew I desperately needed help, but deep down, I wasn’t ready to give up my addiction. I didn’t know how I would survive without my drug of choice – alcohol. My addiction lasted ten years, and while I had a few periods of sobriety in there, nothing stuck. My addiction was …
by Ciara O In the world of Psychiatry, Complicated Grief Disorder (also known as CGD) is a condition in which those who have been bereaved, experience overwhelming functional impairment due to prolonged grief symptoms that usually persist for up to one month after six months of the death. Further research around complicated grief disorder …
What are the signs of complicated grief disorder? Read More »
by Renee W. Labels can be incredibly damaging. They come with all kinds of biases and connotations, whether positive or negative. However, how we label ourselves defines not only the lens through which we see ourselves but how we act. There are always negative connotations to the label “alcoholic” or “addict,” even if those people …
by Renee W. I remember, early in recovery, logging onto Facebook and scrolling through my feeds. A friend posted a picture of herself looking happy and gorgeous, drinking a glass of wine at a party that I was clearly not invited to. Not that I could have gone anyway. I felt sick to my stomach …
Social Media and Recovery: How it Helps, How it Hurts Read More »
by Renee W. When I got sober the first time in 2014, my strategy was simple: get my body back. I had gained weight from my alcoholism, and I thought if I could eat better and exercise, I would lose weight, feel better about myself, and stay sober. So, I put all my effort into …