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General Discussion => WHATEVER => Topic started by: FUCKINGLOUD on September 23, 2019, 09:55:41 AM

Title: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUCKINGLOUD on September 23, 2019, 09:55:41 AM
DECIDED TODAY TO STOP DRINKING FOR A FEW MONTHS. DONT DRINK HEAVILY OR TOO OFTEN BUT DO SOCIALLY AND DONT WANT A CRUTCH ANYMORE.

ANYONE ELSE SOBER UP AND CAN SHARE THE GOOD AND BAD FROM WHAT THEYVE EXPERIENCED?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on September 23, 2019, 10:14:37 AM
6+ years. Had no choice but to.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: animalflesh on September 23, 2019, 10:19:53 AM
I did 2 years but I drink again.


It’s nice to step away and regain some perspective you might have lost growing up getting high and drunk all the time
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on September 23, 2019, 10:22:54 AM
Drank too much when I was young. Started smoking weed regulary and hardly ever drink now. Like I don’t think I’ve finished a drink this year.

For a while weed was sort of a problem but I had some other shit I wasn’t addressing. Now I’m With a great girl who absolutely hates weed and all drugs but was willing to let me try cbd type shit before getting on medication again because I hate medication and she worries about it too. Now things have been great. She is happy about my mood and interest in life And us. I’m happier. I was sneaking around smoking around her before and I hated that feeling. Now she tells me to take a hit and relax and it’s cool lol. I’ve also learned how much more I enjoy smoking (actually vaping, yeah it feels lame) weed with lower thc levels in it. It feels like Benzos because my anxiety goes away but I don’t feel regular and drunk like benzos make me. It doesn’t make me all weird feeling. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: baggy spandex on September 23, 2019, 10:43:55 AM
bump when sober
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUCKINGLOUD on September 23, 2019, 11:29:02 AM
I HAD A ROUGH PATCH YEARS AGO WHERE ID PARTY WAY TOO MUCH, HAD TO TAKE A STEP BACK FROM EVERYTHING. PSYCHOLOGICALLY, I DON'T THINK I CAN NECESSARILY USE THAT PERIOD AS A TIME TO GAUGE WHAT BEING TOTALLY SOBER FELT LIKE AS I WAS COMING OFF OF A LOT OF SHIT.

IVE SET A GOAL FOR CHRISTMAS EVE TO NOT DRINK AT ALL, WHICH WILL BE INSANELY DIFFICULT GIVEN ALL THE BULLSHIT I HAVE COMING UP WHERE A DRINK WOULD FIT NICELY (IN-LAWS MEETING FAMILY AND IN-LAWS DONT SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH, MY FAMILY IS A BUNCH OF IRISH FUCKS)

SOBER BUMP
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: straight on September 23, 2019, 11:35:51 AM
are you gonna seriously post in all caps as your thing
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on September 23, 2019, 11:42:22 AM
are you gonna seriously post in all caps as your thing

Yeah, I think 5inchdick does that.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUCKINGLOUD on September 23, 2019, 11:43:04 AM
are you gonna seriously post in all caps as your thing

SORRY HARD OF HEARING AND AM FUCKING LOUD
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUCKINGLOUD on September 23, 2019, 11:44:10 AM
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are you gonna seriously post in all caps as your thing
[close]

Yeah, I think 5inchdick does that.

SOUNDS LIKE A STRONG ALPHA MALE WHO I CAN GET FUCKING LOUD WITH
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on September 23, 2019, 03:10:10 PM
Do you get full blown wasted at these social situations/events or ?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Algar on September 23, 2019, 05:11:07 PM
Turned 35 a week ago, a few days before my birthday decided to take a year off of alchohol.  10 days in and the first few days were hard, now I'm feeling pretty good but I think it could get hard again. I'm coming off drinking 4 or 5 beers every night sometimes more.  hopefully I make it the year and then I'll take it from there and see if I wanna try to moderate or just stay sober.  I might get a little weed for the weekends or something.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: SneakySecrets on September 23, 2019, 05:34:51 PM
I THINK THAT ITS ADMIRABLE THAT YOU ARE PROACTIVELY TAKING STEPS TOWARDS LIVING THE LIFE YOUVE ALWAYS WANTED TO LIVE AND BE THE PERSON YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE.

AND ISNT THIS CONSTANT PURSUIT OF PERFECTION AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION WHAT SEPARATES MAN FROM BEAST?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Rick_Kane on September 23, 2019, 06:38:23 PM
OP gunning for the worst poster on Slap title. He's got a lot of competition, though. I give him one week tops before his next drink.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on September 23, 2019, 06:47:29 PM
OP gunning for the worst poster on Slap title. He's got a lot of competition, though. I give him one week tops before his next drink.
I like the it, makes me laugh. The dad guy who keeps starting new topics is in the running though.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUCKINGLOUD on September 23, 2019, 07:52:39 PM
OP gunning for the worst poster on Slap title. He's got a lot of competition, though. I give him one week tops before his next drink.

RICK I TRIED TO DM YOU FOR TIPS BUT YOU WONT TAKE MY MESSAGES

I THINK ILL BE ABLE TO HOLD STRONG ON NOT DRINKING UNTIL XMAS. IN SOME SICK TWIST IF FATE, THE ONLY TIME I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO DRINK IS WHEN IM WITH MY FAMILY. WORK PARTIES AND SOCIALIZING WITH FRIENDS I COULD CARE LESS

SOBER BUMP I DRANK GINGERALE INSTEAD OF BOURBON TONIGHT
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Madam, I'm Adam on September 23, 2019, 08:58:40 PM
I think I've posted about it before, but I'm almost two years totally sober. Last drink was in October 2017.

I mean, I never really had a full-blown problem, but I drank regularly since I was 17. I mainly stopped because I got married and my wife is religious and has never done drugs or drank. She jokes about drinking wine but I don't want to even hear about it.

Also - for me, putting aside the religious/cultural points, drinking stressed me out. I got overly concerned about its long-term effects to my equilibrium and memory, and it's also a stressor due to how it sucks up money. And I'm getting older and have never been really financially stable, so I just started to feel like a loser. The value of giving it up is more mentally, psychologically beneficial.

To be totally honest, when I'm really low and depressed I want to drink still. And it's still a struggle not to get some beer. I miss beer. I even miss the beer thread on Slap. But its arbitrary nature is easier to remember than before.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AssFlea on September 23, 2019, 10:19:16 PM
https://youtu.be/kVdiJnjxg_Y
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on September 23, 2019, 10:28:20 PM
I think I've posted about it before, but I'm almost two years totally sober. Last drink was in October 2017.

I mean, I never really had a full-blown problem, but I drank regularly since I was 17. I mainly stopped because I got married and my wife is religious and has never done drugs or drank. She jokes about drinking wine but I don't want to even hear about it.

Also - for me, putting aside the religious/cultural points, drinking stressed me out. I got overly concerned about its long-term effects to my equilibrium and memory, and it's also a stressor due to how it sucks up money. And I'm getting older and have never been really financially stable, so I just started to feel like a loser. The value of giving it up is more mentally, psychologically beneficial.

To be totally honest, when I'm really low and depressed I want to drink still. And it's still a struggle not to get some beer. I miss beer. I even miss the beer thread on Slap. But its arbitrary nature is easier to remember than before.
That's where you gotta be careful.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Dr-Feelgood on September 23, 2019, 11:25:00 PM
I spent 4 + years in canada where i was drinking quite alot every weekend, ever since i got back to Australia ive chilled on it a bit, its nice to recharge a bit, wake up fresh without hangovers on weekend
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Betaphenylethylalamine on September 24, 2019, 10:00:02 AM
I spent 4 + years in canada where i was drinking quite alot every weekend, ever since i got back to Australia ive chilled on it a bit, its nice to recharge a bit, wake up fresh without hangovers on weekend

That's crazy! 4 years in Canada and you only drank on weekends, good for you!

Its completely normal in Canada to drink every day, and not small amounts either.

If you drink 24 cans of beer a day that's considered pretty normal.

Anyhow, I quit drinking about 2-3 years ago. I'm happy I did for many reasons. As you get older it's just not worth it.

I've had a beer now and again but I cant even finish one without thinking it's not that good anymore and I just dont finish it.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Handwrecker on September 24, 2019, 11:33:33 AM
I stopped drinking ~5 years back. It had turned into a huge, routine waste of money, made me fucking fat, feel like shit after and I could be a real asshole some nights.

There was no exact date or anything, don’t consider it an xStraightEdgex battle for sobriety, but I don’t miss it. Sometimes you’re happier being 50lbs lighter, skating more and not blowing cash on a headache.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Betaphenylethylalamine on September 24, 2019, 02:07:31 PM
I stopped drinking ~5 years back. It had turned into a huge, routine waste of money, made me fucking fat, feel like shit after and I could be a real asshole some nights.

There was no exact date or anything, don’t consider it an xStraightEdgex battle for sobriety, but I don’t miss it. Sometimes you’re happier being 50lbs lighter, skating more and not blowing cash on a headache.

This.

The first couple weeks is weird because it feels like you have waaaay more time to do productive things. Then that settles and you just feel way better, sleep better, lose weight, and get alot of shit done. Even hobby wise etc. Days dont feel wasted.

I wake up thinking what can I accomplish today. Where as before I just got into this rut of what do I do till I get off work and drink? It felt like i was always in recovery mode.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: theintern43 on September 24, 2019, 02:32:55 PM
100% ruling out all substances is nearly a cheap way out IMO, the real test is smoking/drinking/using/etc. responsibly
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on September 25, 2019, 12:35:41 AM
100% ruling out all substances is nearly a cheap way out IMO, the real test is smoking/drinking/using/etc. responsibly

Yepp, because we all know tons of ex heroin addicts that now are only shooting up on Fridays...

One of those "Sounds good. Does not work" kind of things.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: beatifk on September 25, 2019, 12:50:17 AM
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100% ruling out all substances is nearly a cheap way out IMO, the real test is smoking/drinking/using/etc. responsibly
[close]

Yepp, because we all know tons of ex heroin addicts that now are only shooting up on Fridays...

One of those "Sounds good. Does not work" kind of things.

I only drink and do drugs on days that end in the letter "y".
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: theintern43 on September 25, 2019, 03:18:51 AM
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100% ruling out all substances is nearly a cheap way out IMO, the real test is smoking/drinking/using/etc. responsibly
[close]

Yepp, because we all know tons of ex heroin addicts that now are only shooting up on Fridays...

One of those "Sounds good. Does not work" kind of things.
[close]

I only drink and do drugs on days that end in the letter "y".

there is nothing responsible about using heroin. nothing.  however drinking a few beers on your day off doesnt make you an alcoholic and smoking a bowl in the comfort of your own home doesnt make you a stoner.  Sober people like to replace one addiction with another, exercise, ciggs, daily AA meetings etc.

"sounds good, does not work"...make it work, its hard just like everything else in life
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sexualhelon on September 25, 2019, 04:11:25 AM
I've been thinking about giving it a go and tell myself maybe I'll start with only drinking on weekends/social events. For the last 5-7 years I've  probably had a couple of beers most every night aside from a couple of 2-3 weeks off here & there. I do really like beer though and that's almost exclusively the only alcohol I drink. My lady quit drinking something like 4 years ago so she'll tell me every once in a while that she thinks I should cut back. I actually just got  coffee substitute that's surprisingly decent. I think I'm gonna try seeing how going caffeine free feels.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on September 25, 2019, 05:03:18 AM
my wife recently quit and i've been cutting back.

i don't really have interest in quitting all out. my dad only drinks socially which seems like a good approach but used to be a problem for me because my wife and i would drink together so it was always sort of social but now she quit so that would work out much better.

on the flip side i run a small business and some days i'll work a pretty long hard day and be exhausted on a level at the end of the day where walks and skating aren't happening and so i chill with some wine or a beer. i'm thinking about treating drinking more like how i treat exercise. most days i do a fitness class or some kind of intense workout, but some days i'm just not into it and feel like taking it easy. i'll probably aim for that with alcohol. keep it to social events and weekends but chill on the weekends and realize that some days i'm just going to want a drink.

for me there's not huge problems. it makes managing my weight harder is probably the main concern but i workout an hour most days in these intense classes so it kind of balances out. i'm definitely a morning person and pretty hyperactive but it does make me sluggish in the morning and causes problems sleeping. i'm not a grouchy drinker so there's not problems there. i'd probably get more done but i'm already getting a shitload done running a business and having 3 kids about to start investing in property, etc... not trying to minimize anyone else's struggles but been thinking about where i want to move the needle on this a bit lately so feels good to get my thoughts organized a bit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: arrbee on September 25, 2019, 05:16:15 AM
I agree with a lot of what's being said here. I got into a rabbit hole of craft beer a few years ago, like beer you can only buy directly from the brewery, typically sells out the same day, super expensive (a bit supreme like now that I think about it). I put on a ton of weight cause I was drinking them like normal beers 3-5 pints a night (doesn't sound like much but most of them are like 8-11% ABV) plus they have a much higher calorie level than normal beers. I was waking up hungover as fuck, bloated and fat. Wasn't skating much cause I felt like shit all day, then rinse and repeat.

Woke up one day and my pants didn't fit, it was then I decided to change. I started running and going to the gym, drinking way less. Went from 30-40 of these pints a week to maybe 5-6. I lost 50 lbs, I get out skating at least twice a week for a few hours, which is about all I can spare with 3 kids and a wife at home, pretty much traded the time I was going to breweries and picking up cans of beer for skating. Now I'll drink one with dinner or after the kids are in bed while I'm watching something on TV. I don't buy nearly as much beer as I used to, I used to go to almost every weekly release at 2-3 breweries near me. Now I'll hit like one brewery a month if it's something that sounds good or something I've had before and enjoy.

So not entirely sober but definitely turned around from where I was headed. Feel much better now and happy I actually get out and skate
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on September 25, 2019, 10:43:24 AM
DECIDED TODAY TO STOP DRINKING FOR A FEW MONTHS. DONT DRINK HEAVILY OR TOO OFTEN BUT DO SOCIALLY AND DONT WANT A CRUTCH ANYMORE.

ANYONE ELSE SOBER UP AND CAN SHARE THE GOOD AND BAD FROM WHAT THEYVE EXPERIENCED?

i have been sober (again) since beginning of the year.

have never been drinking very much but always felt stupid doing it because i don't like it and felt i only drink because of peer pressure.

so i stopped again and am so much happier and saved a ton of money.

only positives!


proud of all the sober people here, keep it up!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mad Max on September 25, 2019, 12:23:10 PM
Been sober just over two years now. I was drinking too regularly and it was just getting me depressed so I quit.

Even if the idea of having a drink doesn’t cross my mind anymore, here are a couple points you need to know if you want to stay sober.

- It’s a day by day process. No matter how long you’ve been on the wagon, you don’t know what curve balls life will throw at you so make sure you got your priorities straight and understand that that drink isn’t going to help the situation.

- Sidelining your sobriety for that special occassion means you’re not sober and your day count goes back to zero. Before you know it you’ll be finding special occassions everywhere.

- Prepare to replace the booze with another vice. Usually it’s sugar. I hit the diet cokes pretty hard since I went sober. I managed to quit those for six months but seeing as i don’t drink coffee i’m back on it. Caffeine/sugar is probably harder to quit than booze.

- One of my best friends is still struggling to get sober. He also smokes a lot of weed (see previous point) and I can tell you that regular and intensive weed smoking if the same as being an alcoholic just with slightly different side effects. Don’t fool yourself with that I smoke don’t drink so I’m fine mentality.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on September 25, 2019, 03:42:35 PM
I agree with a lot of what's being said here. I got into a rabbit hole of craft beer a few years ago, like beer you can only buy directly from the brewery, typically sells out the same day, super expensive (a bit supreme like now that I think about it). I put on a ton of weight cause I was drinking them like normal beers 3-5 pints a night (doesn't sound like much but most of them are like 8-11% ABV) plus they have a much higher calorie level than normal beers. I was waking up hungover as fuck, bloated and fat. Wasn't skating much cause I felt like shit all day, then rinse and repeat.

Woke up one day and my pants didn't fit, it was then I decided to change. I started running and going to the gym, drinking way less. Went from 30-40 of these pints a week to maybe 5-6. I lost 50 lbs, I get out skating at least twice a week for a few hours, which is about all I can spare with 3 kids and a wife at home, pretty much traded the time I was going to breweries and picking up cans of beer for skating. Now I'll drink one with dinner or after the kids are in bed while I'm watching something on TV. I don't buy nearly as much beer as I used to, I used to go to almost every weekly release at 2-3 breweries near me. Now I'll hit like one brewery a month if it's something that sounds good or something I've had before and enjoy.

So not entirely sober but definitely turned around from where I was headed. Feel much better now and happy I actually get out and skate

I think you've nailed it, without going to the extreme of all out sober you've still made positive changes which basically provides the same results without feeling limited by rules
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: arrbee on September 25, 2019, 05:02:57 PM
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I agree with a lot of what's being said here. I got into a rabbit hole of craft beer a few years ago, like beer you can only buy directly from the brewery, typically sells out the same day, super expensive (a bit supreme like now that I think about it). I put on a ton of weight cause I was drinking them like normal beers 3-5 pints a night (doesn't sound like much but most of them are like 8-11% ABV) plus they have a much higher calorie level than normal beers. I was waking up hungover as fuck, bloated and fat. Wasn't skating much cause I felt like shit all day, then rinse and repeat.

Woke up one day and my pants didn't fit, it was then I decided to change. I started running and going to the gym, drinking way less. Went from 30-40 of these pints a week to maybe 5-6. I lost 50 lbs, I get out skating at least twice a week for a few hours, which is about all I can spare with 3 kids and a wife at home, pretty much traded the time I was going to breweries and picking up cans of beer for skating. Now I'll drink one with dinner or after the kids are in bed while I'm watching something on TV. I don't buy nearly as much beer as I used to, I used to go to almost every weekly release at 2-3 breweries near me. Now I'll hit like one brewery a month if it's something that sounds good or something I've had before and enjoy.

So not entirely sober but definitely turned around from where I was headed. Feel much better now and happy I actually get out and skate
[close]

I think you've nailed it, without going to the extreme of all out sober you've still made positive changes which basically provides the same results without feeling limited by rules

Thanks, it feels pretty good so far. It’s been a little over a year now since I’ve tapered back. Keeping this going for a while.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Robert Baratheon on September 25, 2019, 08:43:08 PM
My thoughts are with all of you. I hope you find peace and good fortune. I lost my brother this summer to an overdose. He left behind a 2 yr daughter, his girlfriend and the rest of his family. It’s so fucking brutal. Our lives are forever affected. I back all of your efforts to find a way out. Be good. Get some.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Betaphenylethylalamine on September 25, 2019, 09:33:54 PM
My thoughts are with all of you. I hope you find peace and good fortune. I lost my brother this summer to an overdose. He left behind a 2 yr daughter, his girlfriend and the rest of his family. It’s so fucking brutal. Our lives are forever affected. I back all of your efforts to find a way out. Be good. Get some.

I see it too often in my work. Sorry to hear that. Heartbreaking every single time.

Sincerely sorry for your family's loss. That poor child. Ughh
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JohnnySaintLethal on September 25, 2019, 09:39:44 PM
I support anyone who wants to be sober, sobriety is rad I think. I’m not sober but more power to you cats.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Dr-Feelgood on September 26, 2019, 01:52:40 AM
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I spent 4 + years in canada where i was drinking quite alot every weekend, ever since i got back to Australia ive chilled on it a bit, its nice to recharge a bit, wake up fresh without hangovers on weekend
[close]

That's crazy! 4 years in Canada and you only drank on weekends, good for you!

Its completely normal in Canada to drink every day, and not small amounts either.

If you drink 24 cans of beer a day that's considered pretty normal.

Anyhow, I quit drinking about 2-3 years ago. I'm happy I did for many reasons. As you get older it's just not worth it.

I've had a beer now and again but I cant even finish one without thinking it's not that good anymore and I just dont finish it.

Hahah id drink the occasional weekday as a good little tourist does but yeah pretty common in Australia for people to drink every day....My buddys uncle in vancouver use to crush cases of kokanee on a daily basis
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sexualhelon on September 26, 2019, 02:16:15 AM
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I spent 4 + years in canada where i was drinking quite alot every weekend, ever since i got back to Australia ive chilled on it a bit, its nice to recharge a bit, wake up fresh without hangovers on weekend
[close]

That's crazy! 4 years in Canada and you only drank on weekends, good for you!

Its completely normal in Canada to drink every day, and not small amounts either.

If you drink 24 cans of beer a day that's considered pretty normal.

Anyhow, I quit drinking about 2-3 years ago. I'm happy I did for many reasons. As you get older it's just not worth it.

I've had a beer now and again but I cant even finish one without thinking it's not that good anymore and I just dont finish it.
[close]

Hahah id drink the occasional weekday as a good little tourist does but yeah pretty common in Australia for people to drink every day....My buddys uncle in vancouver use to crush cases of kokanee on a daily basis

Same here in Germany. Pretty common to see someone with a beer at all hours of the day - even on the morning commute at 9am.

I'm curious though, for anyone who was only ever drinking a 1-2 beers each day then quit or cut back did you notice a big difference in how you felt health/energy/focus wise? I have a friend who's taken month long breaks but he's someone who, when he drinks, doesn't stop. He says he feels a bigger difference when he takes a month long hiatus from caffeine.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on September 26, 2019, 05:05:35 AM
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I agree with a lot of what's being said here. I got into a rabbit hole of craft beer a few years ago, like beer you can only buy directly from the brewery, typically sells out the same day, super expensive (a bit supreme like now that I think about it). I put on a ton of weight cause I was drinking them like normal beers 3-5 pints a night (doesn't sound like much but most of them are like 8-11% ABV) plus they have a much higher calorie level than normal beers. I was waking up hungover as fuck, bloated and fat. Wasn't skating much cause I felt like shit all day, then rinse and repeat.

Woke up one day and my pants didn't fit, it was then I decided to change. I started running and going to the gym, drinking way less. Went from 30-40 of these pints a week to maybe 5-6. I lost 50 lbs, I get out skating at least twice a week for a few hours, which is about all I can spare with 3 kids and a wife at home, pretty much traded the time I was going to breweries and picking up cans of beer for skating. Now I'll drink one with dinner or after the kids are in bed while I'm watching something on TV. I don't buy nearly as much beer as I used to, I used to go to almost every weekly release at 2-3 breweries near me. Now I'll hit like one brewery a month if it's something that sounds good or something I've had before and enjoy.

So not entirely sober but definitely turned around from where I was headed. Feel much better now and happy I actually get out and skate
[close]

I think you've nailed it, without going to the extreme of all out sober you've still made positive changes which basically provides the same results without feeling limited by rules
[close]

Thanks, it feels pretty good so far. It’s been a little over a year now since I’ve tapered back. Keeping this going for a while.

arrbee This is the same kind of approach I’m looking at taking. I’ve got 3 kids too. I didn’t drink the last two days and I’ve been having more energy and then not finishing the day drinking I instead skating or hitting the pool. Planning to have a few drinks Friday and Saturday and then get back on it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: arrbee on September 26, 2019, 06:22:41 AM
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I agree with a lot of what's being said here. I got into a rabbit hole of craft beer a few years ago, like beer you can only buy directly from the brewery, typically sells out the same day, super expensive (a bit supreme like now that I think about it). I put on a ton of weight cause I was drinking them like normal beers 3-5 pints a night (doesn't sound like much but most of them are like 8-11% ABV) plus they have a much higher calorie level than normal beers. I was waking up hungover as fuck, bloated and fat. Wasn't skating much cause I felt like shit all day, then rinse and repeat.

Woke up one day and my pants didn't fit, it was then I decided to change. I started running and going to the gym, drinking way less. Went from 30-40 of these pints a week to maybe 5-6. I lost 50 lbs, I get out skating at least twice a week for a few hours, which is about all I can spare with 3 kids and a wife at home, pretty much traded the time I was going to breweries and picking up cans of beer for skating. Now I'll drink one with dinner or after the kids are in bed while I'm watching something on TV. I don't buy nearly as much beer as I used to, I used to go to almost every weekly release at 2-3 breweries near me. Now I'll hit like one brewery a month if it's something that sounds good or something I've had before and enjoy.

So not entirely sober but definitely turned around from where I was headed. Feel much better now and happy I actually get out and skate
[close]

I think you've nailed it, without going to the extreme of all out sober you've still made positive changes which basically provides the same results without feeling limited by rules
[close]

Thanks, it feels pretty good so far. It’s been a little over a year now since I’ve tapered back. Keeping this going for a while.
[close]

arrbee This is the same kind of approach I’m looking at taking. I’ve got 3 kids too. I didn’t drink the last two days and I’ve been having more energy and then not finishing the day drinking I instead skating or hitting the pool. Planning to have a few drinks Friday and Saturday and then get back on it.

That's great! In the last 7 days I think I have consumed 5 beers. 2 Were at dinner last Friday, 1 Saturday, 2 Sunday afternoon. Then Monday I poured one with dinner and only took a few drinks of it then forgot about while cleaning up dinner getting the kids up in their rooms and settled.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: the snake on September 26, 2019, 06:32:53 AM
You must fucking skate everyday to drink fucking beers everyday
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on September 26, 2019, 07:32:34 AM
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I agree with a lot of what's being said here. I got into a rabbit hole of craft beer a few years ago, like beer you can only buy directly from the brewery, typically sells out the same day, super expensive (a bit supreme like now that I think about it). I put on a ton of weight cause I was drinking them like normal beers 3-5 pints a night (doesn't sound like much but most of them are like 8-11% ABV) plus they have a much higher calorie level than normal beers. I was waking up hungover as fuck, bloated and fat. Wasn't skating much cause I felt like shit all day, then rinse and repeat.

Woke up one day and my pants didn't fit, it was then I decided to change. I started running and going to the gym, drinking way less. Went from 30-40 of these pints a week to maybe 5-6. I lost 50 lbs, I get out skating at least twice a week for a few hours, which is about all I can spare with 3 kids and a wife at home, pretty much traded the time I was going to breweries and picking up cans of beer for skating. Now I'll drink one with dinner or after the kids are in bed while I'm watching something on TV. I don't buy nearly as much beer as I used to, I used to go to almost every weekly release at 2-3 breweries near me. Now I'll hit like one brewery a month if it's something that sounds good or something I've had before and enjoy.

So not entirely sober but definitely turned around from where I was headed. Feel much better now and happy I actually get out and skate
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I think you've nailed it, without going to the extreme of all out sober you've still made positive changes which basically provides the same results without feeling limited by rules
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Thanks, it feels pretty good so far. It’s been a little over a year now since I’ve tapered back. Keeping this going for a while.
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arrbee This is the same kind of approach I’m looking at taking. I’ve got 3 kids too. I didn’t drink the last two days and I’ve been having more energy and then not finishing the day drinking I instead skating or hitting the pool. Planning to have a few drinks Friday and Saturday and then get back on it.
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That's great! In the last 7 days I think I have consumed 5 beers. 2 Were at dinner last Friday, 1 Saturday, 2 Sunday afternoon. Then Monday I poured one with dinner and only took a few drinks of it then forgot about while cleaning up dinner getting the kids up in their rooms and settled.

that's cool man. different people work differently with this stuff. like when it comes to dieting, some people have to go all in and do these crazy extreme diets and exercise routines. but i'm looking at that and thinking is that sustainable and more desirable then something more balanced. just get some exercise each day and if you go to a happy hour then take it easy the next day and workout harder.

my wife has starting listening to these really anti-drinking e-books/podcast that say things like

"when these people choose to ingest poison..."

for her she needs that absolute wrong to make it work. her will power is really gnarly though, way gnarlier than what i'm capable of. her dieting over the years has been really impressive.

for me it's easier to set some reasonable goals and try and balance it out.

slightly related, spent an hour on my quarter yesterday morning between calls which was great. i'm not sure how much the drinking is helping here versus the heat easing up a bit, lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-uqDKf8ZO0&feature=youtu.be
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: arrbee on September 26, 2019, 07:51:06 AM
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I agree with a lot of what's being said here. I got into a rabbit hole of craft beer a few years ago, like beer you can only buy directly from the brewery, typically sells out the same day, super expensive (a bit supreme like now that I think about it). I put on a ton of weight cause I was drinking them like normal beers 3-5 pints a night (doesn't sound like much but most of them are like 8-11% ABV) plus they have a much higher calorie level than normal beers. I was waking up hungover as fuck, bloated and fat. Wasn't skating much cause I felt like shit all day, then rinse and repeat.

Woke up one day and my pants didn't fit, it was then I decided to change. I started running and going to the gym, drinking way less. Went from 30-40 of these pints a week to maybe 5-6. I lost 50 lbs, I get out skating at least twice a week for a few hours, which is about all I can spare with 3 kids and a wife at home, pretty much traded the time I was going to breweries and picking up cans of beer for skating. Now I'll drink one with dinner or after the kids are in bed while I'm watching something on TV. I don't buy nearly as much beer as I used to, I used to go to almost every weekly release at 2-3 breweries near me. Now I'll hit like one brewery a month if it's something that sounds good or something I've had before and enjoy.

So not entirely sober but definitely turned around from where I was headed. Feel much better now and happy I actually get out and skate
[close]

I think you've nailed it, without going to the extreme of all out sober you've still made positive changes which basically provides the same results without feeling limited by rules
[close]

Thanks, it feels pretty good so far. It’s been a little over a year now since I’ve tapered back. Keeping this going for a while.
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arrbee This is the same kind of approach I’m looking at taking. I’ve got 3 kids too. I didn’t drink the last two days and I’ve been having more energy and then not finishing the day drinking I instead skating or hitting the pool. Planning to have a few drinks Friday and Saturday and then get back on it.
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That's great! In the last 7 days I think I have consumed 5 beers. 2 Were at dinner last Friday, 1 Saturday, 2 Sunday afternoon. Then Monday I poured one with dinner and only took a few drinks of it then forgot about while cleaning up dinner getting the kids up in their rooms and settled.
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that's cool man. different people work differently with this stuff. like when it comes to dieting, some people have to go all in and do these crazy extreme diets and exercise routines. but i'm looking at that and thinking is that sustainable and more desirable then something more balanced. just get some exercise each day and if you go to a happy hour then take it easy the next day and workout harder.

my wife has starting listening to these really anti-drinking e-books/podcast that say things like

"when these people choose to ingest poison..."

for her she needs that absolute wrong to make it work. her will power is really gnarly though, way gnarlier than what i'm capable of. her dieting over the years has been really impressive.

for me it's easier to set some reasonable goals and try and balance it out.

slightly related, spent an hour on my quarter yesterday morning between calls which was great. i'm not sure how much the drinking is helping here versus the heat easing up a bit, lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-uqDKf8ZO0&feature=youtu.be

That quarter is amazing!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on September 26, 2019, 08:14:27 AM
thanks man, super stoked on the quarter. just getting the coping to grind. it's hard to skate because it's kind of steep and has the concrete coping but really rewarding to get tricks on.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on September 26, 2019, 01:49:25 PM

- Sidelining your sobriety for that special occassion means you’re not sober and your day count goes back to zero. Before you know it you’ll be finding special occassions everywhere.



After nearly 2 decades of substance abuse problems, finally under control. Also accepted impossible for me to be 100% sober. Feels good because would always beat myself up after drinking at special occasions then turn more depressed. Happy I don't hold that mindset anymore. Such a brutal internal struggle. Mainly just drink on special occasions, 1-2 times a month plus tap out after 4 beers. System works for me. During height of chaos, drinking everyday & few occasions killed 30 rack. Substance abuse  equals crazy daily viscious cycle of self sabatoge. Good luck to everybody fighting the battle, you will win the war one day. Moderation or cold turkey , hope you find peace. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Freight Train on September 27, 2019, 10:24:08 AM
Yeah but does Dennis Rodman avoid Dr. Drew when he sees him at LAX on his way to visit his ride-or-die bitch, Kim Jong Un?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on October 15, 2019, 07:06:31 PM
Disregard everything I said , clearly a walking contradiction. Fuck sobriety, team relapse
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on October 15, 2019, 07:07:05 PM
And team fun
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on October 15, 2019, 10:07:09 PM
Well, I don’t think that's a good idea but stay safe out there. That fun part does not tends to last.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on October 17, 2019, 02:42:21 PM
so been a few weeks for me on the moderation program and seems to be going well. i had a trip to san diego for 3 days which was nights out drinking of course but i still made 6:30am beach volley ball follow by a 5k so probably not too bad. that fits into my social drinking rule. during the week i've been not drinking for the most part and it's been going great. on the weekends i'm starting later and drinking less but still enjoying some drinks. i keep a lot of la croix type soda waters and just smash those when i'm thinking i want a beer. this week i'm down 4 lbs on my weight which is cool. best part for me is probably just sleeping better during the week and not having such a hard ramp up first thing in the morning and i've been skating more.

side note, i saw wes skating down the street in SD near the beach which was pretty epic.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ghettygreensili on October 18, 2019, 12:29:00 AM
bump when sober

Three days without drinking at the moment. Only weird thing so far is the extra free time and a confused roommate when I was home on my night off. Looking forward to really seeing what becomes of this.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ghettygreensili on October 18, 2019, 12:31:16 AM
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OP gunning for the worst poster on Slap title. He's got a lot of competition, though. I give him one week tops before his next drink.
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RICK I TRIED TO DM YOU FOR TIPS BUT YOU WONT TAKE MY MESSAGES

I THINK ILL BE ABLE TO HOLD STRONG ON NOT DRINKING UNTIL XMAS. IN SOME SICK TWIST IF FATE, THE ONLY TIME I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO DRINK IS WHEN IM WITH MY FAMILY. WORK PARTIES AND SOCIALIZING WITH FRIENDS I COULD CARE LESS

SOBER BUMP I DRANK GINGERALE INSTEAD OF BOURBON TONIGHT

proud of you dude, keep it up
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: os89 on October 18, 2019, 05:26:23 PM
I need to get on the wagon, fuck.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JohnnySaintLethal on October 18, 2019, 06:05:55 PM
Been on the wagon except for the weekends so far. Whatever idk if that counts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3xJd_wJPR1/?igshid=1pupfyv98hvxr

It’s fun what you remember you can do when you’re not focusing on getting drunk every night. Painted this last night.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on October 18, 2019, 06:08:25 PM
Been on the wagon except for the weekends so far. Whatever idk if that counts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3xJd_wJPR1/?igshid=1pupfyv98hvxr

It’s fun what you remember you can do when you’re not focusing on getting drunk every night. Painted this last night.

I know some people would say it doesn't count but if its cut down drastically in comparison and is a challenge then fuck it, I say congrats because your still making positive changes
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Hevonen on October 19, 2019, 07:14:17 AM
Been sober for around 2,5 months (aside from a beer or two the couple times I've been to a bar to watch some game). Not a conscious decision, just hasn't been much partying going on with my group of friends, or I've been busy working. Normally I drink 2-3 times per month and pretty heavily on those occasions (20-30 beers/shots). Haven't really felt any difference aside from not feeling like garbage for the couple days after drinking and maybe losing a pound or two
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: What a find on October 19, 2019, 12:00:17 PM
Some of y'all are battling for real, respect

-

Small time issues here but 3 days of cigs and monsters after a little more than a year

Working nights and not sleeping during the day because I missed the sun

Changing life instead of letting life change me. Fuck the substance dependant lifestyle
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Vintagebody on October 19, 2019, 01:05:52 PM
Whats the deal with certain skateboarders trying to live up this foolish image of "skate, drugs and rock n roll(more like mumble rap)"??? Its like its cool to be a drughead with poor job.
I've seen it alot in teenagers the last few years duo to my job, and it seems to be growing.

Stop being a wozzy, face life drug and alcohol free.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on October 19, 2019, 03:18:25 PM
Been on a pretty good bender this week, have to sober up then return to normal life before Monday
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: S. on October 19, 2019, 04:36:33 PM
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I spent 4 + years in canada where i was drinking quite alot every weekend, ever since i got back to Australia ive chilled on it a bit, its nice to recharge a bit, wake up fresh without hangovers on weekend
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That's crazy! 4 years in Canada and you only drank on weekends, good for you!

Its completely normal in Canada to drink every day, and not small amounts either.

If you drink 24 cans of beer a day that's considered pretty normal.

Anyhow, I quit drinking about 2-3 years ago. I'm happy I did for many reasons. As you get older it's just not worth it.

I've had a beer now and again but I cant even finish one without thinking it's not that good anymore and I just dont finish it.
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Hahah id drink the occasional weekday as a good little tourist does but yeah pretty common in Australia for people to drink every day....My buddys uncle in vancouver use to crush cases of kokanee on a daily basis
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Same here in Germany. Pretty common to see someone with a beer at all hours of the day - even on the morning commute at 9am.

I'm curious though, for anyone who was only ever drinking a 1-2 beers each day then quit or cut back did you notice a big difference in how you felt health/energy/focus wise? I have a friend who's taken month long breaks but he's someone who, when he drinks, doesn't stop. He says he feels a bigger difference when he takes a month long hiatus from caffeine.

Yo, I am German too. I get into phases when I will have one to two beers every day. Usually that happens when I am frustrated with work or the wintertime and having a beer at night feels like a real treat.  Physically it does not make much of a difference if I have them or not. I don't think it affects my recovery or inflamation at all. It does influence my mood a bit, though. If I stop having that beer at night I feel a bit nervous and angry in the following evenings. I might also find it a bit more difficult to fall asleep. Also I feel I have a little bit more energy if I did not have that beer the night before. During the weeks of my daily beer routine I will also drink a bit more coffee.

If I drink more than two beers I definitely notice it the next day. My knees and ancles will feel like shit. I will get mood swings from anger to depression and recovering from a skate session will take forever. I think feeling the negative effects of alcohol so directly has prevented me from drinking becoming more of a problem. I do get moderately drunk once a week I guess, but I see that I have the following day off and that I take walk or some shit to not get too angry and depressed. I have stopped trying to skate hungover so if I plan to skate the next day I do not drink more than one or two beers.

I fucking love beer and if I knew that I would feel OK the next day I would want to drink it constantly. I like it so much I even drink non-alcoholic beer.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Assmountain on October 20, 2019, 06:56:24 AM
I'm currently drinking a 3L bottle of port wine. Let that be a lesson to you all.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: UPPERCASEnocap on November 04, 2019, 02:56:42 PM
First post, as this one definitely grabbed my attention. I am a alcoholic. Heavy duty drinker. By the bottle and by the case. I've stopped drinking for a month here and there in the past. But now at 29 I am a year and some odd months sober from booze.

I always look back and miss the days of having absolutely zero regard for myself of others as if you don't care about anything, nothing can ever upset you, right? Wrong.

This was my first year back really skating in over 10 years. I would have never imagined I would be doing and enjoying skateboarding so much.

Overall, this past 12 plus months have been the most, rewarding and down right fun times I've had in my life.

If you're trying to decide if you want to stop or slow down on the drinking, you have already recognized a problem and sobriety is definitely a nice option!

Cheers! Uh, I mean, bye.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: UPPERCASEnocap on November 04, 2019, 02:57:56 PM
I think I've posted about it before, but I'm almost two years totally sober. Last drink was in October 2017.

I mean, I never really had a full-blown problem, but I drank regularly since I was 17. I mainly stopped because I got married and my wife is religious and has never done drugs or drank. She jokes about drinking wine but I don't want to even hear about it.

Also - for me, putting aside the religious/cultural points, drinking stressed me out. I got overly concerned about its long-term effects to my equilibrium and memory, and it's also a stressor due to how it sucks up money. And I'm getting older and have never been really financially stable, so I just started to feel like a loser. The value of giving it up is more mentally, psychologically beneficial.

To be totally honest, when I'm really low and depressed I want to drink still. And it's still a struggle not to get some beer. I miss beer. I even miss the beer thread on Slap. But its arbitrary nature is easier to remember than before.

This is all 💯. Congratulations on the sobriety!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on November 04, 2019, 08:11:47 PM
10 days in. We’ll see how this goes...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: UPPERCASEnocap on November 05, 2019, 07:12:03 AM
10 days in. We’ll see how this goes...

You're almost past the hardest part. All downhill from here!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on November 05, 2019, 07:17:06 AM
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10 days in. We’ll see how this goes...
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You're almost past the hardest part. All downhill from here!

Thank you. I appreciate that!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on November 05, 2019, 11:39:22 AM
10 days in. We’ll see how this goes...

yeah, congrats! keep it up!

i am at six months, at  the moment, very happy about that
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: UPPERCASEnocap on November 05, 2019, 05:55:11 PM
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10 days in. We’ll see how this goes...
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yeah, congrats! keep it up!

i am at six months, at  the moment, very happy about that

Damnnn! 6 months? no looking back now! Congrats.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on November 05, 2019, 07:05:45 PM
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10 days in. We’ll see how this goes...
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yeah, congrats! keep it up!

i am at six months, at  the moment, very happy about that
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Damnnn! 6 months? no looking back now! Congrats.

Not even a question about it. The only thing for me is to break a habit, so after like two months I don’t even think of having a beer. When someone offers one it feels weird, like why should I even consider. Same works for me with eating meat, drugs, etc. just need to build the mindset that it is something I don’t see myself doing and then it is not a difficult decision or temptation.

