At the start of my journey recovering from alcohol use disorder, I quickly realized my addiction was the tip of the iceberg. I learned my compulsive drinking was an attempt to self-medicate an anxiety disorder, PTSD, OCD, and ADD. This understanding not only helped reduce my shame, but it strengthened my recovery because I learned how to address these disorders without alcohol. If you have found yourself exploring sobriety, and feeling overwhelmed by underlying mental illnesses or disorders, I want you to know it is entirely possible to manage them without substances.