I signed up tonight to see if immersing myself in the community can a) help me with some of my repetitive issues / b) help some others when the opportunity arrises.
I knocked the drink / cigarettes on the head 2 days ago. I’m getting my usual kick back symptoms, slight nausea, insomnia, night sweats and generally just in a low mood. This I can handle. The result of these symptoms is that I don’t really want to drink. Where I know I will struggle is Thursday / Friday when I’m beginning to feel better. I know that first session after cleaning myself out is going to hit all the pleasure centers and I can’t stop myself once it’s in my head. Obviously this ends in week long binges which make me feel awful so I stop and it’s back to square one.
If anyone has some good tips for winning those internal battles when every part of your brain is begging for that reward Id love to hear them.
When I first got sober I would go to a lot of AA meetings. From there I got a sponsor and work the steps. Once I practice the steps in my life I don’t get cravings or urges. Now I can do all the things I want to without the need of drugs or alcohol.
I’ve looked into AA in my local area but my work doesn’t allow any consistency due to lots of last minute stay aways. I can never plan for a weekly slot. I’m glad it helped you though
I would suggest focusing on recovery more than once a week. When I travel out of town I enjoy hitting meetings in new places. Google has been a big help because I can find meetings no matter where I go
Great job with your 36 days. Weekends are my hardest time too. I usually try to read, exercise, or get my stuff done for the week ahead. Still a challenge sometimes to stay busy but it is getting easier to fill the time. Keep going your doing great!
Hey @MajorG33k and welcome to this sane corner of the internet! To break the cycle you gotta want it. It can’t be an option, have an expiration date or any exceptions to it. They say we gotta Put as much Effort into your Recovery as you did into your Drinking
Here are some resources to get you started: Resources for our recovery
Podcasts and books were my thing in the early days, anything informative and (auto)biographical that I could relate to.
First off, welcome! The part I felt I needed to hear the most in the beginning was 1-accepting I have a disease of the mind that just never stops made it make sense. And 2- fortunately it’s not too late to do something different. Lots of us have waited too long and never made it out. Oh hell, it’s a terrible cycle.
You’re in a good place with this app, online and in person meetings really helped me. None of us have to do it alone, and with other like minded folks it makes it a lot more fun.
When you get to that next/first meeting grab a 24 hr chip. Put it in your mouth and when it melts you can have a drink!
Weekends were super hard for me also. In the beginning, I did AA and hit up 90 meetings in 90 days. I always went around the time of day that I craved drinking the most. This also meant that I would go to different meetings, hearing different people and meeting lots of new faces. Luckily, every state and suburb has a range of meetings on at various times so you can usually find one to go to anywhere you are (if you chose that route of course!).
Alternatively, planning ahead for those days helps. Write up a plan and keep yourself busy with things you enjoy doing - change up your routine to help break the habit. Once you do get through a couple of those weekends, you really start to feel proud and it does get easier to manage.
Weekends are my hardest time too. I usually try to read, exercise, or get my stuff done for the week ahead. Still a challenge sometimes to stay busy but it is getting easier to fill the time. Keep going your doing great!