To Hell And Back

Aug 15, 2023
3 min

7) The Golden Paste

Base is a street drug found in much of South America, though its origins are in the Andes. Called basuco in the Spanish Andes--derived...

Aug 4, 2023
4 min

4) Sex Work by Day...

I moved to Ecuador in September of 2009 to conduct my doctoral research on sex work in Quito's red-light district. I was studying at New...

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To Hell and Back is a blog describing my harrowing descent into cocaine addiction and depression, and my long road back to recovery. My blog's aim is to inspire other addicts and individuals struggling with mental health challenges to show that there is a way out. Recovery is possible.

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FROM HELL TO RECOVERY: MY PERSONAL JOURNEY

Oct 23, 2023
5 min

20) Cold Water Therapy

Present tense: October 23, 2023, Cape Town, South Africa. I am currently living at Liberty House, a sober living facility in Cape Town. I...

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Oct 20, 2023
5 min

19) Validation Junkie

Yes, I was a junkie. Down and out, hopelessly addicted to cocaine. I was as bad as it gets: days-long benders, horrific crashes, stealing...

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Oct 10, 2023
4 min

18) I deserve it

This idea, that I “deserve it” fueled my drug use for a very long time. In fact, this rationalization was present from the beginning. I...

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Sep 26, 2023
3 min

17) The Art of Flipping

It's all in the eyes--the eyes. That's what the sex workers used to say. They would stare men down as they walked down the...

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Sep 19, 2023
4 min

16) One Year Sober!

Today is an exciting milestone for me. I am 365 days clean. 365 days of continuous sobriety. It is a tremendous achievement, as I had...

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Sep 12, 2023
3 min

15) A woman for everyone

When I first showed up on the streets, I mistakenly thought that jealousy would be the largest challenge among the sex workers. I thought...

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Sep 4, 2023
3 min

14) Hierarchies on the streets

The hierarchy that existed among the sex workers was incredibly complex and took me years to unpack. Where do I begin? First of all, the...

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ABOUT ME

Welcome to my blog! I am Anna Wilking. I'm a Cultural Anthropologist, PhD, specializing in gender, sex, and sexuality, and an LMSW, currently residing in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm from NYC where I worked as a therapist at an outpatient mental health clinic in Manhattan. In this blog, I share my personal journey of struggling with addiction, depression, and my path to recovery. I hope my story will inspire others who are going through similar struggles. The place that saved my life: https://www.steppingstones.co.za/

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MY PICK OF THE MONTH

Stay tuned for my recommendations for books, articles, social media posts and more

Every month, I will be sharing my favorite books, articles, and resources related to addiction, depression, and recovery. Stay tuned for my top picks!

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COCAINE, DEPRESSION, AND ME