After loosing friends to drugs I was straight edge in my late teens and beyond for over six years. Then after changing my surroundings, slowly started having casual beers and weed and often got mad at myself for loosing that strength, somehow. I just always felt best sober. So I am really happy getting some authority over my actions back.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on November 05, 2019, 07:48:26 PM
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10 days in. We’ll see how this goes...
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yeah, congrats! keep it up!

i am at six months, at  the moment, very happy about that

Thanks man, and congrats right back at ya with the 1/2 year!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Big Baby Jesus on November 06, 2019, 07:12:55 AM
Really cool to see all the slappers that are trying to get and stay sober. Right now I have 9.5 months. Last day I used was Jan 10. I was using heroin and coke daily. Overdosed for the first time, wrecked my car and went into treatment. Was forced with that or my girl not letting me come home. Has been worth it and I feel great. I don't do any AA/NA but more CBT therapy and meds to manage my depression. Been skating a alot, rebuilding relationships with family and friends, and just started working again. Definitely was hard the first few months but now I'm proud I made the change.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 06, 2019, 08:09:29 AM
i'm about 4 weeks in on this new moderation thing where i mostly drink on weekends and it's going really well. it's probably not for every one but here's some notes for anyone thinking about just moderating instead of completely quiting

- i don't really struggle with not having a drink mon-thurs anymore, took like 2 weeks but i actually really enjoy just relaxing at night now and find it a bit more relaxing to chill without a drink
- i've started looking forward to not drinking during the next week on the weekends. i enjoy having some drinks on weekend for sure but i find that the next day when i'm tired and have harder time getting up i start looking forward to the next week. i'm also starting to enjoy drinking a little less on the weekends. it's more like desert at this point. i like eating a desert when i'm in the mood but if i randomly just slay a huge piece of cake for no reason i'll probably not be into it, same thing with just pounding drinks for not good reason.
- officially i can drink sunday by my program but lately i've been skipping it mainly because i don't want to feel like shit monday and i'm usually feeling worn out from fri and sat festivities
- initial weight loss is gone. i went HAM one weekend where we went on a road trip to see tool and ended up bingeing on food and alcohol the whole weekend.

all in all super happy with the lifestyle change. treating drinking more like food and keeping it lean and clean during the week and splurging on the weekends makes sense for me. enjoying the easy mornings and better nights sleep.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on November 06, 2019, 08:45:35 AM
Really cool to see all the slappers that are trying to get and stay sober. Right now I have 9.5 months. Last day I used was Jan 10. I was using heroin and coke daily. Overdosed for the first time, wrecked my car and went into treatment. Was forced with that or my girl not letting me come home. Has been worth it and I feel great. I don't do any AA/NA but more CBT therapy and meds to manage my depression. Been skating a alot, rebuilding relationships with family and friends, and just started working again. Definitely was hard the first few months but now I'm proud I made the change.

that is such a difficult change to make. i can't imagine how difficult the initial days must be, especially in a moiment that is already difficult (crashing, injury and relationship struggles) mad proud of you and 9.5 months!
keep it up, a year is close and you can count in big steps.

really like this thread and good posters on here!
happy to see some good souls here apart from the crazy insults that are flying nthrough some of the threads.

@Sleazy: way to go! any step towards moderation and awareness is a good step. good strength and props from my side.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 06, 2019, 10:37:02 AM
@Sleazy: way to go! any step towards moderation and awareness is a good step. good strength and props from my side.

thanks man. my wife lead the way. if she was still drinking it'd be way harder.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on November 06, 2019, 12:05:47 PM
i'm about 4 weeks in on this new moderation thing where i mostly drink on weekends and it's going really well. it's probably not for every one but here's some notes for anyone thinking about just moderating instead of completely quiting

- i don't really struggle with not having a drink mon-thurs anymore, took like 2 weeks but i actually really enjoy just relaxing at night now and find it a bit more relaxing to chill without a drink
- i've started looking forward to not drinking during the next week on the weekends. i enjoy having some drinks on weekend for sure but i find that the next day when i'm tired and have harder time getting up i start looking forward to the next week. i'm also starting to enjoy drinking a little less on the weekends. it's more like desert at this point. i like eating a desert when i'm in the mood but if i randomly just slay a huge piece of cake for no reason i'll probably not be into it, same thing with just pounding drinks for not good reason.
- officially i can drink sunday by my program but lately i've been skipping it mainly because i don't want to feel like shit monday and i'm usually feeling worn out from fri and sat festivities
- initial weight loss is gone. i went HAM one weekend where we went on a road trip to see tool and ended up bingeing on food and alcohol the whole weekend.

all in all super happy with the lifestyle change. treating drinking more like food and keeping it lean and clean during the week and splurging on the weekends makes sense for me. enjoying the easy mornings and better nights sleep.

Congrats dude ! I think this is the best way to go about it because it's not just stopping everything so cold turkey, like you've mentioned as you cut down you find more that the days your allowing drinks you wont even feel like it and it kind of becomes more of a "whatever" thing instead of something to look forward to.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: VHS ERA on November 06, 2019, 06:20:10 PM
i'm about 4 weeks in on this new moderation thing where i mostly drink on weekends and it's going really well. it's probably not for every one but here's some notes for anyone thinking about just moderating instead of completely quiting

- i don't really struggle with not having a drink mon-thurs anymore, took like 2 weeks but i actually really enjoy just relaxing at night now and find it a bit more relaxing to chill without a drink
- i've started looking forward to not drinking during the next week on the weekends. i enjoy having some drinks on weekend for sure but i find that the next day when i'm tired and have harder time getting up i start looking forward to the next week. i'm also starting to enjoy drinking a little less on the weekends. it's more like desert at this point. i like eating a desert when i'm in the mood but if i randomly just slay a huge piece of cake for no reason i'll probably not be into it, same thing with just pounding drinks for not good reason.
- officially i can drink sunday by my program but lately i've been skipping it mainly because i don't want to feel like shit monday and i'm usually feeling worn out from fri and sat festivities
- initial weight loss is gone. i went HAM one weekend where we went on a road trip to see tool and ended up bingeing on food and alcohol the whole weekend.

all in all super happy with the lifestyle change. treating drinking more like food and keeping it lean and clean during the week and splurging on the weekends makes sense for me. enjoying the easy mornings and better nights sleep.

Wanting to be my best self the next day was a big factor in me successfully doing what you’re doing (I went from raging nightly alcoholic to strictly only weekend drinking and have been good for years).

I skate better, workout better, work and socialize better after having been sober the night before. Once I got past initial cravings this really sealed the deal.

It’s dope how re-falling in love with skateboarding helped me. I got obsessed with filming a new part and I wanted to be on point the next day to skate way more than I wanted to drink.

Disclaimer I just want to say that “cutting back” like this is probably isn’t for most people. Not that I’m special it just seems like most people with an addiction need to fully quit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on November 06, 2019, 06:45:10 PM
  I was fucked up at work today on edibles.  Thats my work juice.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 07, 2019, 04:17:51 AM
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i'm about 4 weeks in on this new moderation thing where i mostly drink on weekends and it's going really well. it's probably not for every one but here's some notes for anyone thinking about just moderating instead of completely quiting

- i don't really struggle with not having a drink mon-thurs anymore, took like 2 weeks but i actually really enjoy just relaxing at night now and find it a bit more relaxing to chill without a drink
- i've started looking forward to not drinking during the next week on the weekends. i enjoy having some drinks on weekend for sure but i find that the next day when i'm tired and have harder time getting up i start looking forward to the next week. i'm also starting to enjoy drinking a little less on the weekends. it's more like desert at this point. i like eating a desert when i'm in the mood but if i randomly just slay a huge piece of cake for no reason i'll probably not be into it, same thing with just pounding drinks for not good reason.
- officially i can drink sunday by my program but lately i've been skipping it mainly because i don't want to feel like shit monday and i'm usually feeling worn out from fri and sat festivities
- initial weight loss is gone. i went HAM one weekend where we went on a road trip to see tool and ended up bingeing on food and alcohol the whole weekend.

all in all super happy with the lifestyle change. treating drinking more like food and keeping it lean and clean during the week and splurging on the weekends makes sense for me. enjoying the easy mornings and better nights sleep.
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Wanting to be my best self the next day was a big factor in me successfully doing what you’re doing (I went from raging nightly alcoholic to strictly only weekend drinking and have been good for years).

I skate better, workout better, work and socialize better after having been sober the night before. Once I got past initial cravings this really sealed the deal.

It’s dope how re-falling in love with skateboarding helped me. I got obsessed with filming a new part and I wanted to be on point the next day to skate way more than I wanted to drink.

Disclaimer I just want to say that “cutting back” like this is probably isn’t for most people. Not that I’m special it just seems like most people with an addiction need to fully quit.

seeing others talking about moderation on here really helped get me motivated. last night i was thinking about having a drink but ended up eating some cheese and pretzels. i did a gnarly workout class after a long day and was just feeling exhausted.

i'm feeling the same way about skating as you mentioned. my big challenge now is that i usually skate saturday mornings and that's my worst day now, lol. a lot of the time i'll roll up at the skate park and just never get a session going because i'm physically tired and just not feeling pumped up. need to figure that one out.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: straight on November 07, 2019, 05:11:37 AM
^ instead of looking forward to drinking friday night .. look even further and get excited for the saturday morning skate sesh
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: no habla mango on November 07, 2019, 05:23:37 AM
russell simmons said 'i realized i preferred morning meditation to late night partying.'
straight quote reminds me of that.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 07, 2019, 05:30:59 AM
^ instead of looking forward to drinking friday night .. look even further and get excited for the saturday morning skate sesh

need to figure something out here for sure. now that it's not so hot might try skating later in the day and taking it easy friday nights. it's helpful for me during the week to know i can have a drink on friday. good way to finish the work week.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: VHS ERA on November 07, 2019, 05:40:10 AM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
i'm about 4 weeks in on this new moderation thing where i mostly drink on weekends and it's going really well. it's probably not for every one but here's some notes for anyone thinking about just moderating instead of completely quiting

- i don't really struggle with not having a drink mon-thurs anymore, took like 2 weeks but i actually really enjoy just relaxing at night now and find it a bit more relaxing to chill without a drink
- i've started looking forward to not drinking during the next week on the weekends. i enjoy having some drinks on weekend for sure but i find that the next day when i'm tired and have harder time getting up i start looking forward to the next week. i'm also starting to enjoy drinking a little less on the weekends. it's more like desert at this point. i like eating a desert when i'm in the mood but if i randomly just slay a huge piece of cake for no reason i'll probably not be into it, same thing with just pounding drinks for not good reason.
- officially i can drink sunday by my program but lately i've been skipping it mainly because i don't want to feel like shit monday and i'm usually feeling worn out from fri and sat festivities
- initial weight loss is gone. i went HAM one weekend where we went on a road trip to see tool and ended up bingeing on food and alcohol the whole weekend.

all in all super happy with the lifestyle change. treating drinking more like food and keeping it lean and clean during the week and splurging on the weekends makes sense for me. enjoying the easy mornings and better nights sleep.
[close]

Wanting to be my best self the next day was a big factor in me successfully doing what you’re doing (I went from raging nightly alcoholic to strictly only weekend drinking and have been good for years).

I skate better, workout better, work and socialize better after having been sober the night before. Once I got past initial cravings this really sealed the deal.

It’s dope how re-falling in love with skateboarding helped me. I got obsessed with filming a new part and I wanted to be on point the next day to skate way more than I wanted to drink.

Disclaimer I just want to say that “cutting back” like this is probably isn’t for most people. Not that I’m special it just seems like most people with an addiction need to fully quit.
[close]

seeing others talking about moderation on here really helped get me motivated. last night i was thinking about having a drink but ended up eating some cheese and pretzels. i did a gnarly workout class after a long day and was just feeling exhausted.

i'm feeling the same way about skating as you mentioned. my big challenge now is that i usually skate saturday mornings and that's my worst day now, lol. a lot of the time i'll roll up at the skate park and just never get a session going because i'm physically tired and just not feeling pumped up. need to figure that one out.

You’re doin it right.

Other related advice from my experience. If you’re used to basically drinking yourself to sleep then you gotta tire yourself out. When you’re still fighting booze cravings, being wide awake with excess energy at 9 pm is the enemy. Wake up earlier, workout harder, work harder, skate harder whatever. Eventually dinner and bed will be all you want. Remember that cravings pass, just wait them out. Wait an hour or 2 and see if you still really need it that bad. Reaching for snacks instead of a drink as you mentioned is a fatboy move but I totally did it all the time. Whatever it’s better than drinking.  I don’t really get how it works but it does help curb a craving.

The last part about weekend skating I haven’t figure out either because I do still drink a bit on weekends. The difference in my energy and focus level after a sober night vs after drinking even a couple is dramatic so I really prefer skating weekdays. When it’s light out until 9 it’s totally doable but this 5 pm sunset basically relegates skating to the weekend.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 07, 2019, 05:53:24 AM
fortunately for me i can easily be tired. i usually start working around 6am and work till around 5:30 pm and most days i do an hour intense workout at orange theory and if the weather is nice i'll throw a session on my quarter in there too or a hike with my wife on some trails in our neighborhood.

i was thinking the same thing about trying to hit up some week night sessions. i could also do week mornings. i own my own business and work from home/anywhere so there is this really chill coffee shop on the lake near the skatepark i like in austin so might start mixing that in once some of these projects i'm working on start getting less dependent on my time.

really appreciate the feedback though.

for all the crazy shit that this place is, i currently quit smoking weed after talking about it in a thread on here like 5 years ago and now this thread is great for moderating the drinking. good stuff.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on November 07, 2019, 07:18:56 AM
Expand Quote
^ instead of looking forward to drinking friday night .. look even further and get excited for the saturday morning skate sesh
[close]

... good way to finish the work week...

it is not, in my opinion. it is the way they advertise to "treat yourself" but it just makes your only time you don't have to be a slave difficult to heal from the work week and stress, do something for yourself, relax on the weekend and get some time to move on in life.

for me stopping after work "treat yourselfs" especially on fridays was the point where i started moving forward in life.
having to full days for myself, one to catch up with what i have not had time for during the week (clean, call back and catch up with friends, on sleep, etc.) and one day to work on personal projects, maybe look for better jobs, plan for the upcoming week, prep lunch, ... skate, art, whatever. and it always feels so good, like finishing the week off and feeling ready to start the next instead of dreading mondays.

its like an upwards spiral

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 07, 2019, 10:47:33 AM
that sounds like a good approach and i'd commend anyone who takes that but just doesn't fit to what i'm currently trying to do

for me the whole moderation thing, whether it's my diet or drinking is about rewarding good behavior. so during the week we eat healthy, have home cooked meals most nights with fresh seafood, meats and veggies but then on the weekend we'll get into some pizza or mexican food. we don't let our kids eat sweets or drink sodas during the week. but on the weekend, if they get some outside play time in then we let them have sugar drinks and snacks. the whole vibe being about balance and rewarding yourself for healthy choices.

i'm just trying to get my drinking into this same flow as it's been out of wack with the rest of what we do for a long time.

and then my situation is different than most on the job front. i work from home in a really great space with my wife and dogs, i manage my own schedule and my work is mostly creative things that i enjoy doing. i don't deal with traffic or any of that. so while my weekends are precious, it's not like it's my only 2 days of freedom. my weekends are mostly about having some fun with the kids and catching up on domestics. and part of that is eating some fun food and now part of that is having a drink for me.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on November 07, 2019, 12:00:03 PM
fortunately for me i can easily be tired. i usually start working around 6am and work till around 5:30 pm and most days i do an hour intense workout at orange theory and if the weather is nice i'll throw a session on my quarter in there too or a hike with my wife on some trails in our neighborhood.

i was thinking the same thing about trying to hit up some week night sessions. i could also do week mornings. i own my own business and work from home/anywhere so there is this really chill coffee shop on the lake near the skatepark i like in austin so might start mixing that in once some of these projects i'm working on start getting less dependent on my time.

really appreciate the feedback though.

for all the crazy shit that this place is, i currently quit smoking weed after talking about it in a thread on here like 5 years ago and now this thread is great for moderating the drinking. good stuff.

ahah this is awesome, SLAP saves lives
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcST0AJExTKLV_0kbQLK6O-Q90z3_O4g13KjO5j-_yrR3h51GzVW&s)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on November 14, 2019, 06:29:09 PM
Ooooh shit, man, I got my first of many SLAP accounts in like 99 or 2001, maybe earlier with those OG boards with that shithead YMHY (who I only remember because I was a kid and he gave me endless shit), and it's be a long, long time since I'm back from lurking hard, but this topic got me.

I stopped drinking alcohol just over 4 years ago and it's been a journey and a half. Due to the nature of the work I've done, I could drink a few beers all day and, excluding my physical and mental well being, get by fine enough. Then, when we settled down for the night, ate a little food, the beers starting getting crushed. It was always cases of Lagunitas IPA, Sculpin Grapefruit, or Racer 5. From here, a few night a week anyways, it went to the bar or whatever, and another substance was usually introduced and I'd be sitting in some shithole bar until 130am, doing nothing interesting or beneficial.

Then one day, following a weekend long outdoor craft beer festival, where I did a few other drugs, and drank a bloody maria for breakfast on the last day, feeling NOTHING, I decided it was time to lay off for a month. Well, in that first month I found myself back in the drunkest place I'd ever lived/worked, I'm talking my work partner drinking a pint of gin before 7am and breaking out the fire ball after his "nap." I didn't know if I'd make it through, but i figured I'd work harder sober no matter how challenging it was to not drinking a dank IPA while working the saw or splitting wood...

Then came the night of the DMT breakthrough. Sitting around the fire, Yolla Bollies in the distance, I ripped the Deemster bowl and took a trip into hyperspace. There was no cognitive breakthrough but upon returning to ground I knew that I no longer needed/wanted alcohol in my life. Now, this isn't to say I'm not usually thirsty and don't want a brew, but I know it's no good for me, so I stay away.

It got hard when I was laid up with a neck injury, then a low back injury, leaving me unable to skate, ride a bike, work manual labor, or practice yoga, and I had a few bouts messing with some pharmies, but all told, it's been a fucking sweet experience and one of the best things I've done for myself. I learned some serious job skills, saved hella cheddar, the body is healing, and, although some of changed and been dropped, my relationships are better, stronger and more positive.

Y'all do what y'all gotta do but it's possible to get sober and find better, more interesting shit to do. The boredom is a killer for the first year, then year 2 feels over confident, after that, the sailing starts to get smoother.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: whale on November 17, 2019, 10:51:53 AM
Haven’t really drank to get drunk in years, but still loved a beer here and there.
Well, this year here and there has been everywhere and I’ve noticed it’s gotten pretty hard going through the day without atleast 1 beer.
Currently 8 days fully sober, feeling restless.
We’ll see how this goes.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on November 17, 2019, 09:10:22 PM
Ooooh shit, man, I got my first of many SLAP accounts in like 99 or 2001, maybe earlier with those OG boards with that shithead YMHY (who I only remember because I was a kid and he gave me endless shit), and it's be a long, long time since I'm back from lurking hard, but this topic got me.

I stopped drinking alcohol just over 4 years ago and it's been a journey and a half. Due to the nature of the work I've done, I could drink a few beers all day and, excluding my physical and mental well being, get by fine enough. Then, when we settled down for the night, ate a little food, the beers starting getting crushed. It was always cases of Lagunitas IPA, Sculpin Grapefruit, or Racer 5. From here, a few night a week anyways, it went to the bar or whatever, and another substance was usually introduced and I'd be sitting in some shithole bar until 130am, doing nothing interesting or beneficial.

Then one day, following a weekend long outdoor craft beer festival, where I did a few other drugs, and drank a bloody maria for breakfast on the last day, feeling NOTHING, I decided it was time to lay off for a month. Well, in that first month I found myself back in the drunkest place I'd ever lived/worked, I'm talking my work partner drinking a pint of gin before 7am and breaking out the fire ball after his "nap." I didn't know if I'd make it through, but i figured I'd work harder sober no matter how challenging it was to not drinking a dank IPA while working the saw or splitting wood...

Then came the night of the DMT breakthrough. Sitting around the fire, Yolla Bollies in the distance, I ripped the Deemster bowl and took a trip into hyperspace. There was no cognitive breakthrough but upon returning to ground I knew that I no longer needed/wanted alcohol in my life. Now, this isn't to say I'm not usually thirsty and don't want a brew, but I know it's no good for me, so I stay away.

It got hard when I was laid up with a neck injury, then a low back injury, leaving me unable to skate, ride a bike, work manual labor, or practice yoga, and I had a few bouts messing with some pharmies, but all told, it's been a fucking sweet experience and one of the best things I've done for myself. I learned some serious job skills, saved hella cheddar, the body is healing, and, although some of changed and been dropped, my relationships are better, stronger and more positive.

Y'all do what y'all gotta do but it's possible to get sober and find better, more interesting shit to do. The boredom is a killer for the first year, then year 2 feels over confident, after that, the sailing starts to get smoother.

Epic journey. Stay with it!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on November 17, 2019, 09:12:20 PM
Haven’t really drank to get drunk in years, but still loved a beer here and there.
Well, this year here and there has been everywhere and I’ve noticed it’s gotten pretty hard going through the day without atleast 1 beer.
Currently 8 days fully sober, feeling restless.
We’ll see how this goes.

You’re where I was a couple of weeks ago. I was given some encouraging words (thank you UPPERCASEnocap and jtrmpa) so I’ll do the same. Congrats. Stay with it. It gets easier day by day...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mystical Leader on November 18, 2019, 05:23:37 AM
I'm going to try this thing for a while. Been feeling pretty fried since the summer and it's starting effect people around me. I need to get myself a better education too and all that stuff. Getting there with the age. I guess I finally feel like I've done it all and I need to find something new in my life... It's just hard to get rid of destructive behavior when it's so much "fun".. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 18, 2019, 05:48:50 AM
props IusedToSkateMore and Salsa Verde

keep it up!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawbertson. on November 18, 2019, 01:19:10 PM
i really would like to switch over to completely healthy lifestyle but have no clue where to start.

have really cut back on my weed and booze consumption but would like to eliminate it entirely. have to find a way to change up my routine + these new pens are just so god damned convenient :s the weed is going to be the hardest thing to quit for me
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on November 18, 2019, 03:18:10 PM
i really would like to switch over to completely healthy lifestyle but have no clue where to start.

have really cut back on my weed and booze consumption but would like to eliminate it entirely. have to find a way to change up my routine + these new pens are just so god damned convenient :s the weed is going to be the hardest thing to quit for me
  Fuckin right.  I quit cigerettes and opiates but could never quit weed.  And now im starting to think i dont need to.  It does affect my thinking tho.  The times ive quit made me realize that. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawbertson. on November 19, 2019, 08:25:24 AM
the first step i have taken is basically eat a lot more vegetables and a lot less fast food. I think a good goal for myself would maybe be only do fast food like 2x a month (not sure how realistic that is still). my other goal for next year is to take care of my garden in my backyard and grow vegetables there ( first time i have ever had a chance to do something like this, i just moved)

i want to set a goal for myself to just blaze weed 1x a week but its still like 3x a day. Was down to 1x a day but hard to get back to that im finding.

alchohol i want to have just 1x a week and lately have been doing like 3x a week again (but just like 1 drink / night)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 19, 2019, 11:46:25 AM
that's pretty good rawbertson. i'm imagining it took shitloads of weed to get those SF skill up


my program still going well for me. last two weeks i've had a day during the week when i've had drinks but it fits into the heuristic i'm going for.

last week mid weeks the kids wanted to go out for pizza at this dope neapolitan pizza place. we never do that during the week but my 11 year old daughter was really hyped to go and i was in the mood too. they have peroni on tap and so it was on, no regrets there. just had one beer and one wine.

this week, i had demo day for my biggest client today and worked 7 hours on friday and 12 or so on monday getting ready and so last night had a nice 2.5 finger pour of some good tequila. i've got this CTO forum that i'm a member of and we meet once a month. after the meeting we have dinner and drinks also this week so that might throw this week off a bit. but that's how i structured things. i'll go dry tonight and take it easy at the forum.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawbertson. on November 19, 2019, 12:41:10 PM
Peroni on tap is godlike!!! aw man also I found this really good beer i like called Granville Island Lionhead Winter Ale. It has hints of caramel and coffee. God damn though that shit is HEAVY like a guiness. super bad for you lol. need to CUT BACK. i stopped beer entirely and just did gin + soda water casue less carbs. but then id just kill like tons of Gin shots straight out the bottle soo i think im gonna take a break from buying 26er of gin for a bit. Gonna just buy 4 of those beers on Friday and that will be my alchohol for the week.

I am getting low on weed + pens and i really dont want to re order and see how long i can go without. spent $227 on pens that lasted me like 4 weeks... too ridiculous need to see if not having those around could lead to me smoking a lot less. i find it REALLY hard to get through an entire saturday / sunday with young kids not having any tokes lol. i think i will just do a smaller order i find having tons of gear i am more inclined to just go ham, i am kind of a crack head like that
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 19, 2019, 01:51:47 PM
Peroni on tap is godlike!!!

i had only had it at a place before which was in the syndey airport so i was super stoked to find it at this pizza spot. but fully agree, such a great beer experience especially with some quality wood oven pizza. i'm actually a big fan of slightly sweet malty beers like peroni, stella or asain style beers. i think growing up in south east asia as a kid has a lot to do with it.

i quit smoking week like 5 years ago or so. i had given someone on here this advice about don't smoke for a day and do a retro on if your day was better or worst and then keep going from there. it seemed like good advice and so i followed it and ended up never looking back. for me being hi around my kids was way to awkward to be enjoyable, my wife doesn't smoke and i honestly started just having weird thoughts when i'd get really high. i found it easier to relax when i wasn't hi because my brain wouldn't start racing on dumb shit. when i was enjoying smoking weed i wasn't busy, skated a lot, played a lot of street fighter with my homies, etc... once i got busy and didn't have the right circle activities for weed it got weird for me so it was easy to quit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: straight on December 02, 2019, 05:32:05 PM
started smoking weed again and thinking about drinking again
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hangontoyourego on December 02, 2019, 05:41:30 PM
started smoking weed again and thinking about drinking again
Don’t give in . Think about how good you feel without it .
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on December 03, 2019, 08:37:45 AM
Day 2 of no more alcohol (beer) for the time being. Meniscus surgery this Thursday so I thought it’d be a good idea to stop for the moment. I went from not really drinking unless it was night time to popping open a Budweiser when I woke up. Never really thought I’d ever become that person.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 03, 2019, 10:21:53 AM
Some of this shit is just societal.  Like if weeds not sober, what about these meds that I would never take that people are on?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on December 03, 2019, 11:27:28 AM
the latest nine club has some good talking about chilling on drinking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNr-0SoBQ2g&feature=emb_title

i took the whole week off my program last week for the holiday but i'm back on it this week. didn't drink last night and felt good to not be tired. but i did enjoy enjoying some drinks last week, just didn't go HAM
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on December 04, 2019, 11:59:22 AM
Excited to watch that nine club later today. Remember Rowley saying drugs & alcohol always win. Experienced pretty bad relapse two nights ago. Always think I have it under control with moderation concept then few months later, way off the rails. Really gonna try cold turkey. Day 2 soberville. Always feel like that aa scene in fight club when I visit this thread. Good luck to everybody fighting the same battle
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on December 08, 2019, 08:14:19 PM
started smoking weed again and thinking about drinking again

yo homie, you can stay off the sauce if you want. It's hard but, ime, the longer you hold out, the better you feel. just sayin. stay strong man
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fulfillthedream on December 09, 2019, 09:19:21 PM
i flushed the last nug i had down the toilet last night

i love weed but ive just done it for so long i wanna break. lets see how long it lasts.

i plan to def blaze when i go back home which is jan 18th

but i wanna have at least 2-3 weeks off the green from now.

any tips?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on December 10, 2019, 09:06:31 AM
i flushed the last nug i had down the toilet last night

i love weed but ive just done it for so long i wanna break. lets see how long it lasts.

i plan to def blaze when i go back home which is jan 18th

but i wanna have at least 2-3 weeks off the green from now.

any tips?

for me when i quit smoking then and cut back drinking now daily retrospectives where key. i guess that fits into the one day at a time thing but for me it's way easier on day 2 because i can wake up and think was day one and the morning of day 2 better or worst than it would have been if i smoked/drink. most of the time the answer is yes and that makes it easier to go one more day. i've been doing the same thing with moderating my drinking. i pretty much know the difference my day will be now if i drink or don't at night and i have gotten to value having a productive day, not being tried, having a pumped up work out, etc... over a few drinks.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: thot juice on December 11, 2019, 05:50:24 PM
QUIT WHILE YOURE AHEAD

I started doing a lot of coke 3 yrs ago - live in a major city where ppl party a lot and it’s not uncommon particularly among skateboarders. Felt like was living lavish was having lots of fun making lots of money no real concerns. Eventually freaked out and felt I was doing a lot of damage to my nose so quit everything cold turkey in September 2018 - went pretty smoothly, drank lots of San pellegrino, worked out, was feeling pretty good was looking good. Ended up relapsing this summer during the month of July for basically whole month. Felt something was off so quit cold turkey end of July. Been sober since but recently started experiencing server pains in my nose, pain continued almost constantly for a few weeks and I’ve since had it checked by 5 separate GPs and a ENT specialist all of whom said it was okay.  I still insisted on a cat scan of sinuses, Cat scan didn’t show anything but the pain has yet to go away and I’ve never been more traumatized now that I am fully read on some of the horrifying consequences of regular  cocaine abuse. If I had stuck out my first attempt at sobriety and quit while I was ahead I’d still be in the clear, happy and care free. I know recovery is tough and relapse is sometimes inevitable but BE CAREFUL sometimes one more time is one too many. Stay safe.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on December 17, 2019, 07:52:20 AM
Took 2 oxy last night. :/
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: no habla mango on December 17, 2019, 07:59:36 AM
Took 2 oxy last night. :/
this ain't the 'things you are stoked on' thread.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: casper on December 17, 2019, 08:03:48 AM
Weed is a plant not a drug

(https://media.giphy.com/media/dZBa6EQnbnsHe/giphy.gif)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on December 17, 2019, 08:28:29 AM
Weed is a plant not a drug

(https://media.giphy.com/media/dZBa6EQnbnsHe/giphy.gif)

Heroin is semi-organic, what is your point?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: casper on December 17, 2019, 08:49:15 AM
Expand Quote
Weed is a plant not a drug

(https://media.giphy.com/media/dZBa6EQnbnsHe/giphy.gif)
[close]

Heroin is semi-organic, what is your point?

Semi-organic heroin vs weed? What’s your point?

(https://media2.giphy.com/media/20ZFeekfFUrni/giphy.gif)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 17, 2019, 09:35:37 AM
Might go for a multi month sobet streak comming up traveling.   Ya never know.   I could prolly still have fun even.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on December 17, 2019, 10:04:24 AM
Weed is a plant not a drug

(https://media.giphy.com/media/dZBa6EQnbnsHe/giphy.gif)

weed is a plant and a drug and nowadays medical strains have close to zero in common with naturally grown wild plants.
i love growing weed and if you (occasionally) smoke it you might seem more sympathetic to me than if you wouldn't.

you just chose the wrong thread for arguments of a teenager caught red-eyed by his mom.


/thread
strength to all sober pals (en)during all that holiday binge culture.
i really dread being around drunk people that much even though it just affirms my desire to not be one of them.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: shucknjive on December 17, 2019, 10:40:20 AM
its a drug but so fucking what

im gon legalize it
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 17, 2019, 11:06:32 AM
I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on December 17, 2019, 11:46:50 AM
Expand Quote
Weed is a plant not a drug

(https://media.giphy.com/media/dZBa6EQnbnsHe/giphy.gif)
[close]

weed is a plant and a drug and nowadays medical strains have close to zero in common with naturally grown wild plants.
i love growing weed and if you (occasionally) smoke it you might seem more sympathetic to me than if you wouldn't.

you just chose the wrong thread for arguments of a teenager caught red-eyed by his mom.


/thread
strength to all sober pals (en)during all that holiday binge culture.
i really dread being around drunk people that much even though it just affirms my desire to not be one of them.

Yes, the kid seems to struggle with context.

I've had some nightmares about dope lately. Also, strange mood swings between being proud of how far I've come to strange desire to go down town to score a bag. But I've been around for a while and know that I'll be fine, as long as I keep doing things that have proven to work.

Good luck to y'all. Stay safe, many tend to fall down hard during Christmas and New Year.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: straight on December 17, 2019, 12:29:45 PM
will probably get hammered by accident

that’s binge drinking . it’s a warning sign . but my opinion is that as long as your safe and fun to be around then that’s the point of alcohol right
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: morningcommute on December 17, 2019, 01:05:09 PM
Shout out to everyone who's making a conscious effort to improve their lives, in part, by the choice of sobriety.
I hope you all have a Shalom holiday season and stay strong.
You are by no means a failure if you relapse, but you may feel better about yourself if you can overcome your urges and abstain.

If you like not being sober 100% of the time then shalom to you too. Everyone's decisions and reasoning regarding drink and drugs is unique.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 17, 2019, 01:37:57 PM
I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on December 17, 2019, 01:47:25 PM
 Beautifully said commuters. I’m struggling but getting some sober practice for the holidays. A lot of suicide in the family so Christmas is something to just get through. Whatever your mental or sobriety state I hope everyone stays safe. Peace and Love
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 18, 2019, 08:45:35 AM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 18, 2019, 08:57:19 AM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 18, 2019, 09:24:23 AM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 18, 2019, 10:40:30 AM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: no habla mango on December 18, 2019, 10:45:34 AM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
[close]
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 18, 2019, 11:13:25 AM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
[close]
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
[close]
what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
  People hate me for sure.  The weird thing with the acid is i find shiddy aggressive  line ups actually add to the fun (because ultimately navigating a line up is metal jit jit su).  Ive gotten so stoked ive forgotten i took the acid.   
  Lol i think the last time i was in the water i was on acid.  I rode a wave that was worth remembering and jumped off my board and the offshores were so strong the board flipped and the striger came in violent contact with the top of my head.  ALL of my teeth hurt from the blow.  There was one other dude out and he said, "ive never in my life seen anyone hit in the head with anything that hard in my life"
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: slippy on December 18, 2019, 02:51:05 PM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
[close]
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
[close]
what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
[close]
  People hate me for sure.  The weird thing with the acid is i find shiddy aggressive  line ups actually add to the fun (because ultimately navigating a line up is metal jit jit su).  Ive gotten so stoked ive forgotten i took the acid.   
  Lol i think the last time i was in the water i was on acid.  I rode a wave that was worth remembering and jumped off my board and the offshores were so strong the board flipped and the striger came in violent contact with the top of my head.  ALL of my teeth hurt from the blow.  There was one other dude out and he said, "ive never in my life seen anyone hit in the head with anything that hard in my life"

That's some Suciu level wordsmithing
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 18, 2019, 03:32:44 PM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
[close]
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
[close]
what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
[close]
  People hate me for sure.  The weird thing with the acid is i find shiddy aggressive  line ups actually add to the fun (because ultimately navigating a line up is metal jit jit su).  Ive gotten so stoked ive forgotten i took the acid.   
  Lol i think the last time i was in the water i was on acid.  I rode a wave that was worth remembering and jumped off my board and the offshores were so strong the board flipped and the striger came in violent contact with the top of my head.  ALL of my teeth hurt from the blow.  There was one other dude out and he said, "ive never in my life seen anyone hit in the head with anything that hard in my life"
[close]

That's some Suciu level wordsmithing

Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 18, 2019, 05:25:27 PM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
[close]
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
[close]
what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
[close]
  People hate me for sure.  The weird thing with the acid is i find shiddy aggressive  line ups actually add to the fun (because ultimately navigating a line up is metal jit jit su).  Ive gotten so stoked ive forgotten i took the acid.   
  Lol i think the last time i was in the water i was on acid.  I rode a wave that was worth remembering and jumped off my board and the offshores were so strong the board flipped and the striger came in violent contact with the top of my head.  ALL of my teeth hurt from the blow.  There was one other dude out and he said, "ive never in my life seen anyone hit in the head with anything that hard in my life"
[close]

That's some Suciu level wordsmithing
[close]

Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?
  Wow ur an insincere cunt!  I was jus trying to help, ur life wasnt sounding to fun.  Need to be drunk to stand ur wifes friends.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 19, 2019, 01:55:20 PM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
[close]
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
[close]
what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
[close]
  People hate me for sure.  The weird thing with the acid is i find shiddy aggressive  line ups actually add to the fun (because ultimately navigating a line up is metal jit jit su).  Ive gotten so stoked ive forgotten i took the acid.   
  Lol i think the last time i was in the water i was on acid.  I rode a wave that was worth remembering and jumped off my board and the offshores were so strong the board flipped and the striger came in violent contact with the top of my head.  ALL of my teeth hurt from the blow.  There was one other dude out and he said, "ive never in my life seen anyone hit in the head with anything that hard in my life"
[close]

That's some Suciu level wordsmithing
[close]

Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?
[close]
  Wow ur an insincere cunt!  I was jus trying to help, ur life wasnt sounding to fun.  Need to be drunk to stand ur wifes friends.

They're both our friends. Update- went to dinner last night and I consumed 2.5 doubles of whisky. Accidentally yelled "Boomer" in a restaurant full of boomers. Wife told our Lebanese friend she'd never visit the middle east, that spiced up the evening. Altogether a great time!

This conversation makes me want to drink.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on December 19, 2019, 10:10:11 PM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
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  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
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I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
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   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
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All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
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  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
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what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
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  People hate me for sure.  The weird thing with the acid is i find shiddy aggressive  line ups actually add to the fun (because ultimately navigating a line up is metal jit jit su).  Ive gotten so stoked ive forgotten i took the acid.   
  Lol i think the last time i was in the water i was on acid.  I rode a wave that was worth remembering and jumped off my board and the offshores were so strong the board flipped and the striger came in violent contact with the top of my head.  ALL of my teeth hurt from the blow.  There was one other dude out and he said, "ive never in my life seen anyone hit in the head with anything that hard in my life"
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That's some Suciu level wordsmithing
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Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?

lmao I'll answer for him and say yes.

Your dinner sounded hilarious, yelling boomer loudly in the restaurant haha
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: slippy on December 20, 2019, 08:28:53 AM
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I have come to the conclusion that I am a social drinker. Struggled with social anxiety as long as I can remember (now 31) and use booze to combat awkward family and social situations. Ive noticed that I'll drink heavily but feel fine. However, as soon as the social event ends and I'm able to relax, it all hits me.

Wife and I are going to grab dinner with our neighbors tomorrow, will probably get hammered by accident. Hoping I stay strong.
[close]

  Just saying maybe try experimenting with cannabis edibles.  I get pretty loose at work with the edibles, there is some yawn-y side effects but its good to mix it up and not turn into a  drunk.   Uh there's micro dosing extasy too ya know.  Or get a gram of blow, be selfish with it and don't drink at all.  Then get drunk some other time, all's Im saying is there's a world of substances out there and getting imaginative will help keep you out of dependancy.  Why not ?
[close]

I live in California and grew up using copious amounts of cannabis but, unfortunately, any strain or amount gives me ridiculously high anxiety. Thought about micro-dosing LSD but wife would be pissed if she found a sheet of acid in the house.

I rarely do a "New Years Resolution" as I find associating a specific date to change a bit odd... but have a couple coming for next year. #1 is to get back in shape, #2 is to stop drinking for the sake of killing anxiety.
[close]
   I can feel u with pot increaing the anxitey but oral might be different for u?  Alot people get put off cause of the effects of smoking or vaping or accidently od-ing with the edibles.  Expeimenting with low dose edibles might provide different results.  My brother thought pot gave him anixity but found a new window later in life where it helps him sleep now and chill when off work.  Appologize here if im telling u stuff u already know btw.
[close]

All good but, I gotta ask... are you drunk right now?
[close]
  Stoned all the time on weed.  I don't really drink cause it makes me listless.  Havent been drunk in more than a year and that was prolly only 5 beers anyway.  I broke my rib skating flatground after leaving the pub that nite.  That irish stout fucks me up.  If Im travelling I might get into some party drugs.  I always do acid or mushrooms every 6 months or so but sometimes I ramp that up a bit.  If im surfing alot I'll start with more of the acid.
[close]
what if locals karate chop your board and send you into a bad trip? i've seen some brutal fights over who's wave it is.
[close]
  People hate me for sure.  The weird thing with the acid is i find shiddy aggressive  line ups actually add to the fun (because ultimately navigating a line up is metal jit jit su).  Ive gotten so stoked ive forgotten i took the acid.   
  Lol i think the last time i was in the water i was on acid.  I rode a wave that was worth remembering and jumped off my board and the offshores were so strong the board flipped and the striger came in violent contact with the top of my head.  ALL of my teeth hurt from the blow.  There was one other dude out and he said, "ive never in my life seen anyone hit in the head with anything that hard in my life"
[close]

That's some Suciu level wordsmithing
[close]

Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?
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  Wow ur an insincere cunt!  I was jus trying to help, ur life wasnt sounding to fun.  Need to be drunk to stand ur wifes friends.
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They're both our friends. Update- went to dinner last night and I consumed 2.5 doubles of whisky. Accidentally yelled "Boomer" in a restaurant full of boomers. Wife told our Lebanese friend she'd never visit the middle east, that spiced up the evening. Altogether a great time!

This conversation makes me want to drink.

lulzzzz that's really funny haha sounds awkward but funny!  Especially the Middle East part, sheesh
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: dbart on December 20, 2019, 11:02:32 AM
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Its completely normal in Canada to drink every day, and not small amounts either.

If you drink 24 cans of beer a day that's considered pretty normal.

I can back that up... I also have been trying to quit drinking though.. it was mostly cause of problems with my ex and stuff like that. got into some messy situations drinking heavy and doing drugs.. fights, getting stranded, spending a check in one night. just gotta chill when i do drink and not go overboard. me and my friends dont know when to stop.. many sleepless nights filled with shenanigans and lots of blow.. ahhaha fuck. I find if you just try to control yourself you can get by with it.. just cant binge and shit like that constantly

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 21, 2019, 06:47:24 AM
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Its completely normal in Canada to drink every day, and not small amounts either.

If you drink 24 cans of beer a day that's considered pretty normal.
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I can back that up... I also have been trying to quit drinking though.. it was mostly cause of problems with my ex and stuff like that. got into some messy situations drinking heavy and doing drugs.. fights, getting stranded, spending a check in one night. just gotta chill when i do drink and not go overboard. me and my friends dont know when to stop.. many sleepless nights filled with shenanigans and lots of blow.. ahhaha fuck. I find if you just try to control yourself you can get by with it.. just cant binge and shit like that constantly

24 cans of beer in a day? That’s fucking metal.

I live in Southern California but am in Sweden once a month or so. Sweden in winter, along with their government sanctioned liquor stores, would make me want to do drugs. 3 hours of light is not meant to be lived in.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Kevve on December 22, 2019, 08:46:22 PM
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Its completely normal in Canada to drink every day, and not small amounts either.

If you drink 24 cans of beer a day that's considered pretty normal.
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I can back that up... I also have been trying to quit drinking though.. it was mostly cause of problems with my ex and stuff like that. got into some messy situations drinking heavy and doing drugs.. fights, getting stranded, spending a check in one night. just gotta chill when i do drink and not go overboard. me and my friends dont know when to stop.. many sleepless nights filled with shenanigans and lots of blow.. ahhaha fuck. I find if you just try to control yourself you can get by with it.. just cant binge and shit like that constantly
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24 cans of beer in a day? That’s fucking metal.

