Received my first text asking if I want to go out and get a margarita. I politely said no ty but I’m so angry that I can’t. Does it get easier to say no or eventually do you just go and get a soda
You’re not alone in feeling angry. Eric has angry music playlists and he used to walk for hours, listening to them, in his early sobriety - here’s one playlist here:
You are not alone. It takes time but it does get better.
Playlists are a great idea!
It depends how far along in the 12 steps you are. Do you have a sponsor? Its not recommended in the beginning stages of your sobriety because its easy to slip and fall back into your comfort. Instead of going for drinks request todo something different. A nature walk, shopping, movies, even hanging out at a park.
I just started sobriety this week. I’m definitely not there yet. I should have suggested something else to do but I got so mad at myself! I would be a total bitch for company
Everything gets easier, I promise.
This is my second time around. I’m 1.5 months in this time. I wouldn’t recommend going to a bar. That said I have zero issue going to a bar to eat lunch or dinner. Even if the person I’m with is drinking. It’s just not my trigger.
However, this is a big however even when I was drinking I’d go to bars at lunch or dinner and not drink. I’m just not the type of person who likes to drink when I still have stuff to do. I have friends who absolutely love to drink a 12 pack and work in the yard. Not me. Play is play and work is work.
Meeting a friend for a drink is a definite hard no for me. The whole purpose is to drink. Zero chance I meet that friend. I don’t watch games until midnight at bars, I don’t meet friends at bars etc. you’ll find the longer you do this the less interesting you’ll find going to a bar or meeting a friend for a drink.
Now the same friend I use to get drinks with on Thursday evenings I meet at the gym and we BS on the treadmill. He’s a work out junkie so he’d rather do that than drink anyway. You’ll find that actually doing things is way more fun than sitting around drinking.
It won’t always be this way if you engage in a sobriety/recovery program/routine. It’s about changing your perception and understand of alcohol in your life. Acceptance is key. Congrats on making such a solid decision. Try to find some sober people you can socialize with. It’s fun to be sober.
Cut yourself some slack. There are always opportunities to get together and they don’t need to involve alcohol. In the early it helps a lot to just say no and stay away from bars abd restaurants and parties and such. Why tempt yourself before you have built any sober muscles. Plus, like you said, we are all angry as eff for awhile…and edgy, jittery, ready to pop off…just not much fun to be around. That doesn’t last and neither does needing to say no to get togethers…but…and it is a big but we do need to spend some time building some resilience and strength and confidence in sobriety. It takes time, depending on how long you drank for and how much and more.
Maybe suggest a walk with a friend or grab a coffee or a yoga class or movie…stuff like that. Or hole up at home and self soothe with puzzles, bath time, sleep, whatever.
It definitely gets easier and more comfortable…with time. I don’t mean like a few weeks or even months. It took us awhile to get where we are…it will take time to dig ourselves back out and discover new and healthier ways of engaging with friends and the world.
Once we begin to realize the only things we are missing out on are stuff like hangovers, hangxiety, depression, bad decisions, waking up where?, feeling like isht, etc…well life opens up.
until suddenly we don’t want to play anymore and then even play becomes hard work.
It gets easier in time. Stay dedicayed and youkk feel amazing about saying no.
I totally understand how your feeling, I am newly sober almost 4 days. Before I started this Journey I had received a party invite for New Year’s Eve with some old friends. I received a second email about the time and place on my 1st day of being sober. All it talked about was alcohol and how much fun we all will have, I really want to see them but now I am not sure. They are not the type to urge me on to drink but just to be sitting there with it in my sight, I am worried.
Welcome I’m on day 2 over here and will 100% be staying at home safely wrapped in a blanket with some herbal tea. I have told everyone my dog is scared of fireworks so I can’t go out. I don’t trust myself and I am just not there yet. Maybe next year but for now I need to protect myself.
Hey welcome to the community. I get wanting to go out, and not miss out on time with friends. But I guarantee you, if you put yourself in positions where there’s gonna be a lot of triggers to drink, you’re not gonna have a good chance at sobriety. Tell your people what you’re doing and make plans to do something with them another day where alcohol isn’t involved. It won’t always be this way, but in the beginning at least give yourself a fighting shot
Good plan.