Sobriety is not all roses and reggae, after all, and those who are in a position to help, will always stress the indisputable fact that being clear-headed is better than being a drunk. 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 professionals and those in recovery, and I am here to tell you I had some unexpected lessons to learn when I became sober.
When being sober sucks
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They’ll be much happier that you reached out now, before you picked up, then afterwards, when a relapse has already happened. You can make up your own mind about what you think about all this. But what I’ve heard, and what makes sense to me, is that everyone has their own bottom based on who they are. For me, it was throwing up out of a black Toyota Camry on the BQE and missing my best friend’s birthday. Much less marketable, but it was the moment I realized that alcohol was making my life harder. One person’s bottom could be another person’s top.
Being sober sucks
It truly is one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Having been the person who was leery of sober people while still drinking, I totally get it. Nobody wants to party with the Ghost of Christmas Future.
Remember what life was like when every moment was chaos and unmanageable. Remember how family and friends wouldn’t return calls or didn’t trust to leave you alone. And you’ll remember what you’ve got to fight for. One of the easiest ways to forget your own problems what is Oxford House is to give back to people less fortunate than yourself. When you’re feeling low, instead of sitting at home in isolation feeling sorry for yourself, get up and head to the local soup kitchen or veteran’s association.
Remember the Cost of Addiction
I drank because feeling discomfort and uncertainty was epically tragic for me. Sitting with pain or unease seemed impossible. I had been a fixer all my life, and waiting? It just happens to us, like all the freaking time. When things seem to be going down hill, you must remember that bad things happen to people all the time. That being sober sucks includes not becoming a victim to life’s circumstances.
It’s normal to feel actual heartache, sob for hours, order yourself takeout twice in one day, and eat ice cream while watching garbage rom-coms. It’s just hard to explain to people that you’re going to be useless for a few weeks because you have actual love for gin. I didn’t want to be one of those weird sober people.
- If you’re not clutching a jug with three X’s on it, you’re simply not eligible.
- It’s important to view these events not as failures but as opportunities for learning and growth.
- Because of that, you start to calcify your routines around alcohol, and you lose track of what’s fun besides drinking.
I was inspired to revisit the topic after reading a recent post by Heather Lowe, called Sober is Boring and I Have Lost Friends. The main thing you realize when you swear off alcohol is that alcohol is fucking everywhere. It’s on the label of the soap in your parents’ guest bathroom.
- 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.
- It’s the matter of action, how you treat yourself the way you wanted to be treated by others.
- We all have to do it, but I try to give it less attention.
Plus, your antidepressants can’t make you any less depressed if you’re ingesting large amounts of depressants every day. For some reason, there’s a huge backlash now against 12-step programs and how they’re all culty and shamey and ineffective. You don’t see flabby people telling you that CrossFit is better than SoulCycle, so why are normal drinkers so chill with being all, “My uncle went to AA and he said they’re all Nazis”? Obviously, there are downsides to the program, but you’ll hear much more about them from people who have no experience. In a way, these panicked cartoons have a point.
💙 Those with addiction may benefit from our session on Working with Addiction from the Daily Calm. 💙 Awaken your potential by exploring the world around you and developing interests outside of substances by Saying Yes to Life. 💙 Explore the importance of Embracing Fears and how accepting what you’re afraid of can help you make changes.