“Dare to be Sober” is a collaborative book of recovering addicts’ stories of courage, strength and the determination to change. My chapter is “My Addiction Story: We Can Heal from Chronic Pain”. Here’s an excerpt from it:

“Addiction feels like we have grabbed a tiger by the tail and cannot remember to let go.

My name is Elizabeth. I am a recovering chronic pain sufferer and an addict in recovery – in discovery. My addictive behavior ranged all over the map, covering anything that helped me divert, distract, avoid, numb, push through, deny…whatever it took to not feel the moment I was experiencing. I had such a hard time accepting life the way I perceived it. I felt shame on so many levels. I felt powerless over the physical and emotional pain I felt. I felt spiritual pain because I felt that on some level my Higher Power was punishing me, even though I was doing the best I could to cope with my circumstances. I did not feel seen nor heard, certainly not valued for who I truly was, and I sure didn’t feel worthy. Why would I even want to participate in such a life? I escaped the best I could. In many ways, I could not escape. I did not see that ultimately, I had the key to the prison I was in…”

Our mission with Dare to Be Sober is HOPE and the message that resounds loud and clear from each of these stories is that you can recover. Our wish is that you can believe recovery is possible in your life or the life of a loved one. Get your copy here: