About how addiction affect relationships
A father may live in the same home, provide financially, attend important events, and fulfill many responsibilities while rarely expressing affection, discussing emotions, or engaging in meaningful conversations with his children. This pattern is sometimes described informally as “Silent Father Syndrome.” Silent Father Syndrome is not an official mental health diagnosis. Instead, the phrase describes … Read more
Kelsey Grammer is best known for portraying psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers and Frasier, but behind his successful career is a history marked by profound family loss, grief, and substance misuse. Grammer has spoken openly about struggling with alcohol and cocaine and about the role unresolved grief played in his destructive behavior. In recent … Read more
Barbara Eden, best known for her starring role in I Dream of Jeannie, experienced a devastating struggle away from Hollywood: watching her only son, Matthew Ansara, battle substance addiction for many years. Matthew went through periods of treatment and sobriety but died at age 35 from an accidental heroin overdose in June 2001. Eden later … Read more
Infidelity can create one of the most painful disruptions in an intimate relationship. For some people, discovering that a partner had sexual contact with someone else is devastating. For others, learning that their partner developed a secret emotional connection—sharing affection, personal thoughts, hopes, or vulnerabilities—can feel even more threatening. So, which hurts more: emotional or … Read more
Support groups can be a game changer when it comes to feeling seen and understood. When you join, you’re probably hoping you’ll find real connection and shared experience. But sometimes, even with regular meetings and a packed roster, a support group can feel strangely empty. I know I’ve sat in a circle (in person or … Read more
Sobriety changes much more than whether a person uses alcohol or drugs. Recovery often means learning how to experience difficult emotions without escaping, numbing, or reacting impulsively. One emotion that can become surprisingly intense during recovery is jealousy. Jealousy may arise in romantic relationships, friendships, families, workplaces, or even within the recovery community. Someone may … 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
The foods we enjoyed as children often become connected to memories, emotions, and comfort. An after-school cookie, candy for good behavior, chips during television time, or ice cream after a difficult day may seem like simple childhood experiences. Yet repeated patterns can teach the developing brain to associate certain foods with pleasure, reward, comfort, and … Read more
Laverne Cox is an Emmy-nominated actress, producer, author, and advocate best known for her groundbreaking role as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black. Behind her professional achievements is a deeply personal mental-health journey involving childhood bullying, shame, trauma, suicidal thoughts, and the difficult process of learning self-acceptance. Cox has spoken publicly about these … Read more
Rosie O’Donnell is a comedian, actress, television personality, and mother who has spoken unusually openly about her mental health. Unlike many celebrity stories that rely on speculation, O’Donnell has publicly identified her struggles with major depressive disorder, PTSD, anxiety, childhood trauma, and seasonal depression. In a 2026 interview, she again described herself as having major … Read more