Besides this group, what other sources are you using for your journey

Advice & Questions
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Hi!

So I am almost sober for a whole day now. The longest i have gone in years has been a month. I don’t always drink to oblivion but lately have started blacking out. Not even drinking that much. I started using Kudzu root and wondered if that was why I was blacking out. I have past episodes of blacking out but thought that I had stopped drinking that much. At the beginning of the year I had planned on this year being the year, but then the desire faded and I started drinking pretty much every day with a day off here and there. In the past I have used the 30 days of sobriety book which I got a lot of great tools and insight From. I have tried working out and feeling good but never stick with it. I started reading more, doing crafts etc. I journaled a lot the last time I was sober. I meditated and did yoga. What helps you stick to it? I always seem to give up or make excuses. What other things have you used to help stick with it or just healthy habits in general?

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AA, exercise and some reading/journaling have done me wonders this time around. And the fine people of this forum, for sure!

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So far for me, it has been yoga, reading, this app, and talking to others who have been through the same…

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Aa, groups & literature. Tried on my own for endless amount. Now with the help of aa (& ofcourse ts!) Im doing better :slight_smile:

Edit i did also try f exp yoga & brain tumor, but they didnt help, so with my experience id say that not giving aa a try is pure madness

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Music… just been listening to A LOT of music lately… still depressed, but better than drinking.

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Walking the dog, yoga, reading, cooking and enjoying life hangover free, i feel much more motivated !

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Ive just restarted cooking proper meals again this helps in two ways. 1 i eat much better and healthier. 2 it keeps my mind off drinking!
I meditate, starting yoga soon. I go to meditation classes also and reikki energy healing sessions.
Reading though ive neglected that recently need to restart that!
Lots of walking and i also go swimming.
Lots of browsing on here some days i post alot others i dont atall depends on my mind.
And mainly i am being kind to myself some days i feel like doing nothing atall so i take the oppurtunity to rest and not feel guilty for it!

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I used to get reiki done. It helped me years ago after my aunt died. I was having dreams about her and my grandfather. It was really weird, I was having a drink with both of them. This was when I was like 18 and in culinary school. Anyways she ended up dying about a month later. She was an alcoholic and passed at age 40. My grandfather is also an alcoholic though he doesn’t drink anymore. Super scary to think about now that I’m 30 and having drinking problems. The reiki helped me get past that at the time, it was amazing the experience I had I loved it. My issue with finding things to do right now is, I work mornings about 630-2 then I have to pick my son up from school by that time it’s 3 pm get home make dinner also have a two year old. By the time routines are done bc dinner is very important for me (when I’m not on a bender) it seems like it’s 6 o’clock and I’ve only got 2 hours before bedtime and I’m usually exhausted. I’ve been doing puzzles. It’s been a great way to use my brain. Would like to start meditating again. I use the app Insight Timer. There’s a lot of great guided meditations. Sorry if this is all to much, not sure if this is what this app is intended for. Just sort of jumped on the reiki comment and it made me think about a lot. I don’t get a lot of free time because of my young kids, so im trying to find things I can do in my house after bedtime.

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This is my toolbox:

  • No alcohol in my house
  • Refrigerator filled with nice food and alc. free drinks
  • Telling my spouse about my sober plan
  • Avoid alcohol related activities and friends (at least in the beginning)
  • Having a day counter
  • Avoid wine/beer section in the supermarket and avoid liquor store
  • Taking a strong vitamine B complex
  • Taking melatonin to help me sleep
  • Be gentle to myself, like go to bed early, taking a long bath, etc.
  • I do relaxing activaties like meditate, yoga or walking.
  • When I have cravings: I don’t pick up that first one but I walk, run, work out, eat chocolat, watch Netflix, clean, study, whatever.
  • Ask for help when I need it.
  • Be here every day to read and check in sober.

