Support is crucial to maintaining sobriety, and each person may require different channels for recovery whether they’re in detox, rehab, or sober living. It also requires continuous insight and skill, so we have a comprehensive list of support for all in recovery and their inner circle. From TED Talks to booklists, this list is a creative outreach to anyone in need. Don’t forget that if you or a loved one is in need of immediate assistance, contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
TED TALKS
Any kind of childhood trauma will have a significant impact on a person’s life. Nadine Burke Harris delves into how this trauma affects health specifically. Heart disease, mental disorders, and substance abuse are only a few of the areas influenced by trauma. One of the most important points Nadine makes is that it is important to address the root of the problem, and not take a “band-aid approach.”
With an in-your-face title like that, you know this talk is going to be worth your while. Johann Hari has spent years traveling around the world to find out what causes addiction and what the solution(s) could be. His innovative ideas may just be the cure for the universal crisis of drug and alcohol addiction.
Brené Brown has a knack for presenting unique subjects in a compelling manner, as demonstrated by her previous viral talk, The Power of Vulnerability. In “Listening to Shame,” Brown discusses what can happen when people confront their feelings of shame. This talk is a must-watch for anyone who has struggled with these emotions surrounding drug and alcohol abuse.
While addiction is anything but simple, acclaimed psychiatrist Judson Brewer has a way of breaking down the concept of addictive behavior. Using mindfulness exercises and simplistic techniques, Brewer has helped numerous patients break the habit of addiction. He shares his thoughts in this insightful speech.
Tony is a former addict who has been dedicating his life to creating awareness by describing the dangers of heroin and prescription pills. Tony Hoffman became addicted to drugs, went to prison, and lived on the streets. But even after rehabilitating his life, and became an Olympic-level BMX coach, the stigma of drug addiction follows him everywhere. He doesn’t let that stop him from being successful, but many others are stopped from achieving success after recovery by the drug addict stigma.
addiction is a neurological disorder that creates compulsions beyond a person’s control and disrupts a person’s ability to enjoy social interaction down to the cellular level. Neuroscientist Rachel Wurzman discusses her findings that drug addiction and loneliness are not only connected but are controlled by the same part of the brain. Social isolation contributes to addiction and relapse, but social connectivity can actually help recovery.
Fire chief Jan Rader saves many lives, many of whom are addicts who overdose on opioids. She believes that we need to focus not only on saving lives, but helping those who overdose rebuild lives. Her community is changing the way they work with addicts, creating programs to help them after they are saved from an overdose, as well as the first responders dealing with PTSD.
Drug policy reformist Ethan Nadelmann breaks down all the moving parts of the United States drug enforcement, and the large disparities between policies and what’s actually happening. He believes that ending the prohibition of drugs and regulating, taxing, and treating drugs the way we do alcohol will kill the stigma and reduce crime. Is the legalization of drugs the answer? Ethan weighs in on his TED talk.
Only one in nine people in the U.S. get the care and treatment they need for addiction and substance abuse.* Nearly every family in America is affected by addiction, but very few people actually talk about it, let alone help people successfully recover from it. Unless we change the way we view people with addiction, we’re unable to change for the better. Listen to Michael Botticelli, who was the Director of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama, discuss how we can help.
Tara Conner was crowned Miss USA in 2006. During December of that same year, Tara entered the Caron Treatment Center for alcohol and drug addiction.
With more than 20 million people in long-term drug recovery, how is it that more people aren’t talking openly about this? If we can reduce the stigma of addiction and allow people to speak more openly about it, she believes we can prevent drug addiction before it starts.
RECOVERY CENTERS IN SOUTH MS
Click on the images below to visit each site.
HEALTHY Social INFLUENCE
You Don’t Have To Drink | @youdonthavetodrink
Meg Fee is the New York-based creator behind the sobriety page You Don’t Have To Drink. Her personalized account of getting sober encourages others to reframe alcohol and break free from their relationship with drinking. In addition to recovery stats, tips, and helpful resources, Meg covers other relatable topics, like mental health and eating disorder recovery. You can also find alcohol-free drink recommendations on her page, so you can kick back and celebrate without the sauce (or the hangover the next day).
Sober Dave | @soberdave
David Wilson rediscovered his relationship with alcohol in 2019 and has since written a book, started a podcast, and built an engaged and supportive online community with over 85k supporters. He regularly features guest speakers on his Instagram where he shares his experience in sobriety and provides resources for topics like navigating the gray areas of drinking or staying motivated during recovery.
