I am very happy and grateful to be two years sober, but I wish I’d known then, what I know now. This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking. We welcome anyone who wishes to join in by asking for support, sharing our https://www.djrotterdam.info/5-takeaways-that-i-learned-about-9/ experiences and stories, or just encouraging someone who is trying to quit.
Why Does Alcohol Make Me Sleepy? + When To Worry
I’m often reminded of how being “just sober” sucks. I have half a decade without drugs and alcohol, but sometimes I’m more miserable than I ever was when I was getting high. The difference between then and now is that I have tools to get back to true freedom–where all the nonsense I am putting myself through mentally has no validity. It is not the mere fact that I am away from mind-altering substances, but it is because of the spiritual actions that can free my mind from itself. Becoming sober isn’t just about abstaining from alcohol. It’s a subversive, hardcore choice to take your life into your own hands.
How you feel today — no matter how boring, stifling, angering, or depressing it may be — will be different tomorrow. Your feelings will look different in a day, a week, a month, and a year, so look to the future with optimism. I have since learned I am not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. 65% of all those in recovery gain weight, and if you struggle with an alcohol problem, there’s a strong chance you may also be fighting anxiety, depression, mood swings or compulsive behavior. These unanticipated obstacles to wellbeing have the capacity to derail an otherwise smooth sailing recovery.
Some people sober up, but they’re still jerks.
This isn’t to say that all of your friends will be threatened, or that all of your friendships will change. Some will certainly remain, but even those aren’t necessarily long-game friendships. Sobriety is kind of like the fast-pass line at Disneyland, except the ride is growing up. Just because it “seems” like things will never change, that is not actually the case. The nature of life is change, no matter what.
Tips For Growing Up My 20 Years of Recovery
- You can always improve how you fare in sobriety by looking at where you can improve your quality of life.
- This is important to remember when thinking about boredom.
- So much of this list is not just about finding things to do, but treating the underlying causes of extreme boredom in sobriety.
- Plus I think they actually motivated me to do healthier things.
- Nobody told me this side effect of long-term sobriety.
When the smallest things could mesmerize you? From being outside sweaty, running around and playing with bugs in the mud, to laughing at farts (I still do that) and wrestling with your friends. There is such a calm presence with children because they haven’t yet been mentally affected by themselves. They don’t care about yesterday or tomorrow. They don’t care about what he or she thinks.
It’s why nothing seems fun or exciting, and you struggle to motivate yourself to have a good time. So you lost your job and it wasn’t your fault. But complaining about it not being fair, and focusing on the injustice of it all will just make you feel down and make you more likely to fall deeper into the “poor me” trap. Even though breakups, job losses, and an unexpected death of a friend or family member, can be devastating, they will all happen at some point. And you need to know that you can make it through without relapsing. Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.
I know, I know, this website is called “Recovery Connection” and it is designed to encourage those who are suffering the slings and arrows of addiction to get help. It is also an educational tool for addiction https://www.manchesterunitedjersey.us/2023/12/28/the-best-advice-about-ive-ever-written-13/ professionals and those in recovery, and I am here to tell you I had some unexpected lessons to learn when I became sober. In the meantime, the Soberish community is here to support you and help you get there. This is the part where you figure out how to enjoy life without a little something extra to help loosen you up. If you have the time, sign on to a longer-term project like helping with this year’s charity bake sale or the big 5K race your city holds yearly. You’ll get to meet new people and be a part of something positive.
Alcohol artificially boosts serotonin and dopamine in your brain.
It’s important to remember that you never have to give yourself up to make other people comfortable—ever. Whether you’re stating a one-sentence response (“I don’t drink”) or using a small excuse, the only thing to consider is whether you are comfortable, and whether your boundaries are being upheld. It’s seen as normal to drink, and quitting that drug can feel like breaking a social pact. So your bold, life-improving decision to not drink will mean changes almost everywhere you look. Here are some surprising (and not-so-surprising) occurrences that will inevitably happen to your relationships, your identity, even your free time, and how I’ve learned to deal with each one. And when I couldn’t seem to get ready in time, or when my purse was a tangle of wadded keys and gum wrappers I felt so bereft.
- It doesn’t take long for thoughts to become words and words to become actions.
- Join Recovery Connection in sharing stories of hope and recovery.
- Recovery and sobriety are often complicated.
- It’s not as simple as “getting out there” and “trying something new.” It’s hard to do that when you suffer from extreme depression and anhedonia.
- When I was in my healing phase I got a dog and as my then-mentor said, he’s helping open up your heart chakra.
Or maybe those crotchety old-timers like to complain about life. Or the newcomer has unrealistic expectations and judges others unfairly. Perhaps some just prefer to behave like jerks. Acceptance of one another and each individual’s right to walk her own path is the solution. Even if you are making one small choice to improve how you feel each day, like working out more or eating better, track it. You can then consistently look back, see how far you’ve come, and assess what you have accomplished along the way.
The Downside of Sobriety: The 6 Things No One Tells You Might Happen If You Quit Drinking
- On the one hand, you have no idea what you’re supposed to do with yourself.
- Sobriety doesn’t necessarily turn you into Liz Lemon, but it can give you the clarity to understand that you’ve been Liz Lemon your whole life.
- We invite you to share your journey of recovery and be featured on Recovery Connection!
- But also, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved in activities around your community.
- I ignored her frustration with me, and rather, focussed on all the things that made me frustrated about her.
But when life sucks, staying sober can be more than hard, it can feel like it’s next to impossible. When I was drinking, it never occurred to me that I was an introvert. I would have classified myself as someone who loved to be around people and go out with them at night.
Relationship Journal Prompt Download
It’s likely your doctor will order some bloodwork, which can be the start of your path to physical recovery. If nothing else, it starts to chip away at any notion you might have that you’re unworthy. Volunteer at your local shelter or thrift store. Sign up to do some work in your community garden. So you deal with the unglamorous parts until you’re able to sweetly serenade the masses with your rendition of Wonderwall.
My second dog, the Yulin rescue, was a project because of his separation anxiety. But working with him and watching his progress made me love him even more. I don’t think anyone has ever loved me as much as my rescue dog does. I’ve spent the last seven years researching and understanding alcoholism, addiction, and how people get sober. Additionally, I examine the way mental and physical health as well as our relationships with others impact the reasons people drink and their role in maintaining sobriety long-term. I took my last drink on December 19, 2016.
