Nancy O’Hara
Editor-in-Chief

Be Safe, Serene and Sober

Anyone who suffers from compulsive behavior or loves someone who struggles with addiction knows that there is no holiday for this beast. And even if we’re one of the lucky ones who have tamed our particular monster, the holidays can challenge even the most serene of us and threaten our hard-won abstinence. So extra vigilance is called for during this time – we have to become warriors – not only to fend off temptation, but to muster up compassion for those who are still battling in the trenches with their demons.

Our two cover stories address issues that no matter how tough our resolve, no matter if we’re not usually challenged by them, no matter how far we might distance ourselves, it’s hard not to be tempted to over indulge: shopping and sugar. April Benson and Dana Kennedy offer some useful tools to help us with these two addictions that some could argue are America’s cultural and national pastimes, condoned and even encouraged, which only puts extra pressure on us if we’re keen on supplanting them with a healthy dose of serenity.

In our Spirit section (pgs 6-7) you’ll find three lessons from Buddha about Christmas; and two tips on how to find inner peace in the midst of chaos. And Ann Ogden, two-time cancer survivor, will inspire you with her courage and please you with two delicious and healthy holiday dishes (“Cook for Your Life” on pg 10).

SHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGAL?

One interesting – and perhaps provocative and controversial – question that has come up in this issue, in two separate articles, offering two different points of view, is: should marijuana be legalized? Casolaro and Smith in their column “Ask the Interventionists” (pg 9) warn against such action; and Martin Torgoff in “The Together Interview” (pg 12) argues for it. Legal or not, drugs in any form – and at any age – are dangerous, as Dr. Kalapatapu reports on page 8.

What do you think? Do you have an opinion on whether or not marijuana, or other illegal drugs, should be legalized? We’d love to get this conversation going amongst the together-in-recovery crowd. So send us a letter or weigh in online and let us know where you stand.

PLUS

If you’re not a night owl, you may want to change that habit to stay up and watch Craig Ferguson on late night television after reading our PLUS feature article by David Blacklock. (Or just catch him on YouTube.) Ferguson will help keep you sober, make you laugh and make you proud to be in his fraternity. There’s nothing more safely intoxicating and healing than laughter at any time of year.

Our resident film critic, Kurt Brokaw – a Madison Avenue ad man back in the day – gives us a personal perspective on the “Mad Men” drinking culture (pg 19) and exposes the truth and lies of this popular series.

While we don’t want to encourage too much shopping, books do make wonderful gifts if you’re gifting this season, or if you’re just looking for a good read yourself, check out some of the favorites from the Together editors on page 20.

A HEALTHY ADDICTION

We hope we are able to inspire, inform and entertain you in this third issue of Together. And if there is such a thing as a healthy addiction, we’d like to become that for you. If you want us delivered to your mailbox you can use the subscription form on page 23 or go to our website and subscribe there. Think of us as a healthy gift to yourself or to anyone else on your list. By subscribing you’ll be helping us to help you.

Thanks for reading, and please look for us again in January when our focus will be on relationships. In the meantime, all of us here at Together wish you a safe, serene and sober holiday season.

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Lisa L. Kirchner
Web Editor

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