Earlier this year, I marked 39 years of sobriety from alcohol and drugs.

This week, I marked one year free from the bondage of gambling.

With the help of an AI generator, I created the image here to accompany this post. I wanted the stone tablets to be as weathered as my sobriety has become over 39 years. I have weathered:

  • trials and temptations that before I got sober would have possibly led me to drink or drug,
  • periods of being a little “dry” when I reduced meetings and service work, and
  • life on life’s terms—including the loss of beloved family and friends, and financial challenges from periods of job loss.

One aspect of recovery that I knew about—and unfortunately experienced myself over time—is that an alcoholic/substance misuser’s personality and cravings can manifest themselves in different ways once the alcoholic/substance misuser achieves recovery from their primary addictive substance.

I saw it happen in Alcoholics Anonymous, as other members stopped drinking only to start smoking, or overeating. If we are not vigilant, our recovery can become a sort of Whac-A-Mole game. We focus on knocking down one addiction, only to see a different one pop up.

That happened to me a few years ago. Worries about money and career led me to start playing the lottery. It progressed to me spending hundreds of dollars some weeks, and trying to cover up my losses.

Just over a year ago, I came clean to my spouse and entered a 12-step recovery-based program: Celebrate Recovery. This week I celebrated one year free of the compulsion to gamble. That is what the cake in my AI graphic represents.

If you or a loved one has begun recovery for an addiction, be vigilant to see any other addiction take hold.