Family roles don’t disappear when someone enters recovery — they often become clearer. In many families impacted by substance use, unspoken roles develop over time: The Caretaker. The Hero. The Scapegoat. The Lost Child. The Mascot. These roles are not random. They form as survival strategies. When addiction creates unpredictability, fear, or instability, families naturally…
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When Covid-19 emerged as a serious threat last spring, in-person recovery meetings shut down abruptly as many businesses, churches and community centers closed to the public. I panicked when I received a text that my daily morning twelve-step meeting was closed “indefinitely.” My routine was upended and I suddenly felt like I had been set…
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Last week I wrote about the notorious Bermuda Triangle, those dangerous weeks constituting the terrible trifecta that is Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. The holiday season can be incredibly difficult for those in recovery, no matter their religion, creed or spiritual practices. In fact, this time of year is such a danger zone for addicts…
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Turn on the television in December, and you are bombarded with images of Christmas Joy — smiling families, a jolly, red-faced Santa, presents underneath the sparkling, crowded Christmas tree, tables piled with food — and alcohol. And that’s the thing. The holidays can be fraught with anxiety, depression and loneliness for addicts and alcoholics, whether…
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