A good friend of mine asked me to do Q&A for a new London-based magazine that is aimed that the recovery community and kind of begs the question, well “How normal are we now?” after a bit of recovery time. It’s called Normal for that very reason, I think.
When we lived lives of addiction, we did so many abnormal things that we just passed over as “one of those things”, because the addiction ruled us. In early sobriety, it is terribly easy to feel wrong and out of place, to be up and down with your emotions and to still practice many addictions, whether to food or love or Thierry Henry (sorry, just me that one).
But after several years clean and having trodden our own path of recovery, we feel a bit less like we stand out as the guy or gal ordering a diet cola at the bar. We are not necessarily as reactive or up-and-down as in those early days. We’re not as hung up over the addiction and are able to, never be complacent, but weave back into a fun and fulfilling life.
And what we find is that none of us are quite normal. My friend, Ali, who sub-edits the magazine certainly isn’t. She’s a Rawk Chick at heart, lives on a barge on the Thames and is an ardent fan of West Ham. Abnormal. Definitely.
But I’m not normal either. I’d describe myself as a Buddhist with a cracked sense of humour, a cat who I have named “Carwash”, and an indescribable urge to help people. What the freak is normal about that??
Anyway, for all you US recovery peeps, I send you my love. You can read the full interview below. Thanks to Ali, and all the normalish people who decided a mag for recovery peeps was just what we needed. (And I happen to agree) .
ZOOOOOOMMMM INNNNN!!!!!
Oh, and if you’re in any way as inspired by DiversityInCare‘s wonderful, life-changing work as I am, please think about donating. we’ll take pounds, pennies, dollars, cents and gifts in kind. Thanks and you’re amazing 🙂
Addiction Recovery Coach 
hi and thank you for your posting, i been working my program of recover for over 18 years now and i have run into all kinds of folks who make living fun and interesting. As a 12 step program says Yale or jail addiction dose not care.
I have know people who cover all aspects of life from the homeless to Judges. There are people in recovery who live amazing life and have many interest too. As a result of this I also discovered new things to make my life that much more fun and enjoyable.