I live in Southern California but am in Sweden once a month or so. Sweden in winter, along with their government sanctioned liquor stores, would make me want to do drugs. 3 hours of light is not meant to be lived in.

Welcome to winter depression mate! It never hit me until some years ago that other places have more light hours even tho they have the same seasons as us. Growing up i never realised how little sunlight we get during winter..

I watched Dill on the nine club some weeks ago and he said something like he didnt see sunlight for a whole year, dude that is like half our lifes right there haha.

Scandinavian fall/winters is a 6 months long smoke session with hash only. That being said im gonna take a WHOLE WEEK from smoking between Christmas & new years.

I dont want to quit really
 just not smoke every day.. New week, new possibilities!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on December 22, 2019, 10:13:54 PM
Got the news that one of AA dudes commited suicide. Very few are still sober.

Stay safe.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: samz on December 23, 2019, 07:19:49 AM
6 months sober today after reading about the This Naked Mind book on this forum. It worked - the author goes a bit preachy but it did what I need it to. Thanks Slap!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on December 23, 2019, 07:47:47 AM
6 months sober today after reading about the This Naked Mind book on this forum. It worked - the author goes a bit preachy but it did what I need it to. Thanks Slap!

nice!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on December 23, 2019, 08:09:06 AM
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6 months sober today after reading about the This Naked Mind book on this forum. It worked - the author goes a bit preachy but it did what I need it to. Thanks Slap!
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nice!

Yeah, good job. Success stories are few and far between, so I'm glad for you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 23, 2019, 09:02:39 AM
Got the news that one of AA dudes commited suicide. Very few are still sober.

Stay safe.

Sorry to hear that.

Despite my social drinking, I had a few years of heavy benzo addiction and abuse that tore my life apart. After going to rehab, those were (at the time) some of the closest bonds I ever made with another man. Every week after leaving, a new text would come through about someone we were in treatment with either OD'ing or committing suicide. Recovery is a beast that is hard to tame.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on December 23, 2019, 10:59:34 AM
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Got the news that one of AA dudes commited suicide. Very few are still sober.

Stay safe.
[close]

Sorry to hear that.

Despite my social drinking, I had a few years of heavy benzo addiction and abuse that tore my life apart. After going to rehab, those were (at the time) some of the closest bonds I ever made with another man. Every week after leaving, a new text would come through about someone we were in treatment with either OD'ing or committing suicide. Recovery is a beast that is hard to tame.

Indeed. When you start life over from nothing, there are some strong bonds to be formed. When I came out of rehab I was afraid of my own shadow. My two, to be, best friends where sitting there in heavy withdrawal, so I had to provide some sanity in their nightmare. I was about four months sober. The bonds we formed there and then are still strong to this day.

Again, everybody, stay safe.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on December 23, 2019, 01:35:33 PM
I have been through a ton of horrible medical problems lately. I just got cut off from oxycodone today because i took to much and ran out early. I have a colostomy bag and have to use crutches to leave the house. I have a vascular necrosis in my hip, dead bone I need a hip replacement and my intestines ruptured spilling shit into my body that required emergency surgery. I have been on Oxycodone for 5 months and my dr. Is out of town and the covering doc decided to cut me off from oxy. So I’m gonna go through intense withdrawals while 7 family members converge on my house for Christmas. I thought about just killing myself on Christmas Day but I think I’m going to try to ride it out. Here comes the pain. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, 4th of July greetings. It really sucks how dependent you become on a drug like oxy.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 23, 2019, 04:52:16 PM
I have been through a ton of horrible medical problems lately. I just got cut off from oxycodone today because i took to much and ran out early. I have a colostomy bag and have to use crutches to leave the house. I have a vascular necrosis in my hip, dead bone I need a hip replacement and my intestines ruptured spilling shit into my body that required emergency surgery. I have been on Oxycodone for 5 months and my dr. Is out of town and the covering doc decided to cut me off from oxy. So I’m gonna go through intense withdrawals while 7 family members converge on my house for Christmas. I thought about just killing myself on Christmas Day but I think I’m going to try to ride it out. Here comes the pain. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, 4th of July greetings. It really sucks how dependent you become on a drug like oxy.

I am really sorry to hear that. Stay strong and ride it out. Tell your family you have the flu, whatever helps. Your Christmas miracle could be you kicking dope for good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on December 24, 2019, 12:30:33 AM
I ain't gonna lie, hell awaits. Good luck and try to get as much food and sleep as you can.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: os89 on December 24, 2019, 03:55:20 AM
Fuck I need to stop taking oxy too and I don't have any of the problems you have woodsman. Never mentioned it on here yet because I'm ashamed I guess. Feel like an asshole. Been on it past month or so. Not too long, but need to stop. I need to figure this shit out. God damn. Good luck bro, you can do it. What doesn't kill you, right?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: blowjobtofakie on December 24, 2019, 10:22:59 AM
Fuck I need to stop taking oxy too and I don't have any of the problems you have woodsman. Never mentioned it on here yet because I'm ashamed I guess. Feel like an asshole. Been on it past month or so. Not too long, but need to stop. I need to figure this shit out. God damn. Good luck bro, you can do it. What doesn't kill you, right?

Struggled with benzos of and on for a hellacious two years. Withdrawal is always a mother fucker, but coming of them is easier at one month, instead of two. Just taper of and accept that it’s better to stop now than later. Don’t be ashamed, happens to a lot of us around here. You got it, brotha. Always appreciate your posts, you seem to have your head on straight.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 24, 2019, 10:47:06 AM
I have been through a ton of horrible medical problems lately. I just got cut off from oxycodone today because i took to much and ran out early. I have a colostomy bag and have to use crutches to leave the house. I have a vascular necrosis in my hip, dead bone I need a hip replacement and my intestines ruptured spilling shit into my body that required emergency surgery. I have been on Oxycodone for 5 months and my dr. Is out of town and the covering doc decided to cut me off from oxy. So I’m gonna go through intense withdrawals while 7 family members converge on my house for Christmas. I thought about just killing myself on Christmas Day but I think I’m going to try to ride it out. Here comes the pain. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, 4th of July greetings. It really sucks how dependent you become on a drug like oxy.
   You could drag all ur shit downtown and score ur oxys lol but maybe that visiting doc is a blessing.  Nex time ur doc gives u some you could just sell it.   I dont know wtf happened to u man but heres to u comming back hard!  Good luck.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: os89 on December 25, 2019, 05:10:31 AM
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Fuck I need to stop taking oxy too and I don't have any of the problems you have woodsman. Never mentioned it on here yet because I'm ashamed I guess. Feel like an asshole. Been on it past month or so. Not too long, but need to stop. I need to figure this shit out. God damn. Good luck bro, you can do it. What doesn't kill you, right?
[close]

Struggled with benzos of and on for a hellacious two years. Withdrawal is always a mother fucker, but coming of them is easier at one month, instead of two. Just taper of and accept that it’s better to stop now than later. Don’t be ashamed, happens to a lot of us around here. You got it, brotha. Always appreciate your posts, you seem to have your head on straight.

Thanks man. I (stupidly) tried to use the oxys like I did tramadol in the past to taper off drinking. That worked and wasnt drinking for a couple years but then back at it. This was probably a bad idea though. Just hasn't worked out. The tramadol actually helped me feel like I didn't need to drink, but the oxys have just made shit worse by basically just adding on. Going to try and taper off just feel like I fucked up so bad. Ugh
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Carrolls Chesthairs on December 25, 2019, 06:07:27 AM
Anybody try using CBD as a coping vice?

My girlfriend and I are planning a sober January.

I've sketched out potential activities, dates, and morning plans so I feel obligated to attend/skate/yoga with enough rest.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 26, 2019, 08:55:15 AM
^^ No, but give it a go. I’d say the best thing I ever did for my physical and mental health was staying totally sober from any substances for about a year after rehab.

Years ago (and prior to obliterating my memories with benzos), I heard something that stuck with me for about a decade, and still does. There’s probably a psychological term for this but, basically, your current substance abuse reverts your brain to the state it was in when you first began substance abuse, primarily on the level in which your emotional maturity... well, matures. How you socially interact with people, experience love/loss, deal with stress etc.

I thought nothing of this until I actually using substances for an extended period of time and could actually tell I perceived all the aforementioned characteristics of my emotional health “evolving”. I became less self conscious, overcame social anxiety and learned how to love in a more mature way. Since I had began my perpetual use of drugs/alcohol at the age of 15 and ended at 25, I could actually see the drastic change in how I interacted with the above issues.

For anyone reading this, I’m not trying to preach total sobriety. All I’m saying is, if you give it a shot, there’s a chance you will emotionally evolve as a human.

Side note- due to heavy rain in Southern California yesterday, I was the DD for my wife’s family for about 100 miles worth of driving. That was the first Christmas spent with family I did not get hammered just the bare their presence and it felt pretty good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Peter Zagreus on December 26, 2019, 11:32:11 AM
Stupid hungover right now... be thankful ye sober ones.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on December 27, 2019, 03:58:51 PM
I fucked up guys. I went and copped dope. I couldn’t go through withdrawals with my family converging on Christmas. It was my first time with that shit. My doc was out of town and the doc filling in basically told me to go fuck my self. There is something so dark and scary when you start a drug like herion. I have a unique situation with so many medical problems but I made the choice to start doing dope when I ran out of oxy because I couldn’t handle stopping abruptly. I’m not looking for any sympathy because I made a choice to go buy that shit and snort it up my nose.
I’m in a dark place for sure.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: m bison on December 27, 2019, 04:03:01 PM
I fucked up guys. I went and copped dope. I couldn’t go through withdrawals with my family converging on Christmas. It was my first time with that shit. My doc was out of town and the doc filling in basically told me to go fuck my self. There is something so dark and scary when you start a drug like herion. I have a unique situation with so many medical problems but I made the choice to start doing dope when I ran out of oxy because I couldn’t handle stopping abruptly. I’m not looking for any sympathy because I made a choice to go buy that shit and snort it up my nose.
I’m in a dark place for sure.
at least enjoy it if you're on it. beating yourself up just ruins today, it doesn't help you kick tomorrow. wean if you can, get on suboxins for maintenance if you can't do it alone. we got a few days pre-new yrs, don't trip too hard. think of where you wanna be and you can get there. also. it takes most people 7 tries to break a bad habit so don't get discouraged. like skating, try over and over and eventually you land something.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on December 27, 2019, 04:18:24 PM
Thanks bud. I want this to be a short bridge to something else.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on December 27, 2019, 04:33:54 PM
Thanks bud. I want this to be a short bridge to something else.

At least your in this mindset and not making excuses for yourself, good luck man and try to stay strong
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jakeumms on December 27, 2019, 04:52:47 PM
It's hard to hear about pals struggling with pills. I had a long bout with them and kicking was definitely one of the hardest things I've ever done.

@woodsman - I was in a really similar situation to you. I was in a bad accident and got put on oxys when I got out of the hospital and was just left on them. The pain doc I had was fine with writing the scripts but pretty much the rest of the medical infrastructure gave me shit about it. I ran out all the time and was constantly having my doc change the dosage to be able to get my scripts filled. I started buying bootleg pills and was pretty sure I was gonna catch a dose of fentanyl and people would just think I finally killed myself. Also shit was expensive as fuck. After multiple times of having this happen, one time I just decided I was done and that I would take the withdrawals to the face. If I had it to do all over again I would insist that someone get me in some kind of rehab because I still struggle with the depression that I got from that and the accident. I definitely could have used some guidance. I don't know what kind of recovery you're looking at but the one thing I will say about mine is that staying on pills definitely slowed it down and made it hard to judge what was real pain and what was withdrawals.

Here's to all you folks getting well as soon as you can. I'm no expert but hit me up if you want to talk about it. You know I'm always on here.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on December 27, 2019, 05:17:18 PM
I fucked up guys. I went and copped dope. I couldn’t go through withdrawals with my family converging on Christmas. It was my first time with that shit. My doc was out of town and the doc filling in basically told me to go fuck my self. There is something so dark and scary when you start a drug like herion. I have a unique situation with so many medical problems but I made the choice to start doing dope when I ran out of oxy because I couldn’t handle stopping abruptly. I’m not looking for any sympathy because I made a choice to go buy that shit and snort it up my nose.
I’m in a dark place for sure.

Standard to fall, just get back up. You already know that you opened a pretty big can of worms. Get help, don't wait for it to get worse.

Good luck and I hope you wont become a statistic.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EricLogan on December 27, 2019, 06:23:59 PM
Anybody try using CBD as a coping vice?

My girlfriend and I are planning a sober January.

I've sketched out potential activities, dates, and morning plans so I feel obligated to attend/skate/yoga with enough rest.

Not sure what you're coping with, but I've got a friend who was quite the drinker who had to cut out drinking to go on a long term (1 year) medication who credits much of his success to CBD products. Not sure what the legal situation is on cannabis/hemp products in your area, but around here dispensary staff are a fantastic, free resource of knowledge regarding CBD, and may also provide sample-size quantities in case you're weary of fully investing in any given product.

Hope this finds you well, friend.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 27, 2019, 06:26:49 PM
I fucked up guys. I went and copped dope. I couldn’t go through withdrawals with my family converging on Christmas. It was my first time with that shit. My doc was out of town and the doc filling in basically told me to go fuck my self. There is something so dark and scary when you start a drug like herion. I have a unique situation with so many medical problems but I made the choice to start doing dope when I ran out of oxy because I couldn’t handle stopping abruptly. I’m not looking for any sympathy because I made a choice to go buy that shit and snort it up my nose.
I’m in a dark place for sure.
   
  I quit heroin once.   Maybe ask for help from your family.  What I did is stayed in a trailer on an inlet really far from any dope.  I had weed and stuff.   If you can get away man from accessability, that's the only thing that will work.  And with drawals are pretty cray dude. The nights aren't good but the days are fine.   I wouldn't contact the authorities tho. They hate you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on December 27, 2019, 08:16:47 PM
Thanks guys. I’ve heard from Artie Lange that withdrawals are like the Flu times ten but I still think I can handle that. I’m now in a mind set that the time has to be right for me to take a week to be bed ridden and sick. And I totally get that the time won’t be right for a month, year, years. I’m fucked if I tell doctors what I’ve been up to and I’m having two surgeries in the next 4 months. I can make excuses forever. The brave thing to do would be to just stop and deal with the pain. I’m not sure I have it though. Bravery.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: slippy on December 30, 2019, 08:40:24 AM
Taking off drinking mon-thurs for January.  Not a lot but it's progress for me.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: dooley on December 30, 2019, 09:02:55 AM
Two years sober now. Something like that. Stopped counting the days and weeks because that's soft. I fucked up in the summer and allowed myself half a bottle of some weak piss at a farewell party (wack, I know) but it's officially unofficial.

Yes, I do want to drink. All the time but not at all. It sort of sucks but feels great at the same time. Good luck to all on this journey.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: theresnothinghere on December 30, 2019, 12:05:10 PM
Also not really super into drugs/alcohol but whenever I do partake, I go all out. Last time I got super fucked up and had some blood in my pee. Went to the doctor and they said my tests were good but not to drink like that and gave me some medicine. Also trying to stop and being scared of it helps with that but it's hella hard to socialize without being fucked up. Someone recommended filling a beer can with water and carrying that around so that people don't offer you drinks.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 30, 2019, 01:58:41 PM
Also not really super into drugs/alcohol but whenever I do partake, I go all out. Last time I got super fucked up and had some blood in my pee. Went to the doctor and they said my tests were good but not to drink like that and gave me some medicine. Also trying to stop and being scared of it helps with that but it's hella hard to socialize without being fucked up. Someone recommended filling a beer can with water and carrying that around so that people don't offer you drinks.
  Watch the new Tired video.  Pay attention to the dude with all the tats leaving massive sweat stains on the floor slamming constantly.   Dimes to dounuts that dudes been drinking more then hes been skating the last 20 or so years and time flys.  If ur enveloped in social groups u need to be drunk to withstand try going backpacking solo for some months. Be that guy.  Extreme measures to get rid of these twisted dependancies. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: thot juice on December 30, 2019, 08:45:59 PM
sparkeling water - san p, perrier - is an easy alternative especially in social situations when u just want something to grasp plus sum ppl even find it kinda classy even though they 1$ lul
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on December 30, 2019, 09:51:58 PM
(San p is a nestle product jus mentioning)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: thot juice on December 30, 2019, 10:48:15 PM
fml so is Perrier my bad I drink a lottt of San p u know I luv the fancy fizz gonna have to set up my sodastream
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on December 30, 2019, 11:26:32 PM
Thanks bud. I want this to be a short bridge to something else.

Yeah! Being aware of your situation is the first and a very important step.

Maybe starting a therapy or program simultaneously can help to keep consumption as low as possible and improve the situation. Maybe at least stabilize it.
Good luck and good strength, man.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on December 31, 2019, 07:09:50 AM
Taking off drinking mon-thurs for January.  Not a lot but it's progress for me.

i've been doing this for a while now. i'd encourage you to work in some exceptions so that you don't have to feel like you are cheating and get discouraged. mine is for social occasions, example, new years eve tomorrow. i was thinking about making it so that i had 3 drinking days each week and making it so that if i used one during the week then i gave up a weekend but for now i'm keeping it simple. overall i've been drinking less and i think it's a great change. i've also been taking off weeks here and there for the holidays. so all last week i drank for xmas break but still kept it chill. i did the same for thanksgiving.

anyway man, good luck. hope this works out well for you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on December 31, 2019, 02:06:58 PM
Been going pretty hard in December, taking all of January off drinking, basically the aim is to not drink until the superbowl and I'm feeling pretty positive about change but we'll see how I handle it when faced with opportunities to drink with friends or go to the bar after a skate day or whatever. Trying to use the month off to just get some good routines in play.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Algar on December 31, 2019, 02:49:50 PM
So my idea of not drinking for my 35th year alive lasted about a month.  Oh well, moving on, I'm taking january fully off, and from there I'm gonna allow myself to drink, but not at all at home.  Not drinking at home in the past has served me pretty well.  I usually end up having less than ten beers a week, and can still let a little loose here or there.

Good luck to you all to do positive shit in your lives in the new year!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on January 01, 2020, 09:40:35 AM
I’d be day drinking some Budweiser’s right now if I wasn’t in a leg brace and could drive to the liquor store. I hope anyone who’s struggling can hang in there. It’ll be spring soon.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 01, 2020, 11:20:45 AM
So my idea of not drinking for my 35th year alive lasted about a month.  Oh well, moving on, I'm taking january fully off, and from there I'm gonna allow myself to drink, but not at all at home.  Not drinking at home in the past has served me pretty well.  I usually end up having less than ten beers a week, and can still let a little loose here or there.

Good luck to you all to do positive shit in your lives in the new year!

I really like this idea!


It wouldn’t work for me. We just got our dream home last year and are pretty much home bodies now.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on January 01, 2020, 01:36:45 PM
Been clean 53 hours. I feel awful but I’m really trying to do this. The wave of emotions hit me harder than the wave of nausea. Had a few good cry’s, like shaking drooling cry’s. Opioid’s are the problem but no booze or anything as that will instantly crack my willpower. I’ll keep you posted.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jakeumms on January 01, 2020, 02:09:22 PM
Been clean 53 hours. I feel awful but I’m really trying to do this. The wave of emotions hit me harder than the wave of nausea. Had a few good cry’s, like shaking drooling cry’s. Opioid’s are the problem but no booze or anything as that will instantly crack my willpower. I’ll keep you posted.
Keep it going. In my experience, at 53 hours, it isn't getting any worse. You're dealing with worst of it so you just have to push through. Shalom Mind Power
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: waffle on January 01, 2020, 05:02:05 PM
Not an addict in any way but wondering if any addicts/former addicts can comment on something I (and others) have observed:

Why do so many former drug addicts become die hard conservatives?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on January 01, 2020, 09:24:30 PM
Been clean 53 hours. I feel awful but I’m really trying to do this. The wave of emotions hit me harder than the wave of nausea. Had a few good cry’s, like shaking drooling cry’s. Opioid’s are the problem but no booze or anything as that will instantly crack my willpower. I’ll keep you posted.
  Wow dude.   Right on just gets gradually easier after another 3 nights of hell.  Pretty cray.  Id get some fuckin weed but thats just me, whatever works.  Pretty cool man.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on January 01, 2020, 09:35:31 PM
Been clean 53 hours. I feel awful but I’m really trying to do this. The wave of emotions hit me harder than the wave of nausea. Had a few good cry’s, like shaking drooling cry’s. Opioid’s are the problem but no booze or anything as that will instantly crack my willpower. I’ll keep you posted.

Good strength, man! When it comes to days and hours a good tv show can help a lot. Something comfortable but bland... Seinfeld or that 70s show is a good time waster
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: matty_c on January 01, 2020, 10:51:16 PM
Not an addict in any way but wondering if any addicts/former addicts can comment on something I (and others) have observed:

Why do so many former drug addicts become die hard conservatives?

if i can't have it nobody can

i am having a go at being sober.  ultimate props to those high achievers who can have a great time on drugs and alcohol and generally kill it at life/career

unfortunately for me i am not one of these people
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on January 02, 2020, 03:23:08 AM
Not an addict in any way but wondering if any addicts/former addicts can comment on something I (and others) have observed:

Why do so many former drug addicts become die hard conservatives?

Sounds like a U.S. phenomena, never heard of it or seen it. Here, in Gay Europe, the opposite would be more likely to occur. Ex-addicts tend to lean towards more generous treatment of addicts-> more government spending-> more higher/bigger state. But i've never actually seen any strong opinions either way.

Expand Quote
Been clean 53 hours. I feel awful but I’m really trying to do this. The wave of emotions hit me harder than the wave of nausea. Had a few good cry’s, like shaking drooling cry’s. Opioid’s are the problem but no booze or anything as that will instantly crack my willpower. I’ll keep you posted.
[close]
Keep it going. In my experience, at 53 hours, it isn't getting any worse. You're dealing with worst of it so you just have to push through. Shalom Mind Power

On heroin/oxy's: you're on a good path. Methadone/sub: just getting starded. Keep fighting, man!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on January 02, 2020, 07:07:59 AM
Not an addict in any way but wondering if any addicts/former addicts can comment on something I (and others) have observed:

Why do so many former drug addicts become die hard conservatives?

Im taking jab at something held sacred to recovering addicts, but... I blame the 12 step program. Heavily surrounds the idea that you can’t trust your own decisions and that you need to trust god. Most conservatives, in my experience, have this same blind “I am not responsible for my own actions but God is behind my wheel” mentality when they speak about their (primarily Christian or Mormon) god.

I technically went to a 12 step rehab but immediately stopped following a 12 step program when I got out. Happy it helps people but not for me. I watched some seriously dumb mother fuckers guide drug addicts because they “mastered” the 12 steps. Blind leading the blind.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on January 02, 2020, 09:13:57 AM
I agree, idiots will love the idea of someboby else responsible for their fuck-ups. Reasonable people will give another meaning to God. In my experience, people who talk the dumbest shit are the same that are least qualified, in terms of working the steps and reading the litterature of AA.

I get how newbies get pushed away by all the retards and why AA has such low success rate. It is a shame that mindless fucktards is all people see. Noboby talks about the dude who works hard, pays back his debts and helps others.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on January 02, 2020, 03:37:45 PM
I’m trying to quit weed. Right now it’s 4 joints a day but today so far I’ve yet to smoke. I don’t have an appetite anymore and sleeping is incredibly difficult without weed. I’m trying to go cold turkey but in anyone’s experience that was able to quit what did you do?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on January 02, 2020, 04:09:56 PM
I’m trying to quit weed. Right now it’s 4 joints a day but today so far I’ve yet to smoke. I don’t have an appetite anymore and sleeping is incredibly difficult without weed. I’m trying to go cold turkey but in anyone’s experience that was able to quit what did you do?

I don’t know about anyone else but it was super easy for me to stop smoking weed. Then again, I felt like a paranoid schizophrenic when I smoked weed, so I felt less like the government was going to kill me and more like I actually understood what is happening in my direct 10’ radius.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 03, 2020, 07:44:15 AM
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I’m trying to quit weed. Right now it’s 4 joints a day but today so far I’ve yet to smoke. I don’t have an appetite anymore and sleeping is incredibly difficult without weed. I’m trying to go cold turkey but in anyone’s experience that was able to quit what did you do?
[close]

Same here. If I had to face how much I spent on trees in the last year I would be really bummed. And I’m more and more starting to realize how it contributes to/causes my anxiety and paranoia. It really gets in the way of me doing what I want to do more than I’d like to admit. I’m still getting by but I know I’m not living at my full potential, mentally, socially...

it’s been a habit for a long time. When I stop I’m just like filled with dissatisfaction and the feeling of something being missing, lol.. or maybe I always feel that and weed just helps distract or forget about it for a while. I don’t really feel okay on or off it, but in different ways. But being on it is getting to expensive, and taxing to my mental.

Even just slowing down would be amazing, for my mind and wallet. definitely told myself before “I’m only gonna smoke on weekends now” or “only in the evenings” but never stick to that for any time at all. No accountability I guess.

i quit about 5 years back after talking to people in a similar thread on here. dr drew what you are describing was my exact situation. i was having really bad anxiety and paranoia and honestly mild schizophrenia is the best way i can describe it. this new kind of weed just makes your mind race and looking back i think the problem was that i'd be blasted and just try and chill at home and my mind would race and not always go to pleasant places. on top of that it really limited me socially without me really knowing. i'm a pretty social guy, probably annoyingly so, but when i smoked i pretty much only wanted to chill with people who smoked. at work without even knowing who did or didn't 100% there was a filtering going on. for me this was complicated by the fact that i'm pretty hyperactive and my career was going well. so financially it wasn't a strain and having naturally high energy levels i was functioning well.

after quitting i almost immediately figured out how to start a company which was something i had been obsessing on for years. but always hitting my one hitter when pulling out the parking lot of work made it pretty limited in how i could put in the extra time to get a side hustle started and the years of effort it takes to grow that side hustle into the main hustle. i know for sure this wouldn't have happened if i was smoking. as i mentioned the social thing was a big deal. i found that after i stopped smoking for a while my personality had turned away from this introvert and back to what it was when i was younger, basically an out going friendly guy which was super helpful.

for me to do quit, frankly speaking, was mostly because of exercise, tequila and cigars. i know that sounds like trading one vice for another, which it sort of was but that's what did it for me. every minute of the day is excruciatingly boring when you are used to be blasted all the time. but if you get off work, go hit the gym (go jog, etc...) then come home and sip a tequila it makes it so that you get pretty relaxed and can still sleep and all that. then if you find yourself really wanting to feel a little faded that's when a nice cigar helps. it's the coffee to weeds cocaine. you can smoke a cigar and it'll get a you mellow fade. it's no where near the same, just like coffee to coke but for me it works fine. to this day i'll get a nice dark liquor grab a cigar and put some live show on my ipad and chill and get a little fade going and it works for me to scratch that weed itch.

now that i'm about 5 years out on that i've been working on scaling back the drinking which for me has been way, way easier than trying to regulate smoking which just didn't work. that shit is crazy additive IMHO. most addictive thing i've messed with but i never got into all the pills and powders. now i've got my drinking pretty well regulated to weekends and it wasn't that hard to do.

anyway, everyone journey is super personal but i definitely connected with the struggles you were sharing and i'd encourage you to find a way at least pause the weed for a while. for me the day by day thing worked really well. each morning after a day of not smoking i'd take the time to reflect on if it was a better day and it always was so that helped me get through another day. these days i don't even think about it. its like acid or something. sure i had a lot of fun with that shit when i was young but i'm not about to go dosing now, those days are done.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on January 03, 2020, 10:41:50 AM
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Expand Quote
I’m trying to quit weed. Right now it’s 4 joints a day but today so far I’ve yet to smoke. I don’t have an appetite anymore and sleeping is incredibly difficult without weed. I’m trying to go cold turkey but in anyone’s experience that was able to quit what did you do?
[close]

Same here. If I had to face how much I spent on trees in the last year I would be really bummed. And I’m more and more starting to realize how it contributes to/causes my anxiety and paranoia. It really gets in the way of me doing what I want to do more than I’d like to admit. I’m still getting by but I know I’m not living at my full potential, mentally, socially...

it’s been a habit for a long time. When I stop I’m just like filled with dissatisfaction and the feeling of something being missing, lol.. or maybe I always feel that and weed just helps distract or forget about it for a while. I don’t really feel okay on or off it, but in different ways. But being on it is getting to expensive, and taxing to my mental.

Even just slowing down would be amazing, for my mind and wallet. definitely told myself before “I’m only gonna smoke on weekends now” or “only in the evenings” but never stick to that for any time at all. No accountability I guess.
[close]

i quit about 5 years back after talking to people in a similar thread on here. dr drew what you are describing was my exact situation. i was having really bad anxiety and paranoia and honestly mild schizophrenia is the best way i can describe it. this new kind of weed just makes your mind race and looking back i think the problem was that i'd be blasted and just try and chill at home and my mind would race and not always go to pleasant places. on top of that it really limited me socially without me really knowing. i'm a pretty social guy, probably annoyingly so, but when i smoked i pretty much only wanted to chill with people who smoked. at work without even knowing who did or didn't 100% there was a filtering going on. for me this was complicated by the fact that i'm pretty hyperactive and my career was going well. so financially it wasn't a strain and having naturally high energy levels i was functioning well.

after quitting i almost immediately figured out how to start a company which was something i had been obsessing on for years. but always hitting my one hitter when pulling out the parking lot of work made it pretty limited in how i could put in the extra time to get a side hustle started and the years of effort it takes to grow that side hustle into the main hustle. i know for sure this wouldn't have happened if i was smoking. as i mentioned the social thing was a big deal. i found that after i stopped smoking for a while my personality had turned away from this introvert and back to what it was when i was younger, basically an out going friendly guy which was super helpful.

for me to do quit, frankly speaking, was mostly because of exercise, tequila and cigars. i know that sounds like trading one vice for another, which it sort of was but that's what did it for me. every minute of the day is excruciatingly boring when you are used to be blasted all the time. but if you get off work, go hit the gym (go jog, etc...) then come home and sip a tequila it makes it so that you get pretty relaxed and can still sleep and all that. then if you find yourself really wanting to feel a little faded that's when a nice cigar helps. it's the coffee to weeds cocaine. you can smoke a cigar and it'll get a you mellow fade. it's no where near the same, just like coffee to coke but for me it works fine. to this day i'll get a nice dark liquor grab a cigar and put some live show on my ipad and chill and get a little fade going and it works for me to scratch that weed itch.

now that i'm about 5 years out on that i've been working on scaling back the drinking which for me has been way, way easier than trying to regulate smoking which just didn't work. that shit is crazy additive IMHO. most addictive thing i've messed with but i never got into all the pills and powders. now i've got my drinking pretty well regulated to weekends and it wasn't that hard to do.

anyway, everyone journey is super personal but i definitely connected with the struggles you were sharing and i'd encourage you to find a way at least pause the weed for a while. for me the day by day thing worked really well. each morning after a day of not smoking i'd take the time to reflect on if it was a better day and it always was so that helped me get through another day. these days i don't even think about it. its like acid or something. sure i had a lot of fun with that shit when i was young but i'm not about to go dosing now, those days are done.
  Interesting tradjectory and success i'd say.    I can't argue (about the addictiveness), weeds the only thing I haven't been able to ever quit.   Edit, wait I just read the last part, no more acid?!  Come on!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AssFlea on January 04, 2020, 09:35:48 AM
Someone offered me tar

Im kinda pissed because thats rare in these parts.

I ban hammered their ass. Sucks because i revived them last time we was face to face. She just wants me to dope dick her down and i just wanna be sedated

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=x09XSa1X1eU&feature=share
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 04, 2020, 10:32:16 AM
Thanks for the support Sleazy. It feels good to hear that someone can relate and has gotten past this bullshit to a healthier routine and lifestyle. I am so comfortable and so fuxking complacent in my situation, even mentally it’s like I can’t accept that I’m ever gonna stop doing it regularly. However your acid analogy really helped make it sound possible for me for a second. To become a super occasionally done thing, a fun social experience with friends to open our minds a bit every year or so, not an everyday crutch to deal with reality.

When I really reflect on how it’s holding me back, I know it will be worth it to change my relationship with it. Man I get so geeked up at home in my own house I get scared to play music loud even. So weird. Like scared everyone in my neighborhood is paying attention to me and judging me for how I live haha.. even though the blinds are closed and you can barely hear it outside.. and most people are at work.. weird paranoid shit like that, feeling alien in the super market, this is no way to live lmao

And yeah I relate on the business thing, I’ve been trying to start something for a while now and see it having real potential but I make such slow progress on it, and tree is definitely much to blame for that. I mean it could fail, but either way it’s important to finish things and find out their results regardless

Sorry for typing a lot and I know I don’t have super gnarly problems like many people in this thread. Wishing strength and health to everyone. Stay self aware and try to make the right decisions, according to your own definition of what that is for you, you probably know what it is for yourself

the paranoia was definitely one of the worst parts of getting hi for me. the grocery store too. it was the worst, seeing someone from my kids school or work when i'm blasted at the store and then being all awkward and anti-social. basically having a hard time just talking to someone i know.

alcohol has it's own problems but i can go to the store after having a few beers and not be weird to people.

how ever you go with it, good luck man! it's very helpful for me to hear such a familiar story. you really don't hear many people talk about weed this way.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on January 04, 2020, 01:49:09 PM
Third day of no weed just using it at night one small joint to go to sleep because years of sleeping stoned has made it super difficult without. I’m hoping to ween off and eventually no weed at all. But the first two days were pretty bad. I would shake at certain times of the day and I really wanted to smoke but I bought these gaba supplements from Whole Foods and they have helped a bit. I just want to enjoy life without having to rely on something to enjoy it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on January 04, 2020, 02:08:47 PM
Third day of no weed just using it at night one small joint to go to sleep because years of sleeping stoned has made it super difficult without. I’m hoping to ween off and eventually no weed at all. But the first two days were pretty bad. I would shake at certain times of the day and I really wanted to smoke but I bought these gaba supplements from Whole Foods and they have helped a bit. I just want to enjoy life without having to rely on something to enjoy it.

Good strength!

Shalom
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jakeumms on January 04, 2020, 02:12:33 PM
If your sleep is disrupted by coming of of something, you can try to use benadryl to get through the night. I'd take as much as half a pill if I really wanted to sleep and it wasn't happening. A quarter or an eighth will do it usually though. Also, look into St John's Wort and Melatonin when you're trying to restore your sleep equilibrium.

I also forgot that I used a modified version of the thomas recipe to get of oxys. Do a search on it if you're looking to go the non-rehab route but maybe skip the benzos since you're a pill head and you gotta keep that behavior in perspective. The bananas were helpful when I had zero appetite and food was coming out way faster than it was going in.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on January 04, 2020, 03:49:43 PM
If your sleep is disrupted by coming of of something, you can try to use benadryl to get through the night. I'd take as much as half a pill if I really wanted to sleep and it wasn't happening. A quarter or an eighth will do it usually though. Also, look into St John's Wort and Melatonin when you're trying to restore your sleep equilibrium.

I also forgot that I used a modified version of the thomas recipe to get of oxys. Do a search on it if you're looking to go the non-rehab route but maybe skip the benzos since you're a pill head and you gotta keep that behavior in perspective. The bananas were helpful when I had zero appetite and food was coming out way faster than it was going in.
Im taking melatonin too along with the joint at night. I wish I could eat bananas but they just make me gag I've been drinking smoothies in the morning to help with my appetite. One of the more difficult things is that I’m injured. I have a knee brace after meniscus surgery so I can’t do much. The first few weeks I was just getting very stoned. Have to find something to occupy my mind. Just graduated college too so the anxiety of entering the “real world” isn’t helping me stay off weed but I’m hanging in there. Right now it’s rainy and it’s a Saturday so I want to get high so badly.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on January 04, 2020, 09:31:04 PM
I made it through the hell of withdrawals and I’m feeling okay. Now I’m just depressed. I want to thank you Pals. It might just be a sounding board but I think you guys actually helped me get through this. In between arguing about bullshit Pals are out here helping people. It’s kind of inspiring. Thanks, and I’ll keep posting.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on January 05, 2020, 04:44:04 AM
I made it through the hell of withdrawals and I’m feeling okay. Now I’m just depressed. I want to thank you Pals. It might just be a sounding board but I think you guys actually helped me get through this. In between arguing about bullshit Pals are out here helping people. It’s kind of inspiring. Thanks, and I’ll keep posting.

Good job, man. Make sure to do as much as you can during the days. Physical and mental activity will keep you busy. Avoid sleeping in day time, it might fuck with your routine.

As for depression... I have nothing for you, now is the time to create your own happiness, because your brain will sure as fuck not recover for a year or so. In other words: no dopamine/seratonine for you, unless you brute force that shit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on January 05, 2020, 08:03:40 AM
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I made it through the hell of withdrawals and I’m feeling okay. Now I’m just depressed. I want to thank you Pals. It might just be a sounding board but I think you guys actually helped me get through this. In between arguing about bullshit Pals are out here helping people. It’s kind of inspiring. Thanks, and I’ll keep posting.
[close]

Good job, man. Make sure to do as much as you can during the days. Physical and mental activity will keep you busy. Avoid sleeping in day time, it might fuck with your routine.

As for depression... I have nothing for you, now is the time to create your own happiness, because your brain will sure as fuck not recover for a year or so. In other words: no dopamine/seratonine for you, unless you brute force that shit.
  This is all true in my experience and its good advise and i also propose it's very possible to experience happiness in this state where your dopamine and seratonine is depleted. I looked a lil bit rough but I enjoyed that time alot (the months after I'd quit) , thats when I got into surfing.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Algar on January 05, 2020, 08:07:08 PM
As a cautionary tale for those who are missing their micro brews, I was on the other end of town today and picked up some n/a ipa's and a porter.  Spent 30 bucks in total and all three are totally fucking horrible!   

I will recommend Lagunitas hoppy refresher, it's just carbonated water with hops,  scratches the itch for any hoppy beer lovers!

Hope y'all are doing well and stay in strong
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on January 05, 2020, 08:11:45 PM
Been cutting my booze down to levels where I'm not inebriated.  I order that Lagunitas Hop Water at a local bar when I feel like getting out of the house.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on January 29, 2020, 08:16:54 PM
Just hit 60 days being sober from everything. Feels amazing gents. Never thought I could do it. This thread helped me a lot, constantly read through it during the countless battles. Thank you all for sharing your stories. Pretty much took all of last year to get fully sober after a decade of half assed attempts.  Slowly tappered off with sporadic relapses. Final nail in the coffin happened when a close friend recently committed suicide. Just hit me way too hard then vowed to stop wasting my life being faded all the time. Developed a passion for reading which is weird because used to hate reading. Sound like a senior citizen nevertheless getting 7 hours of sleep, eating clean, and exercising really keeps body & mind feeling good. For entire life , neglected all those things. Going back to school helped with transition too, keeps me busy. Some of you mentioned this before, lot of time opens up when you're not always fucked up. Thanks again for contributing to this thread, helped me at my lowest times.   
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on January 29, 2020, 08:34:44 PM
48 hours in. Gonna give this a go again. The last time I posted in this thread, I had 10 days that I turned into a little less than 60. I just posted in the mental health thread, and dope and booze played a part in my mental breakdown the other day. Props to all the positive people in this thread and all the people giving it a go.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on January 29, 2020, 08:54:26 PM
48 hours in. Gonna give this a go again. The last time I posted in this thread, I had 10 days that I turned into a little less than 60. I just posted in the mental health thread, and dope and booze played a part in my mental breakdown the other day. Props to all the positive people in this thread and all the people giving it a go.


Happy to see you're making an effort again. Just keep at it, win those small battles, there will be speed bumps, just keep trying Salsa you will get there. Wish I could offer you legit advice, I'm a rookie in this field.  Your last run impressive , you can do it again. Didnt you feel better last time after weeks passed? Hard in the early days. Take if day by day and before you know it turn into weeks again.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on January 29, 2020, 09:37:57 PM
I found a new psychiatrist who isn't a quack and is very cautious about medication. In order for me to stay with his practice I had to agree to random drug testing because of the medication I'll be on. Weed is my only thing, I was already cutting back so it wasn't too hard to say yes. I also went months without smoking a couple years ago and felt great at that time. But it's funny that I was drinking, doing blow and taking painkillers at that time.

I have an interview tomorrow, but it's within my company so I wont need to do a drug test for it. I'm smoking through the weekend then Monday I have to start. The first month is the hardest but after that it get's a lot easier.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on January 29, 2020, 09:57:58 PM
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48 hours in. Gonna give this a go again. The last time I posted in this thread, I had 10 days that I turned into a little less than 60. I just posted in the mental health thread, and dope and booze played a part in my mental breakdown the other day. Props to all the positive people in this thread and all the people giving it a go.
[close]


Happy to see you're making an effort again. Just keep at it, win those small battles, there will be speed bumps, just keep trying Salsa you will get there. Wish I could offer you legit advice, I'm a rookie in this field.  Your last run impressive , you can do it again. Didnt you feel better last time after weeks passed? Hard in the early days. Take if day by day and before you know it turn into weeks again.

First of all, congrats on your 60. That’s huge! I think I had right between 6-7 weeks. First couple weeks were pretty tough, but definitely got better. I did feel a lot better about myself. I set my self up for failure though, as I was going to allow myself “cheat days” on vacation. I went to an all inclusive resort that an army of alcoholics couldn’t drink dry. Then there was X Mas. Then New Years. Then my B day... Any excuse right? Anyway, this time I hope it sticks because if losing my girl 3 months ago wasn’t bad enough, I may of just lost a best friend because of it. I hope to be reporting back here with 60 days in the further. Congrats again in your 60 and keep at it!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on January 30, 2020, 12:46:33 AM
 Sober (that means no weed) for a week or 2 here.  Makes me almost overly friendly (im shaking random peoples hands on the street and getting into convos constanly) its been okay to skate sober so im stoked on that.  Ive got a couple of angry posts on the go too prolly cause im jonesn' for weed.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on January 30, 2020, 01:59:43 PM
32 days sober ! Probably the longest I've gone in ten years...seems weird to say I haven't drank in 2020
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 30, 2020, 02:11:35 PM
really stoked on all the recent updates, this thread is turning into something really great.

i'm still doing my moderation thing and it's going well. i drink less than i used to for sure. most week nights i don't drink and haven't since i started. lately i've had a pretty gnarly deadline with our biggest client and been sick as shit. so working 10-12 hours sick as shit so i've had a few "fuck it" days the last two weeks but kept it to one ish drink so not to bad. the program is working out the way i hoped it would. i just need to make sure that once i get over this flu, cold thing and get back on track i also get back on the no weeknights more solid.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on January 30, 2020, 02:43:03 PM
32 days sober ! Probably the longest I've gone in ten years...seems weird to say I haven't drank in 2020

Congrats man! That’s awesome that you can say that about this year! Wish I could say the same about 2020. I really fucked up the other day and feel terrible about it. Not Corey or Ali level F’ed up, but I feel so fucking guilty. Reached out 3 times and my friend has ghosted me. Damn I feel shitty about it. Oddly enough I almost feel worse about this than ruining my 3 year relationship with my ex girl. Although that shit haunts me and I think about her every day. Moral of the story is, if you’re reading this and think your drinking is ruing some of your personal relationships, please stop or get some help before it’s too late.

