Improving sobriety by healing resentments is the ultimate goal of revisiting painful memories. When we have successfully navigated our memories and emotions, we have the opportunity to let them go so that they no longer harm us. In order for old resentments to no longer hold power over us, we have to choose to forgive ourselves and the other person. You can heal resentments to improve your sobriety.

I just celebrated a sobriety birthday, an event that always prompts reflection on how I got sober and clean in the first place. I do believe that a power greater than myself, a divine power, is ultimately responsible for me still being alive (Winehouse Death Due to Alcohol Poisoning and Tolerance). That being said, there are some practical components that have been vital to my getting sober and clean and staying that way.

Recovery from alcohol addiction, while challenging, is bolstered by alcohol addiction recovery support sayings, inspirational messages and supportive friends. Desperate to change and recover from my alcoholism, I sought advice for regaining control of my life in early sobriety. In the first few months most people advised me on how to manage overwhelming anxiety and cravings. Twelve-step alcohol addiction recovery support sayings, slogans and motivational messages shared at treatment centers correlate to common suggestions for recovering addicts.

For those in addiction recovery who have misophonia, attending recovery meetings is fraught with complications. They say "meeting makers make it," but what if you spend the whole meeting obsessing over coffee slurping, cookie munching or loud breathing? Misophonia and addiction recovery meetings can be a problem (Noise Sensitivity: When The World is Too Loud).

The winter blues are here and for those of us in all types of recovery, they can be especially tough (Stop Letting Winter Depression Freeze Your Happiness). If you're a recovering addict or alcoholic with the winter blues setting in, you are not alone.

New Year's Eve brings lots of unsafe alcohol consumption but you need safety on New Year's Eve. Whether you're sober or not, you should make plans to stay safe this New Year's holiday. Here are some ways to ensure alcohol safety on New Year's Eve.

Love it or hate it, the holiday season always brings obligations and you have to handle holiday obligations in alcohol recovery. It can be tricky to navigate those obligations. For me, feeling overwhelmed is just as a big an alcoholism trigger as alcohol itself so I have to be careful in my alcohol recovery with regards to holiday obligations.. 

I believe that Charlie Sheen needs to take more responsibility for his behavior of 2011. Almost two weeks ago, actor Charlie Sheen announced that he is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -positive, and paired the announcement with his plans to work for increased education about HIV. This is a commendable goal and he is in a unique position to educate and inform the public. But I believe Sheen also needs to take responsibility for his behavior and the harm he may have caused during his public meltdown in 2011.

Similarities, not differences, are the key to determining whether or not you are an alcoholic. My ability to find differences between myself and the stereotypical alcoholic was my greatest tool for living in denial. As long as I could find the differences, I could ignore painful truths. This was especially true in early sobriety. If you only compare stories to find differences, you will always find an excuse to claim you are not an alcoholic. 

Dating is hard enough as it is, but dating in alcohol and drug recovery and trying to figure out when to disclose that you are in recovery can make dating even more stressful. So when is the appropriate time to disclose that you're in drug and alcohol recovery to a dating partner?