My 10 Favourite Recovery Websites
By John M.
I’ll begin by confessing that AA Agnostica is my favourite recovery website and I’ll say no more given that you are currently reading this blog and you will have your own opinions about where it is placed among your favourites.
So, in no particular order here is my list of my 10 preferred sites.
1 I begin with The Fix for no other reason than it is produced daily and serves very much like a morning newspaper. The Fix offers up to date news about recovery (or the search for it) for pretty much everything that is called “addiction” these days, whether it is in the form of alcohol/drugs or food and gambling, or sex and sugar. Some of the best writers are featured making for a varied and diverse set of opinions regarding what constitutes addiction and recovery, with some very original, highly articulate commentary. The Fix does not “hold back” on engaging in issues that may be deemed controversial. One finds issues raised that are often only whispered about among friends in the rooms of traditional groups like 12 Step meetings.
2 Guinevere Gets Sober is a personal blog site by the pseudonymous “Guinevere” who occasionally writes under her real name for The Fix. Guinevere has stepped back a bit from writing entries daily to a more occasioned and selective posting timeframe. She is a very good writer who comes from a background of multiple addictions in her family but she highlights her struggles with prescription drugs as to what awakened her to a life of sobriety. As well as commentary on the “recovery movement,” and everyday sobriety, her website includes interviews, book reviews, and reports on current issues of interest. Her blog elicits quite a bit of response from her readership. I used to look forward to her almost daily posts but, as mentioned, she is more cautious with her time but the site has easy to access thematic headings from which to search earlier material that is still timely, relevant and inspirational.
3 Barefoot’s World. A few years ago I discovered Bob Pearson’s (GSO senior advisor) 1986 General Service Conference prescient warning about the danger of AA’s growing rigidity, here at this website created by the legendary Barefoot Bob Hardison (1933-2009; sobriety date, Feb. 28th, 1974). On entering the site, you will find scads of material on American history, the defense of liberty, and the promotion of tolerance – fascinating in and of itself – but scroll down to Barefoot’s Recovery Pages and enjoy the ride – especially fun are his “cowboy-isms.” A truly remarkable free spirit, he embraces all forms of spirituality and, if you continue scrolling down, you will find his Native American Pages. He follows one commandment in life:“Harm no one, then do what thou wilt.” And his philosophy of life includes:“Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Do the next indicated right thing.” There is more varied AA material at this site than you can shake a stick at!
4 Rebellion Dogs acknowledges with the Big Book that “rebellion dogs our every step.” I’ll throw out any pretension that I view this site objectively since its author, Joe C., is simply one of my favourite people around the rooms. Joe is a regular contributor to AA Agnostica and has written for The Fix, Renew Magazine and In the Rooms. You will also know him as the author of Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings of 12 Step Life. Joe’s new book speaks for itself and Rebellion Dogs offers readers very timely articles (and some music!) on the state of recovery in the 21 Century. And Joe is not beyond interviewing a few interesting folks in the field of recovery. Some very important links to other free thinker sites is included.
5 The Buddhist Recovery Network is an extraordinary resource for those who want to explore spirituality and recovery in non-“western” ways. And you don’t have to be Buddhist either! Ever respectful of all ways people choose the road to recovery, this site emphasizes, as one would expect, compassion, mindfulness, and meditation as ways of overcoming addiction to mind/body altering substances as well as offering guides to living in an increasingly fast paced and an often mind-numbing modern society. The recommended books to read, the book reviews, downloads to articles and links to other spiritual and “liberating” ways is here, in one location, simply one of the best sites to explore, either as a neophyte or as one already into Buddhist precepts, alternative methods for sobriety and staying sober.
6 William White Papers: Arguably the foremost North American scholar and researcher of recovery movements, William White and his friend, Ernest Kurtz, have long been staunch supporters of AA and Twelve Step recovery without undermining other, very valid methods and philosophies that address the modern addiction malaise. White’s website includes some of his best published scholarly work, interviews with other renowned researchers, as well as book reviews. In general, it is a comprehensive resource for the history of both addiction and recovery ever since people starting taking an interest. One will find here just about every subject or every angle one would want to learn more about. The material on this website is written in well researched and well documented ways without being too scholarly obtuse.
7 Hazelden, of course, publishes more of the most popular literature dedicated to addiction and recovery than any other single publishing house. Besides publishing much “conference approved” AA literature, one will also find in the “Book Store” section of the site much that is not tied to AA or even Twelve Step programs. Recent books published by Hazelden include Marya Hornbacher’s, Waiting: A Nonbeliever’s Higher Power and Ernest Kurtz’s classic, Not God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous among many others. As well as offering actual treatment opportunities, the website directs readers to its monthly news letter, Graduate Studies in addiction counseling, and a listing for a wide assortment of weekend seminars and retreats.