Anyway, sorry to rant. Not trying to steal your shine. That’s rad you haven’t had a drink this year!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Meekin on January 30, 2020, 03:28:27 PM
Gave up weed last june. I realized that once I couldn't sleep without it, it was time to stop. Like others have probably said, the first twoish weeks were the hardest. After that, I began to to fall asleep fairly easy. Started uses a sound machine to sleep along with a fan beside my bed.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on February 01, 2020, 04:05:46 PM
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32 days sober ! Probably the longest I've gone in ten years...seems weird to say I haven't drank in 2020
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Congrats man! That’s awesome that you can say that about this year! Wish I could say the same about 2020. I really fucked up the other day and feel terrible about it. Not Corey or Ali level F’ed up, but I feel so fucking guilty. Reached out 3 times and my friend has ghosted me. Damn I feel shitty about it. Oddly enough I almost feel worse about this than ruining my 3 year relationship with my ex girl. Although that shit haunts me and I think about her every day. Moral of the story is, if you’re reading this and think your drinking is ruing some of your personal relationships, please stop or get some help before it’s too late.

Anyway, sorry to rant. Not trying to steal your shine. That’s rad you haven’t had a drink this year!

All good dude ! It's all love in this thread haha to be fair I was just doing a sober january to get some healthy/good routines in place...kinda detox. So now that it's over I'll be drinking again but hopefully stick with the positive routines I've picked up the last month. Lost 11 lb's in the month and I'm not a big guy (6 foot, 187 pounds down to 174) by any means so no booze/increased exercise has made a difference
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on February 01, 2020, 09:49:08 PM
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32 days sober ! Probably the longest I've gone in ten years...seems weird to say I haven't drank in 2020
[close]

Congrats man! That’s awesome that you can say that about this year! Wish I could say the same about 2020. I really fucked up the other day and feel terrible about it. Not Corey or Ali level F’ed up, but I feel so fucking guilty. Reached out 3 times and my friend has ghosted me. Damn I feel shitty about it. Oddly enough I almost feel worse about this than ruining my 3 year relationship with my ex girl. Although that shit haunts me and I think about her every day. Moral of the story is, if you’re reading this and think your drinking is ruing some of your personal relationships, please stop or get some help before it’s too late.

Anyway, sorry to rant. Not trying to steal your shine. That’s rad you haven’t had a drink this year!
[close]

All good dude ! It's all love in this thread haha to be fair I was just doing a sober january to get some healthy/good routines in place...kinda detox. So now that it's over I'll be drinking again but hopefully stick with the positive routines I've picked up the last month. Lost 11 lb's in the month and I'm not a big guy (6 foot, 187 pounds down to 174) by any means so no booze/increased exercise has made a difference

Yeah, I definitely need to get some good clean healthy living going with some positive routines and weight loss in the mix.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Carrolls Chesthairs on February 02, 2020, 03:03:23 PM
Last drink was on January 1st.
Originally planned a sober January post that day.
Now I'm thinking sober February too.

Been more into skating lately and collectively happier than before; fewer mood swings.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on February 02, 2020, 08:27:42 PM
Last drink was on January 1st.
Originally planned a sober January post that day.
Now I'm thinking sober February too.

Been more into skating lately and collectively happier than before; fewer mood swings.

Epic. Keep at it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Big Baby Jesus on February 03, 2020, 04:17:24 AM
Pretty cool to see all the people trying to better their life. I just hit a year sober on Jan 11th after a couple years of doing too many drugs. Things are going well and don't have cravings too much. However I do have to stay on top of my mental health and keep a positive attitude so I don't get sucked back into that life.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on February 03, 2020, 05:23:07 AM
Pretty cool to see all the people trying to better their life. I just hit a year sober on Jan 11th after a couple years of doing too many drugs. Things are going well and don't have cravings too much. However I do have to stay on top of my mental health and keep a positive attitude so I don't get sucked back into that life.

Good job. I agree, one has to stay focused on the right things, always. Not even a question for an ex-addict. The margins for fucking up/slacking off are tiny.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: geneparmesan on February 03, 2020, 05:07:56 PM
For anyone kicking weed, the https://www.reddit.com/r/leaves/ community has a lot of good info. I'm about 5 weeks off of it and experienced intense insomnia for close to a week, about two weeks of feeling nauseous and a total lack of appetite, as well as really vivid, disconcerting dreams (once they began occurring again).

I'm starting to become convinced that the weed that's being cultivated now is stronger and more addictive than the plant is naturally supposed to be. I do miss all the high insights I got, as well as how fun it was to watch the sour videos, but the late nights, munchies and intense brain fog the next day really started to drag me down. Not to mention the total lack of motivation to do basic chores that crept in. I miss it occasionally, but ultimately the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Best of luck to everyone in their sobriety, and keep at it. The clarity in your thinking alone will be more than worth it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on February 03, 2020, 11:13:12 PM
For anyone kicking weed, the https://www.reddit.com/r/leaves/ community has a lot of good info. I'm about 5 weeks off of it and experienced intense insomnia for close to a week, about two weeks of feeling nauseous and a total lack of appetite, as well as really vivid, disconcerting dreams (once they began occurring again).

I'm starting to become convinced that the weed that's being cultivated now is stronger and more addictive than the plant is naturally supposed to be. I do miss all the high insights I got, as well as how fun it was to watch the sour videos, but the late nights, munchies and intense brain fog the next day really started to drag me down. Not to mention the total lack of motivation to do basic chores that crept in. I miss it occasionally, but ultimately the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Best of luck to everyone in their sobriety, and keep at it. The clarity in your thinking alone will be more than worth it.
    Theyre has been good weed for centuries just not everywhere.  When the US gov. says that weed is 10 times stronger then in the 50s they mean shiddy mex weed that wasnt even bud and they do that to trick soccer moms dude.  Think about it, hash has always been around so theres your high concentration of thc right there, so some strong weed isnt bringing any high to the table that people havent already gotten for centuries.  Dont believe or propigate the anti drug hype jus cause ur going sober.  It is a cancer.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: geneparmesan on February 04, 2020, 10:03:22 AM
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For anyone kicking weed, the https://www.reddit.com/r/leaves/ community has a lot of good info. I'm about 5 weeks off of it and experienced intense insomnia for close to a week, about two weeks of feeling nauseous and a total lack of appetite, as well as really vivid, disconcerting dreams (once they began occurring again).

I'm starting to become convinced that the weed that's being cultivated now is stronger and more addictive than the plant is naturally supposed to be. I do miss all the high insights I got, as well as how fun it was to watch the sour videos, but the late nights, munchies and intense brain fog the next day really started to drag me down. Not to mention the total lack of motivation to do basic chores that crept in. I miss it occasionally, but ultimately the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Best of luck to everyone in their sobriety, and keep at it. The clarity in your thinking alone will be more than worth it.
[close]
    Theyre has been good weed for centuries just not everywhere.  When the US gov. says that weed is 10 times stronger then in the 50s they mean shiddy mex weed that wasnt even bud and they do that to trick soccer moms dude.  Think about it, hash has always been around so theres your high concentration of thc right there, so some strong weed isnt bringing any high to the table that people havent already gotten for centuries.  Dont believe or propigate the anti drug hype jus cause ur going sober.  It is a cancer.

I could post links to multiple studies proving that you're wrong, but why are you in a sobriety thread telling people not to propagate anti drug hype? Take your tone policing elsewhere and fuck off.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: burtreynolds.jpeg on February 04, 2020, 11:38:50 AM
I am thinking about giving up drinking for good. Just want my mental and physical health to get back up to 100%.
However, I want to get back out into the dating scene and it's super hard to go around and meet girls outside of bars and parties.

Any sober bros got any helpful tips?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jakeumms on February 04, 2020, 12:02:10 PM
I am thinking about giving up drinking for good. Just want my mental and physical health to get back up to 100%.
However, I want to get back out into the dating scene and it's super hard to go around and meet girls outside of bars and parties.

Any sober bros got any helpful tips?
Meet sober girls online?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on February 04, 2020, 12:27:42 PM
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I am thinking about giving up drinking for good. Just want my mental and physical health to get back up to 100%.
However, I want to get back out into the dating scene and it's super hard to go around and meet girls outside of bars and parties.

Any sober bros got any helpful tips?
[close]
Meet sober girls online?

I was in the same boat. Stopped drinking/doing drugs and realized it had been almost a decade since I went on a first (or second/third/20th) date sober. Tried to go to bars sober but probably looked like a creep, would go on dates with people I casually met in public but there was almost no deep connection and my only hobby was skateboarding.

Eventually, tried online dating after a couple years of sobriety. Met my wife from online dating, don't regret a thing.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jakeumms on February 04, 2020, 01:13:34 PM
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I am thinking about giving up drinking for good. Just want my mental and physical health to get back up to 100%.
However, I want to get back out into the dating scene and it's super hard to go around and meet girls outside of bars and parties.

Any sober bros got any helpful tips?
[close]
Meet sober girls online?
[close]

I was in the same boat. Stopped drinking/doing drugs and realized it had been almost a decade since I went on a first (or second/third/20th) date sober. Tried to go to bars sober but probably looked like a creep, would go on dates with people I casually met in public but there was almost no deep connection and my only hobby was skateboarding.

Eventually, tried online dating after a couple years of sobriety. Met my wife from online dating, don't regret a thing.
My experience too. It makes sense that if I had to rethink how I interact socially in general I would have to rethink how I go about dating people too.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on February 04, 2020, 02:49:24 PM
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For anyone kicking weed, the https://www.reddit.com/r/leaves/ community has a lot of good info. I'm about 5 weeks off of it and experienced intense insomnia for close to a week, about two weeks of feeling nauseous and a total lack of appetite, as well as really vivid, disconcerting dreams (once they began occurring again).

I'm starting to become convinced that the weed that's being cultivated now is stronger and more addictive than the plant is naturally supposed to be. I do miss all the high insights I got, as well as how fun it was to watch the sour videos, but the late nights, munchies and intense brain fog the next day really started to drag me down. Not to mention the total lack of motivation to do basic chores that crept in. I miss it occasionally, but ultimately the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Best of luck to everyone in their sobriety, and keep at it. The clarity in your thinking alone will be more than worth it.
[close]
    Theyre has been good weed for centuries just not everywhere.  When the US gov. says that weed is 10 times stronger then in the 50s they mean shiddy mex weed that wasnt even bud and they do that to trick soccer moms dude.  Think about it, hash has always been around so theres your high concentration of thc right there, so some strong weed isnt bringing any high to the table that people havent already gotten for centuries.  Dont believe or propigate the anti drug hype jus cause ur going sober.  It is a cancer.
[close]

I could post links to multiple studies proving that you're wrong, but why are you in a sobriety thread telling people not to propagate anti drug hype? Take your tone policing elsewhere and fuck off.
   What am I wrong about dickhead?, post away dude.  Has hash not existed for centuries?  Where are the 200 year old examples of weed from Afghanistan to fairly compare anyway.  This is why u American fucks turn religious when going straight-  needing to do this dramatic 180.  “Multiple studies”. -Jesus Christ help us.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: geneparmesan on February 04, 2020, 04:00:48 PM
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For anyone kicking weed, the https://www.reddit.com/r/leaves/ community has a lot of good info. I'm about 5 weeks off of it and experienced intense insomnia for close to a week, about two weeks of feeling nauseous and a total lack of appetite, as well as really vivid, disconcerting dreams (once they began occurring again).

I'm starting to become convinced that the weed that's being cultivated now is stronger and more addictive than the plant is naturally supposed to be. I do miss all the high insights I got, as well as how fun it was to watch the sour videos, but the late nights, munchies and intense brain fog the next day really started to drag me down. Not to mention the total lack of motivation to do basic chores that crept in. I miss it occasionally, but ultimately the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Best of luck to everyone in their sobriety, and keep at it. The clarity in your thinking alone will be more than worth it.
[close]
    Theyre has been good weed for centuries just not everywhere.  When the US gov. says that weed is 10 times stronger then in the 50s they mean shiddy mex weed that wasnt even bud and they do that to trick soccer moms dude.  Think about it, hash has always been around so theres your high concentration of thc right there, so some strong weed isnt bringing any high to the table that people havent already gotten for centuries.  Dont believe or propigate the anti drug hype jus cause ur going sober.  It is a cancer.
[close]

I could post links to multiple studies proving that you're wrong, but why are you in a sobriety thread telling people not to propagate anti drug hype? Take your tone policing elsewhere and fuck off.
[close]
   What am I wrong about dickhead?, post away dude.  Has hash not existed for centuries?  Where are the 200 year old examples of weed from Afghanistan to fairly compare anyway.  This is why u American fucks turn religious when going straight-  needing to do this dramatic 180.  “Multiple studies”. -Jesus Christ help us.

I wasn't talking about hash. That was a straw man argument that you introduced. Looking at your post history you seem to be a judgmental pedantic nitpicker, same as you did here. Are you angry postin cuz you're jonesin for weed or what?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on February 04, 2020, 05:16:47 PM
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Quote from: givecigstosurfgroms link=topic=107177.msg3210280#msg3210280
date=1580800392
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For anyone kicking weed, the https://www.reddit.com/r/leaves/ community has a lot of good info. I'm about 5 weeks off of it and experienced intense insomnia for close to a week, about two weeks of feeling nauseous and a total lack of appetite, as well as really vivid, disconcerting dreams (once they began occurring again).

I'm starting to become convinced that the weed that's being cultivated now is stronger and more addictive than the plant is naturally supposed to be. I do miss all the high insights I got, as well as how fun it was to watch the sour videos, but the late nights, munchies and intense brain fog the next day really started to drag me down. Not to mention the total lack of motivation to do basic chores that crept in. I miss it occasionally, but ultimately the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Best of luck to everyone in their sobriety, and keep at it. The clarity in your thinking alone will be more than worth it.
[close]
    Theyre has been good weed for centuries just not everywhere.  When the US gov. says that weed is 10 times stronger then in the 50s they mean shiddy mex weed that wasnt even bud and they do that to trick soccer moms dude.  Think about it, hash has always been around so theres your high concentration of thc right there, so some strong weed isnt bringing any high to the table that people havent already gotten for centuries.  Dont believe or propigate the anti drug hype jus cause ur going sober.  It is a cancer.
[close]

I could post links to multiple studies proving that you're wrong, but why are you in a sobriety thread telling people not to propagate anti drug hype? Take your tone policing elsewhere and fuck off.
[close]
   What am I wrong about dickhead?, post away dude.  Has hash not existed for centuries?  Where are the 200 year old examples of weed from Afghanistan to fairly compare anyway.  This is why u American fucks turn religious when going straight-  needing to do this dramatic 180.  “Multiple studies”. -Jesus Christ help us.
[close]

I wasn't talking about hash. That was a straw man argument that you introduced. Looking at your post history you seem to be a judgmental pedantic nitpicker, same as you did here. Are you angry postin cuz you're jonesin for weed or what?
   Fuck u yes I’m jonsing for weed.  Again I ask, where is the 200 year old Afghan bud sample that would make any of the bullshit claims ur making verifiable?  The same bullshit claims the us war on drugs has made about weed since the 90s ?  scare tactics. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: geneparmesan on February 04, 2020, 05:37:04 PM
   Fuck u yes I’m jonsing for weed.  Again I ask, where is the 200 year old Afghan bud sample that would make any of the bullshit claims ur making verifiable?  The same bullshit claims the us war on drugs has made about weed since the 90s ?  scare tactics.

LMAO. Once a pedant, always a pedant. You're not worth the time. Guys, sorry I fed the troll. Best of luck to everyone in their sobriety. Even, and especially you givecigstosurfgroms.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: straight on February 04, 2020, 05:45:28 PM
not reading any of that but giv cigs is the kinda guy that starts an argument and then ends up agreeing with your original point, makes your point for you and then ends by arguing against his original disagreement unknowingly . he’s seems like he’s really happy with his life though and i respect that
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on February 04, 2020, 08:12:16 PM
Once a pendantic always a pendantic but im not an 'addict'. I just quit weed after a 10 year stint but im sleeping fine and im not crying like a crybaby.
    Edit and thank you for the well wishes, that is def cool.  And i also appologize if ive falsely given the impression im completely happy with where ive gotten myself.  Im alright for sure but...  need alot of work.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on February 04, 2020, 10:32:21 PM
Givecigs, why are you even in this topic?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: givecigstosurfgroms on February 05, 2020, 03:35:44 AM
Givecigs, why are you even in this topic?
    I’m off the weed cause I’m in south east Asia. Totally sobs.   I guess I quit heroin cold turkey 15 years ago no relapses or dorky programs but it’s just common sense to quit that shit.  Not something of much note. Edit maybe you are insinuating I’m not being helpful. Sorry if that’s the case.  Stay good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Womb Service on February 05, 2020, 04:22:37 AM
Great thread, made me create an account and share my journey on the wagon.

My ultimate goal is being able to drink in moderation but it's still hard to see myself do that after 2-3 years of drinking 6-8 beers on week days and Jah knows how many over the weekend.

Quit drinking for over a month now and I've been starting to notice the positive differences as of the start of week 4.

If anyone out there has tried or really wants to quit but doesn't seem able to, it really gets better with time.

In my experience, it took 3 weeks of having pretty bad mood swings and feeling lazy (nothing different than when I was drinking apart from the beers not being an option to numb my negative thoughts)

As soon as my mood slowly started improving and energy levels went back up, I made myself get up an hour earlier to do some kind of exercise before work (office job - sitting down 8 hours a day 5 days/week) as I'm currently coming back from an injury which has stopped me from skating for about a month now.

Still a work in progress and I have done a month on the wagon here and there before but this is the first time where I've been wanting to keep it going as I'm blown away by how much better I feel both mentally and physically.

Can't wait to finally get back on the board with a body and mind that doesn't consist of 60% beer.

Good luck too all of you trying to make positive changes in their lives!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on February 05, 2020, 05:14:25 AM
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Givecigs, why are you even in this topic?
[close]
    I’m off the weed cause I’m in south east Asia. Totally sobs.   I guess I quit heroin cold turkey 15 years ago no relapses or dorky programs but it’s just common sense to quit that shit.  Not something of much note. Edit maybe you are insinuating I’m not being helpful. Sorry if that’s the case.  Stay good.

Was a real question.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: burtreynolds.jpeg on February 05, 2020, 05:47:28 AM
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I am thinking about giving up drinking for good. Just want my mental and physical health to get back up to 100%.
However, I want to get back out into the dating scene and it's super hard to go around and meet girls outside of bars and parties.

Any sober bros got any helpful tips?
[close]
Meet sober girls online?
[close]

I was in the same boat. Stopped drinking/doing drugs and realized it had been almost a decade since I went on a first (or second/third/20th) date sober. Tried to go to bars sober but probably looked like a creep, would go on dates with people I casually met in public but there was almost no deep connection and my only hobby was skateboarding.

Eventually, tried online dating after a couple years of sobriety. Met my wife from online dating, don't regret a thing.

That's awesome to hear that. Good for you!
I hopped on Tinder but every other girl is holding a drink in their hand or talk about shotgunning a white claw. Probably because I'm in my mid 20's and live in a city where drinking is embedded in socialization.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on February 05, 2020, 06:45:14 AM
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I am thinking about giving up drinking for good. Just want my mental and physical health to get back up to 100%.
However, I want to get back out into the dating scene and it's super hard to go around and meet girls outside of bars and parties.

Any sober bros got any helpful tips?
[close]
Meet sober girls online?
[close]

I was in the same boat. Stopped drinking/doing drugs and realized it had been almost a decade since I went on a first (or second/third/20th) date sober. Tried to go to bars sober but probably looked like a creep, would go on dates with people I casually met in public but there was almost no deep connection and my only hobby was skateboarding.

Eventually, tried online dating after a couple years of sobriety. Met my wife from online dating, don't regret a thing.
[close]

That's awesome to hear that. Good for you!
I hopped on Tinder but every other girl is holding a drink in their hand or talk about shotgunning a white claw. Probably because I'm in my mid 20's and live in a city where drinking is embedded in socialization.

That shit is hard to re-program. Start lifting and eating well. People will lable you as "health freak" but in reality you're twelve months away from shooting up in an alley.

Still don't really know how to deal with that shit, six years deep.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 05, 2020, 08:16:21 AM
Great thread, made me create an account and share my journey on the wagon.

My ultimate goal is being able to drink in moderation but it's still hard to see myself do that after 2-3 years of drinking 6-8 beers on week days and Jah knows how many over the weekend.

Quit drinking for over a month now and I've been starting to notice the positive differences as of the start of week 4.

If anyone out there has tried or really wants to quit but doesn't seem able to, it really gets better with time.

In my experience, it took 3 weeks of having pretty bad mood swings and feeling lazy (nothing different than when I was drinking apart from the beers not being an option to numb my negative thoughts)

As soon as my mood slowly started improving and energy levels went back up, I made myself get up an hour earlier to do some kind of exercise before work (office job - sitting down 8 hours a day 5 days/week) as I'm currently coming back from an injury which has stopped me from skating for about a month now.

Still a work in progress and I have done a month on the wagon here and there before but this is the first time where I've been wanting to keep it going as I'm blown away by how much better I feel both mentally and physically.

Can't wait to finally get back on the board with a body and mind that doesn't consist of 60% beer.

Good luck too all of you trying to make positive changes in their lives!

props man and welcome to the board


new trick i've been doing lately. i keep mexican cokes in the fridge and at the end of the day when i'm tired and want to relax with a drink it makes a nice treat plus has some caffeine and sugar. been leaning on those and flavored soda water. also been hitting the kind bars at night for a tv watching treat.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: WastedHippy on February 05, 2020, 03:05:40 PM
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Great thread, made me create an account and share my journey on the wagon.

My ultimate goal is being able to drink in moderation but it's still hard to see myself do that after 2-3 years of drinking 6-8 beers on week days and Jah knows how many over the weekend.

Quit drinking for over a month now and I've been starting to notice the positive differences as of the start of week 4.

If anyone out there has tried or really wants to quit but doesn't seem able to, it really gets better with time.

In my experience, it took 3 weeks of having pretty bad mood swings and feeling lazy (nothing different than when I was drinking apart from the beers not being an option to numb my negative thoughts)

As soon as my mood slowly started improving and energy levels went back up, I made myself get up an hour earlier to do some kind of exercise before work (office job - sitting down 8 hours a day 5 days/week) as I'm currently coming back from an injury which has stopped me from skating for about a month now.

Still a work in progress and I have done a month on the wagon here and there before but this is the first time where I've been wanting to keep it going as I'm blown away by how much better I feel both mentally and physically.

Can't wait to finally get back on the board with a body and mind that doesn't consist of 60% beer.

Good luck too all of you trying to make positive changes in their lives!
[close]

props man and welcome to the board


new trick i've been doing lately. i keep mexican cokes in the fridge and at the end of the day when i'm tired and want to relax with a drink it makes a nice treat plus has some caffeine and sugar. been leaning on those and flavored soda water. also been hitting the kind bars at night for a tv watching treat.

These are actually pretty damn good, I was always a sucker for these ones:
(https://dr9wvh6oz7mzp.cloudfront.net/i/60f6edad3dff34c239a1ad8051340ed4_ra,w380,h380_pa,w380,h380.png)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on February 06, 2020, 03:01:18 PM
^ those are pretty tasty. Just saw a commercial comparing cliff bars & kind bars. Can't believe I used to love cliff bars years ago.

Almost broke down earlier in the week by going to a dispensary and a bar. So close amigos, happy I didn't. Two months almost gone down the drain for temporary happiness. Think the problem involves lack of exercising and eating like shit lately. Really need to follow routine to keep mind content. I shudder thinking about how would have felt if I relapsed. Never wanna feel like that again. The come down so awful. Feelings of guilt, regret, spending money on something I shouldn't have , and flopping into a negative funk that takes awhile to get over. Also whenever indulging in the past would have to stay out late due to not running into sober roommates. Which made me feel like a junkie cuz I had to avoid people. Thinking of all that stopped me. Been down that road 100s of times. Super close one gents! One day at a time then dreaming of the day of hitting 1 year.   
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Womb Service on February 07, 2020, 12:34:02 AM
Good on you man! I'm still getting used to being around the boys when everyone's drinking but me.
It defenitely helps getting a rountine going that makes you feel better - it can really be anything and doesn't need to take too much effort as long as it gives you some sense of accomplishment.

And hey, every day you add to your number of days being sober is already a huge accomplishment!

I did come here hoping to get some advice on a situation one of my dear friends is in, as maybe some of you may have been in this position yourselves.

He's completely losing his mind due to coke and alcohol and it's very upsetting to progressively see him get worse every single time we hang out. It's got to the point where you cannot hold a conversation with him. Jumps back and forth the weirdest subjects and nothing that comes out makes any sense. This guy is an intelligent and all round good person, known him for years but barely recognise him anymore when we're talking. Last time I saw him I had to come up with an excuse to remove myself from the situation because I couldn't handle it.

I've had talks with him before and know some close friends have too but he doesn't seem to see how bad it's become. What mainly scares the shit out of me it the thought that if something were to happen, I'd regret not talking sense into him.

The difficult thing is that he never seems to be in a state where I feel me bringing up that he needs to find help or do something about this is appropriate because he's always drunk or high when I see him and feel that he wouldn't take it seriously.

Of course I don't want to fall out with him as I love the dude but I feel like someone needs to have this conversation with him before it's too late.

If anyone has any advice on approaching this thing, It'd be greatly appreciated!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Benchpress on February 07, 2020, 12:54:22 AM
Good on you man! I'm still getting used to being around the boys when everyone's drinking but me.
It defenitely helps getting a rountine going that makes you feel better - it can really be anything and doesn't need to take too much effort as long as it gives you some sense of accomplishment.

And hey, every day you add to your number of days being sober is already a huge accomplishment!

I did come here hoping to get some advice on a situation one of my dear friends is in, as maybe some of you may have been in this position yourselves.

He's completely losing his mind due to coke and alcohol and it's very upsetting to progressively see him get worse every single time we hang out. It's got to the point where you cannot hold a conversation with him. Jumps back and forth the weirdest subjects and nothing that comes out makes any sense. This guy is an intelligent and all round good person, known him for years but barely recognise him anymore when we're talking. Last time I saw him I had to come up with an excuse to remove myself from the situation because I couldn't handle it.

I've had talks with him before and know some close friends have too but he doesn't seem to see how bad it's become. What mainly scares the shit out of me it the thought that if something were to happen, I'd regret not talking sense into him.

The difficult thing is that he never seems to be in a state where I feel me bringing up that he needs to find help or do something about this is appropriate because he's always drunk or high when I see him and feel that he wouldn't take it seriously.

Of course I don't want to fall out with him as I love the dude but I feel like someone needs to have this conversation with him before it's too late.

If anyone has any advice on approaching this thing, It'd be greatly appreciated!

Unfortunately man there is nothing more you can do than offer support, offer to listen, and have a shoulder to cry on. You, and other people have said your piece to him. I'm sure he's aware that he's in a troublesome spot but as a lot of people struggling with alcohol and drug issues, are too afraid to admit it.

You can't chase people all day every day trying to get them to cool it, the want to change has to come from within them, all you can do is offer to be there as much as you can when they do have that realization.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LordManHammer on February 13, 2020, 07:22:06 AM
What I’ve been contemplating on when I’m in a depressed mood is this.

What I found is that when I was drinking, loneliness, sadness, existential despair, they were all still there. I quieted them down and tried to deaden my feelings, but they never left me. They always came back with compounded interest. Especially when very drunk, they would come to the surface.

Depression, loneliness, sadness, sense of futility. I think if we are honest with ourselves about the reality of life, we all have these feelings. However when you are drunk, you don't have strength. I think strength is imperative when facing reality head on. If you have that strength, you can look at these things and say, yeah I feel sad, I feel lonely, but these are my feelings, not some chemical. And conversely, when you are happy, those feelings are your feelings as well. We will always have happiness and tears, but I find that I am stronger and better equipped to deal with sadness sober than I was when I was drunk. I can think about things in a more objective way. I'm not a victim. I am free.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on February 13, 2020, 07:34:41 AM
Expand Quote
Good on you man! I'm still getting used to being around the boys when everyone's drinking but me.
It defenitely helps getting a rountine going that makes you feel better - it can really be anything and doesn't need to take too much effort as long as it gives you some sense of accomplishment.

And hey, every day you add to your number of days being sober is already a huge accomplishment!

I did come here hoping to get some advice on a situation one of my dear friends is in, as maybe some of you may have been in this position yourselves.

He's completely losing his mind due to coke and alcohol and it's very upsetting to progressively see him get worse every single time we hang out. It's got to the point where you cannot hold a conversation with him. Jumps back and forth the weirdest subjects and nothing that comes out makes any sense. This guy is an intelligent and all round good person, known him for years but barely recognise him anymore when we're talking. Last time I saw him I had to come up with an excuse to remove myself from the situation because I couldn't handle it.

I've had talks with him before and know some close friends have too but he doesn't seem to see how bad it's become. What mainly scares the shit out of me it the thought that if something were to happen, I'd regret not talking sense into him.

The difficult thing is that he never seems to be in a state where I feel me bringing up that he needs to find help or do something about this is appropriate because he's always drunk or high when I see him and feel that he wouldn't take it seriously.

Of course I don't want to fall out with him as I love the dude but I feel like someone needs to have this conversation with him before it's too late.

If anyone has any advice on approaching this thing, It'd be greatly appreciated!
[close]

Unfortunately man there is nothing more you can do than offer support, offer to listen, and have a shoulder to cry on. You, and other people have said your piece to him. I'm sure he's aware that he's in a troublesome spot but as a lot of people struggling with alcohol and drug issues, are too afraid to admit it.

You can't chase people all day every day trying to get them to cool it, the want to change has to come from within them, all you can do is offer to be there as much as you can when they do have that realization.

There was a night when I was 19 and my best friend was starting to go into the deep end. He took a bunch of Xanax and drove away from a a party we were at. His mom called me the next morning and said she hadn’t heard from him. Immediately, feeling the guilt of his death on my shoulders, I told her everything I knew about the night before. She found him parked in the middle of the road, facing the opposite direction of traffic, asleep at 7am.

I’m not saying you should immediately run to his family but, if you’re legitimately concerned and it’s an option, I would talk to them.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 13, 2020, 09:14:07 AM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Great thread, made me create an account and share my journey on the wagon.

My ultimate goal is being able to drink in moderation but it's still hard to see myself do that after 2-3 years of drinking 6-8 beers on week days and Jah knows how many over the weekend.

Quit drinking for over a month now and I've been starting to notice the positive differences as of the start of week 4.

If anyone out there has tried or really wants to quit but doesn't seem able to, it really gets better with time.

In my experience, it took 3 weeks of having pretty bad mood swings and feeling lazy (nothing different than when I was drinking apart from the beers not being an option to numb my negative thoughts)

As soon as my mood slowly started improving and energy levels went back up, I made myself get up an hour earlier to do some kind of exercise before work (office job - sitting down 8 hours a day 5 days/week) as I'm currently coming back from an injury which has stopped me from skating for about a month now.

Still a work in progress and I have done a month on the wagon here and there before but this is the first time where I've been wanting to keep it going as I'm blown away by how much better I feel both mentally and physically.

Can't wait to finally get back on the board with a body and mind that doesn't consist of 60% beer.

Good luck too all of you trying to make positive changes in their lives!
[close]

props man and welcome to the board


new trick i've been doing lately. i keep mexican cokes in the fridge and at the end of the day when i'm tired and want to relax with a drink it makes a nice treat plus has some caffeine and sugar. been leaning on those and flavored soda water. also been hitting the kind bars at night for a tv watching treat.
[close]

These are actually pretty damn good, I was always a sucker for these ones:
(https://dr9wvh6oz7mzp.cloudfront.net/i/60f6edad3dff34c239a1ad8051340ed4_ra,w380,h380_pa,w380,h380.png)

i'll have to get those in the mix. i keep three different types stocked usually and the one below is me and the kids current favorite. i like having a coconut option too. i actually like these better than candy bars at this point, so satisfying.

(https://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/e519fc69a8a845978a6bf7b18218fdcf.jpg)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jack burton on February 24, 2020, 10:24:38 AM
Coming up on three years with out a drink and im really starting to not give a shit anymore. I hate AA and the only thing my other sober friends offer up is that drinking is not worth it. Would see a therapist but I stopped due to it being $80 a visit and now they no longer take my insurance. So I have come here to rant about struggling with sobriety while isolated in the suburbs.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on February 24, 2020, 12:57:00 PM
20 days no weed today. Hoping to stay off it forever. I like it but it's always such a game changer when I quit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Womb Service on February 25, 2020, 01:38:05 AM
20 days no weed today. Hoping to stay off it forever. I like it but it's always such a game changer when I quit.

Good job man!

Still off the sauce. Amost two months and it's still weird in certain situations.

Never really considered to quit weed though.

I did drastically cut down from smoking all day to now only smoking a tiny spliff in the evenings and I like it to self-reflect at the end of the day and look at things from different perspective.

Of course it impacts every individual differently but I'm interested in hearing what made you want to quit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: os89 on February 25, 2020, 04:56:59 AM
Really stoked for you guys keeping it up. I am still struggling a bit with my shit, but hope to get it together soon. Fuck opiates holy shit. Need to get my drinking in order now (weed will have to wait). Really love to read about all you pals actually having the strength to do it, regardless of what specifically it actually is your giving up, its not easy, but its not impossible. Shalom y'all!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: chris. on February 25, 2020, 07:19:41 PM
Never really clicked around Whatever since I came back to Slap but I’m glad I found this thread. I’ll post a little more at some point but just wanted to check in and say much love to everybody here.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on February 25, 2020, 08:11:02 PM
Expand Quote
20 days no weed today. Hoping to stay off it forever. I like it but it's always such a game changer when I quit.
[close]

Good job man!

Still off the sauce. Amost two months and it's still weird in certain situations.

Never really considered to quit weed though.

I did drastically cut down from smoking all day to now only smoking a tiny spliff in the evenings and I like it to self-reflect at the end of the day and look at things from different perspective.

Of course it impacts every individual differently but I'm interested in hearing what made you want to quit.
Well for one thing, smoking regular weed just makes me so slow and unmotivated. For the last several months I was buying supposedly CBD weed just so that it would be much weaker and not make me feel so burned out. I can't moderate my smoking. Its all or nothing. The longest I've quit in the past like 10 years was like 6 months and I was way more responsible and functional and able to handle things. More outgoing and less anxious. So I've always wished I could just smoke occasionally but it always turns into an everyday thing. I was smoking that weak stuff, and it kind of worked, but I would still space out around my girlfriend and at work. I started going back to my psych because of my anxiety and inability to function at work and I'm honest when I talk with them. He said he would only treat me and prescribe medication if I was willing to submit to drug testing. It's actually something that a lot of psychiatrists are doing to cover their asses with new laws. I agreed because being on medication makes me much more functional and able to enjoy life and I value that more than getting high. I was already cutting back so much I thought it would be a great way to make sure that I didn't have the option to smoke because I will be held accountable and there will be consequences if I do. I've only quit for more than a month like 3 or 4 times in all these years, and the fact that I'm on a great medication combo has made me not even really think about it too much. I had really bad cravings about a week ago, but it has passed and I don't even really count the days, I just kind of think oh wow, its been 20 days.

I've tried to quit and stick with it for like 6 years now and I always give in. I'm a total bum when I'm smoking, and the total opposite when I don't. I wish I could control it but I know I can't. Weed is the only substance I have ever had trouble quitting oddly enough. And I never even got into like all kinds of crazy concentrates. Just like regular ass weed and edibles before CA regulated them to be a weak waste of money.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Womb Service on February 26, 2020, 05:51:34 AM
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Expand Quote
20 days no weed today. Hoping to stay off it forever. I like it but it's always such a game changer when I quit.
[close]

Good job man!

Still off the sauce. Amost two months and it's still weird in certain situations.

Never really considered to quit weed though.

I did drastically cut down from smoking all day to now only smoking a tiny spliff in the evenings and I like it to self-reflect at the end of the day and look at things from different perspective.

Of course it impacts every individual differently but I'm interested in hearing what made you want to quit.
[close]
Well for one thing, smoking regular weed just makes me so slow and unmotivated. For the last several months I was buying supposedly CBD weed just so that it would be much weaker and not make me feel so burned out. I can't moderate my smoking. Its all or nothing. The longest I've quit in the past like 10 years was like 6 months and I was way more responsible and functional and able to handle things. More outgoing and less anxious. So I've always wished I could just smoke occasionally but it always turns into an everyday thing. I was smoking that weak stuff, and it kind of worked, but I would still space out around my girlfriend and at work. I started going back to my psych because of my anxiety and inability to function at work and I'm honest when I talk with them. He said he would only treat me and prescribe medication if I was willing to submit to drug testing. It's actually something that a lot of psychiatrists are doing to cover their asses with new laws. I agreed because being on medication makes me much more functional and able to enjoy life and I value that more than getting high. I was already cutting back so much I thought it would be a great way to make sure that I didn't have the option to smoke because I will be held accountable and there will be consequences if I do. I've only quit for more than a month like 3 or 4 times in all these years, and the fact that I'm on a great medication combo has made me not even really think about it too much. I had really bad cravings about a week ago, but it has passed and I don't even really count the days, I just kind of think oh wow, its been 20 days.

I've tried to quit and stick with it for like 6 years now and I always give in. I'm a total bum when I'm smoking, and the total opposite when I don't. I wish I could control it but I know I can't. Weed is the only substance I have ever had trouble quitting oddly enough. And I never even got into like all kinds of crazy concentrates. Just like regular ass weed and edibles before CA regulated them to be a weak waste of money.

I feel you. Being unproductive was one of the reasons for me to cut down. On top of that I felt that being high all day also made me avoid social interaction when possible. I'm already a quite reserved and introverted person so smoking weed only amplifies that.

Can't relate much to the anxiety as the only episodes I've had were when coming down from benders in the past and those were terrible. Can only imagine how it feels dealing with this on a regular basis.

I know this isn't for everyone but mushrooms really helped me make mental clicks to start different and healthier lifestyle routines.

I would always realize when my drinking or drug use started getting out of hand and that I needed to quit but once stuck in a negative pattern, feeling that these substances are the only way to feel good, made it hard to actually make changes.

Some guy used the analogy of your mind being a snow topped mountain and every day you take your sled and go down. By going down the mountain you create grooves in the snow, these grooves being your daily routines. Over time, every day you go sled down you can't help but slip back into these grooves. When having an intense experience on mushrooms it's like there's fresh snow on your mountain and you can take a different way down without slipping back into these old grooves.

Sounds corny but I find it quite accurate. After a trip where I've felt so connected with nature and being so deep into my thoughts, I usually come out with a new appreciation of everything and everyone around me and this motivates me to work on things I don't like about my life/behaviour and actually stick to them.

Lately starting thinking how fortunate I feel about having found skateboarding 15 years ago. I realize I've wasted the past 3 years due to drinking and partying which at first was a bummer. Now I'm more stoked than ever as this injury is finally healed up, I'm in the best shape I've been in since my early 20's and I'm looking at my first session in 2 months this weekend.

Hope talking to the psych helps and things start looking brighter soon - hang in there!

Really stoked for you guys keeping it up. I am still struggling a bit with my shit, but hope to get it together soon. Fuck opiates holy shit. Need to get my drinking in order now (weed will have to wait). Really love to read about all you pals actually having the strength to do it, regardless of what specifically it actually is your giving up, its not easy, but its not impossible. Shalom y'all!

Drinking is a damn hard one to give up but as you said: regardless of what specifically it actually is your giving up, its not easy, but its not impossible.

All the best to you!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on February 26, 2020, 06:15:46 PM
been doing the sober thing on and off for last 3yrs, like 1 1/2 months max, then a couple weeks of drinking...which has at least one day of drinking binging (6-12 beers nothing heavy).

This year i've gotten past the furthest and was gifted my favorite beer last week. kind of almost gave into drinking them yesterday...even though im not drinking I STRONGLY believe one should NEVER waste alcohol or weed, not going to throw them away... the will power prevailed thanks to video games
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on February 26, 2020, 06:58:41 PM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
20 days no weed today. Hoping to stay off it forever. I like it but it's always such a game changer when I quit.
[close]

Good job man!

Still off the sauce. Amost two months and it's still weird in certain situations.

Never really considered to quit weed though.

I did drastically cut down from smoking all day to now only smoking a tiny spliff in the evenings and I like it to self-reflect at the end of the day and look at things from different perspective.

Of course it impacts every individual differently but I'm interested in hearing what made you want to quit.
[close]
Well for one thing, smoking regular weed just makes me so slow and unmotivated. For the last several months I was buying supposedly CBD weed just so that it would be much weaker and not make me feel so burned out. I can't moderate my smoking. Its all or nothing. The longest I've quit in the past like 10 years was like 6 months and I was way more responsible and functional and able to handle things. More outgoing and less anxious. So I've always wished I could just smoke occasionally but it always turns into an everyday thing. I was smoking that weak stuff, and it kind of worked, but I would still space out around my girlfriend and at work. I started going back to my psych because of my anxiety and inability to function at work and I'm honest when I talk with them. He said he would only treat me and prescribe medication if I was willing to submit to drug testing. It's actually something that a lot of psychiatrists are doing to cover their asses with new laws. I agreed because being on medication makes me much more functional and able to enjoy life and I value that more than getting high. I was already cutting back so much I thought it would be a great way to make sure that I didn't have the option to smoke because I will be held accountable and there will be consequences if I do. I've only quit for more than a month like 3 or 4 times in all these years, and the fact that I'm on a great medication combo has made me not even really think about it too much. I had really bad cravings about a week ago, but it has passed and I don't even really count the days, I just kind of think oh wow, its been 20 days.

