Every pain, addiction, anguish, longing, depression, anger or fears an orphaned part of us seeking joy, some disowned shadow wanting to return to the light and home of ourselves.

— Jacob Nordby

Have you ever come out of a dramatic, chaotic situation and said, “I did everything I could, and it wasn’t enough?” That’s because “everything we can” isn’t enough. It’s only enough when our everything joins with Christ’s everything.

— Toni Sorenson

Healthy and non-shaming mirroring is an important part of the process. We can gain this from a highly emotionally intelligent and effective peer group that has our best interests at heart.

— Christopher Dines

He could still remember how the first sip of wine made him feel.

— Dianne Harman

He's been injecting the anti-aging hormone into his wife.

— Dianne Harman

Hitting bottom is an inside job — it's something that happens within our consciousness.

— Christopher Dines

I chose to share both the good and the bad parts of my story, and of my imagination, so that it might help even one person realize that there is hope. You are not alone. And it does get better. I promise you it’s worth it.

— Kimberly Nalen

I don't know what happened, but I do know this. It's not going anywhere. When you light up it waits for you to come down. You have to confront whatever's bothering you and look it straight in the eye. It's alright to forgive yourself, and it's okay to fight back, because if you don't kick the shit out of it, then it kicks you. It's a dog world, but you can control it, if you want to. A lot of people are going to try to make you feel like shit, but that doesn't mean you are. You are who you decide to be. I hope you're the kind of person that fights, because that's the only way to win.

— E.M. Youman

I don’t think I’ve ever met an addict in long-term recovery who hasn’t gone through at least one traumatic childhood experience. Research indicates that one traumatic event in childhood is as grave as continuous combat in a war zone. A traumatic event during childhood can leave a grave imprint on the human body.

— Christopher Dines

I felt utterly stripped of safety and love. And so, what tormented me most as I shook through August 1988 wasn’t the nausea and chills but the recurring fear that I’d never have lasting comfort or joy again.

— Maia Szalavitz