It’s football Sunday… My boyfriend is out at the bar with our friends and I chose to stay back because I am not even 2 full days sober and I didn’t think I would be able to handle it/knew I’d get out of control if I went. Sundays at the bar during football season are a trigger. I am just feeling left out. Sad. Depressed. I hope I’ll get to a point that I can hang out with everyone again. For now I am meal prepping for the week…reading…trying to stay positive and busy with healthy activities.
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You should be SO, SO, SO, very proud of yourself for displaying the wisdom to pass on the bar. I see so many people on these threads thinking they’ll be ok to along and then wonder what happened when they have to start over. That action alone shows that you’re willing to do what it takes to stick to what’s best for YOU. Couple that with your reaching out and posting in here for support, you’ve just done amazing things for yourself, and you’ve done well. Congratulations. Big time. Keep coming back here! May I suggest my favorite thread, Daily Gratitude, the Air of recovery. It is helping me rewire and retrain my brain to see things in a perspective that serve my recovery. I’m so glad you’re here!
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Sounds like a cool plan to me! 
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Thank you SO MUCH! 
this is all new for me. I’ve never done this before. I quit drinking once for 3 months without a community like this I’ve never been to any meetings (still haven’t) and went right back to it. It wasn’t until recently I realized how my drinking was affecting my life my mental health and relationships and found this community. I actually have no idea what I’m doing I just know I want to feel better and live a healthy lifestyle and alcohol can not be part of my life anymore. I wanted to go with them so bad today, but I am glad I didn’t. I will go check out that thread. Thank you for the support.
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Hey there, congrats on being strong enough to say NO…that’s huge. I definitely had to interrupt my way of living for a while in order to get sober. I did not go to any bars for the first year, which Left me out of a lot socially. My whole life revolved around drinking and going to bars, so….it was NOT an easy shift. I didn’t really know what to do or how to be if I wasn’t doing the thing that took up all my hours outside work.
Over time though, as my body and mind healed, I began to find a new groove. Going to the gym, taking hikes to beautiful places with my partner and dogs, going to a cafe for a cup of coffee and a good book or good game of chess etc.
This was stuff I NEVER even considered when I was partying, and now…the idea of wasting a Sunday away at a bar is something I see as foreign, not enticing in ANY way, and honestly, I see it for what it was: a bunch of drunks using any excuse to escape life and drink the day away.
You’re doing amazing things by saying no. I hope you’re proud of yourself. I sure am. Is there something good that you can do for yourself right now? Attend a meeting? Read or listen to a book/podcast about sobriety? Take a bath? Make yourself an indulgent snack? Watch a guilty pleasure movie? ANYTHING is better than wasting the day and ending up drunk, anxious and hungover tomorrow💛
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Ur doing amazing!!! I like ur plan for urself tonight. Ur respecting urself and ur recovery journey.
Whenever i felt like i was “missing out” on something i reminded myself that i was missing out… I was missing out on a hangover, arguing, being broke and pawning my belonings, not remembering the evening, dehyradtion, regret, shame, health issues, resetting my recovery timer… the list goes on n on. U will be soo happy to get thru tonight and to realize ur own strength 
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Also: what are you cooking for the week?! Over here I’m doing:
Breakfast: alternate between a green smoothie, coconut yogurt with berries, and GF Norwegian crisp bread w egg and avocado
Other two meals rotating:
- white bean turkey chili with cilantro,lime and guac
-quinoa and roasted vegetables with either green goddess or spicy tahini sauce and some arugula tossed in.
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Thank you so much for your support! I really appreciate you taking the time! I did get myself into a good book and reminded myself I’m so grateful to not be drinking right now. I prepped some sausage egg cups and chicken in the crockpot with ranch seasoning, cream cheese and bacon 
Fruit for snacks
Tomorrow I have chili planned for the crock pot
Yours sounds amazing!!
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Oh well that chicken sounds heavenly! Creamy? Bacony? Ranchy?! It really checks all the boxes. What do you end up serving it with?
I also wanted to mention that (while not a sports person really…I only watched them at bars so that I could stay all day and drink and chat with people)
I DO now like to create healthier (and sometimes just BETTER BETTER) versions of bar food at home. Let’s the game be on and me feel festive, but keeps all the drinking far away.
Wings (Buffalo, Thai chili, lemon basil garlic and Parmesan), nachos (both standard and sometimes Tostones nachos made with fried mashed plantain), pork tacos or bbq ribs are all ones I like to tackle. Gives me something to put my energy towards with a tasty treat at the end that feels satisfying.
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I completely understand. I am 72 days sober, love football and the alcohol and festivities that go with football. After 72 days I just now can be present around those familiar triggers and not want the drink. I want sobriety more than the drink. I need my sober community more than the drink. I love who I am sober more than the drink. Your strength to know yourself and your triggers and then to take appropriate actions to protect yourself is amazing Grace carrying you through to the next day. You inspire me!
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That’ll be the alcoholic voice throwing it’s strop because it didn’t get it’s way. Ignore it. It sounds like a lovely wholesome, healthy day that you’re having.
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Thank you so much everyone I love this community so much already. I am so happy to say that it felt AMAZING to wake up and not be hungover this morning. And make it to work. The “old” me would have emailed my boss an excuse of why I needed to work from home bc I would have been too hungover to make it in. I am so very proud of myself! Here’s to another sober day!! 
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I just recently got out of treatment and am at my 98 day mark, but one of the benefits of that left me with numerous people that I am able to be around that are also sober and able to enjoy events such as Sunday football and such. I do have friends that still drink and invite me to hangout and yes it sometimes does get a little overwhelming, but sometimes you have to face the reality that no matter where or you may go the temptation is going to be there. The main point is to find that self-control in yourself and be able to utilize it.
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Just keep up the work day by day.
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Find a new hobby or passion to fill those days during football season. Maybe go to a movie. Figure out which film you’ll see, and plan to go. Get the popcorn and enjoy the big screen. No reason for you to stay home. Go to someplace that doesn’t revolve around drinking.
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Thank you I love this idea!!
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Holding relationships through recovery is so hard… Maybe that’s why people always say to drop old ties, but sometimes that’s just not possible.
You are so strong in making that decision to stay home! At some point you’ll be able to hang out with everyone again, but now is time for you. It’s clear that you know what’s best for you. Hope you can find peace in your new activities! Cooking with a mug of warm tea as these months get cooler and cooler helps me when I have cravings.
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Wow good for you for choosing to stay home and recognizing that going out might be too triggering for now.
Im sorry that you are feeling left out and sad, I know those feelings myself. Just keep trying to focus on the fact that you made the right choice. Maybe put on some music while you’re doing your meal prep and try to enjoy your time. You’re doing great and we’re all proud of you 
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