I've tried to quit and stick with it for like 6 years now and I always give in. I'm a total bum when I'm smoking, and the total opposite when I don't. I wish I could control it but I know I can't. Weed is the only substance I have ever had trouble quitting oddly enough. And I never even got into like all kinds of crazy concentrates. Just like regular ass weed and edibles before CA regulated them to be a weak waste of money.
[close]

I feel you. Being unproductive was one of the reasons for me to cut down. On top of that I felt that being high all day also made me avoid social interaction when possible. I'm already a quite reserved and introverted person so smoking weed only amplifies that.

Can't relate much to the anxiety as the only episodes I've had were when coming down from benders in the past and those were terrible. Can only imagine how it feels dealing with this on a regular basis.

I know this isn't for everyone but mushrooms really helped me make mental clicks to start different and healthier lifestyle routines.

I would always realize when my drinking or drug use started getting out of hand and that I needed to quit but once stuck in a negative pattern, feeling that these substances are the only way to feel good, made it hard to actually make changes.

Some guy used the analogy of your mind being a snow topped mountain and every day you take your sled and go down. By going down the mountain you create grooves in the snow, these grooves being your daily routines. Over time, every day you go sled down you can't help but slip back into these grooves. When having an intense experience on mushrooms it's like there's fresh snow on your mountain and you can take a different way down without slipping back into these old grooves.

Sounds corny but I find it quite accurate. After a trip where I've felt so connected with nature and being so deep into my thoughts, I usually come out with a new appreciation of everything and everyone around me and this motivates me to work on things I don't like about my life/behaviour and actually stick to them.

Lately starting thinking how fortunate I feel about having found skateboarding 15 years ago. I realize I've wasted the past 3 years due to drinking and partying which at first was a bummer. Now I'm more stoked than ever as this injury is finally healed up, I'm in the best shape I've been in since my early 20's and I'm looking at my first session in 2 months this weekend.

Hope talking to the psych helps and things start looking brighter soon - hang in there!

Expand Quote
Really stoked for you guys keeping it up. I am still struggling a bit with my shit, but hope to get it together soon. Fuck opiates holy shit. Need to get my drinking in order now (weed will have to wait). Really love to read about all you pals actually having the strength to do it, regardless of what specifically it actually is your giving up, its not easy, but its not impossible. Shalom y'all!
[close]

Drinking is a damn hard one to give up but as you said: regardless of what specifically it actually is your giving up, its not easy, but its not impossible.

All the best to you!
Makes sense to me. And honestly I have been wanting to do mushrooms for a couple years now, just haven't had an opportunity. Even my girlfriend who is anti-drug has talked about wanting to do it, she did a tiny bit when she was young, but didn't feel it too crazy, she's never even smoked weed lol. Weed is the only thing I have a problem with. Even though I drank a ton when I was young, I never had trouble stopping. I've done blow for like a whole summer and never bought it for personal use or had trouble stopping, have taken pain pills and all that shit. Only weed is a problem for me, I think it is for a lot of people but there is so much bullshit pro-pot propaganda, it's just as dumb to me as ant-pot propaganda. Everything in moderation, and I think I clicked with weed because my mind races so much with anxiety that it would slow it down, but too much so. When I first drank I liked it because it made me less anxious at parties, but still, I never had a problem with it. I've gotten in trouble with drinking, but just the kind that any skate type kid could. I got a DUI at 19 because we were leaving a show and my friends were totally shit faced. I didn't drive us there but I was too scared to let them drive and got popped. A car was riding my ass in my friends fucked up car, and as I'm about to stop at a light I didn't stop all the way because I thought they were going to hit us. Then the blue and red lights, and that's all she wrote. But like now, I had 2 or 3 drinks on Christmas, and besides that I drank like maybe 1 time the whole year prior. Still haven't had a drink since then. I will in a week or so though because I'm moving home and Chili's is right there, and I love those fucking margaritas lol.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on February 29, 2020, 05:41:02 PM
Coming up on three years with out a drink and im really starting to not give a shit anymore. I hate AA and the only thing my other sober friends offer up is that drinking is not worth it. Would see a therapist but I stopped due to it being $80 a visit and now they no longer take my insurance. So I have come here to rant about struggling with sobriety while isolated in the suburbs.

Yo my G, big ups on the 3 years. I'm somewhere past 4 and it's been real. I've hit points where i've started to not give a fuck and think about drinking again, but i remind myself of how much trouble I am NOT in and that i've got my shit halfway together in a way that I wouldn't if I was still drinking. I've gone on substitution benders with other shit in the past 4 years, but I come from a place where everything can be a party- driving to the store- bring a road soda, go to the skatepark- best have a 6er in the backpack- hit the bar for lunch, go do some shit have some drinks, go to the bar again. blah blah blah. i'm writing this out, really, to remind myself.

DMT and buddhist meditation have been the best things to show me something better than the sauce. no joke. anyways, you got this!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on March 01, 2020, 01:00:59 AM
been doing the sober thing on and off for last 3yrs, like 1 1/2 months max, then a couple weeks of drinking...which has at least one day of drinking binging (6-12 beers nothing heavy).

This year i've gotten past the furthest and was gifted my favorite beer last week. kind of almost gave into drinking them yesterday...even though im not drinking I STRONGLY believe one should NEVER waste alcohol or weed, not going to throw them away... the will power prevailed thanks to video games

Never waste drugs? When I was fiending, I'd take as much as I could and fall a sleep ten minutes later. Wake up sick and wish I did not waste all that dope.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Carrolls Chesthairs on March 01, 2020, 05:53:10 AM
Thought I was gonna celebrate last night cause an article of mine got posted but I went out to dinner then bought these instead. Onto month three of sobriety
(https://sage.blob.core.windows.net/media/5c130af03d4daf04b265779c_productdataa00099482471828-c1n1.jpg)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on March 26, 2020, 03:13:04 AM
Mental health declining so hopping back on the sober train.   
Day 1 again
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on March 26, 2020, 07:33:46 AM
Thought I was gonna celebrate last night cause an article of mine got posted but I went out to dinner then bought these instead. Onto month three of sobriety
(https://sage.blob.core.windows.net/media/5c130af03d4daf04b265779c_productdataa00099482471828-c1n1.jpg)

Yea this whole quarantine thing has me bored at times ... and a couple of times when I went to the local 7-11 I thought about getting some tall boys but end up getting Red Bull’s

Been about to 10yrs since I’ve been 4 months sober
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: S. on March 26, 2020, 08:29:53 AM
Yo. I joined you guys about four weeks ago. My girlfriend convinced me to join her in giving up alcohol for lent this year. I am not religious at all but I figured it would be a good way to get in shape for spring.

It definitely felt abit weird on the first two weekends to go out without drinking. I have a bit of social anxiety sometimes and drinking always does wonders for that. It was fine though. I kind of got a littel buzz off the vibe of the people arround me and I just left when people got annoying. I have more energy now and it is great not to get hangovers. I have regretted my comitment abit since Corona forces me to spend so much time at home. Some days I would like to relax with a few beers. I also miss drinking when playing music with friends.
I will definitely get back into moderate drinking after easter. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on March 26, 2020, 04:48:33 PM
Like a lot of ppl, I grew up binge drinking. Growing up where I grew up with the ppl I grew up with, it was all I knew. Started with the house parties in HS then continued through college & pretty much thereafter. After my pops died just before I turned 30, I was drinking heavily & ended up in the hospital one night with alcohol poisoning. Collapsed in a bar, had to be picked up in an ambulance, lost my wallet & car keys (incl. my bloop-bloop alarm shit), forced a female co-worker to have to babysit me, etc. I also shit my pants lol (though nobody knew that). The whole thing ended up costing me about $3,000 & was embarrassing & if it had happened an hour earlier, i could have lost my job as I had been double-fisting partying on company grounds. I realized i didn't want to blackout anymore and have to try to piece together my actions of nights previous.

I went to AA but that was all on that God shit. I also had no real intention of ceasing drinking completely. Plus, there was a lot of ppl in AA that really should be in NA (but they don't want to go there due to the stigma).

Finally, I went to a session of Moderation Management, which is more science-based than faith-based. It also does not promote complete sobriety but rather moderation. It made me look at my drinking more from a self-harm prevention perspective, i.e. how can you drink without putting yourself in a position to harm yourself/be harmed.

The Moderation Management program recommends ceasing drinking and drug use for about 6 months when you start. I didn't drink for 6 months (and stopped smoking weed for 3 month).

After which I began to slowly incorporate drinking back into my life. Nowadays, I no longer drink on the way to the bar/party to save money, I drink waters costantly all night when I go out and drink alcohol (it makes me have to pee more but F it, better than getting destroyed), If I drink bottled beers I keep count of the caps in my pocket and I rarely if ever partake in open bars. I have to hold myself accountable through either having to drive later or not wanting to spend too much money.

I like being in control.

Eight or so years later and I have yet to ever blackout again. I don't vomit. I don'twonder what I did the night before. One night I did have too many gin martinis and stumbled home, but that was when I was trying to change from beer to gin for health reasons. I am in the bar often but never too drunk. In fact, I am often the person who ppl go to for advice when they fall into a habit of drinking too heavily. I usually don't proffer the advice until they approach me for help then I do it in a productive way.

I wish you all the best.

Note: Moderation Management is a controversial program because it does NOT promote abstinance and because its founder ultimately relapsed, killed someone in an automobile accident and then subsequently committed suicide. I only went to one session and that was enough for me to figure out the gist of the program for the most part.  It worked for me but I understand if some ppl need complete abstinence.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on March 27, 2020, 01:10:30 AM
I also shit my pants lol (though nobody knew that)

Wrong. Everybody knew.

The Moderation Management program recommends ceasing drinking and drug use for about 6 months when you start.

Question: If I could do that, I would not be in the fucking program to begin with, right?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Binomial Nomenclature on March 27, 2020, 04:27:27 AM
I don't think I have posted in this thread yet, but I have been reading all of it and I appreciate how open everyone is about their lifestyles and alcohol consumption. I'm still working out what approach is best for me.
I normally drink beer and wine in moderation, maybe like three beers three nights a week. But COVID-19 stress has got me drinking almost every night and in higher volume. My eating habits are also worse as I am stress eating. Anyone else experiencing this?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Salsa Verde on March 27, 2020, 08:26:07 AM
I don't think I have posted in this thread yet, but I have been reading all of it and I appreciate how open everyone is about their lifestyles and alcohol consumption. I'm still working out what approach is best for me.
I normally drink beer and wine in moderation, maybe like three beers three nights a week. But COVID-19 stress has got me drinking almost every night and in higher volume. My eating habits are also worse as I am stress eating. Anyone else experiencing this?

Yes
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Fat Tire on March 27, 2020, 10:22:26 AM
I don't think I have posted in this thread yet, but I have been reading all of it and I appreciate how open everyone is about their lifestyles and alcohol consumption. I'm still working out what approach is best for me.
I normally drink beer and wine in moderation, maybe like three beers three nights a week. But COVID-19 stress has got me drinking almost every night and in higher volume. My eating habits are also worse as I am stress eating. Anyone else experiencing this?

I've been stress eating yes, I'm however cutting out all alcohol until this all blows over.

However long that takes.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: burtreynolds.jpeg on March 27, 2020, 11:34:39 AM
Proud to say I haven't drank in over 5 months.

My mental and physical health is still kinda shite having an autoimmune disease. However, I think not drinking helps me more than I think.

With everything going on in the world and my personal life, it's really hard to not break the sober train but maybe now is the time to gain back some consciousness and confidence to push through without a vice.

Cheers to anyone who is trying to get sober, and cheers to the people who can handle using substances. Hope you are all doing well and staying healthy!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on March 27, 2020, 12:59:49 PM
Proud to say I haven't drank in over 5 months.

My mental and physical health is still kinda shite having an autoimmune disease. However, I think not drinking helps me more than I think.

With everything going on in the world and my personal life, it's really hard to not break the sober train but maybe now is the time to gain back some consciousness and confidence to push through without a vice.

Cheers to anyone who is trying to get sober, and cheers to the people who can handle using substances. Hope you are all doing well and staying healthy!

big ups playa. even if no one else is, i'm proud of you!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on March 27, 2020, 03:40:11 PM
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The Moderation Management program recommends ceasing drinking and drug use for about 6 months when you start.
[close]

Question: If I could do that, I would not be in the fucking program to begin with, right?

You can't stop drinking for 6 months after you identify your bottom?  Maybe you should be in AA...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on March 27, 2020, 03:45:26 PM
This drinking thing is not for you, mate...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on March 27, 2020, 09:53:19 PM
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The Moderation Management program recommends ceasing drinking and drug use for about 6 months when you start.
[close]

Question: If I could do that, I would not be in the fucking program to begin with, right?
[close]

You can't stop drinking for 6 months after you identify your bottom?  Maybe you should be in AA...

That is my point. I used while being in the rehab...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: rawr1922 on April 02, 2020, 01:02:37 PM
Taking my buddy for one last trip then helping him move to a 30 day rehab facility tomorrow. Happy for him.  Ironic, should be joining him but he's into harder stuff. Day 5 sober for me
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Flying Rodent on April 13, 2020, 04:57:56 PM
I'll try to avoid telling my entire life story here, but basically I'm 32 now and I've been drinking way too heavily since my early 20s. Before that I would binge drink on weekends, but at some point it started happening all through the week.

At it's worst, a few years ago, I was drinking up to 20 beers a night, at least every second day. Often the benders would last a good four or more days, then I might have one day off.

Since I met my fiance three years ago I've managed to keep it mostly to weekends, but I'm still unable to control myself once I hit the bottle. Every weekend, I literally write a list of mistakes not to repeat, yet I end up repeating them every time.

It's mostly staying up on my own, drinking a stupid amount and listening to music in a trance until I pass out on the couch. Often I'll wake up about 4am, stumble off to bed, then I'm awake at 6am without fail and can't get back to sleep.

It really fucks my weekends because I always feel like shit come Saturday. Lacking sleep, irritable, regretful of all the stupid fucking messages I sent to people the night before (usually just telling them how awesome they are - I'm a happy drunk for the most part) and time I wasted scrolling through instagram like a zombie. If I'm back home with my friends, it can be even worse because I get so excited that we just drink all afternoon while skating and then all fucking night. Fat chance of having a good skate after that.

Usually the only way to feel better and to make myself skate (or do any of my other hobbies) is to get back on the bottle. This has become another problem too: I find it really difficult to skate without drinking. It just feels so much better and I'm so much more motivated when I'm drinking beers.

Then there's Mondays, they're usually always fucked, even if i don't drink on Sunday. I don't feel normal again until Tuesday or Wednesday, and by Friday, I'm ready to do it all over again.

Well, two weekends ago I woke up Sunday morning in my bed, in a puddle of my own piss. I don't think that's ever happened before. My fiance - with whom I'm trying for a baby at the moment - was so fucking bummed. I was convinced last weekend would be different, but it was the same old story (sans pissing the bed).

Anyway, I think I've come to the end of the road and need to make some changes. I've felt like this a million times before. I can stay motivated for a time, and then something clicks and I'm back to my old self. Last October I went a whole month without a drop. It was great for about two weeks, then it was torture.

Part of the issue is that I cannot do moderation at all. I suppose, I'd ideally like to be able to keep drinking in moderation - but I'm starting to realise I may need to just quit altogether.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on April 13, 2020, 07:33:28 PM
I'll try to avoid telling my entire life story here, but basically I'm 32 now and I've been drinking way too heavily since my early 20s. Before that I would binge drink on weekends, but at some point it started happening all through the week.

At it's worst, a few years ago, I was drinking up to 20 beers a night, at least every second day. Often the benders would last a good four or more days, then I might have one day off.

Since I met my fiance three years ago I've managed to keep it mostly to weekends, but I'm still unable to control myself once I hit the bottle. Every weekend, I literally write a list of mistakes not to repeat, yet I end up repeating them every time.

It's mostly staying up on my own, drinking a stupid amount and listening to music in a trance until I pass out on the couch. Often I'll wake up about 4am, stumble off to bed, then I'm awake at 6am without fail and can't get back to sleep.

It really fucks my weekends because I always feel like shit come Saturday. Lacking sleep, irritable, regretful of all the stupid fucking messages I sent to people the night before (usually just telling them how awesome they are - I'm a happy drunk for the most part) and time I wasted scrolling through instagram like a zombie. If I'm back home with my friends, it can be even worse because I get so excited that we just drink all afternoon while skating and then all fucking night. Fat chance of having a good skate after that.

Usually the only way to feel better and to make myself skate (or do any of my other hobbies) is to get back on the bottle. This has become another problem too: I find it really difficult to skate without drinking. It just feels so much better and I'm so much more motivated when I'm drinking beers.

Then there's Mondays, they're usually always fucked, even if i don't drink on Sunday. I don't feel normal again until Tuesday or Wednesday, and by Friday, I'm ready to do it all over again.

Well, two weekends ago I woke up Sunday morning in my bed, in a puddle of my own piss. I don't think that's ever happened before. My fiance - with whom I'm trying for a baby at the moment - was so fucking bummed. I was convinced last weekend would be different, but it was the same old story (sans pissing the bed).

Anyway, I think I've come to the end of the road and need to make some changes. I've felt like this a million times before. I can stay motivated for a time, and then something clicks and I'm back to my old self. Last October I went a whole month without a drop. It was great for about two weeks, then it was torture.

Part of the issue is that I cannot do moderation at all. I suppose, I'd ideally like to be able to keep drinking in moderation - but I'm starting to realise I may need to just quit altogether.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I wrote a massive response but ended up deleting it. Given your situation, I would try to find an AA meeting around you. Being free, you'll meet some characters but you'll also meet some people you'll see eye-to-eye with. I don't go to NA anymore but, when I did, it was good knowing I wasn't alone and could talk to people who know what it's like.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on April 14, 2020, 10:45:30 PM
Flying Rodent, do you consider this your "bottom"?
Is this the lowest point you are willing to let your drinking take you? Pissing yourself and scrolling your valuable time away off into The Ether?

If so, sounds like you wanna quit, bro. I say pick a date and go cold turkey if your body can handle it. Throw out all alcohol around your house. Find some AA meet ups either irl or online if ur under lockdown rn.

What did it feel like for you where the last 2 weeks of a past sober month were "torture"? Maybe if you can come up with a plan for how you are going to combat those feelings this time around, you will be more successful.

Does your fiancee drink? What's her deal?

As for hobbies and skating, don't worry about that shit. That shit is like riding a bike. You won't ever lose it and once your body and mind have acclimated to sober living, the creative and joyous stuff will be waiting for you to pick it back up.

Good luck, holmes.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JudoOrigami on April 15, 2020, 04:53:08 AM
What helped me quit drinking was having no money I would just spend any extra money that would normally go to drinking at the start of the month on something else

shoes over booze
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on April 15, 2020, 12:38:12 PM
What helped me was actually addressing why I was drinking so much in the first place
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Flying Rodent on April 18, 2020, 03:35:38 AM
Flying Rodent, do you consider this your "bottom"?
Is this the lowest point you are willing to let your drinking take you? Pissing yourself and scrolling your valuable time away off into The Ether?

If so, sounds like you wanna quit, bro. I say pick a date and go cold turkey if your body can handle it. Throw out all alcohol around your house. Find some AA meet ups either irl or online if ur under lockdown rn.

What did it feel like for you where the last 2 weeks of a past sober month were "torture"? Maybe if you can come up with a plan for how you are going to combat those feelings this time around, you will be more successful.

Does your fiancee drink? What's her deal?

As for hobbies and skating, don't worry about that shit. That shit is like riding a bike. You won't ever lose it and once your body and mind have acclimated to sober living, the creative and joyous stuff will be waiting for you to pick it back up.

Good luck, holmes.

Thanks to everyone who replied, sorry it took me a week to reply.

Fakie Nollie - I've definitely considered AA before. Not seriously, but it's crossed my mind. I know there is a group where I live, I'll have to find out if they're doing it online during the pandemic. Hopefully they won't snicker at me when I explain "I'm an alcoholic who drinks on weekends". Hah.

EdLawndale - No, it's not my lowest point. A few years back I was much lower than I am now and drinking more. Living alone, avoiding my friends, smoking a lot of weed on and off (don't do that anymore) and working a dead-end job I fucking hated. I think the difference now is that I'm older and drinking is punishing my body more. The massive nights just absolutely ruin me now. I'm also on antidepressants and I don't think booze mixes well with them. It's like a big come down after a couple of days of drinking.

As for the torture, well, I felt really positive for those first couple of weeks. Healthy, motivated, etc. But then I just wanted to drink again. I was so resentful when the weekend came that I "couldn't" do it. Felt like time was dragging and nothing was very enjoyable. Didn't quite know what to do with myself. Would go skate and then not even want to go home, like there was nothing to look forward to.

The fiance does drink, but not often. She was a big party animal before we met. She's two years older than me and pretty mellow now. She can still hit it when it's called for, but usually doesn't touch the stuff or only has one or two drinks.

I hadn't planned to drink this weekend but I had a super shitty week at work and had a minor meltdown on Friday. I did manage to call it quits after a sixer last night and was in bed at 10.15pm. I was pretty stoked on that and was able to function well today. I'd like to think I can do this moderation thing but I know it's a slippery slope.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to reply to me, it actually means a lot.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on April 18, 2020, 10:18:02 PM
Good job on just the sixer
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sila on April 18, 2020, 11:02:14 PM
It's all about the small victories. Hopefully they add up and you can keep up drinking in moderation or cut it entirely if that's what you need.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on June 17, 2020, 01:29:47 PM
 8)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on June 17, 2020, 01:51:09 PM
This quarantine period has made me realize drinking has become my default way of spending time when I’m not working. It feels like it’s been a gradual evolution - weekend partying in college, starting to work Full time and unloading with drinking on weekends again, then testing the waters with weekday drinking after tough days/breakups/adult bullshit, to mid twenties drinking 3-4 nights a week, now late twenties and the last year or two has gone to it being a rare exception that I don’t drink on a given night, and weekends starting in the morning or afternoon after I skate or workout. Now being stuck at home it’s become really obvious to me how this has evolved. Fortunately I’ve laid off the weed because it makes me anxious and this current time period already has me on edge. I’ve been sick the last three days which is really the only reason I’ve felt no need to drink. It’s hard for me to tell when something is a problem or not, since on the outside I’m a fairly high functioning adult.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on June 17, 2020, 03:07:36 PM
This quarantine period has made me realize drinking has become my default way of spending time when I’m not working. It feels like it’s been a gradual evolution - weekend partying in college, starting to work Full time and unloading with drinking on weekends again, then testing the waters with weekday drinking after tough days/breakups/adult bullshit, to mid twenties drinking 3-4 nights a week, now late twenties and the last year or two has gone to it being a rare exception that I don’t drink on a given night, and weekends starting in the morning or afternoon after I skate or workout. Now being stuck at home it’s become really obvious to me how this has evolved. Fortunately I’ve laid off the weed because it makes me anxious and this current time period already has me on edge. I’ve been sick the last three days which is really the only reason I’ve felt no need to drink. It’s hard for me to tell when something is a problem or not, since on the outside I’m a fairly high functioning adult.

yo homie. i stopped drinking 3 months and 20 days after i turned 30. I was spending about $200/wk, sometimes more buying booze for home, going out and subsequently buying some flaave to keep up. I got to the point where I couldn't get drunk until blackout. I come from a family where my grandmother had a beer fridge in the basement, my dad has a beer fridge. they're all hard working, functioning people, but everything is a fucking party. Going to the hardware store on saturday is an excuse for a road soda on the way and a stop at the bar on the way home. It's a hard ingrained habit. It's been almost 6 years now without booze and there's no going back.

I'm just saying this because it's really insidious, the way that alcohol can sneak up on you and infiltrate everything you do. I credit a pretty heavy DMT blastoff shortly after I stopped as a turning point in helping me maintain.

If you wanna stop, you've got it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on June 17, 2020, 03:42:53 PM
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This quarantine period has made me realize drinking has become my default way of spending time when I’m not working. It feels like it’s been a gradual evolution - weekend partying in college, starting to work Full time and unloading with drinking on weekends again, then testing the waters with weekday drinking after tough days/breakups/adult bullshit, to mid twenties drinking 3-4 nights a week, now late twenties and the last year or two has gone to it being a rare exception that I don’t drink on a given night, and weekends starting in the morning or afternoon after I skate or workout. Now being stuck at home it’s become really obvious to me how this has evolved. Fortunately I’ve laid off the weed because it makes me anxious and this current time period already has me on edge. I’ve been sick the last three days which is really the only reason I’ve felt no need to drink. It’s hard for me to tell when something is a problem or not, since on the outside I’m a fairly high functioning adult.
[close]

yo homie. i stopped drinking 3 months and 20 days after i turned 30. I was spending about $200/wk, sometimes more buying booze for home, going out and subsequently buying some flaave to keep up. I got to the point where I couldn't get drunk until blackout. I come from a family where my grandmother had a beer fridge in the basement, my dad has a beer fridge. they're all hard working, functioning people, but everything is a fucking party. Going to the hardware store on saturday is an excuse for a road soda on the way and a stop at the bar on the way home. It's a hard ingrained habit. It's been almost 6 years now without booze and there's no going back.

I'm just saying this because it's really insidious, the way that alcohol can sneak up on you and infiltrate everything you do. I credit a pretty heavy DMT blastoff shortly after I stopped as a turning point in helping me maintain.

If you wanna stop, you've got it.
thank you my man, I appreciate it. Yeah I realized sometimes even a trip to the liquor store I would have a drink before, then get a single beer or canned cocktail for the walk home with all the other booze in tow too. At this point it seems more like a habit than an addiction, so I’m going to try and change my behavior and daily patterns as opposed to going cold turkey to start. We’ll see.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on June 17, 2020, 04:06:16 PM
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This quarantine period has made me realize drinking has become my default way of spending time when I’m not working. It feels like it’s been a gradual evolution - weekend partying in college, starting to work Full time and unloading with drinking on weekends again, then testing the waters with weekday drinking after tough days/breakups/adult bullshit, to mid twenties drinking 3-4 nights a week, now late twenties and the last year or two has gone to it being a rare exception that I don’t drink on a given night, and weekends starting in the morning or afternoon after I skate or workout. Now being stuck at home it’s become really obvious to me how this has evolved. Fortunately I’ve laid off the weed because it makes me anxious and this current time period already has me on edge. I’ve been sick the last three days which is really the only reason I’ve felt no need to drink. It’s hard for me to tell when something is a problem or not, since on the outside I’m a fairly high functioning adult.
[close]

yo homie. i stopped drinking 3 months and 20 days after i turned 30. I was spending about $200/wk, sometimes more buying booze for home, going out and subsequently buying some flaave to keep up. I got to the point where I couldn't get drunk until blackout. I come from a family where my grandmother had a beer fridge in the basement, my dad has a beer fridge. they're all hard working, functioning people, but everything is a fucking party. Going to the hardware store on saturday is an excuse for a road soda on the way and a stop at the bar on the way home. It's a hard ingrained habit. It's been almost 6 years now without booze and there's no going back.

I'm just saying this because it's really insidious, the way that alcohol can sneak up on you and infiltrate everything you do. I credit a pretty heavy DMT blastoff shortly after I stopped as a turning point in helping me maintain.

If you wanna stop, you've got it.
[close]
thank you my man, I appreciate it. Yeah I realized sometimes even a trip to the liquor store I would have a drink before, then get a single beer or canned cocktail for the walk home with all the other booze in tow too. At this point it seems more like a habit than an addiction, so I’m going to try and change my behavior and daily patterns as opposed to going cold turkey to start. We’ll see.

the habit is the hardest part. Summer time is still the most challenging for me. I get hit with moments where I think "aah, that's beer drinking time..." do whatcha gotta do, man!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on June 17, 2020, 04:27:25 PM
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This quarantine period has made me realize drinking has become my default way of spending time when I’m not working. It feels like it’s been a gradual evolution - weekend partying in college, starting to work Full time and unloading with drinking on weekends again, then testing the waters with weekday drinking after tough days/breakups/adult bullshit, to mid twenties drinking 3-4 nights a week, now late twenties and the last year or two has gone to it being a rare exception that I don’t drink on a given night, and weekends starting in the morning or afternoon after I skate or workout. Now being stuck at home it’s become really obvious to me how this has evolved. Fortunately I’ve laid off the weed because it makes me anxious and this current time period already has me on edge. I’ve been sick the last three days which is really the only reason I’ve felt no need to drink. It’s hard for me to tell when something is a problem or not, since on the outside I’m a fairly high functioning adult.
[close]

yo homie. i stopped drinking 3 months and 20 days after i turned 30. I was spending about $200/wk, sometimes more buying booze for home, going out and subsequently buying some flaave to keep up. I got to the point where I couldn't get drunk until blackout. I come from a family where my grandmother had a beer fridge in the basement, my dad has a beer fridge. they're all hard working, functioning people, but everything is a fucking party. Going to the hardware store on saturday is an excuse for a road soda on the way and a stop at the bar on the way home. It's a hard ingrained habit. It's been almost 6 years now without booze and there's no going back.

I'm just saying this because it's really insidious, the way that alcohol can sneak up on you and infiltrate everything you do. I credit a pretty heavy DMT blastoff shortly after I stopped as a turning point in helping me maintain.

If you wanna stop, you've got it.
[close]
thank you my man, I appreciate it. Yeah I realized sometimes even a trip to the liquor store I would have a drink before, then get a single beer or canned cocktail for the walk home with all the other booze in tow too. At this point it seems more like a habit than an addiction, so I’m going to try and change my behavior and daily patterns as opposed to going cold turkey to start. We’ll see.
[close]

the habit is the hardest part. Summer time is still the most challenging for me. I get hit with moments where I think "aah, that's beer drinking time..." do whatcha gotta do, man!

Yea that’s what I realized too...so I started creating new good habits only been sober for 6.5 months. I think every time I get bored I think about drinking or even watching a movie, got some jarittos Mexican soda in bottles and it’s been working as a substitute
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on June 17, 2020, 04:34:41 PM
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This quarantine period has made me realize drinking has become my default way of spending time when I’m not working. It feels like it’s been a gradual evolution - weekend partying in college, starting to work Full time and unloading with drinking on weekends again, then testing the waters with weekday drinking after tough days/breakups/adult bullshit, to mid twenties drinking 3-4 nights a week, now late twenties and the last year or two has gone to it being a rare exception that I don’t drink on a given night, and weekends starting in the morning or afternoon after I skate or workout. Now being stuck at home it’s become really obvious to me how this has evolved. Fortunately I’ve laid off the weed because it makes me anxious and this current time period already has me on edge. I’ve been sick the last three days which is really the only reason I’ve felt no need to drink. It’s hard for me to tell when something is a problem or not, since on the outside I’m a fairly high functioning adult.
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yo homie. i stopped drinking 3 months and 20 days after i turned 30. I was spending about $200/wk, sometimes more buying booze for home, going out and subsequently buying some flaave to keep up. I got to the point where I couldn't get drunk until blackout. I come from a family where my grandmother had a beer fridge in the basement, my dad has a beer fridge. they're all hard working, functioning people, but everything is a fucking party. Going to the hardware store on saturday is an excuse for a road soda on the way and a stop at the bar on the way home. It's a hard ingrained habit. It's been almost 6 years now without booze and there's no going back.

I'm just saying this because it's really insidious, the way that alcohol can sneak up on you and infiltrate everything you do. I credit a pretty heavy DMT blastoff shortly after I stopped as a turning point in helping me maintain.

If you wanna stop, you've got it.
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thank you my man, I appreciate it. Yeah I realized sometimes even a trip to the liquor store I would have a drink before, then get a single beer or canned cocktail for the walk home with all the other booze in tow too. At this point it seems more like a habit than an addiction, so I’m going to try and change my behavior and daily patterns as opposed to going cold turkey to start. We’ll see.
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the habit is the hardest part. Summer time is still the most challenging for me. I get hit with moments where I think "aah, that's beer drinking time..." do whatcha gotta do, man!
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Yea that’s what I realized too...so I started creating new good habits only been sober for 6.5 months. I think every time I get bored I think about drinking or even watching a movie, got some jarittos Mexican soda in bottles and it’s been working as a substitute

hell ya man, 6.5 months is a long time when you're used to drinking everyday. I generally stick to water, but i'll go through spurts of drinking Lacroix. If I go to a cookout or something, I literally end up double fisting them to keep my hands occupied.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: theloniousmonk on June 17, 2020, 08:53:07 PM
I kept hearing about the idea of figuring out the issues that are making you drink, but I never knew what that meant, and I also never thought I had any issues.
One book really helped me sort through my problems that led me to drinking, and it is
Ask And It Is Given
By Esther and Jerry Hicks.
When you read it, you are going to feel positive.
You are all good people and I wish you well.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on June 17, 2020, 09:39:06 PM
I kept hearing about the idea of figuring out the issues that are making you drink, but I never knew what that meant, and I also never thought I had any issues.
One book really helped me sort through my problems that led me to drinking, and it is
Ask And It Is Given
By Esther and Jerry Hicks.
When you read it, you are going to feel positive.
You are all good people and I wish you well.

By definition, if you're killing yourself with booze there has to be a problem. Regular people stop way before piling up charges, OD's and other shit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: 50mm on June 17, 2020, 10:42:20 PM
Today marks a month without smoking. I always make it a month or several then get bored and smoke and I’m back to square one of being a total fucking burnout lazy fuck. Weed is terrible for me. I already lack motivation to do anything so when I smoke I pretty much just sit on the sidelines as life passes me by. This time though, I wasn’t hiding I was smoking or that I was quitting or that I needed support from my girlfriend. She’s the shit and is very much understanding that I’m an adult and can do what I want, doesn’t tell me to stop but will be on my ass making sure I’m not smoking if I ask her to be, which I did. When I smoke vs when I don’t is night and day personality wise and just being able to do basic shit like my job. I wish I could moderate like most but for some reason weed is the only substance that has really had a negative impact on my life and for myself personally is crazy addictive. Shalom. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: funeral_tuxedo on June 18, 2020, 09:51:31 AM
Flying Rodent and NoComply 180,
I've been sober for close to ten years. It was incredibly difficult for me to stop using drugs and alcohol and I needed a lot of help from other people (I still do) and that was almost as terrifying as the idea of getting through the days without substances. Please feel free to message me if you want to ask me any questions about recovery. I'm not any kind of authority on anything but I can definitely share what resources worked for me or I can just listen. No judgement.
PS this is a dope thread.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on June 18, 2020, 09:54:52 AM
Flying Rodent and NoComply 180,
I've been sober for close to ten years. It was incredibly difficult for me to stop using drugs and alcohol and I needed a lot of help from other people (I still do) and that was almost as terrifying as the idea of getting through the days without substances. Please feel free to message me if you want to ask me any questions about recovery. I'm not any kind of authority on anything but I can definitely share what resources worked for me or I can just listen. No judgement.
PS this is a dope thread.
thank you, that means a lot. Yeah I can’t imagine asking real people in my life for help, or even just letting them know that I have problem. If I even do. Writing about it on an anonymous skateboarding forum was hard enough.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: peptobismol on August 02, 2020, 03:15:02 PM
i am struggling with alcohol and am trying to slow it down, yet i somehow find myself drinking every single night until i either pass out or run out of alcohol. i recently rolled my ankle(skating while high) so now i feel like now i have nothing else to do other than drink. i have been able to get my weed consumption down and eventually i plan on phasing it out completely, however the alcohol seems to be much more difficult to kick. i am a recovering addict to begin with, having been hooked on opiates but i managed to kick that habit. that was 11 years ago. i also had a love affair with cocaine but i managed to kick that, too. the alcohol, i think because it is so widely accepted in society, it makes it much more difficult to stop. for the past month or so, i have had a lot of trouble keeping alcohol down and it has been making me gag so i know that my body is rejecting it but i still drink, regardless. i also have been having panic attacks much like how marc johnson described in some interview where he was struggling with alcohol and then had an onset panic attack where the lingering feeling of imminent doom was right around the corner. i do not have any DUIs nor do i plan on getting any. i have had many close calls, though.

tl;dr
i dont have any questions, really just venting i guess.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Dracula on August 02, 2020, 08:39:25 PM
I turned into a huge pile when quarantine started and was drinking almost every night. Last month I joined my friend on only drinking on weekends and thankfully it’s been pretty easy. I just drink a shit ton of sparking waters during the week
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 02, 2020, 09:27:54 PM
i am struggling with alcohol and am trying to slow it down, yet i somehow find myself drinking every single night until i either pass out or run out of alcohol. i recently rolled my ankle(skating while high) so now i feel like now i have nothing else to do other than drink. i have been able to get my weed consumption down and eventually i plan on phasing it out completely, however the alcohol seems to be much more difficult to kick. i am a recovering addict to begin with, having been hooked on opiates but i managed to kick that habit. that was 11 years ago. i also had a love affair with cocaine but i managed to kick that, too. the alcohol, i think because it is so widely accepted in society, it makes it much more difficult to stop. for the past month or so, i have had a lot of trouble keeping alcohol down and it has been making me gag so i know that my body is rejecting it but i still drink, regardless. i also have been having panic attacks much like how marc johnson described in some interview where he was struggling with alcohol and then had an onset panic attack where the lingering feeling of imminent doom was right around the corner. i do not have any DUIs nor do i plan on getting any. i have had many close calls, though.

tl;dr
i dont have any questions, really just venting i guess.

yo homie, even though you don't have questions, I'm gonna say that it's a hard road to hoe. You kicked opes, you're off the blow- so you can do it.
 I hope the panic attacks get better. Shit sucks. Do yourself a solid and stay the fuck away from benzos. that will be the worst to kick, hands down. If you have a doctor, ask about clonidine and/or hydroxyzine. They're non narcotic, don't get you high, and are respectively blood pressure and antihistamine medications that can be used to kick heavy benzo issues but are also really, really effective for panic attacks if you don't want to go the benzo route. Over the past 2 months I have taken ashwaganda supplement every day and my stress/anxiety levels are the best they've been in a long while. Ashwaganda is an adaptogen, meaning it builds up over time to help you adrenal system return to baseline. Gaia brand makes a really quality product.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AlexOlsonsDashiki on August 03, 2020, 07:37:45 AM
If anyone is struggling with alcohol or drug use please send me a PM. I am always open to listen. I have been sober for 2 and a half years. 

I recently found my old Slap account and through the posts I saw what I looked like when I was fucked up and jesus christ was it abysmal.

I do AA although I have a problem with crack and heroin as well. Im not here to convince anyone they need AA or a 12 step program, I am just happy to listen. Please reach out.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AlexOlsonsDashiki on August 03, 2020, 07:41:09 AM
also to the people questioning if AA will laugh at you for only drinking on the weekends, the answer is no.

"the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking"
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: brycickle on August 07, 2020, 01:51:39 PM
it's a hard road to hoe.
Row.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: peptobismol on August 15, 2020, 02:05:15 PM
an unsolicited update:
havent slowed down with alcohol but at least it doesnt make me gag anymore.....at the present moment. ive been off weed for a few days and i havent had any panic attacks since, that might have been the cause. still cant skate, though. i tried rolling around in the garage on my mickey mouse board yesterday(see set-up thread & worst set up thread), hit a twig and it agitated my ankle so thats a bummer. ive been trying to strengthen my core and ankle in between beers as well as smashing through duolingo so at least thats a plus.
not really interested in talking directly to pals, im tired of hearing the same generic stuff. no offense or anything and i do appreciate those reaching out but all that i want is to put my thoughts out and throw it into the internet abyss.

and no, i have not been driving while drunk. i like to practice good harm reduction.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: drewsmahgoos on October 20, 2020, 04:31:22 AM
don't really know where else to ask as one of my only friends is right next to me going through the same shit. I got hooked on fent. I'm not proud of it. Honestly totally ashamed. I lived a junky's dream for the last year. No work, no responsibilities or bills. Just blasted through all the money I have and my best friend has. Sold everything I could easily sell. Now I'm broke and kicking. I spent over 30k this year on drugs alone. Fent WD's are the worst thing I've ever experienced. I'm just happy I'm not kicking in prison or something. Anyway, can someone reach out and just chat with me? I'm really genuinely trying not to go out and use again. Doing everything I can including throwing out my dignity by reaching out to people on here.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Telly on October 20, 2020, 05:46:55 AM
don't really know where else to ask as one of my only friends is right next to me going through the same shit. I got hooked on fent. I'm not proud of it. Honestly totally ashamed. I lived a junky's dream for the last year. No work, no responsibilities or bills. Just blasted through all the money I have and my best friend has. Sold everything I could easily sell. Now I'm broke and kicking. I spent over 30k this year on drugs alone. Fent WD's are the worst thing I've ever experienced. I'm just happy I'm not kicking in prison or something. Anyway, can someone reach out and just chat with me? I'm really genuinely trying not to go out and use again. Doing everything I can including throwing out my dignity by reaching out to people on here.

I’m at work for the next 8 hours but can chat via pm until then and can talk after if you need someone.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on October 20, 2020, 06:14:18 AM
haven't posted in ages. i've been off and on again with my program of drinking mostly on the weekends. didn't drink last night which felt good and usually once i get one day started during a week i make it too the weekend without drinking.

Today marks a month without smoking. I always make it a month or several then get bored and smoke and I’m back to square one of being a total fucking burnout lazy fuck. Weed is terrible for me. I already lack motivation to do anything so when I smoke I pretty much just sit on the sidelines as life passes me by. This time though, I wasn’t hiding I was smoking or that I was quitting or that I needed support from my girlfriend. She’s the shit and is very much understanding that I’m an adult and can do what I want, doesn’t tell me to stop but will be on my ass making sure I’m not smoking if I ask her to be, which I did. When I smoke vs when I don’t is night and day personality wise and just being able to do basic shit like my job. I wish I could moderate like most but for some reason weed is the only substance that has really had a negative impact on my life and for myself personally is crazy addictive. Shalom.

