I'm an addiction / recovery / mental health blogger and a speculative fiction / nonfiction writer. I have a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Professional and Technical Communication. I'm a graduate of the 2020 Odyssey Writing Workshop. I'm a regular contributor to Recovery Today Magazine, and I've been featured on numerous recovery podcasts. I have personal experience with addiction and mental health. I have Substance Use Disorder (SUB), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Bipolar II, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), and Binge Eating Disorder (BED), among others. I have been in numerous drug rehabs, detoxes, and mental institutions, so I understand from personal experience how the mental health system works. I have been published in numerous literary magazines, including December, J Journal, and Flash Fiction Online, among others. I LOVE when readers reach out to me! Always feel free to send me an email at awfout at gmail dot com. I can't wait to hear from you!
What’s the difference between being a recovered alcoholic and a recovering alcoholic? We hear it all the time in AA. I’m a recovered alcoholic or recovered addict. I’m a recovering alcoholic or recovering addict. But what does that mean? Why do we say it? Recovering Alcoholic vs Recovered Alcoholic — Recovered = No More Pain Being recovered means that I don’t suffer anymore. I no longer…
Are there safe ways to get high? All the articles I tried to find on this subject were hilariously bad. Essentially, they would sidestep the issue and talk about ways to get high without drugs. I’m willing to bet you’re reading this article because you want to know how to get high on drugs safely. And I’m also willing to bet you’re not just interested…
Here’s what helps with Suboxone withdrawal. Suboxone withdrawal can be seriously shitty because suboxone has a long half-life and lasts a lot longer than many other types of opioid withdrawal. However, there are ways to deal with it. This might be controversial, but I believe that Suboxone is a horrible drug, and I believe that the best way to come off it without it being…
So, what does detox feel like? I can tell you from (far too much) personal experience that it’s not fun. In fact, depending on the drug you’re detoxing from, it can be horrible. Is that meant to scare you? That’s not my intention. These are just facts. There’s a reason addicts like me avoid detox at all costs. There’s a reason we try so hard…
My flash fiction story of 1000 words “Breathe” was published today. “Breathe” is one of those stories that just poured out of me. I sent it to dozens of magazines before Flash Fiction Online picked it up. I loved this story and wanted it to succeed so bad, and I’m honored that it was published and made available for the world to see. It’s a…
Pristiq withdrawal, like withdrawal from many other antidepressants, can be a bitch. However, because Pristiq isn’t an addictive drug, it’s not quite called withdrawal — it’s actually called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Thankfully, it only appears in about 20% of people, so if you’re taking Pristiq, you shouldn’t be as worried about it as you might be. Pristiq, also known as desvenlafaxine, is an antidepressant that…
Is Ambien addictive? My experience is that it is — I even started snorting Ambien. Ambien is habit forming as far as I can tell. I’ve abused Ambien many times and had a prescription for it. Ambien, also known as Zolpidem, is addictive in that you can find yourself abusing it to get high. Now is Ambien physically addictive? The doctors say yes, and my…
Is addiction recovery possible? Can you truly recover from addiction? The answer is yes — you can recover. What Addiction Recovery Means in Practice Addiction is when we can’t put down the drink or drug, whatever it happens to be. It doesn’t always mean that we’re shooting heroin under a bridge or drinking out of a brown paper bag. Addicts come in all shapes and…
Getting sober can be hard, and it can be even harder to think about how to have sober fun. But there are plenty of fun things to do sober. Sober fun isn’t impossible — you just have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone. Here are 15 fun things to do sober. 1. Play Sports, Like Volleyball or Bowling This is probably…
Chapter 1 BILL’S STORY (The AA Big Book Online) War fever ran high in the New England town to which we new, young officers from Plattsburg were assigned, and we were flattered when the first citizens took us to their homes, making us feel heroic. Here was love, applause, war; moments sub- lime with intervals hilarious. I was part of life at last, and in…