At some point after college, it just didn’t matter if someone had a meal that was four dollars more than mine, or if they ate more edamame, or even if they had one more drink than I did. Now that I’m sober, this is what is alcoholism a bigger deal. Not only because my portion of the check is significantly smaller than anyone else at the table, but also because I refuse to invest in Big Alcohol. If you’re like most drinkers, you’ve likely surrounded yourself at some point with a group of people who also drink.
Choose A New Healthy Habit
You are not a slave to your emotions or your addiction. You can choose to sit where you are for a moment, assess, and figure out a way forward. You’re probably not going to hear this anyplace else, so I should get some points for candor, even though it is certainly controversial to talk about the negative aspects of something so overwhelmingly positive. I know, I know, this website is called “Recovery Connection” and it is designed to encourage those who are suffering the slings and arrows of addiction to get help. It is also an educational tool for addiction professionals and those in recovery, and I am here to tell you I had some unexpected lessons to learn when I became sober. Even though breakups, job losses, and an unexpected death of a friend or family member, can be devastating, they will all happen at some point.
To get better, you have to change.
- Now that I’m sober, this is a bigger deal.
- When the smallest things could mesmerize you?
- While making the decision to be sober was the best thing I’ve ever done, it’s also one of the hardest.
- It’s a subversive, hardcore choice to take your life into your own hands.
- Many newcomers wonder how long-time members can make these claims when sober members are still acting out.
She described some longtime members as «seething cauldrons of anger.» Another commenter observed that many AA members are caught in a cycle of negativity. This is certainly a common view for many who spend time in AA. Why do people, who have been sober for years, behave inappropriately with alarming regularity? Recently, I was asked this question in group therapy (the exact words have been edited being sober sucks as they were not fit to print). The person who posed the question felt she had been misled.
Call for Help With Addiction
Even if you are making one small choice to improve how you feel each day, like working out more or eating better, track it. You can then consistently look back, see how far you’ve come, and assess what you have accomplished along the way. Instead, buck up and remember what’s in your control.
They don’t care about yesterday or tomorrow. They don’t care about what he or she thinks. They don’t worry about paying bills, providing for anyone, or how their stocks are doing. It means continually checking in with yourself, continually reaching out to new people who may have ideas you haven’t tried before, and continually asking questions that will help you improve your life. Yes, asking for help was already listed, but it is so important that it is worth repeating. Getting through recovery’s ups and downs requires you to do more than just occasionally show up and interact with people who may be able to support you.
- And when I couldn’t seem to get ready in time, or when my purse was a tangle of wadded keys and gum wrappers I felt so bereft.
- Give AA or other recovery programs a chance.