This is the first and most confusing sign of liver problems due to alcohol use. — There are many signs of alcohol-related liver damage, especially towards the end-stage of the disease. However, most people don’t recognize the early signs. That’s because they are vague and confusing and overlap with many other illnesses. In fact, one of the first signs is excessive fatigue. Of course, this sign…

There are risk factors you should know about when detoxing from alcohol. — I’ve been sober from alcohol for over six years. When I quit drinking, I made the decision after some complicated healing work during a retreat. Before the retreat, I rented a house for five months in a rural Mexican town. I had friends around, but I was on my own…

For one, it causes only suffering. — Many alcoholic families let their young people drink and place it under the mask of “well they’re going to drink anyway, may as well do it at home where we can monitor it.” Unfortunately my drinking was never monitored by anyone, and as I got older, I started using it…

Why reducing or stopping your alcohol intake can significantly improve your mental health. — I engaged in heavy alcohol use between the ages of 14 and 41. I quit drinking six and a half years ago, and one of the biggest reasons I got sober was that my mental health was at an all-time low. My physical health was also declining, but my mental…

“You only live once,” is not going to protect you from the harms of alcohol misuse. — As a former nurse and recovering alcoholic, I have a lot to say about alcohol, heavy drinking, and health. I write about it because I know firsthand the damages that alcohol can inflict and I want other people to know too. Most people appreciate this knowledge, but occasionally I have…

Some tips on getting an early diagnosis and how to cope as a family member. — I lost my father to alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in 2016. The diagnosis came on June 24th, and he died only three weeks later. As a former nurse and recovering alcoholic, his diagnosis and death lit a fire in me to understand more about this sneaky and deadly condition. …

We need to feel in order to heal. — After I quit drinking, I embarked on a long journey to heal my physical and mental health. As a former nurse and recovering alcoholic, I understand how alcohol affects our bodies and minds. As a nurse, I wanted to understand the deeper physiological aspects of why alcohol seems to make…

Sometimes opening the floodgate of emotion can be difficult. — A few years back I attended a psychedelic healing ceremony to help me work through the terrible anxiety, depression, and alcoholism that plagued my life. I felt like I had so much past trauma and baggage to deal with that I could barely function. …

Here’s what you need to know if you’ve recently quit drinking. — I’m a former nurse and recovering alcoholic and I write about alcohol and our health. My goal is to educate people about the health risks of alcohol use because most of us don’t fully understand the effect that alcohol has on our bodies. …