Woman On A Sober Mission | @womanonasobermission
Through a lens of her own recovery and a focus on health and well-being, Woman On A Sober Mission documents one woman's experience on her journey to living alcohol-free. Woman On A Sober Mission is run by Carmela, a mother and sobriety coach from the U.K. Her content focuses on demystifying the challenges of sober living and providing alcohol-free parenting tips. You'll find her discussing topics like the toxicity of "wine mum" culture, the benefits of sobriety, and how to celebrate the small milestones of recovery on her page.
Creative Sobriety | @creativesobriety
Creative Sobriety is proof you don't have to give up your unique sparkle or shine when you decide to give up booze. Kristen Bear is a Tennessee native whose mission is to connect with and support other sober creatives. On Creative Sobriety, Kristen shares anecdotes from her personal journey to getting sober in the hope to crush the stigma around creatives who leave their relationship with alcohol behind. She also features guest speakers on her podcast, where she drops truth bombs about recovery and provides relatable content related to alcohol-free living.
Sassy Sober Mum | @sassysobermum
Teri is a mother of 3 from the United Kingdom who is committed to sharing honest stories about alcohol and sobriety. After deciding enough was enough, she made the decision to quit drinking in her 40s and is currently working on a book about her life in recovery. On Sassy Sober Mum, you can find content about Teri’s experience as an alcohol-free mother, insightful tips for quitting drinking, as well as sober book and podcast recommendations. Teri also operates her own podcast called Sober Stories From Everyday People where she interviews others about their experience in sobriety and recovery.
Abi Feltham | @abi.feltham
Getting sober doesn't mean you can't have a good laugh. A writer originally from the U.K., Abi shares her personal account of getting sober with raw honesty and searing humor. On Abi's account, you'll find her alternating between content like comical reels about the realities of life in recovery and vulnerable confessions about her experience with drugs and alcohol. Through this sense of realness, Abi has built a community of 83k+ supporters and continues to inspire others to change their relationship with substance use and build a life they don't want to run away from.
James Swanwick | @jamesswanwick
Former ESPN SportsCenter anchor and Hollywood correspondent James Swanwick now works as an author, speaker, coach, and investor focused on helping others commit to sober living. James works primarily with entrepreneurs and executives, but he has coached thousands to take ownership of their drinking habits and take their power back. His Instagram page highlights interview clips and content that focuses on the benefits of removing alcohol from your life, as well as recommendations for biohacking your sobriety.
Africa Brooke | @africabrooke
Africa Brooke is a consultant, mentor, and writer who speaks openly about her sobriety and journey to a life free of self-sabotage. Her Instagram page provides an intimate and open-minded forum for others to share their experiences while also sharing content that inspires empowerment and encourages others to shift their mindset. In her Instagram stories you’ll find musings about her life since getting sober, her experience as a creative, and truth-bombs about topics like self-censorship and shame. Oh, and tea. There’s lots and lots of tea.
Jen Lee Hirst | @jenleehirst
Jen Hirst, the founder of Lighthouse Sobriety, got sober in 2013 and never looked back. A personal coach and speaker, this mom of two self-describes as an anxious perfectionist and ex-workaholic who justified her drinking because she didn’t “look” like a traditional substance abuser. On her page, you can find personal accounts of her recovery journey, actionable tips, and posts about alcohol-free parenting. The content she shares is motivational and wellness-focused, encouraging others to reframe their relationship with alcohol and reclaim the life they deserve.
I Am Shari Hampton | @iamsharihampton
After 35 years of life-disrupting drug and alcohol abuse, Shari Hampton committed to sobriety in February 2015. Now, as a life coach, consultant, and speaker, Shari helps others who are struggling on their path to getting sober. Shari is also the founder of Served Up Sober, a non-profit that promotes holistic healing and provides resources for women of color in recovery. Her Instagram page features personal content about her life in sobriety, confidence-boosting mindset shifts, and practical advice for others who are looking to change their relationship with drugs or alcohol.
The Sobriety Shift | @thesobrietyshift
Jody Ventura is the power and the name behind Empowered Sobriety with Jody, or The Sobriety Shift on Instagram. On her page, Jody seeks to build a community that promotes confidence and authenticity in recovery. Her content encourages others to zoom out and create space between alcohol and themselves through her personal anecdotes about recovery and focus on wellness and mental health.