50mm i can share that for me weed was crazy addictive and really holding me back a ton. it was so hard to quit about 7 years back but i don't look back at all now. it was making me anti-social, a bit grouchy and had me hitting way below my potential when it came to getting shit done. i'd encourage you to keep pushing. if you feel it's a problem and you've got a good girl you are set for success.

note i smoke a cigar now and then to get a mellow fade and it scratches that same itch. on the weekends i'll put a show on my ipod and smoke a nice cigar to mellow out a bit.



Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: drewsmahgoos on October 20, 2020, 06:28:46 AM
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don't really know where else to ask as one of my only friends is right next to me going through the same shit. I got hooked on fent. I'm not proud of it. Honestly totally ashamed. I lived a junky's dream for the last year. No work, no responsibilities or bills. Just blasted through all the money I have and my best friend has. Sold everything I could easily sell. Now I'm broke and kicking. I spent over 30k this year on drugs alone. Fent WD's are the worst thing I've ever experienced. I'm just happy I'm not kicking in prison or something. Anyway, can someone reach out and just chat with me? I'm really genuinely trying not to go out and use again. Doing everything I can including throwing out my dignity by reaching out to people on here.
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I’m at work for the next 8 hours but can chat via pm until then and can talk after if you need someone.

That seriously helps dude, I need all the help I can get right now and I really appreciate it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on March 23, 2021, 07:23:30 PM
I'm on day 15 of no booze, which is the longest I've gone in a decade. I have more mental clarity, but am still really tired feeling still. Has anyone else had that? I thought it would be gone by now.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on March 23, 2021, 08:16:20 PM
I'm on day 15 of no booze, which is the longest I've gone in a decade. I have more mental clarity, but am still really tired feeling still. Has anyone else had that? I thought it would be gone by now.

Yooooo my G. Big ups. 15 days is a long frickin time, especially when you've been boozing for a decade. Prior to quitting in 2015, I only got that far a 2 or 3 times before I'd get back at it. It's great that you're realizing the reason for still feeling tired is related to getting off the sauce, rather than chalking it up to something else. It's going to take a while to get to that baseline you might have been at 10 years ago, but it's not insurmountable and will come faster than you expect. Things will gradually pick up and improve. you've got to remember that your body/brain are used to having a regular infusion of a depressant/sugars/carbs and is working overtime to regain a different sort of independent function. I don't know you as an individual, but as a human, you're resilient and can soon enough overcome the sense of dragging ass. I'm not speaking with medical knowledge, but whenever coming off of a toxic substance that has been habitually used/misused, it helps me to see the body/mind as being in shock and requiring more care than might normally be given. Supplements, clean eating, water, exercise will help your body/mind get to where they need to be.

you got this shit, homie.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Betaphenylethylalamine on March 23, 2021, 09:53:02 PM
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I'm on day 15 of no booze, which is the longest I've gone in a decade. I have more mental clarity, but am still really tired feeling still. Has anyone else had that? I thought it would be gone by now.
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Yooooo my G. Big ups. 15 days is a long frickin time, especially when you've been boozing for a decade. Prior to quitting in 2015, I only got that far a 2 or 3 times before I'd get back at it. It's great that you're realizing the reason for still feeling tired is related to getting off the sauce, rather than chalking it up to something else. It's going to take a while to get to that baseline you might have been at 10 years ago, but it's not insurmountable and will come faster than you expect. Things will gradually pick up and improve. you've got to remember that your body/brain are used to having a regular infusion of a depressant/sugars/carbs and is working overtime to regain a different sort of independent function. I don't know you as an individual, but as a human, you're resilient and can soon enough overcome the sense of dragging ass. I'm not speaking with medical knowledge, but whenever coming off of a toxic substance that has been habitually used/misused, it helps me to see the body/mind as being in shock and requiring more care than might normally be given. Supplements, clean eating, water, exercise will help your body/mind get to where they need to be.

you got this shit, homie.

This....

Fucking congrats man! Get lots of healthy fats/liquids into the body and excercises as you can.

Stoked for you man!!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on March 23, 2021, 11:25:39 PM
Keep going, my bro!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Bizarro Jerry on March 24, 2021, 04:46:13 AM
After 12 weeks of no alcohol I thought I would try to have a couple on my birthday the other day. Got six pack of stella and could barely even finish one. Hated the way it made me feel. I got so used to being in control of my body that even the slight buzz I got felt so invasive and uncomfortable. Kinda feel annoyed I broke sobriety, but at the same time it helped me solidify that being sober is 100% for me. I've still saved over $750+ dollars over the past three months, and over 300 hours of drinking. Enough money to buy a yamaha keyboard and start to teach myself how to play piano. Proud of all y'all on here, keep it up guys.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ilovegay on March 24, 2021, 05:11:46 PM
I’ve been sober just over 9 months. I actually think I have Covid to thank. I went on a bender celebrating my wife’s birthday, and then got the sickest I’ve ever been for two weeks. I think it was Covid, but the test came back negative. Definitely the best decision I ever made. 1 was too many, 100 wasn’t enough.

It is very nice to wake up every day feeling great with tons of energy and no regrets. I have saved a ton of money. I’m also definitely in the best shape of my life, and skating better than I ever have at age 33.

Shalom to any pals out there trying to be clean. It’s not easy. I definitely said I was going to stop drinking 100s of times. You will not regret it though when you finally make that decision for yourself.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on March 24, 2021, 05:21:42 PM
Shalom thread

in 2020 I spend 8 months sober and had to move, i caved in after I moved due to the stress of moving and exhaustion, and last 4 month I had a 6 pack a night.  first week was fun, the rest was whack and expensive, honestly just felt like shit everytime I drank and Got to the point where every beer I drank was gross.

Had to clean back up this year and been sober since Jan1.   
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jtrpma on March 24, 2021, 05:52:36 PM
Shalom thread

in 2020 I spend 8 months sober and had to move, i caved in after I moved due to the stress of moving and exhaustion, and last 4 month I had a 6 pack a night.  first week was fun, the rest was whack and expensive, honestly just felt like shit everytime I drank and Got to the point where every beer I drank was gross.

Had to clean back up this year and been sober since Jan1.

Stoked you resobered up. Just try to remember how shitty you felt when tempted in the future.

I am at two years dry now and couldn‘t imagine having a casual drink...
Even managed to phase out weed completely, I bought a bunch of cbd and it was just not worth smoking it because it didn’t do anything. So I am really stoked on that, didn‘t think that would happen like this.

Shout out to all the sober and all the not sober pals, I love that this thread is out here.
Shalom & Friede
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on March 24, 2021, 07:06:29 PM
any of y'all familiar with the founder of AA, Bill Wilson? He had a profound experience on Belladonna and/or henbane I believe, which helped him quit drinking by having a profound spiritual experience. He then took LSD, with some frequency, and got into correspondence with Carl Jung, to whom he expressed the belief that LSD could be part of the 12 steps, an introduction to that higher power or something greater.

Now, I'm not advocating for anyone to go get puddled, I will however, say that I know many addicts who have kicked some gnarly, long time habits of heroin, crack, meth, and booze, by using psychedelics. I partially credit a DMT experience during my first month sober from alcohol with helping move forward on the path. Little bit of L every now and again, in a comfortable, controlled setting with such an intention has done the same for many.

Again, I'm not advocating for anything, and y'all know your mental health status better than anyone else, but it's something to consider.

Stay strong n safe homies
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AlexOlsonsDashiki on April 11, 2021, 03:10:41 PM
any of y'all familiar with the founder of AA, Bill Wilson? He had a profound experience on Belladonna and/or henbane I believe, which helped him quit drinking by having a profound spiritual experience. He then took LSD, with some frequency, and got into correspondence with Carl Jung, to whom he expressed the belief that LSD could be part of the 12 steps, an introduction to that higher power or something greater.

Now, I'm not advocating for anyone to go get puddled, I will however, say that I know many addicts who have kicked some gnarly, long time habits of heroin, crack, meth, and booze, by using psychedelics. I partially credit a DMT experience during my first month sober from alcohol with helping move forward on the path. Little bit of L every now and again, in a comfortable, controlled setting with such an intention has done the same for many.

Again, I'm not advocating for anything, and y'all know your mental health status better than anyone else, but it's something to consider.

Stay strong n safe homies

Bill Wilson is a polarizing character. On his deathbed he asked for a drink. Not saying not to do LSD, but I havent in the 3 years ive been sober

My fiance/mother of my child left me to be with her boss on Friday. Im pretty fucked up over it. I have a lot of fear and anger and sadness and hurt. I didnt drink. Ive been on the phone with sober men pretty much hourly for the last 48 hours. I went to meetings. I wrote inventory. I dont think Im going to drink or smoke crack over this today.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Algar on April 11, 2021, 06:51:22 PM
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any of y'all familiar with the founder of AA, Bill Wilson? He had a profound experience on Belladonna and/or henbane I believe, which helped him quit drinking by having a profound spiritual experience. He then took LSD, with some frequency, and got into correspondence with Carl Jung, to whom he expressed the belief that LSD could be part of the 12 steps, an introduction to that higher power or something greater.

Now, I'm not advocating for anyone to go get puddled, I will however, say that I know many addicts who have kicked some gnarly, long time habits of heroin, crack, meth, and booze, by using psychedelics. I partially credit a DMT experience during my first month sober from alcohol with helping move forward on the path. Little bit of L every now and again, in a comfortable, controlled setting with such an intention has done the same for many.

Again, I'm not advocating for anything, and y'all know your mental health status better than anyone else, but it's something to consider.

Stay strong n safe homies
[close]

Bill Wilson is a polarizing character. On his deathbed he asked for a drink. Not saying not to do LSD, but I havent in the 3 years ive been sober

My fiance/mother of my child left me to be with her boss on Friday. Im pretty fucked up over it. I have a lot of fear and anger and sadness and hurt. I didnt drink. Ive been on the phone with sober men pretty much hourly for the last 48 hours. I went to meetings. I wrote inventory. I dont think Im going to drink or smoke crack over this today.

Dang man, sorry to hear about that, I’m rooting for you!  It seems reaching out like you have been is a good way to deal with it all.

I have been trying to kick the booze for the last year or two,  had a few streaks of over a month or two of sobriety and am on about two weeks at this point.  I just have a hard time not drinking daily and pretty much drink at least a sixer of ipa’s daily.  Pretty much feel hungover daily and then once I feel ok in the afternoon I start to think about drinking again and then I am drinking, it just takes over my brain completely.  I’m functional for the most part but it definitely fucks with my mental health, between crazy anxiety or just pure self loathing.

When I am sober though it can be really hard but also I feel so fucking good, it’s amazing, and I think someday it will stick but It feels not possible at the same time

Shalom to you all
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on April 11, 2021, 07:44:38 PM
Expand Quote
any of y'all familiar with the founder of AA, Bill Wilson? He had a profound experience on Belladonna and/or henbane I believe, which helped him quit drinking by having a profound spiritual experience. He then took LSD, with some frequency, and got into correspondence with Carl Jung, to whom he expressed the belief that LSD could be part of the 12 steps, an introduction to that higher power or something greater.

Now, I'm not advocating for anyone to go get puddled, I will however, say that I know many addicts who have kicked some gnarly, long time habits of heroin, crack, meth, and booze, by using psychedelics. I partially credit a DMT experience during my first month sober from alcohol with helping move forward on the path. Little bit of L every now and again, in a comfortable, controlled setting with such an intention has done the same for many.

Again, I'm not advocating for anything, and y'all know your mental health status better than anyone else, but it's something to consider.

Stay strong n safe homies
[close]

Bill Wilson is a polarizing character. On his deathbed he asked for a drink. Not saying not to do LSD, but I havent in the 3 years ive been sober

My fiance/mother of my child left me to be with her boss on Friday. Im pretty fucked up over it. I have a lot of fear and anger and sadness and hurt. I didnt drink. Ive been on the phone with sober men pretty much hourly for the last 48 hours. I went to meetings. I wrote inventory. I dont think Im going to drink or smoke crack over this today.

That absolutely sucks man.  Definitely don't go the destructive route.  The best revenge is success.  Use this as an opportunity to take inventory of the various areas of your life that you want to make gains in and focus on that.  For example, even if it is something as simple as earning more money and working longer hours, you will be too busy to dwell on BS.

My dad has been married about 3 times and that was basically the advice he gave me about how to handle a nasty breakup.  He is a really nice guy too, not a meathead scumbag.  SLAP is comprised of a variety of individuals who have unique experiences.  And yet, I am confident that there are many who have experienced a very similar type of situation as yourself.  So, you are not alone in that regard.   

Dude, FUCK alcohol, but DOUBLE FUCK crack. 

FTS. You are going to thrive in this time of adversity and in time give your child the step mother they deserve. A step mother that your ex absolutely hates because she is better than her in every way, shape, and form. 

Nothing wrong with 2 tylenol PM to go to sleep early, in turn wake up early, and get/stay productive.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on April 11, 2021, 10:13:14 PM
Had 8 years on the 8:th.

To my squad; keep going.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AlexOlsonsDashiki on April 12, 2021, 03:35:34 AM
@pugmaster @algar thanks for the kind words.

Yesterday was okay towards the end of the day, waking up today was hard. The whole situation feels complicated but broken down in it’s simplest terms is she doesn’t feel she will be happy with me long term, and the family I wanted for my daughter isn’t going to happen.

I don’t wish ill will towards my ex. Not right now. I want her to be feeling what I feel, but that’s because I feel alone. Lots of sober men told me this pain is necessary though and unfortunately I’m going to have to feel it. That doesn’t make it right/fair/easy. It’s just the fact of the matter.

I’m staying at our old place right now with my daughter but will probably be the one to move out. I would like to say I can stay here but I don’t know. We are trying to keep custody and stuff out of the courts. I don’t want any parent resentful at the other. I really want to come out of this a better person. I really want to make it through this to know I can.

I’m rambling at this point. I’m just hurting. Thank you for your responses.

@algar let’s talk sometime. I’d love to share my experience getting sober with you. It’s possible to get sober. It’s possible to stay sober. You let me know when you’re ready to hear it, and I’m here to listen to you as well. No judgement, no expectations on my end. Just offering to you what someone offered to me when I was in your position
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 12, 2021, 12:22:54 PM
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any of y'all familiar with the founder of AA, Bill Wilson? He had a profound experience on Belladonna and/or henbane I believe, which helped him quit drinking by having a profound spiritual experience. He then took LSD, with some frequency, and got into correspondence with Carl Jung, to whom he expressed the belief that LSD could be part of the 12 steps, an introduction to that higher power or something greater.

Now, I'm not advocating for anyone to go get puddled, I will however, say that I know many addicts who have kicked some gnarly, long time habits of heroin, crack, meth, and booze, by using psychedelics. I partially credit a DMT experience during my first month sober from alcohol with helping move forward on the path. Little bit of L every now and again, in a comfortable, controlled setting with such an intention has done the same for many.

Again, I'm not advocating for anything, and y'all know your mental health status better than anyone else, but it's something to consider.

Stay strong n safe homies
[close]

Bill Wilson is a polarizing character. On his deathbed he asked for a drink. Not saying not to do LSD, but I havent in the 3 years ive been sober

My fiance/mother of my child left me to be with her boss on Friday. Im pretty fucked up over it. I have a lot of fear and anger and sadness and hurt. I didnt drink. Ive been on the phone with sober men pretty much hourly for the last 48 hours. I went to meetings. I wrote inventory. I dont think Im going to drink or smoke crack over this today.
[close]

Dang man, sorry to hear about that, I’m rooting for you!  It seems reaching out like you have been is a good way to deal with it all.

I have been trying to kick the booze for the last year or two,  had a few streaks of over a month or two of sobriety and am on about two weeks at this point.  I just have a hard time not drinking daily and pretty much drink at least a sixer of ipa’s daily.  Pretty much feel hungover daily and then once I feel ok in the afternoon I start to think about drinking again and then I am drinking, it just takes over my brain completely.  I’m functional for the most part but it definitely fucks with my mental health, between crazy anxiety or just pure self loathing.

When I am sober though it can be really hard but also I feel so fucking good, it’s amazing, and I think someday it will stick but It feels not possible at the same time

Shalom to you all

yo my G, that's pretty much how I was rolling when I stopped boozing 6 years ago. Get out of work, stop for a beer or 2, stop at packy to grab a 6 (I was drinking Racer 5 IPA 7.5 ABV), drink a few, walk to the local dive, have a couple more and a shot, talk to the drunk old Irish immigrant house painters, go home, crack another IPA and pass out after a few slugs. Wake up, go to work, etc. This was Monday thru Wednesday. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, I'd generally go stay with some friends who lived in a beach house year round and rip it up 12 ways til Sunday, doing all sorts of shit. Other than Sundays, I never felt hung over for too long because I'd start drinking again. I was functioning highly- getting promoted, entrusted with a lot of shit, etc, but I wasn't anywhere near my best. My body always hurt and I was really too fucked and staying busy getting fucked to get anxious or anything. I looked like I was in pretty good shape, but I was 29/30 and my body felt awful. It took me a long time to get there, but it worked out. if you're tryna do it, you can!!!

You can already see my posts about self therapy with psychedelics (and if you look on clinicaltrials.gov, there's sign ups for psilocybin therapy trials for alcoholism and/or depression) but that might not be for everyone at this juncture. I will say however, what was most helpful for me was keeping track of how many days I wasn't drinking. I made a calendar/chart of sorts where I checked a box everyday that I didn't drink and wrote a note about something that happened. Did that for the first 40ish days and it was huge. still got it stashed away.

take care, my friend.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LordManHammer on April 13, 2021, 06:28:38 AM
I fucking hate myself for not drinking and it sucks because I'm at a low point and anything sound's good butttttttttt I just can't bring myself to do anything or buy something.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sonny Paluso on April 14, 2021, 10:18:48 AM
 I'm at 15 weeks and change no drinking. 48 and have basically been a consistent beer drinker since 17/18. 48 now. Feel great. Lot of energy and way more positive mental outlook. Don't think I'll ever go back.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 14, 2021, 10:22:30 AM
I'm at 15 weeks and change no drinking. 48 and have basically been a consistent beer drinker since 17/18. 48 now. Feel great. Lot of energy and way more positive mental outlook. Don't think I'll ever go back.

 ;D

keep that PMA brotha!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sonny Paluso on April 14, 2021, 10:46:46 AM
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I'm at 15 weeks and change no drinking. 48 and have basically been a consistent beer drinker since 17/18. 48 now. Feel great. Lot of energy and way more positive mental outlook. Don't think I'll ever go back.
[close]

 ;D

keep that PMA brotha!

Thank you, I will. Beneficial to family life and my health. Wish I would have done this 20 years ago.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Dirk_Diggler on April 23, 2021, 12:14:32 PM
Hey y’all

I know some of you have seen my thread “3 months alcohol free” and my experience trying to stay sober, but that was before I knew this thread existed, so I will be posting here about it from now on.

Long story short- Stopped drinking for almost 5 months, relapsed pretty hard last weekend, and now I’m back on the wagon again.

Hope everyone here is doing well and stay strong.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mongey on April 25, 2021, 08:10:22 PM
Just read through pretty much this whole thread.

 I turn 47 next week. Always have drank mid to heavy since I was 17. Have good job , young kids , house , wife and all that but just starting to feel like I need to step away from the booze. I take care of all my shit but those 4 to 6 beers at the end of the day Are always a constant. With a few more On weekends.

It’s to a point where’s not drinking seems kind of an exciting change , but fucking hard to break 30 years worth of habits.

About to start a 12 week eating thing with the wife. She is trying to get healthier after
Our 2nd kid . So I’m gonna try my hardest to stay off For 12 weeks and see what happens.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on April 26, 2021, 11:21:15 AM
I go through periods where I don’t drink. 3 months or so where I won’t drink or buy myself alcohol. I’ll be honest a big reason is because beer just makes me fat eventually. Bloats me up.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 26, 2021, 11:33:06 AM
Just read through pretty much this whole thread.

 I turn 47 next week. Always have drank mid to heavy since I was 17. Have good job , young kids , house , wife and all that but just starting to feel like I need to step away from the booze. I take care of all my shit but those 4 to 6 beers at the end of the day Are always a constant. With a few more On weekends.

It’s to a point where’s not drinking seems kind of an exciting change , but fucking hard to break 30 years worth of habits.

About to start a 12 week eating thing with the wife. She is trying to get healthier after
Our 2nd kid . So I’m gonna try my hardest to stay off For 12 weeks and see what happens.

you can do it man. if you drink canned beer, have canned soda water or something to replace it. I used to have to crush those during the first few years. Still do when I visit my family and my pop is drinking beers all day.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mongey on April 26, 2021, 12:26:33 PM
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Just read through pretty much this whole thread.

 I turn 47 next week. Always have drank mid to heavy since I was 17. Have good job , young kids , house , wife and all that but just starting to feel like I need to step away from the booze. I take care of all my shit but those 4 to 6 beers at the end of the day Are always a constant. With a few more On weekends.

It’s to a point where’s not drinking seems kind of an exciting change , but fucking hard to break 30 years worth of habits.

About to start a 12 week eating thing with the wife. She is trying to get healthier after
Our 2nd kid . So I’m gonna try my hardest to stay off For 12 weeks and see what happens.
[close]

you can do it man. if you drink canned beer, have canned soda water or something to replace it. I used to have to crush those during the first few years. Still do when I visit my family and my pop is drinking beers all day.

Thanks for the words dude.

I also brew my own beer as a Hobby so it’s something that has turned into a big part of my life.

Feeling pretty resolved though to give this 12 weeks a real shot. Have thought about trying some alcohol free beer but not sure that will help in the early days. Think it’s better for me to just drop it all.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 26, 2021, 01:15:03 PM
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Just read through pretty much this whole thread.

 I turn 47 next week. Always have drank mid to heavy since I was 17. Have good job , young kids , house , wife and all that but just starting to feel like I need to step away from the booze. I take care of all my shit but those 4 to 6 beers at the end of the day Are always a constant. With a few more On weekends.

It’s to a point where’s not drinking seems kind of an exciting change , but fucking hard to break 30 years worth of habits.

About to start a 12 week eating thing with the wife. She is trying to get healthier after
Our 2nd kid . So I’m gonna try my hardest to stay off For 12 weeks and see what happens.
[close]

you can do it man. if you drink canned beer, have canned soda water or something to replace it. I used to have to crush those during the first few years. Still do when I visit my family and my pop is drinking beers all day.
[close]

Thanks for the words dude.

I also brew my own beer as a Hobby so it’s something that has turned into a big part of my life.

Feeling pretty resolved though to give this 12 weeks a real shot. Have thought about trying some alcohol free beer but not sure that will help in the early days. Think it’s better for me to just drop it all.

aw man, that's a gnarly splitting of interests. I used to brew with my uncle sometimes and really couldn't imagine doing it and not drinking the product. I am going to try to grow some hops vines this year so I can make hop tea and stuff, but I couldn't have done it at an earlier juncture.

If you and I are anything alike, you're going the easier route by dropping it all. I never really got the point of non-alcoholic beer but there are some good carbonated hop teas out there made by hop lark. Doesn't really do the trick of an IPA but the chamomile one is pretty nice as chamomile and hops make a mild relaxant.

good luck again. man!!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on April 26, 2021, 05:19:44 PM
big ups to everyone in here!

I haven't drank in a little over a month and I have been feeling much more consistently happy(following through with more plans I make, more productive, feel 100% more patient, skating/surfing a few times a week, etc). I don't have any specific time frame/goal set for myself but I am just going to keep it up for as long as I can or feel its right



Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Bizarro Jerry on April 27, 2021, 04:05:51 AM
I'm creeping up on 4 months sober in a couple days here. I did have one stella on my birthday last month, sort of just testing out if I even liked alcohol anymore. Nope, can't believe how uncomfortable even one made me feel. Feels insane I used to drink 7% ipas on weekdays.

Besides feeling generally more happy, clear headed, and finally sleeping good for the first time in 5 ish years, I can't believe the amount of money I've been saving. According to this "I am Sober" app, I've saved at lesat $1,100 bucks since new years.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Eggie Vedder on April 27, 2021, 06:32:21 AM
I was never a drinker but I was addicted to OxyContin for about 4 years. A friend introduced me to LSD and without even thinking about it I slowly stopped oxy and mainly did acid. After about two years I had a bit of a breakthrough trip. It’s kind of a stereotype but I feel like the trip permanently changed my brain or something. I was still occasionally doing coke or molly at parties and trying whatever but after the breakthrough trip I felt like a light switched turned off my desire. It’s been 5 years and I feel a thousand times better than I did when I was piling out. I still get turned off how people make psychedelics a religion but I do think scientifically it can help with addiction or certain mental illness. It definitely isn’t the right answer for everyone but for anyone out there that feels like they keep relapsing i think it’s worth a try. Just start with small doses.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 27, 2021, 10:49:56 AM
I was never a drinker but I was addicted to OxyContin for about 4 years. A friend introduced me to LSD and without even thinking about it I slowly stopped oxy and mainly did acid. After about two years I had a bit of a breakthrough trip. It’s kind of a stereotype but I feel like the trip permanently changed my brain or something. I was still occasionally doing coke or molly at parties and trying whatever but after the breakthrough trip I felt like a light switched turned off my desire. It’s been 5 years and I feel a thousand times better than I did when I was piling out. I still get turned off how people make psychedelics a religion but I do think scientifically it can help with addiction or certain mental illness. It definitely isn’t the right answer for everyone but for anyone out there that feels like they keep relapsing i think it’s worth a try. Just start with small doses.

hell yeah, brother. DMT was the break through for me and occasional trips help maintain that shift. I'm stoked to continue hearing about and meeting people who get off the dope through tripping. stay safe homie!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coldpizza on April 28, 2021, 02:57:46 PM
So I’ve been off drugs for years now, and stopped smoking weed about a year ago. I’ve been trying to stop drinking, but it’s so fucking hard. I truly thought weed would be harder… I’ve got a great job, happy wife, and don’t drink enough in a sitting to be smashed, but I definitely drink every day and have a problem with it. The habit is just so hard to kick and the fear/anxiety I feel is mentally fucking with me. Any tips would be welcome. My birthday is the end of May, and the best gift I can think of is being sober… thanks y’all.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 28, 2021, 04:05:57 PM
So I’ve been off drugs for years now, and stopped smoking weed about a year ago. I’ve been trying to stop drinking, but it’s so fucking hard. I truly thought weed would be harder… I’ve got a great job, happy wife, and don’t drink enough in a sitting to be smashed, but I definitely drink every day and have a problem with it. The habit is just so hard to kick and the fear/anxiety I feel is mentally fucking with me. Any tips would be welcome. My birthday is the end of May, and the best gift I can think of is being sober… thanks y’all.

hey! another gemini trying to quit drinking. I know a lot of us  :o

do you have any coping skills other than drinking that can help with the anxiety? it's a strange sword, right? the whole having anxiety about not drinking and drinking because we have some sort of anxiety about living and having to deal with the anxiety that we've blunted through drinking? find something physical to do, if you can do physical stuff. run. it kicks your ass. exercise to the point of exhaustion. do something that you don't correlate with drinking. Like me, I used to drink all the time unless I was doing yoga or meditating, so I really kicked those up into high gear. I mean, I'd stash beers in the bag for bike ride, when I was skating, when I was on a hike, when I was going to the hardware store, hanging with my family, blah blah blah, everything was an excuse to low key have a beer. So, I tried to do new stuff, like work on my car, build things, etc and it took a while to truly embrace the new stuff, it was worth it. Now I'm also able to do all the old stuff that I once drank while doing, without wanting to drink.

Also, setting a goal can be really really helpful. I started out gunning for 30days, made a hand drawn "days without drinking" calendar, and checked that off every day. Then I made another one, and another one, keeping notes about what I did "went on walk to... built this..." I eventually started adding "days without drinking, 30 pushups, run 1 mile, pull ups, etc" and it turned into a new sorta lifestyle.

you can do this homie
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mongey on April 28, 2021, 05:56:15 PM
So I’ve been off drugs for years now, and stopped smoking weed about a year ago. I’ve been trying to stop drinking, but it’s so fucking hard. I truly thought weed would be harder… I’ve got a great job, happy wife, and don’t drink enough in a sitting to be smashed, but I definitely drink every day and have a problem with it. The habit is just so hard to kick and the fear/anxiety I feel is mentally fucking with me. Any tips would be welcome. My birthday is the end of May, and the best gift I can think of is being sober… thanks y’all.

I far from the guy to listen to but I’m really Similar. I am 5 days in now and can’t  remember last time I went 5 days without a beer. At least a few years.

For me it just feels like it’s time for a break. I feel ready in myself to do it. I think that’s the thing. Unless you really want to do it , it doesn’t work.

Also I have been telling people that I’m on a 12 week healthy plan. Def makes it more real to talk about it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on April 29, 2021, 03:01:07 AM
It is important to let people know you don‘t drink anymore. It may take a while but once the people surrounding you have acknowledged this, the effect is twofold: (1) they will stop proposing to go out drinking and/or offering you alcoholic beverages (if they are your friends, they will indeed offer you non alcoholic beverages and sometimes even refrain from drinking in your presence out of respect for you) and (2) it will serve you as a mental barrier from relapsing as your brain tells you that you would then have to justify why you got drunk altho you have told them repeatedly you were tea total (it works even if in reality they would probably not even care).

Tl;dr: Make it known that you don‘t drink (anymore).

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Pete on April 29, 2021, 06:01:48 AM
8 months opiate free. I had always taken breaks and shit but this is definitely the longest I’ve gone entirely without. Addiction sucks, being in too much pain to go for a walk sucks as well. The fact that there isn’t a happy medium sucks. Etc



You know they’ve developed addiction-free painkillers like real deal shit not some Hollistic horseshit. But there’s no money in that



Free max b
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jaysouthbay on April 29, 2021, 06:51:29 AM
for those who went sober, did you find that it sobriety had a positive affect on your skating?

if so, in what ways?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 29, 2021, 09:49:37 AM
8 months opiate free. I had always taken breaks and shit but this is definitely the longest I’ve gone entirely without. Addiction sucks, being in too much pain to go for a walk sucks as well. The fact that there isn’t a happy medium sucks. Etc



You know they’ve developed addiction-free painkillers like real deal shit not some Hollistic horseshit. But there’s no money in that



Free max b

That'd be great. I wonder how they work. I remember when they were saying the OG OCs were addiction proof and the world got flooded with 80s. That was some truly evil shit.

Good for you dude. Very very cool. I'm glad you're alive and not playing the fent game. Fuck that shit, it was easy enough to die before when you knew what you were getting. Stay safe man

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Frank and Fred on April 29, 2021, 10:12:09 AM
for those who went sober, did you find that it sobriety had a positive affect on your skating?

if so, in what ways?

I wasn't heavy drinker but pretty consistent. Couple of beers a night. I took January through March completely off and I noticed a big reduction in pain. Things like knee pain and lower back pain that I just put down to being a middle aged skateboarder went away completely. I can't be sure it was all due to alcohol avoidance but I changed little else during that same time period (maybe less sugar also) and was actually stretching less. Spring break, I had a good few beers over that week and noticed those little pains start to creep back up.

I'm now pretty committed to limiting my drinking to one or two on Fridays and Saturdays at this point, especially if it means I can abuse my body more with skateboarding. There is no getting away from the inflammatory potential of alcohol.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on April 29, 2021, 10:23:51 AM
for those who went sober, did you find that it sobriety had a positive affect on your skating?

if so, in what ways?

found i can skate longer and at earlier times of the day and I don't pressure myself to do tricks all the time
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Miller92 on April 30, 2021, 12:17:50 PM
for those who went sober, did you find that it sobriety had a positive affect on your skating?

if so, in what ways?

yes.  your quads, hamstrings, thigh muscles, etc. that shit dries out and gets stiff from alcohol. 

right after I cut out all hard liquor and started slowing way down on beers my pop and stamina literally came back. 

but also if you wanna skate better do a bunch of planks and core strength bodyweight exercises.  that helps a ton
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mongey on May 09, 2021, 04:04:15 AM
Hit my 2 weeks booze free today. Had a few tough moments  ,but not too many. Been at least 7 years since I’ve done 2 weeks with out a sip.

 Bought some zero alcohol beer for the tough moments and it’s really helped surprisingly . Like a Friday night after a long week. One of those after we get the kids fed and in bed  def helps me settle down on the urge.

My first goal is 1 month. So halfway there. Gotta keep at it.



Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: straight on May 09, 2021, 01:56:42 PM
Hit my 2 weeks booze free today. Had a few tough moments  ,but not too many. Been at least 7 years since I’ve done 2 weeks with out a sip.

 Bought some zero alcohol beer for the tough moments and it’s really helped surprisingly . Like a Friday night after a long week. One of those after we get the kids fed and in bed  def helps me settle down on the urge.

My first goal is 1 month. So halfway there. Gotta keep at it.

it’s corny but it’s easy if you just think of it is a one day at a time
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: gaunting on May 11, 2021, 06:56:02 AM
almost 4 days off kratom. that shit had a hold on me for 3 years. still feel pretty shitty, but I’m getting through the worst of it. looking forward to not have to depend on a substance anymore.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on October 13, 2021, 03:30:01 PM
Just bumping to say I have almost gone 7 months without alcohol, longest I have gone since I have started drinking. Can't say I am sober because I smoke weed every now and again but damn I cannot deny how much better I have felt the last few months
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: funeral_tuxedo on October 13, 2021, 06:31:24 PM
Hit my 2 weeks booze free today. Had a few tough moments  ,but not too many. Been at least 7 years since I’ve done 2 weeks with out a sip.

 Bought some zero alcohol beer for the tough moments and it’s really helped surprisingly . Like a Friday night after a long week. One of those after we get the kids fed and in bed  def helps me settle down on the urge.

My first goal is 1 month. So halfway there. Gotta keep at it.

Congratulations @Mongey that's amazing. One day at a time <3
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Below Average on April 02, 2022, 05:01:26 PM
So I quit drinking close to a year ago now and it’s honestly been fantastic so far. I feel like a completely different person now and my mood has improved drastically to the point where I feel like my old self again before my drinking got out of control. I told myself at the time when I stopped that I would just stick to weed for the rest of my life and things would be ok like that. Or so I thought..

I have been smoking weed on and off for a long time now, and I’ve been lighting up almost every day since the pandemic hit. Everything was fine for a while and I even got the opportunity to try a huge variety of edibles which were fun. I was also super excited about my state legalizing weed last year which was a huge relief because I was always super paranoid about the legal ramifications that came with buying and using weed.

But something has come over me recently, almost like a switch went off in my head that all of a sudden changed my perspective about life and where I am at the moment, and who I want to be going forward. I think because of this, I started to get very intense anxiety every time I got high, to the point where I’d wish I was sober instead. I even tried different strains of bud, but it didn’t seem to help and I would just get stuck in my head way too much.  I am almost 32 now and I think a lot of it has to do with me getting older and just naturally growing as a human being, or even simply just out-growing things that I was once into when I was younger.

I’ve decided that weed is not for me anymore, as I no longer enjoy it when I light up. Some of my friends were shocked that I decided to quit that too, since I was all about it for the past couple of years. I realized that living a completely sober life is the life I want to live and I couldn’t be more happier in my decision.  I’m never looking back.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on April 02, 2022, 06:06:42 PM
for those who went sober, did you find that it sobriety had a positive affect on your skating?

if so, in what ways?

Your muscles recover much much faster when you aren't drunk all the time.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 03, 2022, 09:55:48 AM
Expand Quote
for those who went sober, did you find that it sobriety had a positive affect on your skating?

if so, in what ways?
[close]

Your muscles recover much much faster when you aren't drunk all the time.

Yes. I'm used to crush beers and skate. I'd do cool shit but my stamina was artificially inflated and when I'd eat it, I'd get far more hurt than I should have
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on April 05, 2022, 10:10:11 AM
I notice after quitting drinking for a year i am so much more sensitive to a night of bad sleep/or eating a bunch of greasy/sugary food. im weak af

I think my baseline has changed because being hungover all the time used to be the norm so functioning throughout a normal day was always foggy/headache was there and feeling like shit was tolerable

but of course overall feel way better
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 05, 2022, 11:03:51 AM
I notice after quitting drinking for a year i am so much more sensitive to a night of bad sleep/or eating a bunch of greasy/sugary food. im weak af

I think my baseline has changed because being hungover all the time used to be the norm so functioning throughout a normal day was always foggy/headache was there and feeling like shit was tolerable

but of course overall feel way better

dude. my dude. it took about a year of not drinking to realize that I had always been hungover and didn't realize that feeling like that was a result of drinking and living that life. Now, shit, if I don't get my 8 hours, I'm having anxiety attacks and shit
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on April 05, 2022, 03:33:54 PM
Expand Quote
I notice after quitting drinking for a year i am so much more sensitive to a night of bad sleep/or eating a bunch of greasy/sugary food. im weak af

I think my baseline has changed because being hungover all the time used to be the norm so functioning throughout a normal day was always foggy/headache was there and feeling like shit was tolerable

but of course overall feel way better
[close]

dude. my dude. it took about a year of not drinking to realize that I had always been hungover and didn't realize that feeling like that was a result of drinking and living that life. Now, shit, if I don't get my 8 hours, I'm having anxiety attacks and shit

hahaha so true. the other day got less than 4 hours and had to do shit all day the next day, felt so dead. old hungover me woulda rallied much harder lmao
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AlexOlsonsDashiki on April 06, 2022, 07:32:30 PM
I celebrated 4 years sober on april 1st

I had the toughest year of my life last year. I was just starting to get settled in at a new job as a software engineer so my responsibilities were ramped up. Days after my 3 year anniversary my kids mom left and moved in with her boss. I learned how to be a single dad, ended up in an abusive relationship, got out of that relationship, started doing stand up comedy, grew closer with my daughter than I ever have been, have began making money doing comedy, close on my first house next week, started utilizing run-on sentences.

What I thought was going to be the end of my sobriety ended up being the catalyst for what is now the happiest I have ever been in my life. Keep on keeping on guys and gals.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on April 07, 2022, 10:26:50 PM
9 years today.

Keep your heads up, pals.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 08, 2022, 09:35:17 AM
9 years today.

Keep your heads up, pals.

Hell ya, kid. Big 9. Double digits coming up on ya
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmmokay on April 11, 2022, 01:29:44 PM
Posting this because I'm stoked but also for a little accountability. Hit a month sober the other day (today will be day 33) and I'm feeling good, better than in a long time. I've had stretches of sobriety in the past but this feels very different, and I am much more confident and committed.

Much love to all the sober pals sharing their stories, both the struggles and successes.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 11, 2022, 05:07:30 PM
Posting this because I'm stoked but also for a little accountability. Hit a month sober the other day (today will be day 33) and I'm feeling good, better than in a long time. I've had stretches of sobriety in the past but this feels very different, and I am much more confident and committed.

Much love to all the sober pals sharing their stories, both the struggles and successes.

first month is huge. I still have the calendar I created to track the days during that month. good for you, hombre.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Bunk Moreland on April 11, 2022, 06:39:29 PM
I need to not drink. I got fucking fat, and I need to not be fat. I don’t even like drinking anymore, I have how I feel, but I love beer. My friends all drink. Any time we do something it’s always beers after. I like my friends, but I think I need to set some boundaries.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 11, 2022, 07:03:35 PM
I need to not drink. I got fucking fat, and I need to not be fat. I don’t even like drinking anymore, I have how I feel, but I love beer. My friends all drink. Any time we do something it’s always beers after. I like my friends, but I think I need to set some boundaries.

I had to leave some "friends" behind on the journey to stop drinking beer. the real ones still holler to hang out and do other stuff. they're also cool about not getting wasted around me and respecting that I'm not going to go to the bar. the new, post drinking friendships have been developed around things that aren't and have nothing to do with drinking.

hardest ones been with my pop though. we were good drinking buddies. man, my mom hated it when me and my dad would take a drive his ford ranger to the packy and redeem cans/bottles at like 11am on a Saturday. use the redemption money to pay for more beers. split a couple bombers on the back roads home. stop by the bar for kale soup and stuffed quahogs. next thing you know we're sitting on the front step drinking some IPAs and its 8pm and we gotta walk back to the bar to shoot pool. that was the relationship we kicked it with for most of my 20s. real hard to rearrange that sort of shit over the past 7 years, but it's gotten better and easier. Old man really tries to respect me like that.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on April 11, 2022, 10:06:34 PM
Expand Quote
Posting this because I'm stoked but also for a little accountability. Hit a month sober the other day (today will be day 33) and I'm feeling good, better than in a long time. I've had stretches of sobriety in the past but this feels very different, and I am much more confident and committed.

Much love to all the sober pals sharing their stories, both the struggles and successes.
[close]

first month is huge. I still have the calendar I created to track the days during that month. good for you, hombre.

Truly is huge and hard. Now you know it's possible, keep working!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Allen. on April 11, 2022, 10:35:28 PM
Props to everyone sharing their stories and doing what they can to better themselves. I’m coming up on four months off the sauce and I really don’t miss it.. it’s definitely the longest time I’ve gone without drinking in a handful of years. Most of 2019, all of 2020, and most of 2021 I was drinking every fucking day. Fuck that noise. I was so tired of being tired and bloated and the dumb arguments.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mark Renton on April 11, 2022, 11:15:23 PM
Since I finally found a decent work-life balance I’ve been able to cut down booze and weed A LOT.

Total sobriety always seemed a bit forced to me.
I totally respect those who do it tho of course, and I was influenced by SxE bands when I was younger.

But yeah I basically cut everything down to the weekend and even then it’s not what it used to be unless I’m on holiday or there’s a particular celebration.

No more half bottles of bourbon on Tuesday nights and ounces of weed.
No more shots of Jager with drops of benzos on mornings while wfh.

I always knew there was something off when I was doing it that way. It was my reaction to a life and a society I couldn’t keep up with. To keep my mind limber you know?

But fuck yeah I’m so happy about myself. At some point I’m gonna quit cigs tho, those are the most subtle and stupid bullshit. I will get there.

Big up to everyone ‘exposing’ their weaknesses and even if just one person (even lurkers) read this and get somehow inspired by it that would make my day I’m telling you.

Choose life.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on April 11, 2022, 11:48:27 PM
Since I finally found a decent work-life balance I’ve been able to cut down booze and weed A LOT.

Total sobriety always seemed a bit forced to me.
I totally respect those who do it tho of course, and I was influenced by SxE bands when I was younger.

But yeah I basically cut everything down to the weekend and even then it’s not what it used to be unless I’m on holiday or there’s a particular celebration.

No more half bottles of bourbon on Tuesday nights and ounces of weed.
No more shots of Jager with drops of benzos on mornings while wfh.

