I desperately need to get sober. Alcohol is ruining my life and I’m hurting the people I love. I don’t know how to handle my stress well and every day I find myself overwhelmed. Can any of you share any protips for how to handle your sober journey? This is my first day and I really don’t want to mess up anymore.
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Get rid of any booze in the house. Write down why you want sobriety. Go to an aa meeting
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Thank you! I will try that.
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Hi and welcome my friend. Here are some tips from a bunch of us here with a little more sober time.
Your #1 tip for sobriety (over 2 years sober)
Life is way less stressful once you get through the early parts of getting sober.
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Hey man, welcome!
Stress drinking was one of my issues too.
So the thing is, the longer you drink the more addicted you become. The more addicted you become, the more intense the withdrawls.
Mild Alcohol withdrawl symptoms mimics the some of the same symtoms of stress, so add in a little stress, mixed with mild withdrawls and boom! Drinking relieves the withdrawal symptoms so it feels like drinking relieves stress, but it doesn’t. It’s a vicious cycle!
Quitting long term will help reduce stress by removing the withdrawal symptoms, making life much more manageable.
It all starts with one day, take it one day at a time and you will soon start reaping the benefits of sobriety!
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I’m on 18 days … the first week is so unbelievably hard. I literally felt like I couldn’t live without getting smashed every night for over a year straight. My uncle said something that really hit home during that week … “You just have to get the f*$% away from it.” I’m still healing physically of course, but I’m just amazed at how eventually the cravings and thoughts got less and less the more I get away from it. I have to imagine hopefully it will just keep getting easier as time goes by. It is incredible how it hijacks your thoughts and keeps you really depressed when you don’t have it and you feel like you can’t do anything social without it. Once enough time passes the amazing thing that happened for me is I found myself being even more social without it and I didn’t have to worry anymore about “smelling” or having someone wonder what was wrong with me (or especially God forbid a lecture on drinking which only made me want to drink more) Also the guilt I felt 18 days ago seems to have gradually dissipated. I’m not even sure what I felt guilty about anymore. I know you can do it. Hell, if I can you certainly can. For me the thing I remember is just how much better I feel. And quite simply, I’d rather feel better than like shit. I’m here fighting the battle with you, my friend. Best of wishes.
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Welcome Hakeem. I was not addicted to alcohol at the time I sought help,just weed and opiates. I can only speak to what worked for me as I approach 500 days. Twenty-eight days at an in-patient rehab facility really helped. Learned a lot and got an accurate psych eval and proper meds. When I left I knew I needed group support and therapy. Most everybody I interact with here goes to AA meetings. It works. I do something else but it doesn’t matter. What matters is peer support. You’ll find loads of that here too. It’s great that you reached out. You will find support and tips on staying sober here. Glad you found us and I look forward to hearing more from you. ODAAT is your best approach.
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It’s difficult. I’m not big into AA but notice that giving up alcohol is the first of twelve steps. Why are there twelve? You stop drinking and that’s that?
An addiction meets a fundamental need you have. Granted, not very well. You return to a habit that you know is destructive. There must be some benefit. There must be some “pro.” What is it doing for you?
That’s a really personal question. A craving is a craving to meet a need. Next time you crave, ask yourself what you really want. What is that feeling, really? Sit with it. What are you missing by not drinking?
Picture a life where you’re content being present, pursuing interests, feeling connected. Where does booze fit in?
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Welcome! I’m also new to sobriety. I have a very stressful job. I can tell you the more sober time a get the more I’m able to regulate my emotions. In the past I’ve been very reactionary but now I find I respond vs react.
I also workout to manage my stress. Keep checking in here there is always support
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Thank you Dana. I also workout quite frequently. It’s just lately I’ve found that even that doesn’t bring me joy anymore. I think I’ve really let this alcohol thing get the best of me and now it always feels like every activity I’m doing that isn’t paired with a drink is just droll and unfulfilling.
I appreciate your response and I’m going to do my best to check in here daily.
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Therapy, groups, meditation, distance(time) from last drink, workbooks, the four agreements book… ummmm being plugged into a community, daily positive readings… all these things have been tools for me.
That changes in sobriety but it takes time for you to start getting the joy back without a drink, ive learned that in sobriety youve got to re learn patience…nothing comes quickly there is no instant gratification anymore…but when the rewards from sobriety come they are tenfold and worth waiting for such as finding the fun and joy out of life just for what it is.
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Im starting again ,for me it was accepting yes i am a alcoholic, i cant ever have a drink i tried to be normal it doesn’t ever work ,accepting that my drinking has changed and wont ever go back to normal, accepting i dont want to live my life like this hurting people i love fucking up my life making a fool of myself ,going to a meeting at 10 ,making more effort to stay sober ,write a list of the benefits of drinking versus the cons ,stay active ,clean be around people you love ,ggod luck you will do it
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I relate to having no joy. For me, the longer I’m sober the more joy I find in my daily activities.
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Maybe try a meeting they will help . take it from someone who went to meetings and has staid sober not who has experience wish you well
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