I celebrate every milestone and on the very special ones I buy something nice for myself! 🤸

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I am definitely going to put some of these in to play. Day two, going to work again. It’s usually an after work I’m exhausted and hungry just gonna have a drink till I make dinner thing.

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I go to AA meetings 2x a week. I listen to positive affirmations and pray everyday. I listen to Recovery Elevator podcast. I read.

Once the weather gets better I’m going to start jogging again. I need to start at the beginning again…it’s probably been 2 years since I laced up my shoes. Hoping for a 5k this summer.

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This app, church, and working out. I also listen to positive affirmations at night on youtube to gelp change my thinking

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Thanks for the podcast idea!

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14

My recovery plan has included…

Being active on the following apps…

Talking Sober
Reddit r/stopdrinking
Women for Sobriety (WFS)
Soberistas
She Recovers

Yin yoga, bicycle riding, HIIT fitness classes, hatha yoga, walking, yoga nidra, running, hiking

Meditation and sleep meditations

No wine in house

Journaling

Hot epsom baths or soaking in the hot tub (especially helpful when anxious)

Drinking a LOT of LaCroix, now I drink water and tea

Reading and rereading a LOT of sober memoirs/novels (there is a great list of them on here)

Keeping a list of how I want to live my life/what sobriety offers…I keep it on my phone and when I start thinking, hey, maybe just one glass of wine, I read my list and remember how desperate and unhappy drinking made me. Here is some of that list…

No hangovers ever!!

Treating my husband with respect and no drunk fighting

Self respect gets a major boost

No more internal conflict about drinking and if/how can I cut down or stop

Restful restorative uninterrupted sleep!!!

Major pride in myself and all that I have and can accomplish

A sense of peace and calm

No more embarrassment and shame because of my behavior

Forgiving myself for past mistakes and terrible judgement

No wondering what I did or how I hurt husband or others while drunk

No treating people I love, including myself, poorly while drunk

No drunk driving and possibly hurting self or others or jail

No upset stomach from drinking

No anxiety and near constant agitation when hungover

No dark suicidal thoughts

No shame around neighbors if I was loud and yelling or loud music

No blackouts ever

No overwhelming shame at my behavior

No oversharing with strangers while drunk or making plans I will need to cancel

Not having to check my phone in the middle of the night to delete social media posts - no drunk texting/emails/posts/calls

Not be bloated and puffy and look haggard

Clear skin and eyes

Major pride in myself and a boost in self esteem

No hangovers ever again

No more excuses or lies

Peace of mind

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Talk about working on your sobriety. And taking care of yourself. Wow. Keep it going @SassyRocks.

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Never be sorry! Thankyou for replying to me :slight_smile: i am using reikki to help me heal from my past and also alot of grief ive already lost my grandad, grandma, brother and my mum (which was the abs worst time of my life) unfortunately i used alcohol to cover that grief ao never dealt with it properly.
I have just spent 4 hours cleaning my house pulled all sofas out etc one way to keep busy haha.
I get what you mean with routine through the week i work long hours and at night i literally make tea and go to bed to read etc but ive accepted that now and i make sure i relax before going to sleep i have a do not disturb function on my phone that comes on at 8pm too.
I have not used insight timer yet but i have downloaded it so ill try it soon :slight_smile:

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Lol, this is me today. In the months I’ve been sober and working through the inner conflict I’ve still avoided obvious outward things that gnawed at me.

All of the things are connected though. Mind, body, heart and soul each need attention. Yesterday I spent hours clearing clutter in my life I couldn’t be bothered to before. Today I move on to the dust…

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AA (the works, sponsor, meetings + stepwork), individual therapy, NA, Antabuse for first 9 months, rehab+IOP+aftercare, doing service, exercising occasionally :slight_smile: kept myself clean and sober for 2 and a half years as of march 19 that way

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Thank you for this! God, sooo many of the things i cringe at myself about. Im saving this to my phone to refer to.

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Exactly! And boy, do they add up if your drinking career spans as many decades as mine. Sigh. Live and learn and grow!!