I always knew there was something off when I was doing it that way. It was my reaction to a life and a society I couldn’t keep up with. To keep my mind limber you know?

But fuck yeah I’m so happy about myself. At some point I’m gonna quit cigs tho, those are the most subtle and stupid bullshit. I will get there.

Big up to everyone ‘exposing’ their weaknesses and even if just one person (even lurkers) read this and get somehow inspired by it that would make my day I’m telling you.

Choose life.

Gotta find whatever works for you.

I wish I could just smoke weed or some shit, but no dice. Even in sobriety I end up obsessing about shit, like Randy. I can't just train, I have to deadlift 500 lbs, squat despite shoulder and knee pain. Chemical substancies are beyond my control, even caffiene and Mc Donalds is hard to handle.

But, again, I stricktly pro best method to achieve ones goal. If it works, it work.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Prostate Exam on April 12, 2022, 01:14:22 AM
I went through about 11-12 years of heavy drinking, especially on weekends.

Every weekend I went out partying with my friends and binge drink both friday and saturday evening. Every sunday was a nightmare that I usually spent in bed.
I slowly started developing a habit of drinking every day. I would crush a 6 pack of tall cans on a normal weekday and then on weekends I had no limits.

I was never the street-drug kinda person, booze was my way to let loose. I never touched anything but a bit of green and alcohol, most of my friends though started doing blow, ecstasy and all that shit.

When I was around 25 it started getting very serious. The hangovers were getting worse and worse and my body was showing some weird symptoms. I had twitches and muscle pains all over my body but the worst symptom was the anxiety.

Every sunday after a heavy weekend I would get so fucking scared. First it was just hypochondria. I would spend all week calling doctors and self-analyzing and googling symptoms. Every week it was a different disease.

I was convinced that I had brain cancer, colon cancer, ALS or MS. Pretty much any disease you can think of I was convinced of having it at one point. I spent a shitton of money on doctors and self medication, but deep within myself I knew that all this shit came from drinking and not taking care of myself.

After years and years of fullblown hypochondria I developed a new form of anxiety. I never really experienced any memory loss from drinking only when the night was seriously bad.

In 2018 I spent 4 days drinking and skating at a contest and when I came home I went into full blown paranoia. My friend called me and said "Don't you remember? We facetimed at around 5am in the morning and you were bla bla bla..."

I did not remember any of that and I started getting scared. What if I did something bad while I was shitfaced and don't remember it anymore. What if I hurt somebody?

I was searching for evidence. I would read the news, searching my pockets of the pants that I wore that weekend. Every bloodstain on my clothes, that evidently was my blood that stemmed from an injury that I got while skating, I was convinced that it was the blood of a person that I hurt.

I was never a bad drunk, I was always very calm and would behave. I never got into fights or any altercation, but somehow I was so afraid of messing everything up. Eventhough there wasn't any serious evidence of any fight or stupid behavior.

I was getting freaked out when I heard police sirens or saw a cop looking at me. I couldn't sleep and every night I would go out and walk around with no direction.

At that point I quit drinking cold turkey and went to a psychiatrist. After about a month of sobriety I was developing serious health problems and had to go to the hospital. My appendix almost burst and I was completely fucked up. I had to get three surgeries and couldn't do shit.

One day when I woke up at the hospital, two cops were in the room starring at me. My heart almost exploded. They weren't saying a word, they were just standing there waiting for something. I was convinced they were coming to arrest me for whatever.
Then the door opened and the guy that was with me in the room came in after his kidney stone removal. Turned out, the cop was his sister and took a break from her duty to come and visit her brother.

This was one of the bad situations of all the anxiety that I went through and I had to get clean.

I would quit cold turkey for several months and then would "allow" me to have some drinks. But every time I would just slowly get back into binge drinking. My anxiety would kick back in full blown after some heavy nights.

I then managed to quit for two years and had a lot of time to think about the whole situation and sobriety really helped me out a lot. But I didn't want to turn into this sobriety-advocate so I would allow myself two to three beers on a day off.
No binge drinking anymore, no all-nighters anymore and so far it worked out.

Now if I notice any sign of anxiety kicking in, I will pull the brakes immediately and quit for months and relax. But I don't want to cut out alcohol completely. I take it as a treat after a good session or a heavy work week, or maybe have a glass of wine or beer with a good dinner.

The one thing that really helped me through all of this was skateboarding. Without it I would probably have ended up in an insane asylum. And I have to tell you, you skate 10 times better when you're not hung-over or drunk.

Your muscles regenerate a lot quicker and you can focus a lot better.

At this point I am just trying to regulate everything and see where it will take me. Maybe I will go through phases of anxiety again and quit or maybe I can stick to my rules and drink occasionally on weekends.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on April 19, 2022, 07:21:21 AM
Quit cigarettes, weed and alcohol simultaneously 26 days ago, feels great

Great achievement!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: beatifk on April 19, 2022, 07:31:36 AM
I can't go full sobriety but the last time I went out with a friend he kept pressuring me, "one more drink", as he usually does. I had 1 beer earlier in the day with lunch, then drank a coke at the second stop, then a cocktail at the 3rd stop, but he kept saying, "let's go for another..." and it's true, it was only like 5pm at that moment, and I wasn't quite ready to head home so I told him I would have a tea. I ordered a hot green tea at the last bar near his place. It was actually pretty satisfying. I felt like a responsible adult.

And on Sunday I woke up early, with no headache, played some guitar and went skating for a few hours in the afternoon.

My friend went out with another friend after I left and he said he spent all of Sunday in bed basically. He's over 10 years younger than me.

I think this tea trick will be my new go-to.

And also, not keeping any booze at home. I do buy Coca-Cola as a substitute, so I'm kinda trading one poison for another, but coke doesn't make me feel like complete shit the next day, so I'll take it as a win for now.

I did however plant my yearly summer weed crop, but mostly that's just a fun hobby and I end up giving most of it away to friends. And my current crop of mushies are coming in nicely. I practice selective sobriety I guess. Alcohol is easily the substance that makes me feel worst.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LordManHammer on April 23, 2022, 07:20:24 AM
So I’m 35 day’s in to sobriety and I am cruising, however the other day I was on a fetish site looking around, who do I see?

My recent  exgf was on there with her new man and degraded holes varieties of nudes as well as dudes spunk on what was mine?! Yeah I’m a tiny bit jealous lol I’ll admit with much chagrin that small piece of me is mad.

I remind myself of what I have lost and I don’t want anymore, fuck I hate that I have a heart.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: iKobrakai on April 24, 2022, 03:03:22 AM
So I’m 35 day’s in to sobriety and I am cruising, however the other day I was on a fetish site looking around, who do I see?

My recent  exgf was on there with her new man and degraded holes varieties of nudes as well as dudes spunk on what was mine?! Yeah I’m a tiny bit jealous lol I’ll admit with much chagrin that small piece of me is mad.

I remind myself of what I have lost and I don’t want anymore, fuck I hate that I have a heart.

Can't say I can relate, but keep doing what you've been doing so far.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on April 25, 2022, 09:03:30 AM
So I’m 35 day’s in to sobriety and I am cruising, however the other day I was on a fetish site looking around, who do I see?

My recent  exgf was on there with her new man and degraded holes varieties of nudes as well as dudes spunk on what was mine?! Yeah I’m a tiny bit jealous lol I’ll admit with much chagrin that small piece of me is mad.

I remind myself of what I have lost and I don’t want anymore, fuck I hate that I have a heart.

I might be different, but I find people who are seeking that kind of attention aren't really healthy, probably better off finding some girl who doesn't have pics of her getting bukakke'd out on the net.  I got an ex who is trying to sell candles and oils to those crystal mommys and another who is thirst trapping in her late 30s and I think I missed a bullet breaking up with them

I also find a lot of that thirst trap shit that goes down on IG and OnlyFans is super cringe.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LordManHammer on April 26, 2022, 05:51:54 PM
Expand Quote
So I’m 35 day’s in to sobriety and I am cruising, however the other day I was on a fetish site looking around, who do I see?

My recent  exgf was on there with her new man and degraded holes varieties of nudes as well as dudes spunk on what was mine?! Yeah I’m a tiny bit jealous lol I’ll admit with much chagrin that small piece of me is mad.

I remind myself of what I have lost and I don’t want anymore, fuck I hate that I have a heart.
[close]

I might be different, but I find people who are seeking that kind of attention aren't really healthy, probably better off finding some girl who doesn't have pics of her getting bukakke'd out on the net.  I got an ex who is trying to sell candles and oils to those crystal mommys and another who is thirst trapping in her late 30s and I think I missed a bullet breaking up with them

I also find a lot of that thirst trap shit that goes down on IG and OnlyFans is super cringe.
This guy gets it, I realize she’s probably not the healthiest of people and for that it makes me sad.  However I’m glad to be on this journey for now, I’m not really trying to be with anyone else.

Yeah I can bang some random hoes not that I’m down for being a man whore just I’m not trying to marry or be with anyone else for the foreseeable future.

Onlyfans and other thirst traps are highly cringe, sure I can look at random boobs via Reddit or on a hiking trail,  seen that movie Roll Models? Yeah I’m that dude who has 360 vision for some boobs.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on April 27, 2022, 10:53:25 AM
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So I’m 35 day’s in to sobriety and I am cruising, however the other day I was on a fetish site looking around, who do I see?

My recent  exgf was on there with her new man and degraded holes varieties of nudes as well as dudes spunk on what was mine?! Yeah I’m a tiny bit jealous lol I’ll admit with much chagrin that small piece of me is mad.

I remind myself of what I have lost and I don’t want anymore, fuck I hate that I have a heart.
[close]

I might be different, but I find people who are seeking that kind of attention aren't really healthy, probably better off finding some girl who doesn't have pics of her getting bukakke'd out on the net.  I got an ex who is trying to sell candles and oils to those crystal mommys and another who is thirst trapping in her late 30s and I think I missed a bullet breaking up with them

I also find a lot of that thirst trap shit that goes down on IG and OnlyFans is super cringe.
[close]
This guy gets it, I realize she’s probably not the healthiest of people and for that it makes me sad.  However I’m glad to be on this journey for now, I’m not really trying to be with anyone else.

Yeah I can bang some random hoes not that I’m down for being a man whore just I’m not trying to marry or be with anyone else for the foreseeable future.

Onlyfans and other thirst traps are highly cringe, sure I can look at random boobs via Reddit or on a hiking trail,  seen that movie Roll Models? Yeah I’m that dude who has 360 vision for some boobs.

wanting to keep things healthy is good thing and I've tried that a few times myself to no avail.   It's crazy to me to think that some people don't care about the people they break up with after they've broken up. 

Trust me I like looking at beautiful women too and have and usually find that most porn sites usually handles any itch to see a certain type of woman naked or being stuffed.  Just think its super wack when regular ass people who are not porn stars or model tries to make themselves out to look like someone who was featured in Playboy or Hustler. 

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LordManHammer on April 27, 2022, 02:34:17 PM
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So I’m 35 day’s in to sobriety and I am cruising, however the other day I was on a fetish site looking around, who do I see?

My recent  exgf was on there with her new man and degraded holes varieties of nudes as well as dudes spunk on what was mine?! Yeah I’m a tiny bit jealous lol I’ll admit with much chagrin that small piece of me is mad.

I remind myself of what I have lost and I don’t want anymore, fuck I hate that I have a heart.
[close]

I might be different, but I find people who are seeking that kind of attention aren't really healthy, probably better off finding some girl who doesn't have pics of her getting bukakke'd out on the net.  I got an ex who is trying to sell candles and oils to those crystal mommys and another who is thirst trapping in her late 30s and I think I missed a bullet breaking up with them

I also find a lot of that thirst trap shit that goes down on IG and OnlyFans is super cringe.
[close]
This guy gets it, I realize she’s probably not the healthiest of people and for that it makes me sad.  However I’m glad to be on this journey for now, I’m not really trying to be with anyone else.

Yeah I can bang some random hoes not that I’m down for being a man whore just I’m not trying to marry or be with anyone else for the foreseeable future.

Onlyfans and other thirst traps are highly cringe, sure I can look at random boobs via Reddit or on a hiking trail,  seen that movie Roll Models? Yeah I’m that dude who has 360 vision for some boobs.
[close]

wanting to keep things healthy is good thing and I've tried that a few times myself to no avail.   It's crazy to me to think that some people don't care about the people they break up with after they've broken up. 

Trust me I like looking at beautiful women too and have and usually find that most porn sites usually handles any itch to see a certain type of woman naked or being stuffed.  Just think its super wack when regular ass people who are not porn stars or model tries to make themselves out to look like someone who was featured in Playboy or Hustler.
Or worse yet some trafficked whore who has no shame for one’s self. For me it’s a conundrum and a paradox, lol what I mean is you think you’d know someone through and through yet something you find that’s mind blowing like wtf?$ I didn’t see that coming?!

Makes for well shit who was that person? I spent 12 years with?!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on May 13, 2022, 01:34:23 AM
I'm six months and a week off alcohol.  I still smoke weed and take kratom once a week.  Been skating three to four times a week.  Feeling pretty good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 13, 2022, 11:30:16 AM
I'm six months and a week off alcohol.  I still smoke weed and take kratom once a week.  Been skating three to four times a week.  Feeling pretty good.

That's what's up, man. Good for you. Ive only ever done toss and wash Kratom and it leaves me feeling kind of gross, so I steer clear. But ya gotta do what works!!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: boi-cuzudo on May 18, 2022, 09:32:23 AM
I'm going full straight edge mode from now own, I'm enjoying being sober and am trying to reconnect with my feelings/emotions/body/soul
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on May 18, 2022, 02:16:07 PM
I'm going full straight edge mode from now own, I'm enjoying being sober and am trying to reconnect with my feelings/emotions/body/soul

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/WereNotInThisAloneOriginal.jpg)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: boi-cuzudo on May 18, 2022, 04:38:01 PM
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I'm going full straight edge mode from now own, I'm enjoying being sober and am trying to reconnect with my feelings/emotions/body/soul
[close]

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/WereNotInThisAloneOriginal.jpg)

fuck yeah
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Baglady on July 09, 2022, 09:07:25 PM
18 months sober of alcohol. 6 weeks off the pot. My skating has improved immensely, I enjoy it more. But now I just see the worst In people, and I have vivid dreams since not smoking pot. I have one sober skate homie, but today he talked about dabbling in wine. I asked him to rethink all that. I just wish I had more people around me who were on the same wavelength. But I didn’t have that a year ago and it won’t change much if I have it now. I feel like I walk this road alone most times. Staying positive though. My daughter keeps me on the right track, I don’t want to let her down by reverting to my old
Behaviors.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on July 10, 2022, 01:08:42 AM
18 months sober of alcohol. 6 weeks off the pot. My skating has improved immensely, I enjoy it more. But now I just see the worst In people, and I have vivid dreams since not smoking pot. I have one sober skate homie, but today he talked about dabbling in wine. I asked him to rethink all that. I just wish I had more people around me who were on the same wavelength. But I didn’t have that a year ago and it won’t change much if I have it now. I feel like I walk this road alone most times. Staying positive though. My daughter keeps me on the right track, I don’t want to let her down by reverting to my old
Behaviors.

It‘s hard to say no when everyone around you drinks. Then again it‘s just one word: No. Say it. You‘re not in this alone.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: in love w/ fs shuvs on July 10, 2022, 06:19:45 AM
18 months sober of alcohol. 6 weeks off the pot. My skating has improved immensely, I enjoy it more. But now I just see the worst In people, and I have vivid dreams since not smoking pot. I have one sober skate homie, but today he talked about dabbling in wine. I asked him to rethink all that. I just wish I had more people around me who were on the same wavelength. But I didn’t have that a year ago and it won’t change much if I have it now. I feel like I walk this road alone most times. Staying positive though. My daughter keeps me on the right track, I don’t want to let her down by reverting to my old
Behaviors.

I don't really smoke weed since i get nostalgic and start to remember walking around places as a child very vividly. Why are you trying to quit? You thought about edibles?

I quit alc since a bender last year. My doc did some blood work and found a mild elevation in liver enzymes so imma continue to avoid it so i don't get cirrhosis.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Baglady on July 10, 2022, 09:25:16 AM
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18 months sober of alcohol. 6 weeks off the pot. My skating has improved immensely, I enjoy it more. But now I just see the worst In people, and I have vivid dreams since not smoking pot. I have one sober skate homie, but today he talked about dabbling in wine. I asked him to rethink all that. I just wish I had more people around me who were on the same wavelength. But I didn’t have that a year ago and it won’t change much if I have it now. I feel like I walk this road alone most times. Staying positive though. My daughter keeps me on the right track, I don’t want to let her down by reverting to my old
Behaviors.
[close]

I don't really smoke weed since i get nostalgic and start to remember walking around places as a child very vividly. Why are you trying to quit? You thought about edibles?

I quit alc since a bender last year. My doc did some blood work and found a mild elevation in liver enzymes so imma continue to avoid it so i don't get cirrhosis.
I’ve never tried edibles. Mostly trying quit smoking because well it just does not fit into my lifestyle anymore. I’m 30 and my mental stability is shifting, and being fried doesn’t help that at all. I work an airplane job and the FAA requires a drug free environment, but most my coworkers are either buzzed out or hungover. I was planning on quitting anyways. It just has me jaded. But I feel myself becoming a judgey asshole. So I just stay away from social activities, other than skating. Don’t get it twisted I loved being a stoner but it was stunting my growth as an adult and a father. I’ll miss being a pile, I wish that was sustainable for me, but it’s just not realistic in the grand scheme of it all. I want to be a good example for my daughter. I don’t want her to think it’s cool to be an adult and just fucking off your time on this planet.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: in love w/ fs shuvs on July 10, 2022, 09:56:59 AM
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18 months sober of alcohol. 6 weeks off the pot. My skating has improved immensely, I enjoy it more. But now I just see the worst In people, and I have vivid dreams since not smoking pot. I have one sober skate homie, but today he talked about dabbling in wine. I asked him to rethink all that. I just wish I had more people around me who were on the same wavelength. But I didn’t have that a year ago and it won’t change much if I have it now. I feel like I walk this road alone most times. Staying positive though. My daughter keeps me on the right track, I don’t want to let her down by reverting to my old
Behaviors.
[close]

I don't really smoke weed since i get nostalgic and start to remember walking around places as a child very vividly. Why are you trying to quit? You thought about edibles?

I quit alc since a bender last year. My doc did some blood work and found a mild elevation in liver enzymes so imma continue to avoid it so i don't get cirrhosis.
[close]
I’ve never tried edibles. Mostly trying quit smoking because well it just does not fit into my lifestyle anymore. I’m 30 and my mental stability is shifting, and being fried doesn’t help that at all. I work an airplane job and the FAA requires a drug free environment, but most my coworkers are either buzzed out or hungover. I was planning on quitting anyways. It just has me jaded. But I feel myself becoming a judgey asshole. So I just stay away from social activities, other than skating. Don’t get it twisted I loved being a stoner but it was stunting my growth as an adult and a father. I’ll miss being a pile, I wish that was sustainable for me, but it’s just not realistic in the grand scheme of it all. I want to be a good example for my daughter. I don’t want her to think it’s cool to be an adult and just fucking off your time on this planet.

Word, best of luck man. You got this!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Baglady on July 10, 2022, 12:50:29 PM
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18 months sober of alcohol. 6 weeks off the pot. My skating has improved immensely, I enjoy it more. But now I just see the worst In people, and I have vivid dreams since not smoking pot. I have one sober skate homie, but today he talked about dabbling in wine. I asked him to rethink all that. I just wish I had more people around me who were on the same wavelength. But I didn’t have that a year ago and it won’t change much if I have it now. I feel like I walk this road alone most times. Staying positive though. My daughter keeps me on the right track, I don’t want to let her down by reverting to my old
Behaviors.
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I don't really smoke weed since i get nostalgic and start to remember walking around places as a child very vividly. Why are you trying to quit? You thought about edibles?

I quit alc since a bender last year. My doc did some blood work and found a mild elevation in liver enzymes so imma continue to avoid it so i don't get cirrhosis.
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I’ve never tried edibles. Mostly trying quit smoking because well it just does not fit into my lifestyle anymore. I’m 30 and my mental stability is shifting, and being fried doesn’t help that at all. I work an airplane job and the FAA requires a drug free environment, but most my coworkers are either buzzed out or hungover. I was planning on quitting anyways. It just has me jaded. But I feel myself becoming a judgey asshole. So I just stay away from social activities, other than skating. Don’t get it twisted I loved being a stoner but it was stunting my growth as an adult and a father. I’ll miss being a pile, I wish that was sustainable for me, but it’s just not realistic in the grand scheme of it all. I want to be a good example for my daughter. I don’t want her to think it’s cool to be an adult and just fucking off your time on this planet.
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Word, best of luck man. You got this!
Thank you sir!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Peter Zagreus on July 10, 2022, 01:05:19 PM
I'm probably near a year sober (not really keeping track of the dates), and now that I'm in vacation season (I'm a teacher), I'm definitely facing some growing pains. In my pre-sobriety mind, vacation meant staying drunk from morning til blackout, rather than beginning around 6 or 7pm and drinking til sleepy time.

I miss that warm, fuzzy, euphoric feeling  :-\, but I don't miss all the baggage that comes with it.

Stay on the righteous path, bros/sisters.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Baglady on July 10, 2022, 08:30:31 PM
I'm probably near a year sober (not really keeping track of the dates), and now that I'm in vacation season (I'm a teacher), I'm definitely facing some growing pains. In my pre-sobriety mind, vacation meant staying drunk from morning til blackout, rather than beginning around 6 or 7pm and drinking til sleepy time.

I miss that warm, fuzzy, euphoric feeling  :-\, but I don't miss all the baggage that comes with it.

Stay on the righteous path, bros/sisters.
Always remember what it was taking from you brother
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on July 11, 2022, 03:25:49 AM
Wow…this thread came out about a month before I quit drinking. It would have been nice to see back then…it was a struggle.
I was a heavy weekend drinker…18-24 beers on a Friday and Saturday night, plus some shots. Sundays were brutal hangover days. My wife didn’t drink like I did, so with me being straight hammered, she was on her own to take care of our son.
I remember my parents getting hammered on the weekends and fighting and it was horrible on us as kids. I realized I was heading that way. I didn’t want our little one to see me stumbling around being an idiot.
Oct 19 2019 I had a gnarly bender. Wife basically was done with me. We had played this game before but a change was needed. I went and got help.
I didnt go to AA, but it was a group for people that gotten in trouble from drinking and had to be there, and a couple of people like me that wanted to quit. We had some interesting conversations in these groups that went from funny as hell (our stories are awesome, and you know this!) to incredibly sad. I met a lot of people that sounded like they needed to quit but I could tell they just couldn’t. “I’m a grown ass man…I work, pay bills and don’t beat my wife. I have no drinking problems!” Yeah…I used to say that too.
But there WERE problems. So I quit. After 20+ years of heavy drinking and partying, I just stopped. Talking with people in the group helped, but shit was hard, I can’t lie. I had “friends” that stopped hanging out or inviting me to shit. Just because I didn’t drink any more. Fuck them. It’s been said here before but skating helped a ton. I would skate all night on the weekends instead of booze it up. I can’t say I lost a ton of weight and got better at skating because I didn’t, but I had just gotten back on the board about a year prior to quitting and it did get a little easier and I could most def skate more and longer sober.
This Oct will be three years without alcohol. I can be around people that drink, and I have no problem telling people why I don’t drink anymore. I have a lot of people say “I should quit too” but I don’t look down on folks that drink nor do I try to get them to quit.
Ultimately I made the best decision for me. Do I miss it sometimes? Yes. Do I miss all the bullshit that comes from drinking? Nope! Hangovers suck ass and only get worse when you are older. Weekends feel much longer now, and I overall feel healthier and happier. I dont sweat as much either, which is nice.
Good luck to you if you are thinking of quitting. PM me if you have questions, just know I’m a pretty straight forward dude so if you ask me my opinion I will give it, nice or not. I will agree with a previous reply…make sure you are prepared to tell people you are quitting or no longer drink. Be ready for all kinds of responses. My own mom, who has her own issues with booze, pretty much made fun of me for quitting, telling me I don’t have an alcohol problem. Just do it for you. You can try cutting back, but if that doesn’t work, quitting totally is what you may need. It sounds gnarly but it can be done!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: SwitchBigspinflipBoneless on July 21, 2022, 02:20:40 PM
This thread is something I've been lurking on for a while and is a large reason i finally made an account. Has been a lot of useful stuff on here thats helped

I'm just over 2 months alcohol free, after being on and off for the past couple of years. Trying to be sober then eventually failing after 6 months, 3 months, 8 months etc.  This time I decided to get help and joined AA and feel like the support I got from the groups has really bolstered my resolve. Have been able to go to a stag do and going to a wedding tomorrow, and having a drink is the last thing on my mind.

Booze basically became a giant catalyst for my mental health to take a bad turn, and when i got diagnosed with anxiety / depression recently it became clear that it just wasn't worth it anymore. One night of a couple beers would snowball over days or weeks until eventually a massive drinking session would have me fucked with anxiety and swearing I'd never touch it again.

I talked to a psychiatrist today who is putting me forward for undiagnosed adult ADHD. He mentioned that a large percentage of people with the condition find themself with addidction issues from essentially self-medicating, which was interesting to hear.

Hope everyone's doing good, thanks again for all the help while i lurked in the shadows!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on July 21, 2022, 06:03:39 PM
Stoked you are doing well! Being able to talk in the group setting is awesome. It’s cool how you will hear similar stories and thoughts on drinking. Keep it up man!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on July 21, 2022, 06:37:57 PM

I talked to a psychiatrist today who is putting me forward for undiagnosed adult ADHD. He mentioned that a large percentage of people with the condition find themself with addidction issues from essentially self-medicating, which was interesting to hear.

Hope everyone's doing good, thanks again for all the help while i lurked in the shadows!

This is a bigger deal than I thought it was.  I tested as high as you could possibly test for adhd when I was 15.  Due to issues with substances use back then, my parents didn't want me to get medicated for it.  The stimulant medication actually works, the non-stimulant ones(stratera, wellbutrin, etc) are only mildly effective and come with a ton of side effects.

Our brains don't naturally make enough dopamine, so we self medicate to get it.  I didn't really think much of my diagnosis until a few years ago when talking to my friend who is a psych nurse.  Until then, I thought it was just something they diagnosed everyone with who had issues in school.  It seriously explains so much about me.

Part of the reason I never got medicated again was because I thought stimulant medication would fuck with my sleep(bad insomniac my whole life, another reason I drank alot).  Insomnia is often caused by the issues that come from having ADHD.  The other part is it's hard for me to get shit done like set up an appointment and deal with all of that.  I need to set up an appointment tomorrow and get medicated for this shit.

I haven't drank in over 8 months now, I drank heavily and used drugs since I was 14(30 now).  I still eat edibles and dabble with a little kratom.  Lots of cold brew coffee(helps me focus).  I'm going to make a point of setting an appointment up tomorrow to finally see a doctor about this shit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on July 21, 2022, 08:49:29 PM

love n respect to you all. I quit booze 2015 and life is just better across the board. spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally- I'm a whole person. Considering how hard I've gone the past 7 years, I can't imagine what I might have gotten done/accomplished If I hadn't been a drunk until I turned 30. Feels like I'm catching up sometimes but it's all good shit.

My pop is a real beer drinker and we used to be pretty solid drinking buddies. We don't have a ton of activities in common and never did, so when started drinking together it always felt like a really good bonding experience. Hanging out with him, man, t's been harder the past 7 years but we're getting there. Dude can't help himself and I can't blame him. There was one night when they were staying with me for a visit recently and my pop got pretty buzzed for the first time the whole trip. He was just annoying as shit, killing the vibe of me, partner, and mom who were smoking herb. I eventually lost it on him and shut the night down. Next day things still weren't feeling to cool but about midway through the day we get around to talking a bit and I explain how he isn't a cool dude when he's drinking and he says "you know, man, I'm glad you don't drink anymore. it never did anything good for you. I'm happy you're alive. when you were drinking you did all sorts of shit that had me worried. you're doing well."

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: El Freegano on October 17, 2022, 09:33:45 AM
Happy Edge Day! xxx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLxdXyMDPlg
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on October 17, 2022, 09:44:52 AM
coming up on 1.5 years without alcohol. my life is definitely easier day to day but I just realized my relationship with different family members/friends have gotten significantly better which is a cool long term side effect. probably because I have an exponential amount of patience and actually follow through with plans I make compared to when I am hungover all the time
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Blind Fisherman on October 17, 2022, 10:40:37 AM
Hit nine months free from alcohol yesterday. Couldn't be happier with my decision. Feeling in control of myself and my actions and never having to worry about what was said or done the night prior is a huge relief.
Big ups to anyone on here getting sober or maintaining.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sacking rails on October 18, 2022, 04:26:39 AM
im trying i feel like i can do it #day5noalcohol
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: funeral_tuxedo on October 18, 2022, 09:20:10 AM
im trying i feel like i can do it #day5noalcohol

Please don’t troll in this thread
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sacking rails on October 18, 2022, 06:44:26 PM
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im trying i feel like i can do it #day5noalcohol
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Please don’t troll in this thread
lmao seriously?? ive struggled for a long time and im trying to better my quality of life why jump to conclusions just because you dont like what i post. use ignore.... i have it on for you now ;)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on October 18, 2022, 07:23:23 PM
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im trying i feel like i can do it #day5noalcohol
[close]

Please don’t troll in this thread
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on October 19, 2022, 12:12:43 PM
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im trying i feel like i can do it #day5noalcohol
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Please don’t troll in this thread
[close]
lmao seriously?? ive struggled for a long time and im trying to better my quality of life why jump to conclusions just because you dont like what i post. use ignore.... i have it on for you now ;)

I know you are a prolific shitposter with a join date similar to mine, but I don't doubt you're trying and know what it's like, especially when you commented on my obvious alcoholic lunch post the other day. I could post a bunch of insane shit as to why I drink and why I drink as much as I do but despite my personal text thing I do sometimes like to keep things to myself. It's hard lately though cause I don't have a friend in the world and try to absorb the problems of my troubled partner while being a stay-at-home dad with 2 difficult kids, 3 and 6 going on 7. I don't even know what the fuck the point of this worthless post is but I'd rather post in a sobriety thread than wooo bump when drunk thread.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on October 19, 2022, 01:30:41 PM
@sacking rails you should reread what @Steely Daniel said, he was giving you some kind words not berating you...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: GAY on October 19, 2022, 01:33:10 PM
@sacking rails you should reread what @Steely Daniel said, he was giving you some kind words not berating you...

Yeah that was a bit odd. But it did remind me of the "Ignore" button and now I remember how to use it!

Anyway, just sending some friendly and supportive vibes 'n' props 'n' all that to those of you doing the sober thing.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on October 19, 2022, 01:35:53 PM
Oh cool so you're a fucking kook asshole for no reason when I'm trying to communicate with a human being. Enraged paragraph?! Fuck you I'll show you an enraged paragraph. Why do I even try. I hope you fucking fail and die of cirrhosis you useless fucking cunt.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sacking rails on October 19, 2022, 01:36:51 PM
damn i just re read it and was about to say sorry lol my bad dude just a mis understanding. wish you the best obviously as you can see i have issues.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: m path on October 19, 2022, 03:15:52 PM
 I had to quit weed (my job includes tests) so I get pretty high on  mushrooms now most of the week.  Alcohol does nothing for me thank goodness.  The gear is a thing but thankfully I can't do it when I'm on mushrooms so that keeps me from doing that too much.   I guess I'm contributing to say that I've met others who've said that mushrooms help them from doing too much of other substances that are more harmful.  I'm sure that non sober people are reading this thread.  Acid is good too.  No hangovers with Acid or mushrooms. -Just do them earlier in the day so it doesn't mess with your sleep routine.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Miller92 on October 20, 2022, 07:10:15 AM
i was having weird panic attacks when I would smoke before bed.  Smoked everyday for 10 years and never had an issue.  Got so fed up I just quit cold turkey.  Haven't smoked in 60 days and won't touch the shit for who knows how long.  Not worth it. 

Now I'm drinking more so I need to figure that shit out
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Blind Fisherman on December 17, 2022, 01:04:35 PM
Just hit 11 months sober from alcohol yesterday. First time in two years that I've been sober during the holidays, and I now understand why people end up taking their own lives during the holidays. I'm not going to harm myself, but this season is wearing me thin.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on December 18, 2022, 07:47:36 AM
Yo @Blind Fisherman congrats on 11 months! that’s def something to be proud of. As you said, the holidays can be trying… from coming together with dysfunctional family and all other stresses. its tough but try to keep in mind the progress you’ve made and how your life has improved(I imagine?) since you cut out the sauce…

try to keep up healthy habits like skating/exercising to keep your mind clear

feel free to DM if you need to chat
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Scholesey on December 18, 2022, 07:50:49 AM
I did 2 years but I drink again.


It’s nice to step away and regain some perspective you might have lost growing up getting high and drunk all the time

Same here, true words.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jamersonbass on December 18, 2022, 01:53:31 PM
Hey Pals.  I have a real problem with alcohol.  I started this thread last year around this time...

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=119917.0

I drank the first day of February and have continued to have usually at least 6 strong craft beers for the most part, sometimes 9-12.

Want to talk about this more when I'm less fucked up, but I am quitting January 1st.  Feel free to check in on the thread if you're planning on doing Dry January as well.  Lots of changes this year.  Lost having a third person chip in for rent and utilities.  Haven't overdrafted my account yet, but I need to straight up save some money.  I probably spend at least $600 a month on fancy beer and yellow American Spirits.  Time to get it!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: matty_c on December 18, 2022, 04:00:11 PM
A week I think
Massive reduction on hooter, too
Got a cig now but I'm claiming end of days on the cigs by end of this week hopefully earlier
.you guys are killing it!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on December 18, 2022, 04:57:17 PM
Hey Pals.  I have a real problem with alcohol.  I started this thread last year around this time...

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=119917.0

I drank the first day of February and have continued to have usually at least 6 strong craft beers for the most part, sometimes 9-12.

Want to talk about this more when I'm less fucked up, but I am quitting January 1st.  Feel free to check in on the thread if you're planning on doing Dry January as well.  Lots of changes this year.  Lost having a third person chip in for rent and utilities.  Haven't overdrafted my account yet, but I need to straight up save some money.  I probably spend at least $600 a month on fancy beer and yellow American Spirits.  Time to get it!

One day at a time & have supports. Sobriety is hard & you'll need more motivation than saving money. Maybe have 1-3 people you can call/meet up with when you start to get the urge. Hit AA meetings. Any other hobbies besides skating?

I am 6 months of no alcohol. Was letting it get a tad wild & just did not stop. No consequences other than rapid anxiety & some obsessions/rumination. I say that because I know it can be a lot worse for people. Point being, stopping & going to no alcohol was great. I do drink NA beers & they do the job. They taste good, I pair them with an evening of records, reading or painting.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jamersonbass on January 02, 2023, 06:46:31 PM
Anybody give up the drink for January?  I'm on day 2, and know I'm in for some challenges after a shitty day at work or life happening in general, but I was relieved that I haven't been shaky or sweaty so far.  Fingers crossed.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on January 02, 2023, 07:48:07 PM
Anybody give up the drink for January?  I'm on day 2, and know I'm in for some challenges after a shitty day at work or life happening in general, but I was relieved that I haven't been shaky or sweaty so far.  Fingers crossed.

If you aren't absolutely miserable on day 2, you are probably good.  I'd like to post some of this stuff though, just because it's often overlooked.  Alot of AA teetotal communities would scorn me for suggesting someone detoxing to drink a little bit to avoid the dangers of alcohol withdrawal.

If you are drinking 10+ units a day, or are spending days at a time without your BAC dropping to .00, you should consider tapering.  Basically, have an idea of how much you drink a day and cut your consumption by a few units a day.  Or drink just enough, so that you can function without being absolutely miserable.  The real dangers of seizures come in around the day 3-4 mark, which is when people usually start to feel better.  If you start hearing or seeing shit, get some alcohol in you.  If your heart starts pounding uncontrollably 120+ bpm, get alcohol/get to the hospital asap.

If you drink alot, I'd suggest taking a B complex vitamin everyday.  Alcohol depletes your body of B vitamins, specifically B-1.  It's not good for you, and long term can cause wet brain.  If you know an old alcoholic that kinda isn't there anymore, repeats themselves, that's wet brain.  I'd also suggest a magnesium supplement before bed.  Alcohol depletes magnesium and a supplement can help a little bit with the anxiety and to also get a solid shit out.

https://hams.cc/withdrawal/
https://hams.cc/odds/
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jamersonbass on January 06, 2023, 07:35:22 AM
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Anybody give up the drink for January?  I'm on day 2, and know I'm in for some challenges after a shitty day at work or life happening in general, but I was relieved that I haven't been shaky or sweaty so far.  Fingers crossed.
[close]

If you aren't absolutely miserable on day 2, you are probably good.  I'd like to post some of this stuff though, just because it's often overlooked.  Alot of AA teetotal communities would scorn me for suggesting someone detoxing to drink a little bit to avoid the dangers of alcohol withdrawal.

If you are drinking 10+ units a day, or are spending days at a time without your BAC dropping to .00, you should consider tapering.  Basically, have an idea of how much you drink a day and cut your consumption by a few units a day.  Or drink just enough, so that you can function without being absolutely miserable.  The real dangers of seizures come in around the day 3-4 mark, which is when people usually start to feel better.  If you start hearing or seeing shit, get some alcohol in you.  If your heart starts pounding uncontrollably 120+ bpm, get alcohol/get to the hospital asap.

If you drink alot, I'd suggest taking a B complex vitamin everyday.  Alcohol depletes your body of B vitamins, specifically B-1.  It's not good for you, and long term can cause wet brain.  If you know an old alcoholic that kinda isn't there anymore, repeats themselves, that's wet brain.  I'd also suggest a magnesium supplement before bed.  Alcohol depletes magnesium and a supplement can help a little bit with the anxiety and to also get a solid shit out.

https://hams.cc/withdrawal/
https://hams.cc/odds/

I appreciate the advice!  Still dry.  I think my biggest issue is that I've seen so many episodes of Intervention, and it's always the MOST extreme version of addiction.  Part of my biggest fear in taking breaks or quitting alcohol in the past is that I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep, which is ironic because the quality of sleep when your buzzed/drunk is so poor...

I did do Dry January last year, and excitedly bought a couple pints the first night of February... not the best sign.  My drinking typically consisted of 64-74 ounces of 7% ABV beers on nights where I worked.  If I had the day off, I would typically drink 4-6 beers in the day, usually starting at 11:30 or noon, "take a nap", wake up and have another 6 beers typically.  Not the best, not the worst.

I'm grateful I haven't had any actual physical effects from drinking.  My main issue right now is that I'm feeling pretty bored at night.  My girl and I have opposite schedules, so while it's been nice watching movies (and remembering the ending to them) but then my girl goes to bed and I'm usually a up a couple hours afterwards.  I'm still consuming cannabis and miss. the crossfade effects, as straight herb hasn't been hitting like it used to. 

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on January 07, 2023, 08:52:36 AM
I was a long time craft beer drinker (never really enjoyed hard alcohol, cocktails, wine, etc). There was a stretch of probably 6 years where I don't remember taking more than a day off drinking, wether I was getting after it, or just having a few.

I quit in June of 2020 (lockdown/furlough) I came to the realization that I was drinking too much and needed to stop. I was driving to the beer store and drinking one on the way home, lying to my wife about how much I was drinking, hiding cans, high blood pressure, etc. I made it 6 months, and then went to Florida for a vacation and had a few beers. I immediately started drinking heavy again, 6-9 strong craft beers a night. Also didn't help that I was working part time at a brewery. Waking up hungover and not motivated to do my job (sales).

I went on a golf trip in late August 2021 with a bunch of friends. I proceeded to drink until I was sick, and play like absolute shit. As of August 22nd 2021, I haven't had a drink, and plan to stay that way.

The birth of my first son in August 2022 only cemented that more. Being present, aware and always ready for whatever needs to be done. You have to WANT to quit drinking. It was very hard at first as all my friends drink, but stay strong. I always had a la croix or kumbucha with me to "feel normal". I can't tell you how much better I feel mentally and physically. I've got a lot more money in the bank (I was spending $300+ a month on fucking BEER) and it's been one of the best decisions I've made in my life.

Stay strong, set goals, and know that it will better your future.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: landedprimo on January 07, 2023, 10:04:16 AM
Congratulations on over 2 years now.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Tom Pearl on January 07, 2023, 10:22:13 AM
my ex girlfriend is on fent percs, i talked to her all night after not really speaking to her in nearly 5 years because my best friend of 20 years od'd on the 28th and didn't make it so i messaged her and told her because she was friends with him too. i served her up a grim reality check that i literally just carried my friends casket and watched them put him in the dirt and kinda just offered her advice and listened to what shes been going through. i feel really bad for her cause she has a kid now.

we kinda had a bad break up and honestly i wasn't her biggest fan but at the end of the day i don't wanna see anything bad happen to her especially since she has a little kid depending on her.

shit sucks
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: matty_c on January 07, 2023, 10:42:38 AM
my ex girlfriend is on fent percs, i talked to her all night after not really speaking to her in nearly 5 years because my best friend of 20 years od'd on the 28th and didn't make it so i messaged her and told her because she was friends with him too. i served her up a grim reality check that i literally just carried my friends casket and watched them put him in the dirt and kinda just offered her advice and listened to what shes been going through. i feel really bad for her cause she has a kid now.

we kinda had a bad break up and honestly i wasn't her biggest fan but at the end of the day i don't wanna see anything bad happen to her especially since she has a little kid depending on her.

shit sucks

Sorry about your bro, that sucks mate. Are you and your other mates all good? Never a good time for that but over Xmas is pretty fucked

Forgot to write dates down but it's possible I haven't smoked weed or drank in almost a month. Feel real good for it...'quit' smoking too but I had a few. But I'm not going to have any more
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Tom Pearl on January 07, 2023, 10:53:57 AM
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my ex girlfriend is on fent percs, i talked to her all night after not really speaking to her in nearly 5 years because my best friend of 20 years od'd on the 28th and didn't make it so i messaged her and told her because she was friends with him too. i served her up a grim reality check that i literally just carried my friends casket and watched them put him in the dirt and kinda just offered her advice and listened to what shes been going through. i feel really bad for her cause she has a kid now.

we kinda had a bad break up and honestly i wasn't her biggest fan but at the end of the day i don't wanna see anything bad happen to her especially since she has a little kid depending on her.

shit sucks
[close]

Sorry about your bro, that sucks mate. Are you and your other mates all good? Never a good time for that but over Xmas is pretty fucked

Forgot to write dates down but it's possible I haven't smoked weed or drank in almost a month. Feel real good for it...'quit' smoking too but I had a few. But I'm not going to have any more

yeah im good, thanks for asking. appreciate it
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on January 26, 2023, 12:06:57 AM
Day 1. Here goes nothing.