ReADING LIST
Non-Fiction
1. “America’s approach to its opioid problem is to rely on Battle of Dunkirk strategies—leaving the fight to well-meaning citizens, in their fishing vessels and private boats—when what’s really needed to win the war is a full-on Normandy Invasion.” ― Beth Macy, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America
2. “I’ve learned that the people who achieve long-term recovery, no matter what their identity is, have found a way to manage and deal with the underlying anxiety and depressive issues that trigger pathological cravings.” ~ Ryan Hampton, American Fix
3. “Pack your lectures and your solutions and your analogies away unless your children specifically ask for them, and instead just learn to be present with them. That is what it means to nurture. That is what it means to love and to be a good parent. I have felt no greater joy, intimacy, or connection than when I have been on the listening side of such an exchange–both as a parent and as a therapist.” ~ Brad Reedy, Ph.D., The Journey of the Heroic Parent
4. “We recommend that you think less about getting your loved one to admit to an addiction and more about what it takes to build a better life. For you, that might entail reaching out to friends, treatment for depression, more exercise, kinder self-talk, starting a morning meditation routine, revisiting an old hobby.” ~ Jeffrey Foote, Ph.D., Carrie Wilkens, Ph.D., and Nicole Kosanke, Ph.D., Beyond Addiction
5. “The wiring gradually repairs itself once a person is off drugs, and therapies aim to reroute thinking patterns once tied to the addiction. The goal is to replace the addiction cycle with a cycle of healing. Along with psychological and behavioral change comes physiological change; the longer an addict is clean, the more the brain heals. The more the brain heals, the easier it is for the addict to stay clean. Patterns of use cause physical damage, and patterns of abstinence reverse the damage.” ~ David Sheff, Clean
6. “Remember, start with your feelings, show understanding and love, and be clear about the circumstances under which you would be open to being together or discussing the problem. Rehearse this new script in your mind as often as you can. When a similar situation arises again, you will be better prepared to avoid the fireworks.”~ Robert Meyers, Ph.D. and Brenda Wolfe, Ph.D., How to Get Your Loved One Sober
7. “Being enslaved to an addiction is almost like being frozen in time. We repeat the same dead-end activities day after day as though in a trance. We sense that we are squandering our potential, and secretly we know that we are hiding from life, but our rut is safe and cozy; that’s why they call it a “comfort zone.”With every passing moment, we mourn the fact that there was something better we meant to be doing with our time–we just can’t remember what it was anymore.” ~ Erica Spiegelman, Rewired
8. “You don’t have to earn hope, and you certainly don’t have to be perfect. Judgment, rules, false beliefs, and expectations make recovery a rare and special thing. But I know recovery can start with lessening the pain and taking very small steps.” ~ Adi Jaffe, Ph.D., The Abstinence Myth
9. “When you try to get people to admit to having a problem, they’re defensive. We’re talking adolescents–they’ve been called terrible names their whole lives–losers, druggies. We want them to look at their strengths. You don’t have to admit to having a problem to be successful here. It frees them up. They need to believe in themselves to be successful. I think that labeling interferes with that.” ~ Anne Fletcher, Inside Rehab
10. “The two most distinctive features of addiction are lying about the addictive behavior and continued addictive behavior after it has caused problems. Addicts lie and they relapse to alcohol and drug use despite their efforts to stop and despite their significant problems that result from their drug use. By the same token, recovery is identified by honesty and the addictive behavior and by abstinence from the addictive behavior.” ~ Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Recover to Live
11. “The first step in helping your children is to have an open, honest discussion with them about what has been going on and what you are doing to make things better for yourself and for them. This will require an age-appropriate description of alcoholism and/or alcohol abuse.” ~ Lisa Frederiksen, If You Loved Me, You’d Stop!
