17 Comments
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Laura K.'s avatar

Strength in numbers.Stay close to your group. They need you. I'll do this too.

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Richard Banks's avatar

I understand. I feel this acutely and chronically. I want you to be in the fight. You know how to fight. I need you to stay in the fight. Best!

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Avraham Bronstein's avatar

Thank you for sharing such a personal reflection. And thank you for caring so deeply about being there for others.

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Cari Wade Gervin's avatar

As I blogged earlier today, a very lazy weight routine at the gym is really helping with my mental health. (In addition to all the recovery things, obvs.)

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Doug R's avatar

Thank you SO much for writing your piece. I had forgotten how knife-edge sobriety can be after spending 35 years of it mostly uneventfully. If I could stretch out a field of care for you down there in Austin I would. (maybe I will anyway.) But your piece also reminded me that breaking sobriety isn't an option for me either. In that and in so much else I feel solidarity with you and with everyone else who shares 'our addiction.' We WILL care for each other, no matter what. We WILL get through this, no matter what. It'll be our triumph, and our grueling job, to do so.

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Notes on the Putsch's avatar

Ana, I hope you'll forgive me for what always feels like deeply uncool self-promotion in the comments. I also wrote about sobriety and fascism here. This is a fed employee's perspective: https://notesontheputsch.substack.com/p/how-it-works. Thanks so much for your writing on this.

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Ana Marie Cox's avatar

Loved it. Echoed many of my own thoughts and experiences.

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Notes on the Putsch's avatar

Thank you. Incredibly generous of you to take the time. Every little connection we make means so much.

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Paul Stone's avatar

“The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.” -Buffy Summers

I’m 8 years sober.

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Human Ecologist's avatar

Thank you. I'll have 22 years in 38 days and everything you shared is spot on. Recovery has humbled and blessed me and helped me resist my own personal regime. There aren't many short cuts to places worth going.

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Susan Bodiker's avatar

I think we’re all vulnerable to seduction by alcohol. For me, it’s white wine. But I resist by asking myself: will this change the outcome? How will you feel afterwards? (This works for any craving, BTW.) The answers are: No and Disappointed in myself. Whatever works for whatever reason. Fascism, Covid, loneliness, etc. But do it for you. You’re the one that matters here. Thanks for sharing your story and helping others do the same.

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Rebecca Gillis's avatar

Thank you for this. Extremely on-point and something I needed to hear from another on this journey. Sometimes, I think it must be so nice to get things a little fuzzy to forget for just a minute. But then I remember reality awaits. It always did, and always will. Be gentle with yourself and stay clear & stay sharp.

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heydave56's avatar

Goddam, i love this. Not the addiction. Our addiction fucking lies to us.

You are not alone in voicing this, not by a fucking long shot.

We will not give it to them. Period.

Ok, well that's two periods.

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Karen Collins's avatar

I believe in you, and I appreciate your writing very much. Thank you.

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Scottycooks's avatar

You inspire me, because it would be so easy to slip.

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Seth Masket's avatar

Thank you for this. Strength to you.

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Pat's avatar

I'm late to the party, so to speak, on this. But thank you for this lovely, personal piece and for remaining in the fight.

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