‘I’m a Recovering Addict. Will I Ever Recover, Financially?’

I’m 37 and I spent most of my 20s and early 30s dealing with mental illness. Long story short, I was severely depressed and struggled with addictions that made it hard to hold down a job or maintain my physical health. Through a mix of incredible luck and support from AA, I managed to get sober two years ago, and I’m now gainfully employed (I do administrative work at a doctor’s office) with health insurance and everything.

While I’m relieved to be in a place of relative stability, I know that I will be working to overcome my past for the rest of my life. One of the biggest ways it affects me is that my finances are absolute shit. My credit score is terrible (in the 400s, last time I had the courage to check it), I have student loans despite never finishing college (about $18,000, I think), and I owe about $9,000 in credit-card debt. I don’t even really know where to begin with this, especially since maintaining a functional life is relatively new for me. I can recover from my depression and my addictions, day by day, but will I ever recover from them financially? I feel like I’ll be paying for this for the rest of my life and I’ll never really catch up.

If you’re stocking up for a Fourth of July barbecue this weekend, don’t forget the Colachup. Speaking of things you shouldn’t eat, the World Health Organization is preparing to label aspartame “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” Beginning Saturday, New Zealand will become the first country to ban the thin plastic bags used for fruit and vegetables in supermarkets. It’s raining drugs (in France). New research sheds light on why so many of us eat foods higher in fat and sugar when we’re stressed. Furby’s turning 25 and celebrating with a makeover. Why post-Roe abortion restrictions worry domestic-violence experts. And don’t forget to mark your calendar for Slurpee Day.

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