12. “Here are the success characteristics for group therapy and group self-help, in priority order, they are: Level of Motivation; Type of Drug and Severity of Use; and, Demographics. The more of them you can match among a majority of the participants in the groups you are looking at joining, the better the probability of avoiding lapse.” ~ Scott Stevens, Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud
Memoirs
13. “In his suicide note, Kurt Cobain wrote, ‘It’s better to burn out than to fade away.’ He was quoting a Neil Young song about Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. When I was twenty-four, I interviewed John Lennon. I asked him about this sentiment, one that pervades rock and roll. He took strong, outraged exception to it. ‘It’s better to fade away like an old soldier than to burn out,’ he said. ‘I worship people who survive. I’ll take the living and the healthy.'” ~ David Sheff, Beautiful Boy
14. “I almost wish I had cancer. Then I’d either beat it or die from it. But my disease, even if successfully treated, will never go away. And it might not kill me. But it will hang over me like the blade of a guillotine; more threatening inert than if the blade suddenly slips and mercifully turns out my lights. This is my war to end all wars.” ~ William Cope Moyers, Broken
15. “I wanted desparately for Jeff to know that he had a home waiting for his return, that he could trust that communication between us would be open and honest and that we would never give up hope that he would one day be Jeff again.” ~Libby Cataldi, Stay Close
16. “The treatment is love. So much love that it is beyond comprehension until you have been to the other side of it. And then, even then, all too often, it’s not enough. But there is no harm, no foul, in love. You do not have to enable, or fix, or even be subjected to the horrible effects of the disease, but you can let your love be known.” ~ Maureen Cavanagh, If You Love Me
17. “I’ve learned that while no one chooses addiction, they can choose recovery — hard as that may be. And I’ve come to realize that (almost) no one should forever be defined by his or her worst act. Change your choices; change your life.” ~ Barbara Stoefen, A Very Fine House
18. “The most painful part of street life is the loss of dignity, and that sends people over the edge. Dignity is the glue that holds the mind, body, and spirit together, and once that is gone, the person breaks apart, held together only by skin. Streetlife corrodes the decency that lines the soul of every wakeful human.” ~ Kristina Wandzilak and Constance Curry, The Lost Years
19. “As long as you look for someone else to validate who you are by seeking their approval, you are setting yourself up for disaster. You have to be whole and complete in yourself. No one can give you that. You have to know who you are – what others say is irrelevant.” ~ Nic Sheff, Tweak
20. “Imperfect parenting does not cause addiction. If that were so, everyone would be one.” ~ Sandy Swenson, The Joey Song
21. “Don’t look up at the whole mountain, or your whole life without the crutch of alcohol can seem too much. Just focus on what is right in front of you. Focus on that next step, and do the next right thing.” ~ Elizabeth Vargas, Between Breaths
22. “Where do we draw the line between being labeled overbearing and wanting everything to be OK for our kids? I’ll tell you exactly where that line is. It’s when we stop taking care of ourselves to take care of them. Loving your child at the expense of everything else can be an addiction in itself.” ~ Anita Devlin, Sober
23. “Love is not enough against this disease. Addiction often wrenches people apart, shatters their love. Somehow, love helped pull us through. And now we need that love to help us rebuild broken trust.” ~ D’Anne Burwell, Saving Jake
PODCASTS
The Bubble Hour
The Bubble Hour invites listeners to share their stories of recovery from alcohol addiction. Each week, host Jean McCarthy holds space for a guest to tell their truth, and together they explore topics relative to recovery. Now in its seventh season, The Bubble Hour has hundreds of archived episodes as a resource for those seeking sobriety-related content.
Jean has been sober since 2011 and was awarded the 2017 Hope Award from SheRecovers for her achievements in recovery advocacy. She writes the blog UnPickled from her home in Alberta, Canada.
“My involvement in The Bubble Hour is as much a part of my own recovery as it is a service to others,” says McCarthy. “I can’t honestly tell you who benefits more; me, the listeners, or the guests. It’s a win/win/win situation. Something magical happens when people tell their stories.”
Busy Living Sober
Elizabeth (Bizzy) Chance is in long-term recovery and has been sober for over a decade. After being trained as a recovery coach and starting her own practice, she decided that seeing clients one-on-one wasn’t for her. Her dream of wanting to help people using the communication skills she learned in college resulted in Busy Living Sober, a podcast with the mission of “giving people an opportunity to listen, learn and live a sober lifestyle without shame while having fun.”
The Busy Living Sober podcast is designed to support the broad ecosystem of people impacted by addiction — including friends, families and co-workers. Their recovery support content is readily available online, allowing access to anyone from anywhere, at any time.
The Addicted Mind Podcast
The Addicted Mind Podcast is about understanding addiction, its impact and the latest treatment options available. This podcast aims to create an environment of compassion for individuals caught in the destructive grip of the addictive process. It works to deliver real hope to people who are suffering from addiction’s painful impact.
