What Do You Do To Maintain Sobriety?

[rainy_daze]

alcohol gives you more depression and weed gets you paranoi

I think it depends on the person using. With hangovers, I look after myself pretty well, because I have a "reason" to do so. I'm better at taking care of myself now, but for some reason it is difficult if I'm not ill. Drinking too much makes me ill, it makes me have to rest and sleep, drink water, eat food and stop/slow down. I call the hangover the depression blues, because for me it lasts a few days. I don't know if it makes my depression worse, or it is just that the depression returns when the effects of the alcohol run out.

With weed edgarbedger, I know it is not a good mix for some people. I've questioned at least one person on the forums for using it, because it sounded like it was taking their dissociation to an astronomical level. For me, the biggest benefit is that I sleep. Now, if I can get sleep naturally, I'd prefer that to cannabis. I do think it helps with being able to relax my body and lessen physical pain. Again, I will find other ways to do that. But if it came in a pill form, that would be my medication of choice, there is no doubt in my mind. I think Britain are too far behind the times when it comes to pharmaceutical drugs and illegal drugs. But that is a whole other debate.

am I going to live the rest of my life smoking weed, spending most of my money on it, and not advancing in life?

I relate to this a great deal. It is healthy to ask yourself or evaluate where you are in life sometimes. I think that is how to step out from the denial.

*replies to posts over :eek:*. Thank you all for this thread, it's really helped :).

 

[rainy_dazeOneOffPost]

I haven't logged into the forums for a while and I'm not sure if I will soon or not. I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for the replies here [and thanks to all members of myPTSD who make this place so wonderful].

I have not used any strong painkillers for chronic pain since writing this thread. I have them in my house but I have not needed them, and have stopped taking any with me when I leave my home.

I have drank alcohol on two occasions, both of which were celebrations, and only 2 drinks each time. I'm very proud of this.

I have used cannabis several times. This, and cigarettes, are actually the hardest habit to break. I will be discussing this with my T at my appointment soon.

I still think I have done remarkably well considering I was going to group therapy, had many memories distressing me and a terrible flashback which woke my partner up.

I'm still healing, getting stronger and definitely moving forwards.

I hope others here are doing the same.

Namaste, good/healing vibes and :hug:s,
rainy_daze

 

[The Albatross]

@rainy_daze - touch base as you need to here til you get your shrink appointment... peer support and clearing things out of your head might be helpful in the meantime gal.

 

[VioletButterfly]

Thank you for this post. It has given me a lot to think about and support for doing the healthy thing for myself. What struck me most was using alcohol to numb which is what I do. I found an interesting website about SMART recovery in case anyone runs across this thread and is looking for avenues for healing. I offer it up as I have found AA meetings very jarring. I have benefitted more from Al Anon meetings. I think the healing that can take place in Al Anon is what moved me in the past more toward healing what causes the need to numb out in the first place - yes, ACOA here. I didn't drink while I was in Al Anon or when I was more engaged with the world. Isolation is not anyone's friend.

I'm glad you are doing better and moving forward! It is inspiring. I wish you continued healing. VB

 

[Ronin]

Currently, drinking really low alcohol beer. Beer I just won't get drunk on, and definitely not shitfaced on. Not drinking anything else.Being mindful why I drink and examining those reasons more than once prior to hitting that bottle.

Keep touching base, @rainy_daze . It's appreciated. You'll get there fella.

 

[iceman18]

I'm a member of AA and attend meetings regularly. I go to AA because I have a sober problem (aka. life problem), not because I have a drinking problem. I survived alcoholism nearly nine years ago. Alcohol was my solution until the day came when I had finally drank the value out of drinking.

The principles of AA provide a design for living each day successfully. I never could have imagined a life like the life that I have today. I attribute much of that to AA.

 

[rainy_daze]

I found this blog advice good as I had trouble with the 12 steps. I have learned things from it, but maybe the AA steps don't sit well with me for some reason.

I found an interesting website about SMART recovery in case anyone runs across this thread and is looking for avenues for healing

^ I will look into this VB.

Thank you @The Albatross and @Cashew ; I do find the peer support here helps. I need to find some of that IRL. My friends aren't sober, and this is making me quite isolated.

 

[Go Hungry]

"I found this blog advice good as I had trouble with the 12 steps. I have learned things from it, but maybe the AA steps don't sit well with me for some reason."

I'm with ya. I never really got into the 12 steps. AA was going well, but then one day it got really weird. I was just sitting there and all of a sudden, everyone turned and stared at me. I hadn't said anything either.. They just looked at me in tandem. I think they were wanting me to choose a sponsor, but from what I had seen, getting a sponsor would mean hitting a meeting every night of the week from then on. I was just starting college classes again, so I couldn't make that kinda commitment.

The meetings that I did go to were really helpful though. Just listening to some of the horror stories that others were telling really helped scare me straight. Nowadays, I mainly stay sober through concentration and avoidance. I just stay out of bars, and don't partake when at parties. I have used some of my lorazepam stash when I start getting anxious though. Thankfully, I don't need it that often.

There was a situation though, when I recently went to a booze store with my girlfriend.. I was looking around, and suddenly wanted to drink really bad. So I just told her that I really needed to not be there, then went and had a smoke. I'm glad she understood.

 

[DreamLover]

I'm not sure I can drink alcohol in moderation. One glass of wine makes me want a whole bottle.

My c...

I am with you. I've recently decided (two weeks ago) that it's sobriety or bust for me. All the times I've tried to drink or use "in moderation" I end up going down the rabbit hole of binging and overuse. Add to that a strong family history of substance abuse and I know sobriety is the way for me.

It's really, really hard. That's all I can really say! I want to smoke pot and drink alcohol on a daily basis. I know meetings help but I feel anxious about going. Anxious about being "exposed" and having to talk about painful things.

One of the most helpful books of the AA literature is called "Living Sober." Presents a straightforward picture of how and why people overdrink, and offers ideas of alternatives.

Good luck.