Hi Reader, Are you giving yourself enough credit for the little victories? Recovery is not about getting everything right. It is about noticing the moments when you are doing something different, making a healthier choice, or simply showing up for yourself. Maybe you handled a trigger without falling into an old pattern. Maybe you reached out instead of isolating. Maybe you caught a negative thought before it took over. Maybe you got through a difficult day without giving up. Those moments...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week on the podcast, I sat down with Joanna Conti, founder of Conquer Addiction and the Vista Research Group. Joanna’s story is personal. After years of helping her daughter navigate severe alcohol addiction and multiple treatment programs, she wanted to know something simple: What actually helps people stay in recovery? That question led her to build a system that has now tracked more than 100,000 people in treatment and followed more than 50,000 after treatment. One finding...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever picked up your phone to check one thing, only to look up twenty minutes later wondering where the time went? You are not alone. There is a name for that drained feeling many of us experience after spending too much time on our devices. It is called digital fatigue. Our brains were not designed to process a nonstop stream of news, videos, messages, emails, and notifications. The constant switching of attention can leave us feeling mentally tired, distracted, and even...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Do you find yourself saying yes to everyone else while putting your own recovery last? In this week's episode of The Addicted Mind+, Eric and I talk about four types of boundaries that can make a real difference in your recovery. We cover physical, emotional, intellectual, and time boundaries, and why each one matters. A lot of us worry that setting boundaries is selfish. The truth is, healthy boundaries are one of the best ways to protect your recovery and build stronger...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Let me ask you something. If being hard on yourself really worked, would you still be struggling? Most of us think that criticizing ourselves will somehow motivate us to do better. But research tells us the opposite. When shame takes over, the brain shifts into a threat response. It becomes harder to think clearly, solve problems, and make healthy choices. That is not because you are weak. It is because your nervous system is trying to protect you. This is where self-compassion...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever felt like you were carrying something that was just too hard to tell anyone? In this week's episode of The Addicted Mind+, Eric and I talk about why sharing your story with the right people can be one of the most powerful parts of recovery. Addiction grows in isolation. Healing grows in connection. That does not mean telling everyone everything. It means finding safe people who can listen without judgment and creating space to be seen for who you really are. In this...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, The people around you have more influence than you might think. Supportive relationships can help you heal. But unhealthy relationships can increase stress, self-doubt, and emotional exhaustion. Over time, that can make recovery much harder. A toxic relationship is not always loud or obvious. Sometimes it looks like constant criticism, manipulation, guilt, or someone who never seems happy unless you are struggling too. The good news is that you do not have to carry someone else's...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week on the podcast, I had a fascinating conversation with Dr. Brody Miller about the brain, addiction, and the incredible power of neuroplasticity. Dr. Brody knows this topic from both science and personal experience. After surviving a serious brain injury and struggling with addiction, he discovered that the brain can adapt, heal, and build new pathways through consistent practice. One idea that really stuck with me is that the brain responds to repetition. Whether it is a...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Let’s talk about anxiety. If you are in recovery, you have probably noticed that anxiety and addiction often travel together. The tricky part is that anxiety feels like an emergency. Your brain starts throwing out worst-case scenarios, your body gets tense, and suddenly you want relief right now. That is where many unhealthy coping habits begin. But here is something worth remembering: Anxiety is uncomfortable, but it is not dangerous. Most of the time, anxiety is your brain trying...
3 months ago • 1 min read