8 Stanton Peele Addiction Website: Love him or hate him (I’m somewhere in between), at least you will know the arguments 0f those who are not fond of AA and 12 Step programs. A psychologist, Peele is clear that he believes the disease model of addiction is not only an inadequate representation of what lies behind addiction but, as well, the model causes far more harm than good. Other disagreements with AA: spirituality in AA, for Peele, is merely a euphemism for religion; harm reduction as opposed to abstinence is the better way for most people to go; and most alcoholics/addicts recover on their own with either no recovery counseling or with short term, cognitively based programs. Peele writes for The Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and is often an invited guest on the major American TV networks.
I include Stanton Peele’s website in that knowing all the arguments, both pro and con, regarding the 12 Step model can only serve to make all of us better informed about our own recovery.
9 Hindsfoot Foundation: A plethora of documents here dedicated mostly to the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are plenty of recently written essays as well but they are firmly grounded in “traditional” ways of experiencing recovery from alcoholism. Whether one is fully committed to the AA model as it was developed by the early pioneers of the program or whether one is seeking to contemporize AA into the 21 Century, this site will provide you with lots of material for your research.
10 Addictions Unplugged focuses on our growing awareness of the realities of food addiction. Just because you are a recovering alcoholic does not mean you are not obese; and just because you are not obese does not mean you are not a food addict. Even if you are neither, this site is a great way to start understanding the suffering of our fellow addicts in food. It has been said that every alcoholic should spend time with those with other addictions not only so we can help out where we are able but, perhaps as well, learn something more about our own alcoholism. This site is maintained by Dr. Vera Tarman, the well respected physician for the Renascent Treatment Centre in Toronto (where I did my treatment for alcoholism and am a proud alumnus). Great articles and a number of very fine videos and audio resources are easily accessed here. There is much to learn about this growing (sic!) epidemic – the direct and indirect health care costs to our society as well as the special nature of suffering by the food addict of which many of us, alcoholics, drug addicts or “normies” are simply oblivious.
These, then, are my 10 favourite recovery websites. I trust that you will find them both enjoyable and helpful.
John M. got sober in June 2007 at the age of 54 and acknowledges he was fully aware that he was an alcoholic in his early 30’s. He also indicates without a touch of melodrama that these are the best years of his life. John is living proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks.
thank you John for the great resource.
Thanks, John, for this list. Many were new to me, and I look forward to searching them and to sharing the list. And 54 ain’t old, BTW! One of my home groups is OASIS (Olympia Area Seniors In Sobriety), part of the national SIS organizatiion. The majority of us have been sober a while, but we’ve been able to reach a few geezers and geezerettes who hadn’t found sobriety otherwise. It’s pretty much what I’d call oldtime AA, which I find tolerable, but we have so many life issues in common aside from addiction that it’s been helpful to many.
A terrific list. Thank you!
I am reluctant to weigh in on the “dumb mutt” comment, but one night at the Richmond Hill meeting I tossed a stick into the corner, and John ‘fetched’ it. Enough said.
Both John and Roger C. (perhaps others) are academics who write with a beautiful simplicity and clarity of expression that is both enviable and inspirational. I am very proud to be associated with the fine people and excellent writers who participate here. Wish we’d see MORE of John.
I plan to use the list to do some exploring. Several of the sites mentioned are unfamiliar. I recall Stanton Peale and his book “THE DISEASING OF AMERICA” and he makes some salient points regarding the ever-spreading numbers coming under the ‘disease model’ umbrella.
If there is an obvious omission, it would be Silkworth.net, worth mentioning for its enormity alone.
Great piece – hope it sparks some further input!
bob k.
Thanks for the list of resources John, I enjoy exploring different perspectives on recovery. It’s good to know I’m not alone in exploring the diversity of views out there!
Thanks, John. Someone I love is afflicted with multiple demons. Once they were taken to hospital via 911. When I went to visit they were unconscious with tubes going in and out everywhere. The Dr came up as I was standing in the hall and I told her “Thought you ought to know that this person is an alcoholic and an addict.” Her response: “That may be so but it’s the eating disorders that’s gonna kill ’em.” What struck, and scared, me at once was my absolute ignorance of the subject. I think I know that food addiction and eating disorders aren’t the same, but I hope to find some info in your list.
I used to be anorexic, and my initial reaction to the idea of anorexics being sent to 12-step programs is frank horror. The idea that anyone would tell a teenage girl who is starving herself to death that her problem is selfishness and she needs to ask God to remove her character defects…words fail me.
