When you are recovering from any substance abuse disorder, it can be difficult to stay motivated. Addiction temporarily robs you of your ability to feel any positive emotion, so you often need to look outside yourself to find strength and inspiration. Here are some excellent recovery blogs and writers that can be invaluable resources when you want and need new insight into the nature of the disease of addiction and how best to overcome it.
#1—Cathy Taughinbaugh
Cathy Taughinbaugh struggled with the reality of substance abuse within her own family, and she found both healing and purpose from connecting with other parents. Today, she serves as a Parent Coach, sharing strategies and tools that can help suffering parents deal with the pain caused by a child’s drug or alcohol abuse.
- Blog site – https://cathytaughinbaugh.com/blog/
- Typical topic – “Is My Child Just Experimenting?”
#2—Jennifer Matesa
A.K.A. “Guinevere”, Jennifer Matesa is the author of the 2014 non-fiction book, “The Recovering Body: Physical and Spiritual Fitness for Living Clean and Sober”, and her blog site emphasizes free, up-to-date information and discussion about the complex issue of substance abuse.
- Blog site – https://guineveregetssober.com/
- Typical topic – “Jewish Wisdom about Addiction“
#3—Mrs. D Is Going Without
What happens when a 39-year-old mother and self-described “boozy housewife” decides to remove alcohol from her life? She starts a blog that gives us a fascinating glimpse into her ongoing personal journey of recovery (five years and counting) that will resonate with anyone looking for inspiration during early sobriety.
- Blog site – https://livingwithoutalcohol.blogspot.com/
- Typical topic – “Life in the Raw”
#4—Kelly Fitzgerald
This former “social butterfly” has gone from binge-drinking and blackouts in college to living a life beyond her wildest dreams without the crutch of drugs or alcohol. This is perfect reading for young, active people who have had enough but don’t know what to do next.
- Blog site – https://sobersenorita.com/blog/
- Typical topic – “Generation Found – the Youth Recovery Revolution“
#5—Laura McKowen
About her twenty-year relationship with alcohol, Laura McKowen says, “I wanted my life to stop exploding”. Even while writing about her recovery, she says her blog isn’t just about addiction—it’s about reclaiming life.
- Blog site – https://www.lauramckowen.com/blog/
- Typical topic – “#12: What If My Lobster Is Addicted?”
#6—Libby Cataldi
Tired of suffering alone with the shame, confusion, and pain felt due to her son’s addiction, Libby Cataldi wrote her memoir, “Stay Close: A Mother’s Story of Her Son’s Addiction” with her sons, Jeff and Jeremy. Now she posts weekly meditations and inspirational thoughts.
- Blog site – https://libbycataldi.com/blog
- Typical topic – “A Human Being Not a Human Doing”
#7—Linda Bartee Doyne
Linda Bartee Doyne writes about the challenges of a non-drinking person living with a late-stage alcoholic. She combines personal touches with useful information for others in similar situations.
- Blog site – https://immortalalcoholic.blogspot.com/
- Typical topic – “Finding Traits on the Road to Survival”
#8—Joseph Sharp
Joseph Sharp has survived HIV, cancer, and methamphetamine addiction. Now, he shares his inspirational story with the estimated 2.5 million meth addicts around the world.
- Blog site – https://www.quittingcrystalmeth.com/my-blog/
- Typical topic – “Goodbye Crystal Sex, Hello Sober Sex”
#9—Dr. Nora Volkow
If you want the newest evidence-based information about the disease of addiction, why not check out the blog of the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse?
- Blog site – https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/noras-blog
- Typical topic – “Saving a “Lost Generation”: the Need to Prevent Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Midlife”
#10—Gavin DeFreese
Calling himself the “Discovering Alcoholic”, Gavin DeFreese is a veteran working his 12th Step of Recovery by blogging in an attempt to encourage other suffering substance abusers to seek treatment.
- Blog site – https://discoveringalcoholic.com/
- Typical topic – “Fearing the Walking K2 Dead”
People in recovery are taught to look to something outside of and greater than themselves for strength and inspiration. The words of others who have been where they are can serve as an invaluable source of motivation. No one person has ALL the answers, but by regularly checking out each of these sites, a newly-sober addict or alcoholic can definitely find something that will aid them on their journey of recovery.