The podcast dives into what drives the addictive process, explores the latest research on addiction and talks about the latest addiction treatment options. They also explore what recovery from addiction looks like from a variety of different people who have helped others or have overcome addiction themselves.
Addiction has been a part of host Duane Osterlind’s life from the age of seventeen. He went to inpatient rehab for depression and teen substance abuse, and receiving intensive help at this young age was a crucial moment in his life. As he gained support, developed new skills, and began to understand addiction, his depression lifted and drugs and alcohol became less critical in his life. That experience had a profound effect on his life and the work he does today. Addiction creates so much pain for so many people, and Duane wants people to know that there is help and support — that people do get better.
ODAAT Chat Podcast
The ODAAT Chat Podcast is about recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction, sobriety and the journey of recovery, community and healing. Guests tell their stories of what it was like, what happened and where they are now. The recovery stories they share are inspiring, funny and touching, providing hope to help others feel like they are not alone.
Host Arlina has been clean and sober since April 23, 1994, and is dedicated to passing on the insights, tools and teachings that have helped her on her recovery journey. Having been transformed through the love and kindness of others, Arlina feels compelled to pass along the solutions that saved her from isolation and suffering.
The Sober Guy Podcast
Host Shane Ramer is in recovery from alcohol. He interviews a mix of celebrity guests and everyday people who have experienced addiction or felt the impact of drug or alcohol use. He focuses on living a positive, healthy and sober lifestyle, and uses his podcast as a platform for sharing inspiration with others who want to live the same way.
Shane battled a 17-year alcohol and drug addiction before seeking treatment in 2013. Less than a year later, he started That Sober Guy Podcast as a way to allow others to share their experiences and bring light to a topic that so many find difficult to talk about. Today, TSG is one of the top recovery podcasts, with millions of downloads across multiple continents.
Breaking Free: Your Recovery. Your Way
The Breaking Free podcast discusses everything it means to be in addiction recovery and thrive independently. Through lively discussions based on lived experiences, research and experts in the field, the hosts unpack the ways recovery has been limited. That could be stigmatizing language, disordered eating, the impact of diet culture, trauma, unhealthy relationships and boundaries. They also host interviews with experts on topics like sex, recovery from trauma, boundaries, Latinx culture, recovery and harm reduction.
The podcast is passionate about people — both in recovery and seeking recovery — being free of the shame and the limitations that culture places upon them. Co-hosts Liv and Tiffany want to empower people to reclaim their identities and be proud of how they identify, the recovery they choose and their wellness goals. The Breaking Free podcast empowers listeners to reclaim their identity, their process of recovery and their wellness, so they can live a more fulfilled, free, and self-directed life.
7. A Sober Girls Guide
After trying to get sober for nearly 10 years, Jessica Jeboult is now a Sober Girl. Each week on her podcast, Jessica has honest conversations with guests about mental health, self-development, wellness and spirituality, discussing how they influence each guest’s unique recovery journey. Inspired by her own recovery and wellness journey, Jessica’s mission is to provide listeners with the tools, guidance and motivation to help them navigate through their recovery and personal growth.
This hilariously witty and casual approach to an otherwise daunting subject is sure to give you some solid tips and tricks for getting and staying sober. A Sober Girls Guide provides a community for sober, like-minded women in recovery around the world.
Recovery Happy Hour
Tricia Lewis quit drinking alcohol in November 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. She hosts and produces Recovery Happy Hour, a podcast that celebrates inspiring stories of recovery from alcohol addiction and misuse. On her podcast, Tricia discusses life beyond the bottle and what happens after we get sober. Tricia is also the co-founder of Sober by Southwest, a sober music event in Austin, Texas.
Tricia believes people in recovery can’t do it alone. She provides a platform for people to share their stories of recovery and prove that life doesn’t end after you quit drinking. By listening to addiction podcasts, she learned she wasn’t alone in her struggle and it gave her the courage to seek true recovery. Recovery Happy Hour pays that effort forward, publishing weekly episodes that help other people learn that they’re not alone either.
These podcasts are regular, inspirational reminders that recovery is possible and you won’t have to do it alone. If you’re struggling to find sobriety or maintain your own recovery, The Recovery Village can help. Contact us today to learn more about a treatment plan that could work for you and your needs.
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” Ralph Waldo Emerson PHILOSOPHER, POET, AUTHOR, ESSAYIST
