By Anna David

It takes a lot for some people to realize that addiction and alcoholism are the same thing: A sleazy date finally taught me what even a wise counselor could not. MORE  

By Anna David

I accidentally joined an addiction counseling program at UCLA. It's been amazing. It hasn't just filled my mind with facts, but broadened my mind on what recovery—with or without AA—can mean. MORE  

By Anna David

We don’t get much guidance on how to sponsor people in AA, and I'm no natural. I’ve been yelled at, fired and shamed by a sponsee’s mom. Am I really getting it that wrong? MORE  

By Anna David

When I was an active addict, my interactions with medical professionals harmed rather than helped me. Sadly, I'm far from alone. MORE  

By Anna David

I thought I knew exactly how my Ninth Step in AA would unfold. Instead, over a decade later, I’m still trying to make sense of people's unpredictable reactions. MORE  

By Anna David

I’ve seen too many people attack the program that saved my life—often in comments fields on The Fix. But their problem isn’t AA itself; it’s some of AA's members. MORE  

By Anna David

Pat O’Brien rose to the top as a sportscaster and entertainment reporter before weathering a very public scandal. Now he’s one of sobriety’s greatest advocates. MORE  

By Anna David

I used to hoover cocaine and drown myself in alcohol. Plus, I was so ruled by terror I couldn’t even admit I was scared. Sobriety has changed most of that. MORE  

By Anna David

That matching “Bill W.’s Bitch” T-shirt and hat not go over as well as you’d hoped last year? The Fix has once again curated a gift guide that'll make your yule both fun and sober. MORE  

By Anna David

Before he quit drinking, Jimmy Pardo—the host of the popular podcast Never Not Funny—used to get tossed out of casinos. Now, every Thanksgiving, he raises money for disabled kids. That's no joke. MORE