Recovery Articles
Insights for your journey.
Straight, practical guides on getting sober, rebuilding your identity, and getting through the hard moments, from Door 24, the app where progress is proof.
Do GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic help with alcohol use disorder?
A July 2026 BMJ Open study links GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic to fewer alcohol-related hospitalizations in adults with alcohol use disorder. Here is what it means.
- The science of recoveryThe scienceRelapse
Why do people relapse? The science of relapse explained
People relapse because relapse is a process, not a single moment. It starts weeks earlier with emotional and mental warning signs, long before the first drink.
6 min readRead → - The science of recoveryThe scienceBrain recovery
Does the brain heal after addiction?
Yes, the brain heals after addiction. Alcohol and drug damage can partly reverse with abstinence. Gray matter recovers in weeks, reward circuits over months.
5 min readRead → - Cravings & setbacksCravings & setbacksStaying sober
How do I stay sober through the holidays?
To stay sober through the holidays, plan each event before you arrive, script your no, and bring a sober exit. A practical, non-preachy holiday playbook.
5 min readRead → - The science of recoveryThe scienceQuit drinking
Why is it so hard to quit drinking?
It is hard to quit drinking because alcohol rewires the brain's reward, stress, and self-control circuits, so quitting takes far more than willpower alone.
5 min readRead → - Cravings & setbacksRelapseCravings
Is one drink a relapse, or just a slip?
One drink is a lapse, not automatically a relapse. Here is the difference, why shame is the real risk after one drink, and what to do in the next hour.
6 min readRead → - Cravings & setbacksSocial pressureRelapse prevention
How do I stay sober around people who are drinking?
Stay sober around people who are drinking by deciding your answer before you arrive. Social pressure drives over 20% of relapses, but your response decides.
8 min readRead → - Cravings & setbacksCravingsStress
Why do I crave alcohol when I'm stressed?
Stress triggers alcohol cravings because heavy drinking blunts your stress response, so your brain learns a drink is the fastest reset. Here is what helps.
8 min readRead → - Cravings & setbacksRelapse preventionRecovery planning
How do I stop a relapse before it happens?
Relapse starts before the drink, as a buildup of stress or conflict, not a single moment. Learn the three risk categories and how to build a plan early.
5 min readRead → - Identity & changeIdentityQuit drinking
How do I become someone who doesn't need to drink?
To become someone who doesn't need to drink, change your identity, not just your behavior. Here is how to build a sober self and prove it, one day at a time.
5 min readRead → - Identity & changeidentityrecovery
How do I find myself again after addiction?
You can find yourself again after addiction by building a new identity with evidence, not willpower. What the research says about becoming someone new.
5 min readRead →