Underneath the biochemical hook that made me an addict are other things: a need for love, a fear of being alone, and a wish to connect.
Last week I celebrated seven years sober after making it through one of the most difficult years of my life. Looking back, I was reminded that sobriety does not exempt anyone from grief, uncertainty, or the ordinary work of living.
There is no arriving in recovery. There is only the next honest decision, the next conversation, and the next piece of work that has to be done.
The holidays can make solitude feel dangerous and parties feel like an obligation. It helps to remember that it is all right not to feel all right. This, too, passes.