Victoria McCann BA, MSc

It’s not easy to face the possibility you have a problem with drugs or alcohol. When you do finally accept that you need help, you may face a new challenge: telling your friends and family. How do you tell the people who care about you that you have a problem with addiction? What will they […]

People who are considering attending 12-step meetings are sometimes put off by the idea of a higher power. 12-step proponents often point to the loophole in step three that they ‘Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him’. As we understood Him–see? Nothing […]

When you first get sober, you are faced with a conundrum: You have to make several major changes at once to maintain sobriety, but trying to make too many changes at once often results in failing to make any changes. How do you make the changes you need to make and still have a reasonable […]

Getting sober is a big life change. It means quitting a substance you are physically dependent on, changing your habits that formed around using, making new friends, and adopting a healthier lifestyle. As with any change, it will feel weird at first but you will eventually feel normal again. Whether you experience sobriety as a […]

Creativity has long been associated with drugs and alcohol. Writers are especially known to drink and musicians are especially known to use drugs. And drink. If creative pursuits are especially important to you, either professionally or recreationally, the belief that you need drugs or alcohol to be creative can be an impediment to recovery. Fortunately, […]

Alcohol is often described as a social lubricant, when it’s really more of a social anaesthetic. It gives you temporary relief from the anxiety associated with social interaction but it doesn’t do anything to improve those interactions. In fact, it does the opposite. It’s hard to listen and participate in a meaningful conversation if you […]

We often call alcohol a social lubricant. It makes us less self-conscious and more willing to open up to others, and we believe this leads to deeper relationships. People trying to get sober often worry that by giving up alcohol, they will also be giving up social connection. This is especially true for people who […]

‘Dry people, dry places’ is an important concept early in recovery. The idea is simple: if you want to stay sober, stay away from people who drink and stay away from places that serve alcohol. This isn’t always convenient. You will probably have friends who still drink and you are probably used to spending time […]

There’s a saying in AA that ‘We’re only as sick as our secrets’. It’s not obvious that something like keeping secrets can be closely connected to addiction, but it’s true. Keeping secrets is a major impediment to recovery. That’s why steps four and five are so important. These steps are making a ‘searching and fearless […]

Addiction and food have a strange sort of relationship. It’s common for people who struggle with addiction to eat too much or too little. Often, the factors that lead to addiction also lead to a perverse relationship with food. People will often get sober only to discover several months later that they have gained a lot […]

Published June 2025. Recovery doesn’t stop when you leave treatment or finish a support group meeting, it’s a daily commitment. Thankfully, today’s technology offers powerful tools to help you stay on track. Whether you’re looking for peer support, motivational boosts, sharing milestones or structured routines, there’s an app to support your journey. Here are five […]

At the beginning, recovery can seem daunting. Basically, you’re saying that you will never again do this thing that you can’t seem to stop doing for even one day. Once you start detox, and feel the pain of withdrawal, you know it won’t be easy and there’s still a long way to go. It’s natural […]