Jolene* had been sober for 3 years, but the news about sunscreen potentially causing cancer threw her for a loop. It dredged up deep memories of blistering childhood sunburns on the family farm near Mission Hill, South Dakota. Her alcoholic father had insisted she work long hours with no protection, the searing pain fueling her lifelong fear of the sun, seasonal depression, and ultimately her own drinking issues to numb the mental anguish.

This news article triggered her in an unexpected way, the old wounds opening as she worried the very lotions meant to protect her may have actually been poisoning her slowly over time. Jolene slipped back into drinking for a few days, overcome with feelings of victimhood and anger at the injustice of it all.

But her sponsor and sober community refused to let her slide completely. They urged her to try the online Stepping Into Action program, which provides tools for addressing core traumas and negative patterns through expert-guided video lessons and workbooks. Jolene was skeptical at first but knew she had to try something to loosen the grip of her sunscreen obsession.

'I can't keep living in fear of the sun and whatever new crazy thing they say causes cancer next,' she said in an online group session. 'I have to focus on changing what I can control - my own mindset and reactions.'

Experts like dermatologists urged using mineral sunscreens, while some bloggers spouted claims that all sunscreens were toxic. The conflicting information made Jolene's head spin at first. But staying focused on her own healing path eventually gave her clarity - she didn't have to buy into any extreme stance, but could use reasonable sun protection while addressing her deeper underlying turmoil.

Though the online program couldn't erase Jolene's childhood, it gave her healthy coping methods to prevent her from relapsing into alcoholism whenever a new misinformation trigger arose. It was difficult to find quality virtual care options nearby in rural South Dakota, so having an affordable, effective program available online was key to maintaining her sobriety long-term.

Nearby: Wynot Nebraska, St. Helena Nebraska, Aten Nebraska, Menominee Nebraska, Saint James Nebraska, Bow Valley Mills Nebraska, South Yankton Nebraska