John Lennon rose to worldwide fame as a founding member of The Beatles and became one of the twentieth century’s most influential musicians. Yet behind his extraordinary success were periods of emotional distress and substance use. Lennon later spoke openly about his experiences with drugs, including his struggle with heroin addiction during the late 1960s. … Read more
Recovery from alcohol addiction can feel overwhelming, especially during the early stages of sobriety. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) provides a peer-based recovery community built around shared experience and the Twelve Steps. Within this fellowship, one relationship can become particularly important: the relationship between a sponsor and a person seeking recovery. An AA sponsor is not a … Read more
Halle Berry’s story highlights an often-overlooked impact of addiction: a person does not have to struggle with substance use themselves to be deeply affected by it. Berry has spoken openly about growing up with an alcoholic father and witnessing domestic violence within her family. These painful childhood experiences left emotional wounds that influenced how she … Read more
“Why can’t you just stop?” is a question many people struggling with addiction hear, yet it overlooks the challenges involved in changing compulsive behaviors. To someone on the outside, quitting alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, or another addictive behavior may seem like a matter of making a firm decision and sticking to it. When negative consequences … Read more
Nicole Kidman’s journey through love, marriage, divorce, and personal growth offers insight into the challenges of letting go of idealized expectations about relationships. After marrying Tom Cruise at 23, Kidman became deeply invested in their life together and later described the end of their marriage as painful and unexpected. She has reflected on how spending … Read more
Brooke Shields has become an important public voice in conversations about postpartum depression after openly discussing the severe depression she experienced following the birth of her first daughter, Rowan, in 2003. In her memoir Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression, Shields described feelings of sadness, disconnection, fear, and difficulty bonding with her … Read more
When someone is trying to overcome addiction or change an unhealthy behavior, the advice often sounds simple: “You just need more willpower.” But recovery is rarely that simple. Substance use disorders involve changes in motivation, reward, stress responses, habits, and decision-making. Expecting willpower alone to overcome these influences can leave people feeling ashamed when they … Read more
If you’ve ever considered changing your drinking habits, filling that space with meaningful hobbies can make all the difference. I’ve found that hobbies help keep your mind busy, build a sense of accomplishment, and connect you with new experiences. Swapping a night at the bar with something fulfilling isn’t about depriving yourself; it’s about bringing … Read more
Paula Abdul became internationally known as a singer, dancer, choreographer, and television personality. Behind her energetic performances, however, she has publicly discussed years of injuries, surgeries, chronic pain, and sleep difficulties. Her experience offers an opportunity to discuss an important issue in addiction medicine: the complicated relationship between chronic pain, prescription medications, physical dependence, and … Read more
Most people occasionally return to make sure they locked the door, turned off the stove, or unplugged an appliance. With obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), however, checking can become an exhausting cycle. A person may check the same lock repeatedly and still walk away thinking, “But what if I didn’t check it correctly?” OCD is not simply … Read more