I got sober 33 years ago. I don't say that to impress you — I say it because it's the only real credential I have for writing this. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a therapist. I'm someone who was exactly where you are right now, who didn't know if he'd make it to day 30, let alone day 33 of anything, let alone 33 years.

The first 90 days get talked about a lot in recovery circles, and for good reason: it's the stretch where the odds are most against you, and it's also the stretch where the foundation for everything after gets built — or doesn't. This isn't a medical guide and it isn't a substitute for treatment, a doctor, or a program. It's the plain-language version of what I wish someone had told me, and what I've since told hundreds of other people walking through this exact door.

You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.Often attributed to Dr. King, and true anyway

Here's the promise of this guide: no lectures, no shame, no pretending this is easy. Just what actually happens in these 90 days, and what actually helps.