The author is reflecting a lot on things that happened in his 30s. Mood music: “Lunchbox” by Marylin Manson: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5Fo57AXW3w&hl=en_US&fs=1] Since my 40th birthday is next month, I’m thinking a lot about the last decade. In many ways, I’m not the same guy I was when I was staring at my 30th birthday. This has …
Sometimes, a child’s worst enemy is his/her parents. Mood music: “Institutionalized” by Suicidal Tendencies (The Pepsi Song): [spotify:track:1KpRBS8dbDw7LxMhuK7Bso] If I’ve learned anything on my long journey to recovery, it’s that addicts can almost always trace their behavior back to their parents. That’s certainly the case for me. My mother was always pushing food on me. …
One would think Revere Beach was the perfect place to spend summers growing up. The ocean was right across the street from our house, after all. But the truth is that summer has always been a time of dangerously fluctuating moods for me, and a lot of it played out in that setting. Mood music …
Why the author needs dysfunctional people in his life. Mood music for this post: “California Uber Alles” by The Dead Kennedys: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW8UlY8eXCk&hl=en_US&fs=1&] In one of our many discussions over what she doesn’t like about me and my way of life, my mother often lamented that whatever she didn’t like was “just not normal.” Truth is, …
The story of a relationship ruptured by mental illness. I told myself never to write this one. Too many people would feel burned. Then I remembered those who won’t like this are already angry with me. This is a critical piece of my journey through mental illness, addiction and recovery. So in I go. Those …
Truth: People who engage in addictive behavior lie all the time. Mood music: You might remember a few years back when the author James Frey wrote A Million Little Pieces; his memoir on life as a 23-year-old alcoholic and drug abuser and his rehab in a Twelve-step program. The credibility of the book was eventually …
