The anxiety got to me

Yesterday, Friday, my day 6. From waking up I had high anxiety, and stress that I felt I couldn’t control. Something I would normally experience at Day 3 but i think my day 5/6 is what was my day 3 when I first started the cutting out alcohol.
I wear a Garmin smart watch and even it beeped at me at my stress levels got high a few times.
After work I drove passed the bottle shop twice, even went to Bunnings and bought plants and potting mix to distract myself.
I did end up buying wine and consuming it all last night, nothing really got done or resolved, I am feeling a bit upset that I didn’t get to my 7days but I’m still here working towards it.
I’ll use today to find ways to deal with my anxiety so I can handle it better.

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That’s a good idea. :blush: You can do it!! Don’t give up

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Making changes got me sober, making changes keeps me sober. Anxiety is hard to deal with.

Food, sleep, deep breaths, facing what’s bothering me. Those help me take its power away. most of the things I get anxiety over are things I have no control over. Reminding myself that helps too.

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In general, healthy lifestyle helps with anxiety. Eg good sleep, healthy food, exercise, meditation etc etc. And as Jason said, if you have anxiety about a specific thing, facing it.

But a few years ago I had an episode of a few days of extreme anxiety. The things I did then that helped was scrubbing my apartment top to bottom, whilst listening to some calming music. And walking, just walking and walking for absolutely ages. Doesn’t matter where, I walked around my city. It just helped me escape that intense anxiety in my body and release some of the nervous energy. And to sleep I did sleep meditations as well as calming teas like camomile.

You will get there :pray:t2:

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You got 6 days. A pot and some potting soil. Plant something and count days with it. Dust off and keep going. :v:

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Herbal remedies are good .anything smells good helps grounding…try smelling lavender

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One day at a time! You got this!

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Maybe if you find a way to deal with your alcoholism, then your anxiety will decrease. Try a meeting of AA, it’s a good safe place to be when you are trying to not drink.

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I hate to be the one to tell you this but there will always be an excuse to drink. Alcohol is not your problem it’s your solution, find a new solution. Well done on nearly doing a week though, try again and again and again. :+1:

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Thank you for that reminder “alcohol is not your problem, it is your solution” @Dolse71. I am sober 13 months and have heard this before but forgot. I have battled other addictions in addition to alcohol and this phrase can absolutely be modified to include any of them…it is so true. Coping skills are crucial in order to replace that “solution”. I think most of us greatly lack them. I needed to read this today, puts it all in perspective!

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I think day five is the hardest. I’m going on day seven today. Thank you for telling me that nothing got resolved because I’m going to play guitars with the boys tonight sober for the first time I hope I can make it.

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Have a great time!!!