Blog
Psychedelics in Sobriety: They Can Coexist
Our response to life dictates our place in life.
Victor Frankl, who survived a Nazi concentration camp famously wrote: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedomsā€”to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances..."
Our attitude is the only thing we...
Dec 27, 2024
Grieving Your Past (addiction) Self in 5 Stages
People who have had Near Death Experiences (NDE) report undergoing life reviews. Imagine a play-by-play of your story from birth to life projected on a celestial screen. I've used this possibility to help deter bad decisions. "If I do this, will I want it rehashed for the whole universe to watch ...
Dec 27, 2024
Self-Acceptance in Recovery
If I play with cars, I'm a good boy.
If I drink beer and swear, I'm a good Bragg.
If I attend church every week, I'm a good Christian.
If I work long hours, I'm a good leader.
If I...then I.
Living under the conditions of the outside world overrode any sovereignty in my life. I allowed my identit...
Dec 27, 2024
AI: Revolutionizing Sobriety
"I feel gray." I mumbled and stared out the window. It was late summer. The sun revealed budding trees, busy birds, and a deep North Carolina blue sky. Crystal Meth had stolen my senses. Everything looked ā€“ and felt ā€“ gray.
"Dallas, gray is not an emotion." My rehab counselor patiently responded....
Dec 27, 2024
When Interventions Work
In a powerful and vulnerable conversation on theĀ AfterMeth podcast, Brandon shares his story of struggling with crystal meth addiction, navigating the challenges of being a gay man, and ultimately finding his path to healing and self-love.
His journey is one of resilience, courage, and the trans...
Dec 27, 2024
Do the Work (on the root issues)
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My 8-year-old body was veraciously bouncing on the leather school bus bench on the ride home. Typically the jostling would be caused by the rough, rural West Virginia roadways. Not today.
I glanced down at the artwork in my hand, but my eyes went straight to the blue ribbon attached at the bott...
Dec 27, 2024
Using Plant Medicines in Recovery
For those struggling with chemsex and crystal meth addiction, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, the traditional 12-step model may not fully resonate. A more compassionate, holistic approach that digs deeper into the underlying reasons for substance abuse can be beneficial.
There are additio...
Dec 27, 2024
Finding Wholeness through Integration
The underlying cause of all addiction is a separation from ourselves. This phenomenon manifests as disconnection from our destiny. Our destiny is the preprogrammed purpose of our lives imprinted into our DNA. To understand this, think of a seedling. There are unseen blueprints within the seed wit...
Dec 25, 2024
5 Ways Addiction Holds You in Constant Cravings
"Seek and you shall find."
A phrase used by Jesus in the Bible (Matthew 7:7). The invitation is to have faith and believe that whatever it is you ask for will be provided by God.
Addiction wants the opposite. It would stateĀ "Constantly seek but never find."
Addiction is an aspect of our EGO (se...
Dec 25, 2024
7 Tenets of (Self-Actualized) Recovery
"From Professor to Prostitute."
That's the title of a recent social media video of mine that performed well.
You can watch it for yourself on Instagram if interested:
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Yeah, the shock value of the title hooks in the audience.
But, the underlying message is that ridding your life of the substance...
Dec 25, 2024
Emotional Sobriety
I triggered an innocent woman at a sober event.
Here I was having a casual conversation with someone when in my peripheral I could see herĀ jaw dropped, eyes widened, and visibly shaking. As I turned to her, she announced:
"I have to go to a meeting RIGHT NOW!"
As she stormed off in a puff of smo...
Dec 25, 2024
Change the Meaning, Change Your Life
I've been struggling with the decision to move out of Charlotte, NC. While I've made some life-long friends here, I know it is time to leave.
The angst has revolved around displacing my son. Yes, he is 20 years old. But...
Throughout my experience with active addiction, I displaced him from his h...
Dec 25, 2024