Gifts Of Sobriety We asked these clean and sober folks with various lengths of recovery time what they consider the greatest gifts of sobriety in the past year. INTELLECTUAL EXPANSION “This past year was the year of intellectual expansion for me. I learned to lean more into the nuances instead of the noise. I didn’t…
Sue Dunlap, President & CEO Planned Parenthood LA, on how shame and stigma can affect all of us in both subtle and significant ways. When I walk into the office each day, I know I have an important job to do. I have the honor of leading a team that cares for nearly 1,000 people each…
Living In Gratitude With the holiday season upon us—we asked these three clean and sober individuals how they factor gratitude into their recovery. ENJOY FRIENDSHIPS “Gratitude smashes my ego. It’s keeps me out of self. I can swim in self-pity. I can swim in ‘I want more’. For me, sobriety has to be enough.…
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)—struggling with body image issues—can be a life-long challenge. BY BRENT HEINZE One of the aspects of queer life is how we relate to our bodies. Some of us may feel we’re too chubby or too skinny, or that we do not have enough muscle, lacking the beach-ready body sculpted from hours…
LOS ANGELES 10,000 Participate In AIDS Walk LA The 34th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles attracted approximately 10,000 participants last month in Downtown Los Angeles. The walk to end AIDS by raising money for AIDS research, is a 6.2-mile fundraising that began and ended at L.A. City Hall in Grand Park. Various celebrities attended the…
Seeking Volunteers Study: treatment of abdominal obesity with daily injections of tesamorelin for six months to improve cognition in HIV+ individuals. BY VICTOR MELAMED Borrego Health has two Specialty Care clinics offering a number of primary services targeted toward those in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as those in treatment for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, PrEP…
Another Year Sober We asked these three clean and sober individuals what it is like for them to recently be celebrating another year of sobriety. Navigate My Life “Drugs and alcohol gave me wings, but took away the sky. Celebrating three years is a miracle. I’m still in the process of cleaning up the wreckage…
Steven Ganzell, Ph.D. Therapists try to create a space and a relationship that allows you to examine your concerns and understand them. BY DR. STEVE GANZELL Most people don’t go to therapy because they have a serious mental illness. Most people try therapy because they feel stuck or are grappling with an issue they don’t quite understand. …
7 reasons why choosing an LGBTQ-affirmative program matters. BY MANNY RODRIGUEZ | PHOTO BY AARON JAY YOUNG There is much to consider when choosing a treatment program for substance abuse and addiction, but one of the most important aspects of this process is to make sure the facility of your choice takes all your needs, even those…
MATTHEW BIANCHI Pride Recovery LA delivers evidence-based addiction treatment to serve the whole queer person. BY MATTHEW BIANCHI | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM LGBTQ people are outsiders everywhere they go. Sure, “things get better,” but “better” is in comparison to centuries of “other.” Under the best of circumstances, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) people are…
Undetectable—Untransmittable Confidence in the protective power of an undetectable viral load is strengthened by receiving consistent test results, study reports. BY VICTOR MELAMED Having a relationship based on trust, commitment and familiarity helps gay men rely on undetectable viral load as a means of HIV prevention, according to interviews with HIV-positive and HIV-negative members of…
Keep Coming Back We asked a few local clean and sober individuals why they stay sober and what they do to maintain their continuous recovery. HAVE CONTROL “I’m sober because I choose to be alive and I choose to have control over my life. When I’m sober, I am able to be loved and…
Dangerous COMPLACENCY Urgent change in approach is needed, researchers warn. The HIV pandemic is not on track to end by 2030 and current approaches to HIV control are not enough to control it, according to a new Lancet Commission led by the International AIDS Society, reports Science Daily. Changes to the HIV response are needed…
Breakthrough Vaccine We may be one giant step closer to solving HIV thanks to a new vaccine set to start human trials next year. A new experimental vaccine regimen, tailor made to fit of the structure of a vulnerable region on HIV, generated antibodies in mice, guinea pigs and monkeys, and it neutralized dozens of HIV strains.…
Summer Fun We asked a few local sober folks with various lengths of recovery time, how they make sobriety fun during the summer months. EVERYDAY LIFE “Here’s the thing, I enjoy all the things that I thought would be boring in sobriety. I thought nightlife was the most fun thing that I could do.…
My 12 Step Store offers custom chips for all recovery programs. BY PAULO MURILLO Chip Mart–a division of the My 12 store, the recovery gift store located at 8730 Santa Monica Boulevard, is coming up on one year of providing inspirational custom chips for all 12-step programs of recovery. Chip Mart specializes in chips that…
BACK TO THE FUTURE? Doctors issue warning about HTLV-1 virus, an ancient cousin of HIV: “Prevalence is off the charts.” A doctor is sounding the alarm over the spread of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1, or HTLV-1, a cousin of the far better known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HLTV-1 infections are surpassing 40% in some…
