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RECOVERY ADVOCATE NETWORK BLOG
The intent of this blog is to provide a voice to a diverse group of individuals, share interesting topics and personal stories and create a community. The posts are each the opinion and/or the experience of the author and not that of Recovery Advocate Network (RAN) as an organization. RAN does not support any political group, endorse any treatment facility or provide medical diagnoses or advice.
If you have a concern about a post please reach out to our team by clicking the "Blog Concerns" button. If you would like to submit your own blog post please click the "Submit a Blog Post" button below.
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Claire Freeman
Mar 24, 202411 min read
Depression
“I suffer to live.” This is the response I received once, when I asked a friend how he is doing. At the time I thought “Don’t you mean I...
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Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Mar 23, 20244 min read
The Snowplow Effect
In the quiet, reflective moments of my quest for trauma healing and addiction recovery, I've often likened my process to navigating a...
22 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Mar 16, 20244 min read
Navigating Through Grief with Grace and Growth
Grief is a journey that reshapes the contours of the heart in ways that are deeply personal and often profoundly misunderstood. My wife’s...
19 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Mar 7, 20243 min read
My Journey Beyond Toxic Masculinity to Emotional Liberation
Throughout my life, I've been on a transformative journey that has reshaped my understanding of strength, masculinity, and emotional...
18 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Feb 28, 20244 min read
Destigmatizing Mental Illness
For most of my life, I lived in the shadows of secrecy and shame, hiding a part of myself that I desperately wished I could change. I...
120 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Feb 19, 20244 min read
My Child's ADHD: A Parent's Journey
As a parent, watching your child grow and traverse the terrain of life is a journey filled with love, challenges, and learning. But when...
21 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Feb 18, 20243 min read
The Power of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) in Our Workplaces and Beyond
In my role as an executive for a major financial institution, I've had the unique opportunity to delve deep into the world of Diversity,...
20 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Feb 15, 20244 min read
Shadows and Light: A Journey Through Forgiveness
The journey of forgiveness is often a road less traveled, marked by the shadows of past hurts and the weight of unhealed wounds. My story...
23 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Feb 6, 20244 min read
Finding My Way Back: A Journey Through Alcoholism Recovery
Today, I'm proudly standing at 1,700 days sober (my sobriety date is May 30, 2019)—a milestone that once seemed distant and unreachable....
21 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Jan 30, 20244 min read
The Power and Pitfalls of Labeling
Labels. They're like invisible tags we attach to people, often without realizing the weight those words carry. I know because I've been...
13 views0 comments
Shayne
Jan 23, 20245 min read
Invisible Disabilities
Have you ever seen someone get out of a car that’s parked in a handicap parking spot and thought to yourself… “well, they don’t look...
28 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Jan 11, 20245 min read
Unseen Wounds: A Journey from Invisibility to Healing
The weight of my past had always been a heavy burden on my shoulders, and for years, I felt like a ghost, invisible to the world around...
25 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Jan 10, 20244 min read
Resilience – Bouncing Back from Life Challenges
Along the way, I’ve come to believe that resiliency is possibly the most important thing to consider when it comes to recovery and...
12 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Jan 3, 20244 min read
Vulnerability, Overcoming Abuse, and Opening Dialogues of Empowerment
In the silent corridors of my past, vulnerability became an unwitting accomplice, a cloak I wore involuntarily, woven from the threads of...
27 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Dec 26, 20233 min read
Journaling – A Tool for Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is not just about knowing who you are; it’s about embracing who you are and living a life that is true to your authentic...
101 views0 comments
Shayne
Dec 18, 20236 min read
Is there a Hallmark card for that?
I guess I’m old-fashioned, and admitting this makes me feel very old… but I love to send and give cards to people. There are a lot of...
23 views0 comments
Joshua Young, Author, Recovery Advocate, SA Survivor, & Alcoholic in Recovery.
Dec 11, 20234 min read
What Depression Feels Like
Depression is like a relentless storm cloud that hovers over your life, casting its dark shadow on everything you see, touch, and feel.
321 views0 comments
Shayne
Dec 1, 20235 min read
The Impossible Task - A Struggle with Depression by Shayne
Have you ever read a book with your eyes closed or have you ever pet a dinosaur? You probably haven’t. I haven’t. In fact - these tasks...
210 views0 comments
Shayne
Dec 1, 20235 min read
Eating Disorders by Shayne
Hi. It’s Shayne (he/they) again. In my last piece, I wrote about gender identity issues. Now I want to share about my eating disorder...
8 views0 comments
Shayne
Dec 1, 20235 min read
Trapped - A Struggle With Gender Identity by Shayne
Have you ever gone spelunking (cave exploring)? I have. The light slowly fades as you walk down into the cavern. It’s pitch black. It’s...
6 views0 comments
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