Hi Cecilia,
You are right about how dangerous a harsh application of 12-Steps can be. Luckily, more people are becoming aware that the 12-Step “ego beating” doesn’t apply to everyone and can be harmful. Women, in particular, are so used to giving of themselves (especially mothers) that they often need to be empowered — not feel as if they are being stripped of what little they may have.
I’ve only skinned thorough it, but “Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous” book published in 2002 seemed to take a much gentler approach and suggested interpretations of step 2 which may be more digestible to nonbelievers or to those who are angry at God.
I’m an anorak of the aahistorylovers site. I also dip into aacultwatch.
I’m sure the entire list has value, but “The Fix” is so good that I can’t stop reading. Thanks John!
Wow this hit home. Love the The Fix. Going to check out the others.
Always had the addition to food as well as booze and whatever else was lying around and changed my ‘reality.’
Relapsed after more than a decade in AA and am back.
Putting weight ON again, plus the weight gained with the alcohol previously.
My sponsor – and seemingly everyone else as our AA club – does not seem to understand that I am now literally feeding (-rim shot-) another addiction.
Their paraphrased suggestion? No one was ever pulled over for caloric driving!
Hmmm I can’t help but feel even more self-loathing and it is NOT helping my AA recovery. Add to that my ‘peculiarity’ for atheism in the rooms.
Thank you for the resources. You rock and made my morning 🙂
How kind of you to include my blog in your list. Today I am saying goodbye to a friend of mine who is dying of cancer… He is a solid atheist who has more than 40 years sober. I by chance found this blog and wish I could recommend it to him. Thanks for all you do, and best wishes on your sober road. /G
And thank you, Guinevere. I’m so pleased you came across AA Agnostica.
I am saddened to hear about your friend. Although I do not know him, we alcoholics and addicts, I think, feel a special kinship and abiding gratitude to those who have come before us with so many sober years. I hope his life has been rich and full.
My sincerest sympathies – John
Thanks, John. I’ll particularly check out The Fix . I attended a couple of workshops by Ernie Kurtz in ’83 at six months sober. I look forward to William White’s paper also.
Very good article. I write a recovery blog, JOIN THE SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION: SOBRIETY BY TAMING YOUR EGO, on WordPress.com. It shows how those in recovery can learn from the hit TV show “Breaking Bad” of the dangers of an egocentric mindset, which is the foundation of my book, Overcome Any Personal Obstacle, Including Alcoholism, By Understanding Your Ego.
Thanks Lee for sharing your site and book with us. I’ll be sure to spend some time with your material.
And for those of you who have missed your daily fix for the last 6 months, TheFix on-line magazine has returned.
Also, I checked out THE FIX for the first time. I love what I saw! I read the story on the effectiveness of the AA 12-Step program and several of the comments about it. Also read Top 10 Superheroes’ addictions — “super” article indeed.
Please take a look at Women for Sobriety website as well. I have found it very helpful for female alcoholics.
I’d love to post an article about Women for Sobriety. Have asked in the past but not succeeded. Could you help make that happen, Colleen? That would be quite wonderful.
Hi John.
That’s a great selection. Very useful. Thank you.
For those like myself who got sober in AA then moved on to a more sensible and rational way of life, Recovering From Recovery is a great resource. The founder is based here in the UK but I know he gets thousands of hits from the USA too.
I’ve blogged about my own experiences “Leaving AA, Staying Sober” my jonsleeper website.
Thanks again. Jon S
Wow, thank you Jon. I will spend more time checking out the four sites you list but a cursory review over the last hour has been very enjoyable.
The back-drop picture of jonsleeper is, I must say, way too cute! Very nice.
And thanks again for bringing these to our attention.
Thanks John. I’ve become a big fan of William White since dropping out of AA almost a year ago. I think he offers an informed and balanced approach that appreciates the good AA can do, whilst recognising that after a certain amount of time many recovered AAs naturally gravitate away from the fellowship – and in many cases there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s hard to find a balanced approach to such an emotive issue. It’s what Mike at Recovering From Recovery is trying to achieve. I think it’s definitely the way forward. Thanks again for your list. Some good stuff there and it was nice to see Mr White referenced as he doesn’t get nearly enough public support in my humble opinion. His book “Slaying The Dragon” on the history of recovery movements in the USA is a superb piece of research. Best wishes, JS
Hello John. Here’s wishing you a very happy New Year.
Thanks very much for your interesting list of sites. We have a web site you might like to look at. It is listed under Kuwait at the AAWS web site. It is AA Arabia Kuwait. If you find any of the material that is posted to be of use to you then feel free to use it. I am the administrator of the site. My name is Doug and my sobriety date is 12th September 1987.
Thank you so much, Doug. I’ll check it out for sure.
AA Speaker Tapes. A database with over 5000 AA Speaker Tapes that is mobile-phone friendly, tapes are well-categorized and commented on.