So today marks 5 months of consecutive sobriety . Complete abstinence from everything mind altering no dating , drug, alcohol, gambling.
This time in soberity has really changed my views on where I should , how I should spend my time , what is meant for me will be presented but it’s under my free will to decide what I want that is good for me helpful for my sobriety, killing my old self & sharing my strength & hope recovery to keep on going this life style I chose has been the greatest decision I’ve ever made . .
What’s your time of being unchained to your addiction.? How’d you do it.? What’s your feelings on being free . ?
Congrats on 5 months. That’s a big deal. I’m a year and nine and a half months free of everything and just over two years free of my main substance which was alcohol. I’ve been actively involved in AA for almost two years now and I just completed a mental health IOP as well. I’ve been through the twelve steps and continue to do service and grow. It’s opened up a lot of doors for me. I have a better job now, got involved in my church band and other ministry because of my growing faith, and just in general it gave me purpose. I really had none before honestly. I was kinda floundering through life and at my worst alcohol had taken me to lows I never thought I’d reach to the point where I really just doomed myself to an alcoholic death. I mean that literally too. I figured I’d just be dead within a couple years and I thought I was the biggest loser on the planet. By a miracle I actually feel a reason to keep going and I can think back to active addiction time and realize how sad it was, but be so thankful for where I’m at. Sobriety really teaches you gratitude like nothing else
952 days today. I have been working at sobriety for three decades. I fell down the stairs, broke my clavicle, had a traumatic brain injury, was hospitalized for a month.
I signed back up to do another 120 days I just completed my first round of 120 days I am thinking about going into peer support so no i am loving being of service . .I wanna say congrats on your accomplishments as well thank you for you doing your best & continue to hit every milestone you think of .
Huge congratulations on ur 5 whole months of freedom!!! Great work And fantastic topic!
I have about 4.5 years free from all mind altering substances BUT i didnt actually start feeling free until I let go of ALL of my addictive behaviors. Even tho i had clean time under my belt, i still struggled with other addictions (particularly with food). I feel like i basically substituted my drug addiction with food. Using food to cope with emotions and eating for the wrong reasons. It wasnt until i began working the steps for my issues with food, developing a greater relationship with my HP, and attending meetings, that i began to feel freedom.
Freedom for me is not having to use an outside source to make myself feel better. Those outside sources only provide maybe a temporary relief. Permanent relief is the result from me doing the daily work that is necessary to arrest my addictions.
I remember it was during the winter of 2021 and I was standing at a bus stop very early morning heading to work. It was dark outside, snowy, and i just finished being up all night using drugs. I was just done. Honestly done. Done of feeling the way i was feeling, all the shame, the physical pain of not eating or sleeping, the guilt i felt was horrendous, the financial stress that came with it. I was tired of feeling “empty” inside. I was done with just surviving. I prayed to God (my HP) even though i struggled with the term God. Up until that point, I struggled with getting clean for 22 years. I felt like I had tried everything. Literally everything. And God was the last piece of the puzzle that I needed. 2 months or so after that prayer. I got clean (Feb 13, 2022). Never looked back. The obsession has been removed 100%. I have NO desire to go back!
I set up a daily routine. To this day i STILL plan my day ahead of time. I thrive on routine
I have a morning routine that involves daily readings, prayer, and participating on this forum.
I attended an online meeting a day (now I attend online OA meetings for my issues for food but it still helps with my recovery from drugs).
I got a sponsor and did the 12 steps as honestly and thoroughly as possible.
I started being of sevice to other people in the ways that I could. It helped me get out of self.
The gym. Exercise became crucial for my recovery and still is to this day.
Medication. I got on meds that help stabilize my mood which in turn reduces the urges to use drugs to cope.
There were other things like journalling, distractions such as building new hobbies and interests, having a self care routine, etc that also helped in getting clean. I just found things that worked for me during the tough times.
Grateful for sure to be clean today Glad ur on this journey with us friend!
I love that response & I had to do the same thing finding out how to be myself wasn’t hard it was finding out who I can actually be around to not hold me accountable but have that like mindedness towards wanting to enjoy life without anything that would alter our perception of this beautiful life we live nothing is ever hard in life to which I HAVE to run to a bottle or to a connect . . I find peace joy & happiness in meetings being around sober people. . Their intentions are pure joyous & free. You’ll know who’s faking the funk & who’s running a great program . I love how this fellowship supports never tears down & acceptance to anyone no matter how far in their sobriety or if their in their addiction still. . so thank you guys all for being apart of my sobriety.
And fantastic topic!