Wish I could get my partner to quit. She turns into a whole other person and it's very upsetting. Not to mention all the verbal and physical abuse.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on January 26, 2023, 04:07:56 AM
Day 1. Here goes nothing.

Wish I could get my partner to quit. She turns into a whole other person and it's very upsetting. Not to mention all the verbal and physical abuse.

Good decision. This is not going to be easy but you will be surprised how much better your life can get. You even might convince your partner when she sees the benefits sobriety will have on you.


Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on January 26, 2023, 07:43:52 AM
One of my weed dealers brought it up that he sells Percs and at first I turned him down right away. But recently been going through some tough times and I’ve been very tempted. Just posting here to make sure I don’t go down that route.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: swellbowed on January 26, 2023, 08:19:18 AM
I haven't had a drink in 2 years and 7 months. It actually feels really good. I was really struggling with my drinking problem and if I didn't stop it probably would've killed me. I still smoke but I'm trying to cut back on that eventually. Honestly, this is the happiest I've been in a very long time. If anyone ever needs someone to talk to or just going through it - Holler at me in a message. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jakeumms on January 26, 2023, 09:39:18 AM
One of my weed dealers brought it up that he sells Percs and at first I turned him down right away. But recently been going through some tough times and I’ve been very tempted. Just posting here to make sure I don’t go down that route.
Can you find a new weed person? What they're selling is like those free cologne samples they give you in magazines. Such a small amount that it can't hurt to give it away. Of course they want you to buy the whole bottle and be a customer for life. In addition, those pills are almost definitely bootleg and have fent in them and you could die just playing around.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: BackToTheDIY on January 26, 2023, 02:47:38 PM
1 month booze free.
Sharpening.

Tbh this thread and a lot of yall have really helped me, by hearing others stories and circumstances, yall have helped me check myself and help put things into perspective.

Good looks yall.

Keep it up.

Who Dey.

PEACE

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on January 26, 2023, 03:33:06 PM
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One of my weed dealers brought it up that he sells Percs and at first I turned him down right away. But recently been going through some tough times and I’ve been very tempted. Just posting here to make sure I don’t go down that route.
[close]
Can you find a new weed person? What they're selling is like those free cologne samples they give you in magazines. Such a small amount that it can't hurt to give it away. Of course they want you to buy the whole bottle and be a customer for life. In addition, those pills are almost definitely bootleg and have fent in them and you could die just playing around.
 

@Idk 100% stay away from those if you can^ whatever you’re feeling now will pass and is definitely not worth the very high potential downward spiral that is getting into opiates

stay up!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jamersonbass on January 26, 2023, 04:30:34 PM
I had 7 days booze free and on January 8th I ended an 11 year longs relationship.  Fallen the fuck off rn.  Would love any advice.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: BackToTheDIY on January 26, 2023, 08:18:18 PM
I had 7 days booze free and on January 8th I ended an 11 year longs relationship.  Fallen the fuck off rn.  Would love any advice.

Hate to hear that dude .. I wish I had anything to say to console you.

My advice would be to think about how much worse the anxiety and whirlwind of thoughts and emotions are when your hungover .
And that not being hungover can really help control you to be more in control of your emotions , and in turn will help your rational and balance.
You can be good again dude , sooner than you think.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Frank and Fred on January 26, 2023, 09:18:34 PM
I had 7 days booze free and on January 8th I ended an 11 year longs relationship.  Fallen the fuck off rn.  Would love any advice.

Just don't beat yourself up. It's part of the process of recovery. You can get back up.

I typically do Dry January and the last two years, I've extended it to the Spring Equinox... I'm not a hippy, just seemed like a good date to aim for. Anyway, this year, I've noticed my mind is in over-drive, with so many intrusive thoughts, not all negative but the chatter has been hard to cope with. I've been very tempted to reach for the beer to calm them down... Instead I cut back my caffeine and tried to increase my exercise... I think it might be helping. I should meditate more frequently also.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Newphone on January 26, 2023, 09:29:39 PM
I had 7 days booze free and on January 8th I ended an 11 year longs relationship.  Fallen the fuck off rn.  Would love any advice.

If you do drink, think about if it helped tomorrow.  There were so many times I couldn’t imagine not drinking, a fight with my lady, bad news at work, bad news at life, money worries.  Once you get some time sober and face some of that shit without drinking, you might be surprised that you used to think it was a good idea to pile on that on top of the problem, being a depressant and what not.  Maybe not, but when I have a problem now I’m like at least I’m not gonna have alcohol or a hangover adding to it tomorrow. Can’t imagine wanting to drink after something stressful or depressing, but again not sure if that’s everyone’s experience.

Good luck getting a handle on it, you can absolutely do it, anyone can I think, and don’t get defeated if you slip or whatever, kinda like skating, next try you got it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Maccat on January 27, 2023, 03:50:33 AM
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Anybody give up the drink for January?  I'm on day 2, and know I'm in for some challenges after a shitty day at work or life happening in general, but I was relieved that I haven't been shaky or sweaty so far.  Fingers crossed.
[close]

If you aren't absolutely miserable on day 2, you are probably good.  I'd like to post some of this stuff though, just because it's often overlooked.  Alot of AA teetotal communities would scorn me for suggesting someone detoxing to drink a little bit to avoid the dangers of alcohol withdrawal.

If you are drinking 10+ units a day, or are spending days at a time without your BAC dropping to .00, you should consider tapering.  Basically, have an idea of how much you drink a day and cut your consumption by a few units a day.  Or drink just enough, so that you can function without being absolutely miserable.  The real dangers of seizures come in around the day 3-4 mark, which is when people usually start to feel better.  If you start hearing or seeing shit, get some alcohol in you.  If your heart starts pounding uncontrollably 120+ bpm, get alcohol/get to the hospital asap.

If you drink alot, I'd suggest taking a B complex vitamin everyday.  Alcohol depletes your body of B vitamins, specifically B-1.  It's not good for you, and long term can cause wet brain.  If you know an old alcoholic that kinda isn't there anymore, repeats themselves, that's wet brain.  I'd also suggest a magnesium supplement before bed.  Alcohol depletes magnesium and a supplement can help a little bit with the anxiety and to also get a solid shit out.

https://hams.cc/withdrawal/
https://hams.cc/odds/

Completely agree.

Dad has it, drank his whole life. Repeated himself his whole life. Long story short, once in the emergency room all his B vitamins were gone.

So depleted that his eye was cocked inward. It’s fucked. He was on a B Vitamin drip for two weeks to get his levels right.

Seeing him drink like that always had me keep it in check. All the best to those putting it behind them. Sobriety is awesome when you give it a chance.


Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on January 27, 2023, 07:19:21 AM
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I had 7 days booze free and on January 8th I ended an 11 year longs relationship.  Fallen the fuck off rn.  Would love any advice.
[close]

If you do drink, think about if it helped tomorrow.  There were so many times I couldn’t imagine not drinking, a fight with my lady, bad news at work, bad news at life, money worries.  Once you get some time sober and face some of that shit without drinking, you might be surprised that you used to think it was a good idea to pile on that on top of the problem, being a depressant and what not.  Maybe not, but when I have a problem now I’m like at least I’m not gonna have alcohol or a hangover adding to it tomorrow. Can’t imagine wanting to drink after something stressful or depressing, but again not sure if that’s everyone’s experience.

Good luck getting a handle on it, you can absolutely do it, anyone can I think, and don’t get defeated if you slip or whatever, kinda like skating, next try you got it.

Bravo dude, well said. I'm also a PM away if anybody needs to have a conversation. I'm almost 1.5 years sober, and willing to lend a helping hand with my journey.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jamersonbass on January 27, 2023, 01:08:00 PM
Appreciate all the advice Pals.  Definitely not drinking tonight.  I have to open at work in the morning after closing tonight.  Looking forward to the quality of sleep.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on January 28, 2023, 03:30:22 AM
I  feel like I'm having mild/moderate withdrawal symptoms. I've been sweating profusely, mostly from my hands and feet, having a tough time sleeping and feeling more anxious than usual. Also randomly feely very nauseous and queasy for seemingly no particular reason. Chills too I forgot to mention.

I had been drinking at least 3/4 of a 750ml bottle of Jim Beam pretty much every night for the last month or so. I think I'm going to have a glass of wine and see if that helps. I'd rather not but I don't want to make things worse. I've never felt this way and it's kind of scary I don't wanna have any serious side effects.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on January 28, 2023, 04:38:23 AM
I  feel like I'm having mild/moderate withdrawal symptoms. I've been sweating profusely, mostly from my hands and feet, having a tough time sleeping and feeling more anxious than usual. Also randomly feely very nauseous and queasy for seemingly no particular reason. Chills too I forgot to mention.

I had been drinking at least 3/4 of a 750ml bottle of Jim Beam pretty much every night for the last month or so. I think I'm going to have a glass of wine and see if that helps. I'd rather not but I don't want to make things worse. I've never felt this way and it's kind of scary I don't wanna have any serious side effects.

I'm not a doctor, but those all sound like withdrawl symptoms.

The road to sobriety isn't easy, and this is the hardest part. Again, not a doctor, but start to slowly reduce your intake over the course of a month. Have a quitting date in mind and stick to it. Might need to take advantage of PTO or mental health days for work. You've got this homie
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on January 28, 2023, 05:53:10 AM
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I  feel like I'm having mild/moderate withdrawal symptoms. I've been sweating profusely, mostly from my hands and feet, having a tough time sleeping and feeling more anxious than usual. Also randomly feely very nauseous and queasy for seemingly no particular reason. Chills too I forgot to mention.

I had been drinking at least 3/4 of a 750ml bottle of Jim Beam pretty much every night for the last month or so. I think I'm going to have a glass of wine and see if that helps. I'd rather not but I don't want to make things worse. I've never felt this way and it's kind of scary I don't wanna have any serious side effects.
[close]

I'm not a doctor, but those all sound like withdrawl symptoms.

The road to sobriety isn't easy, and this is the hardest part. Again, not a doctor, but start to slowly reduce your intake over the course of a month. Have a quitting date in mind and stick to it. Might need to take advantage of PTO or mental health days for work. You've got this homie

Imo you should seek medical advise instead of drinking again.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 29, 2023, 04:21:37 PM
i'm on day 9 of a dry 30. it's not a new years thing. as part of this business coaching i do i went to a talk that was focused on the power of enduring stressful situations and it recommended doing this annual misogi as a mental reset which is supposed to help reenergize you and make you more resilient to stressful situations. a misogi is supposed to be something that you won't enjoy, that will stress you out a bit and that you have a 50/50 chance of completing. i choose to do a dry 30, another guy in my group was doing a 3 month plant based diet, etc.

so many people with way more experience than me on going sober in here but one thing that was really compelling to me was that i actually went through alcohol withdrawals. wasn't really expecting that. for me that was exhaustion around day 3-4 and then upset stomach that is finally clearing up. been sleeping great though and enjoying it for the most part.

my wife turned me on to this app I Am Sober that is pretty cool for doing the day math for you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on January 29, 2023, 04:51:03 PM
Congrats to all battling for sobriety. Keep it up…it’s not easy at all but stay strong and use your support systems. PM me if you dont Have one and/or want to chat. My story is in this thread somewhere.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on January 29, 2023, 06:52:32 PM
I'm doing better now thanks fellas. I had considered seeking actual medical attention but I didn't want to wait hours in emergency or hours out in the cold in the embarrassing line at the clinic. Might see if I can get in with my doctor this week but such a long wait with everything. Haven't had a drink other than the 2 small glasses of wine the other day and I'm feeling okay other than my stomach killing me.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on January 29, 2023, 07:04:08 PM
I guess I knew I had a drinking problem when I didn't drink for 2 days and ended up defecating a solid log versus a violent water shit.

Stay up everyone, keep your eyes on the prize. Godspeed.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on January 29, 2023, 10:54:32 PM
I'm doing better now thanks fellas. I had considered seeking actual medical attention but I didn't want to wait hours in emergency or hours out in the cold in the embarrassing line at the clinic. Might see if I can get in with my doctor this week but such a long wait with everything. Haven't had a drink other than the 2 small glasses of wine the other day and I'm feeling okay other than my stomach killing me.

Good to hear bro, I would try to get that appointment and get a blood test. Tell the doctor what you’ve been through (be honest, no shame) he might squeeze you in. From what I understand you will almost certainly have some deficiencies (vitamins) that need to be treated.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on February 09, 2023, 06:32:38 AM
Fucked up again. Still drinking Crown Royal at 6:30 am. If I make more than 4-5 posts in a day I'm either drunk or angry about something. Possibly both. Usually, I save my negative posting for the dumpster boxing forum I frequent on the side at least though.

Trying to stay positive, instead of some stupid drunk whoring attempts, I quickly abandoned that and looked up more of our local indigenous languages after doing a bit of research on the native art related to the postage stamp thread in the main section. I'm trying to learn more words and sounds so that maybe I can help my kids preserve part of their language and culture from their mother's side. Another positive note is that I only drank 1/3 of the bottle instead of the normal 2/3 or finishing the damn thing.

The biggest issue I feel right now other than mental health stuff is that I have nothing going on and no responsibilities which makes it hard to stay on the wagon. I still haven't seen my kids in over a month now. Unemployed on some seasonal shit. It's been raining nonstop forever it feels like and any dry days that I could have skated I've squandered by sleeping through them being extremely depressed. There are probably a few things I should do but other than basic chores, hygiene, and eating, I have no motivation to really take any bold steps or put myself out there or try something new or fucking anything I don't know.

Everything feels fucked. I'm tired of screaming into the slap abyss with this stuff but I also can't bother any of the few people still willing to talk to me in my life which is just my immediate family and my partner who hates me half the time anyway.

I do have an appointment with my new counsellor tomorrow but feels like I'm either gonna clam up or just gush too much shit out, despite the fact that I couldn't wait until this afternoon and already started here...

On top of that, my insides have been killing me all week other than one day I held everything together. Stress eating to replace drinking might be even worse for me at this point. I have no idea. Too afraid to go to the doctor now. Time to go read the Bam thread to feel better about myself.


Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: funeral_tuxedo on February 09, 2023, 11:58:54 AM
Fucked up again. Still drinking Crown Royal at 6:30 am. If I make more than 4-5 posts in a day I'm either drunk or angry about something. Possibly both. Usually, I save my negative posting for the dumpster boxing forum I frequent on the side at least though.

Trying to stay positive, instead of some stupid drunk whoring attempts, I quickly abandoned that and looked up more of our local indigenous languages after doing a bit of research on the native art related to the postage stamp thread in the main section. I'm trying to learn more words and sounds so that maybe I can help my kids preserve part of their language and culture from their mother's side. Another positive note is that I only drank 1/3 of the bottle instead of the normal 2/3 or finishing the damn thing.

The biggest issue I feel right now other than mental health stuff is that I have nothing going on and no responsibilities which makes it hard to stay on the wagon. I still haven't seen my kids in over a month now. Unemployed on some seasonal shit. It's been raining nonstop forever it feels like and any dry days that I could have skated I've squandered by sleeping through them being extremely depressed. There are probably a few things I should do but other than basic chores, hygiene, and eating, I have no motivation to really take any bold steps or put myself out there or try something new or fucking anything I don't know.

Everything feels fucked. I'm tired of screaming into the slap abyss with this stuff but I also can't bother any of the few people still willing to talk to me in my life which is just my immediate family and my partner who hates me half the time anyway.

I do have an appointment with my new counsellor tomorrow but feels like I'm either gonna clam up or just gush too much shit out, despite the fact that I couldn't wait until this afternoon and already started here...

On top of that, my insides have been killing me all week other than one day I held everything together. Stress eating to replace drinking might be even worse for me at this point. I have no idea. Too afraid to go to the doctor now. Time to go read the Bam thread to feel better about myself.

@Steely Daniel good luck with your new counselor. I’m not a medical expert but it sounds like you might want to talk to a doctor about withdrawal symptoms.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 14, 2023, 07:19:51 PM
Day 25 of my dry cleaning 30 and pretty happy with how it’s gone I’ve had a pretty stressful month. I had to put my 7 year old dog down who had cancer and the recession has my business on the ropes so lots of stress to navigate. But the good sleep is really helping a lot.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: broken USB on February 16, 2023, 03:42:31 AM
does anyone here find the further away you get from cigs / beer / booze…. the more you forget why you stopped in the first place. everyones path is relative ofc, but i stopped before i got in too deep. sometimes i want a beer and a smoke. shit. lol
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on February 16, 2023, 05:31:34 AM
does anyone here find the further away you get from cigs / beer / booze…. the more you forget why you stopped in the first place. everyones path is relative ofc, but i stopped before i got in too deep. sometimes i want a beer and a smoke. shit. lol

Yeah, that‘s why we have this thread. Keeping each other from slipping. Stay strong dude.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: swellbowed on February 16, 2023, 08:01:50 AM
3 Days in on no tobacco/weed and it feels really good. Going to keep it goin'.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on February 16, 2023, 05:54:41 PM
Staying busy is key. Go skate! Keep it up!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ok boomer on February 17, 2023, 12:13:10 PM
I have been mostly sober since the day I learned I was going to be a dad but I'd randomly drink here and there. After drinking this past 4th of July, I decided that I 100% don't need that in my life so I'm on a good 7 month roll. I use spite as my ally to be sober so I know I am done forevs on that hobby. Kudos to anyone keepin up the sober vibes. I was not sober like ever for ehh 14 years or something and as much as stuff gets stupid sometimes, sober is the way to deal with all shit in my opinion.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Frank and Fred on March 09, 2023, 10:11:25 PM
Bumping the thread to see how everyone is doing.

I had my last drink on Christmas day to start Dry January early... Still dry... not sure where I am going with his... Was aiming for Spring Break like last year but who knows... Main benefits so far are sleeping and dreaming... and of course saving some $s...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on March 09, 2023, 10:59:46 PM
Bumping the thread to see how everyone is doing.

I had my last drink on Christmas day to start Dry January early... Still dry... not sure where I am going with his... Was aiming for Spring Break like last year but who knows... Main benefits so far are sleeping and dreaming... and of course saving some $s...

It started like that for me, I stopped more or less out of nowhere and without a plan to stop forever and then I just kept going once I realised I could do it and that it was good for me. It‘s been 3.5 years now and I don‘t want to go back so I‘ll stay of the sauce, hopefully forever.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: krookedjuice on March 10, 2023, 10:53:15 AM
does anyone here find the further away you get from cigs / beer / booze…. the more you forget why you stopped in the first place. everyones path is relative ofc, but i stopped before i got in too deep. sometimes i want a beer and a smoke. shit. lol

I quit smoking almost three years ago and i definitely find myself wanting one occasionally. i've slipped up and had 1 or 2 here and there and realize i don't even enjoy it anymore.

Question for everyone who's quit drinking, I don't drink daily, but when i do drink i tend to overdue it and end up wasting 2-3 days after because i feel like shit. how do you guys handle hanging out with people who do still drink? I feel like for me the ideal situation (like anyones i'm sure) would be to be able to just have a couple beers and stop, but that never works out.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: mfweeno on March 10, 2023, 11:18:05 AM
Expand Quote
does anyone here find the further away you get from cigs / beer / booze…. the more you forget why you stopped in the first place. everyones path is relative ofc, but i stopped before i got in too deep. sometimes i want a beer and a smoke. shit. lol
[close]

Question for everyone who's quit drinking, I don't drink daily, but when i do drink i tend to overdue it and end up wasting 2-3 days after because i feel like shit. how do you guys handle hanging out with people who do still drink? I feel like for me the ideal situation (like anyones i'm sure) would be to be able to just have a couple beers and stop, but that never works out.

Coming on 5 years alcohol-free in May - this is my first post in this thread too, glad to see this thread here.

Experiences with alcoholism - or even just problematic drinking -  can vary from person to person, but based on your description you sound a lot like how I was. I would always go into a partying/social situation promising myself I'd only have "two drinks", which would quickly turn into 3-4x that easily every night. I can definitely relate to feeling shitty 2-3 days after - in my worst phase of it, I was an around-the-clock drinker because I wanted to stave off that inevitable shitty feeling.

My first year off the sauce, I felt SUPER uncomfortable being around alcohol in any capacity. I would avoid the beer/wine aisle at the grocery store at all costs, didn't really go to restaurants, and didn't have much social interaction besides very close friends and family, support groups, the gym, therapy etc. This was mainly to protect my stability and sanity at that time. The more time went on, I became more accepting of being around alcohol as I just simply knew I was not going to put in my body anymore.

If you are trying to stop drinking but struggling, I would recommend staying away from drinking situations until you feel secure/stable enough to be comfortable without a drink around other people who are drinking. I still don't really go out at night anymore, but on the rare occasion I do go out I'll grab a soda, seltzer, or food to feel like I'm enjoying something around other people. This will take time and practice - if you have the resources to join a support group or get cognitive-behavioral help, I would definitely recommend it. Both of those avenues taught me skills and habits of thinking that I truly think have kept me alive up to this day.

Tl;dr - if you are trying to quit, I would suggest avoiding situations with alcohol (to your best reasonable ability) until you feel comfortable and stable enough to say "no" if offered. Try to find resources - close friends, family, support groups, therapy, exercise, artistic outlets - to help you remove the obsession with booze and find meaningful sober experiences.

I'm new here, but I am always around to lend an ear to another drinker if you need. I wish you all the best!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Democratic Republic Of Mongo on March 11, 2023, 07:21:41 AM
I reached my 4 month mark being alcohol free yesterday. Last weekend I did a snowboarding trip with coworkers and I was the only one who wasn’t drinking at the Airbnb. To be honest I was sort of pissed off and annoyed by everyone but I guess I proved to myself I can do it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on March 11, 2023, 07:43:04 AM
I reached my 4 month mark being alcohol free yesterday. Last weekend I did a snowboarding trip with coworkers and I was the only one who wasn’t drinking at the Airbnb. To be honest I was sort of pissed off and annoyed by everyone but I guess I proved to myself I can do it.

Well done. It‘s crazy how you only notice how everyone around you is drinking all the time once you stop drinking yourself. I don‘t even go to such trips anymore.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Rusty Shackleford on March 11, 2023, 09:36:42 AM
I've only been alcohol free for about three weeks, but I feel pretty damn good. I needed a gut reset pretty badly. Been drinking alot of water and booch, and taking glutamine before every meal. Its really helping!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Democratic Republic Of Mongo on March 11, 2023, 11:39:13 AM
Expand Quote
I reached my 4 month mark being alcohol free yesterday. Last weekend I did a snowboarding trip with coworkers and I was the only one who wasn’t drinking at the Airbnb. To be honest I was sort of pissed off and annoyed by everyone but I guess I proved to myself I can do it.
[close]

Well done. It‘s crazy how you only notice how everyone around you is drinking all the time once you stop drinking yourself. I don‘t even go to such trips anymore.

Yeah, I just wanted to go snowboarding, but when we were hanging out in the cabin I realized I just don’t want to actually hang out with any of them. It WOULD take booze to tolerate being stuck in there, but willpower came through.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on March 12, 2023, 12:16:07 PM
i went 34 days on my dry 30, then i had 2 beers before dinner friday, sat and sunday then back to dry for a week and then i was off to a week vacation at the beach and pretty much got back to drinking daily but less than i was before. mostly no day drinking and just a few beers and a burbon most days.

i'm back at home and planning to go dry this week. i'm finding that drinking on school nights isn't great for my energy levels and i have a tech business which needs some serious attention with serious downturn going on in tech right now. not sure what i'm going to do next weekend. i feel like at a minimum i'd like to get to just weekend drinking and not drinking as heavy.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on March 12, 2023, 01:51:11 PM
Hitting 9 months next Sunday. Just NA beers once in awhile. No cigarettes for just about two years.

To the comment about being at an Airbnb & everyone drinks; I hear that & that’s when NA beers come in handy. I was just away in the Catskills & no one really drank but if they did, I’d have one NA beer & just nerd out on music & skating. Worked well & continue to know that alcohol won’t help a thing.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on March 12, 2023, 06:17:34 PM
Just something I've noticed.  I'd never cancel a trip or anything because people are drinking, but people who want to live their old lifestyle just without booze seem to never pan out.  I'm talking about people that want to continue hanging out in bars multiple times a week.  If that's what you're doing, you're really banking on your willpower to survive hundreds of situations.

You'll never completely avoid alcohol and I still go to bars here and there, but be smart about it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on March 13, 2023, 07:37:09 AM
Hitting 9 months next Sunday. Just NA beers once in awhile. No cigarettes for just about two years.

To the comment about being at an Airbnb & everyone drinks; I hear that & that’s when NA beers come in handy. I was just away in the Catskills & no one really drank but if they did, I’d have one NA beer & just nerd out on music & skating. Worked well & continue to know that alcohol won’t help a thing.

i find that if i'm not drinking i get bored. my wife and i went out for a valentines dinner that was slow paced and with drinks would have been really romantic but was honestly a bit boring without. not a big deal but we talked about it later and it would have been better to play some tennis then grab something quicker. just feels like without drinks your pacing is way different and sitting around BSn looses it's appeal a good bit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: who da thunk it on March 13, 2023, 08:44:29 AM
I quit drinking to take a month off while unemployed to find a job. Got a job where I had to get up before 5am and it was truly one of the best things to happen to me. No way in hell could I pull off that wake up time while drinking, I'd done it before and it was one of the worst stretches of time in my life.

I made it to 30 days like I'd done a handful of times before, but for the first time I kept it going. My job has cool people, the work is not terribly stressful, and it's full time, so I had way more incentive to actually be sober and enjoy my days talking to people instead of counting the minutes until I could drink again.

And let me tell you, I think it was day 33, I felt reborn. I felt like I had woken up from a coma, like I was an old man who was granted youth again, and put into a 33 year old body as a joke. A good joke! I was on that pink cloud for months, it was incredible.

Then I got injured and couldn't work, so I leaned onto weed and kratom to pass the time. Kratom started turning on me so I dropped it with no ill effects. Had some urges to drink, but made some lists, got some exercise, and made some plans to look forward to, and the urge passed. I still don't know if I want to not drink forever. I might try to have one in a healthy environment (not by myself) and see if the usual happens (back to the hangover of death cycle again).

But being "sober" has given me so much! It's like the opposite of Pandora's Box opening, where all these great things came barreling into my life and this little fart of boredom squeaked out at the end instead of hope.

Booze is a trap!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on March 13, 2023, 08:50:03 AM
I quit drinking to take a month off while unemployed to find a job. Got a job where I had to get up before 5am and it was truly one of the best things to happen to me. No way in hell could I pull off that wake up time while drinking, I'd done it before and it was one of the worst stretches of time in my life.

I made it to 30 days like I'd done a handful of times before, but for the first time I kept it going. My job has cool people, the work is not terribly stressful, and it's full time, so I had way more incentive to actually be sober and enjoy my days talking to people instead of counting the minutes until I could drink again.

And let me tell you, I think it was day 33, I felt reborn. I felt like I had woken up from a coma, like I was an old man who was granted youth again, and put into a 33 year old body as a joke. A good joke! I was on that pink cloud for months, it was incredible.

Then I got injured and couldn't work, so I leaned onto weed and kratom to pass the time. Kratom started turning on me so I dropped it with no ill effects. Had some urges to drink, but made some lists, got some exercise, and made some plans to look forward to, and the urge passed. I still don't know if I want to not drink forever. I might try to have one in a healthy environment (not by myself) and see if the usual happens (back to the hangover of death cycle again).

But being "sober" has given me so much! It's like the opposite of Pandora's Box opening, where all these great things came barreling into my life and this little fart of boredom squeaked out at the end instead of hope.

Booze is a trap!

Glad you’re good, homie. Glad you got off the kratom too. That shit is 🤮
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on March 13, 2023, 12:02:10 PM
I quit drinking to take a month off while unemployed to find a job. Got a job where I had to get up before 5am and it was truly one of the best things to happen to me. No way in hell could I pull off that wake up time while drinking, I'd done it before and it was one of the worst stretches of time in my life.

I made it to 30 days like I'd done a handful of times before, but for the first time I kept it going. My job has cool people, the work is not terribly stressful, and it's full time, so I had way more incentive to actually be sober and enjoy my days talking to people instead of counting the minutes until I could drink again.

And let me tell you, I think it was day 33, I felt reborn. I felt like I had woken up from a coma, like I was an old man who was granted youth again, and put into a 33 year old body as a joke. A good joke! I was on that pink cloud for months, it was incredible.

Then I got injured and couldn't work, so I leaned onto weed and kratom to pass the time. Kratom started turning on me so I dropped it with no ill effects. Had some urges to drink, but made some lists, got some exercise, and made some plans to look forward to, and the urge passed. I still don't know if I want to not drink forever. I might try to have one in a healthy environment (not by myself) and see if the usual happens (back to the hangover of death cycle again).

But being "sober" has given me so much! It's like the opposite of Pandora's Box opening, where all these great things came barreling into my life and this little fart of boredom squeaked out at the end instead of hope.

Booze is a trap!

Hell yeah man, all this is awesome to read! Booze is a trap!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on March 13, 2023, 11:01:56 PM
I quit drinking to take a month off while unemployed to find a job. Got a job where I had to get up before 5am and it was truly one of the best things to happen to me. No way in hell could I pull off that wake up time while drinking, I'd done it before and it was one of the worst stretches of time in my life.

I made it to 30 days like I'd done a handful of times before, but for the first time I kept it going. My job has cool people, the work is not terribly stressful, and it's full time, so I had way more incentive to actually be sober and enjoy my days talking to people instead of counting the minutes until I could drink again.

And let me tell you, I think it was day 33, I felt reborn. I felt like I had woken up from a coma, like I was an old man who was granted youth again, and put into a 33 year old body as a joke. A good joke! I was on that pink cloud for months, it was incredible.

Then I got injured and couldn't work, so I leaned onto weed and kratom to pass the time. Kratom started turning on me so I dropped it with no ill effects. Had some urges to drink, but made some lists, got some exercise, and made some plans to look forward to, and the urge passed. I still don't know if I want to not drink forever. I might try to have one in a healthy environment (not by myself) and see if the usual happens (back to the hangover of death cycle again).

But being "sober" has given me so much! It's like the opposite of Pandora's Box opening, where all these great things came barreling into my life and this little fart of boredom squeaked out at the end instead of hope.

Booze is a trap!

It is definitely a trap.

I haven’t had a drink in about a year and a half. It is my 3rd or 4th time going over a year without drink in the last 14 years. Each time, I eventually start drinking again and it takes me back to the EXACT same miserable place. Crazy thing is, even knowing this, I know deep down that I will most likely go through it all again at some point. I’m in no rush to go back through it all and have been drinking and enjoying a lot of tea everyday.

I call being dry/sober “floating the boat”

And wet/drunk “sinking the ship”
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on March 19, 2023, 09:58:18 AM
day 100 of being dry today.
didn't even remember, until i lay down to watch some it's sunny after a nice sunday doing yard work.
now what?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on March 19, 2023, 10:55:45 AM
day 100 of being dry today.
didn't even remember, until i lay down to watch some it's sunny after a nice sunday doing yard work.
now what?

Congrats, The world is your oyster. It gets a bit easier after 100, but I will say you'll feel "bored", but it's just that your not poising yourself and making questionable decisions. Enjoy the new mind set.

Pick up a new hobby, shit, go skate!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on March 19, 2023, 11:49:06 AM
I’m about to get on the train. Recovered from drug addiction a decade ago and really only drink once a week or so, with 1-2 drinks at most. Was never problematic until the last couple of months, where I’ve woken up the next day with crippling depression, no matter how much or little I drank. At this point, it’s a crutch for social situations I feel uncomfortable in, and no longer very enjoyable. Gonna maybe use this thread as motivation as I get through it
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on March 19, 2023, 12:48:57 PM
Expand Quote
day 100 of being dry today.
didn't even remember, until i lay down to watch some it's sunny after a nice sunday doing yard work.
now what?
[close]

Congrats, The world is your oyster. It gets a bit easier after 100, but I will say you'll feel "bored", but it's just that your not poising yourself and making questionable decisions. Enjoy the new mind set.

Pick up a new hobby, shit, go skate!

@ralf great achievement. I second Albatras: Keep it up, go skate, pick up some other hobby (I understand you have a nice garden going, that's certainly keeping you busy with Spring approaching) but DO NOT go back to drinking.

I’m about to get on the train. Recovered from drug addiction a decade ago and really only drink once a week or so, with 1-2 drinks at most. Was never problematic until the last couple of months, where I’ve woken up the next day with crippling depression, no matter how much or little I drank. At this point, it’s a crutch for social situations I feel uncomfortable in, and no longer very enjoyable. Gonna maybe use this thread as motivation as I get through it

Welcome aboard, bro. If you're struggling, post in this thread or hit one of us up.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/WereNotInThisAloneOriginal.jpg)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: funeral_tuxedo on March 19, 2023, 05:30:54 PM
I’m about to get on the train. Recovered from drug addiction a decade ago and really only drink once a week or so, with 1-2 drinks at most. Was never problematic until the last couple of months, where I’ve woken up the next day with crippling depression, no matter how much or little I drank. At this point, it’s a crutch for social situations I feel uncomfortable in, and no longer very enjoyable. Gonna maybe use this thread as motivation as I get through it

@fakie nollie let us know how you're doing <3
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on March 19, 2023, 06:57:11 PM
Expand Quote
I’m about to get on the train. Recovered from drug addiction a decade ago and really only drink once a week or so, with 1-2 drinks at most. Was never problematic until the last couple of months, where I’ve woken up the next day with crippling depression, no matter how much or little I drank. At this point, it’s a crutch for social situations I feel uncomfortable in, and no longer very enjoyable. Gonna maybe use this thread as motivation as I get through it
[close]

@fakie nollie let us know how you're doing <3

I’m good!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on March 25, 2023, 01:09:12 PM
Welp I broke down last night and had a couple of drinks at dinner. A skate homie, who I often partied with, was our waiter. Not blaming him for my decision but didn’t help when he was ready and waiting to bring more drinks at a moment’s notice.

Inevitably woke up depressed and anxiety ridden. Thankfully, I didn’t feel very hungover, so I went to the gym and it did a 180 on my whole mood. I’ll be in sin city all next week but feel confident I can skip drinking throughout that.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ToshiroTownune on March 25, 2023, 01:34:52 PM
Anyone else watch the Huberman lab on alcohol? Some absolutely horrifying information about what it does to your body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkS1pkKpILY
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: IJC on March 26, 2023, 01:39:52 PM
I had no alcohol for 6 years, but started drinking 4 months ago. it was a desperate attemp to connect with my wife again. Was a bad decision to try to save a broken marriage. Started with just a few beers, but ended blacking out last time a i drank. Never touching alcohol again
Quit smoking weed after smoking for 20 years, just to realize i have so much stuff in my head i have to deal with. I can’t enjoy being high like i used to.
 I have no one to talk about this, so reading what other people are going through really helps.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on March 26, 2023, 02:10:13 PM
I had no alcohol for 6 years, but started drinking 4 months ago. it was a desperate attemp to connect with my wife again. Was a bad decision to try to save a broken marriage. Started with just a few beers, but ended blacking out last time a i drank. Never touching alcohol again
Quit smoking weed after smoking for 20 years, just to realize i have so much stuff in my head i have to deal with. I can’t enjoy being high like i used to.
 I have no one to talk about this, so reading what other people are going through really helps.

You‘ve come to the right place bruh. Speak your mind, share, read, get motivation to persevere.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: IJC on March 26, 2023, 06:14:36 PM
Expand Quote
I had no alcohol for 6 years, but started drinking 4 months ago. it was a desperate attemp to connect with my wife again. Was a bad decision to try to save a broken marriage. Started with just a few beers, but ended blacking out last time a i drank. Never touching alcohol again
Quit smoking weed after smoking for 20 years, just to realize i have so much stuff in my head i have to deal with. I can’t enjoy being high like i used to.
 I have no one to talk about this, so reading what other people are going through really helps.
[close]

You‘ve come to the right place bruh. Speak your mind, share, read, get motivation to persevere.

Thanks man, you don’t know how much this means to me
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on March 27, 2023, 05:59:30 PM
Anyone else watch the Huberman lab on alcohol? Some absolutely horrifying information about what it does to your body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkS1pkKpILY

ya man, this one is an eye opener
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on March 27, 2023, 06:23:08 PM
I had no alcohol for 6 years, but started drinking 4 months ago. it was a desperate attemp to connect with my wife again. Was a bad decision to try to save a broken marriage. Started with just a few beers, but ended blacking out last time a i drank. Never touching alcohol again
Quit smoking weed after smoking for 20 years, just to realize i have so much stuff in my head i have to deal with. I can’t enjoy being high like i used to.
 I have no one to talk about this, so reading what other people are going through really helps.


Know you’re brave to even admit you need some help. That alone is huge.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: IJC on March 27, 2023, 08:28:08 PM
Expand Quote
I had no alcohol for 6 years, but started drinking 4 months ago. it was a desperate attemp to connect with my wife again. Was a bad decision to try to save a broken marriage. Started with just a few beers, but ended blacking out last time a i drank. Never touching alcohol again
Quit smoking weed after smoking for 20 years, just to realize i have so much stuff in my head i have to deal with. I can’t enjoy being high like i used to.
 I have no one to talk about this, so reading what other people are going through really helps.
[close]


Know you’re brave to even admit you need some help. That alone is huge.

I apareciate your words a lot, quitting weed has really opened my eyes to so much shit i didn’t wanted to deal with. Just expressing this here is a big relief.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on March 27, 2023, 10:53:03 PM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I had no alcohol for 6 years, but started drinking 4 months ago. it was a desperate attemp to connect with my wife again. Was a bad decision to try to save a broken marriage. Started with just a few beers, but ended blacking out last time a i drank. Never touching alcohol again
Quit smoking weed after smoking for 20 years, just to realize i have so much stuff in my head i have to deal with. I can’t enjoy being high like i used to.
 I have no one to talk about this, so reading what other people are going through really helps.
[close]


Know you’re brave to even admit you need some help. That alone is huge.
[close]

I apareciate your words a lot, quitting weed has really opened my eyes to so much shit i didn’t wanted to deal with. Just expressing this here is a big relief.

Yes weed is great for forgetting / pushing off issues, but the problem is, that the issues don‘t just go away, they keep on adding up and one day they hit you on the head all at once and then you break. At least that happened  to me once. Being sober means that you can deal with your issues immediately as they come up, one by one. Reality is harsh but it‘s what we have to deal with, so better get it done and move on.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Streebo on March 28, 2023, 01:17:48 PM
Haven't been sober since 2013......
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sle_epy on March 29, 2023, 05:57:48 AM
Been going back and forth for a year or two. Some cringe blackout insta story rants brought me back to reality last year and I chilled the fuck out. Cut out malt liquor and went to Modelo exclusively.

Typically kept it to like a 6 or less most nights, then like two months ago I cut back to a couple days a week. I just felt so sluggish. Last week I hadn't indulged in like four days and had two very rad energetic sessions in a row where I locked some tricks I've been grinding on down.

Oddly, skating awesome makes me want to celebrate more than anything else so the second night I did. Skated the next day like ass. Timing was way off and I had no energy. I'm over it, I decided that at my age the possibility of having dope sessions more often outweighs throwing one away to have fun with alcohol.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on March 30, 2023, 02:56:34 AM
i find that if i'm not drinking i get bored. my wife and i went out for a valentines dinner that was slow paced and with drinks would have been really romantic but was honestly a bit boring without. not a big deal but we talked about it later and it would have been better to play some tennis then grab something quicker. just feels like without drinks your pacing is way different and sitting around BSn looses it's appeal a good bit.
[/quote]


That last sentence hit hard for me. After I stopped drinking, I realized my core group of people I would hang and bs with while killing beers were kind of lame. I’d still hang out, but all they did was talk about work. I don’t get bored easily but damn, I got bored. None of them skated so instead of hanging with them, I’d skate. They asked me after a while if I thought I was “too good for them now” now that I don’t drink. The guy asking was kind of being a dick, so I told the truth, which always hurts. You guys are pretty lame and seriously boring. Skating is way more fun that listening to shop talk. Also, coutry music sucks ass when sober. (Or drunk, really). That was the end of them. No big loss.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on March 30, 2023, 11:43:53 AM
i read this a bunch the last few days

https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/alcoholics-autonomous-anarchy-and-alcohol

i thought for a long time: hey, i am only taking a break, when spring hits, what will be better, than having a cold beer? now even the thought of beer disgusts me, the liquid and also, the feeling. suddenly i see, how much shit there is to do, how much energy people (or i!) have… like, i love reading and writing, but theres only so much shit i can read or write before i have to eat, sleep, take a walk, and thats okay. no need to lessen the amount of time i have any more. suddenly feels like i am taking my life in my own hands. and boy, is it hard. but better than being unchallenged right? would be boring :-)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ToshiroTownune on March 30, 2023, 12:30:10 PM
I wanted to address weed withdrawals. For heavy smokers, there's a fairly high chance you will encounter PAWS, Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. The first time I experienced this I had no idea what was going on and my body's reactions freaked me out. Eventually I found the Leaves community on reddit and discovered a bunch of people going through the same stuff.

The most common symptoms are nausea, lack of appetite, brain fog, anxiety, anhedonia, insomnia, stomach issues (gas of all kinds, diarrhea or conversely constipation, shitting mucus), and muscle twitching, among others. I only fucked with flower, but for those into vapes their symptoms seem to be the worst. On average it appears that the symptoms clear up within about three weeks, although there are others that are worse and less than that. Every time I've quit it's around 21-28 days that all of a sudden my thinking starts to get much clearer and I have a ton of excess energy.

I miss all the insights that weed gave me and how it seemed to allow subconscious thoughts to surface more often and easily, but after a while all the fun and enjoyment of it wore off and I was left with feeling I had to do it to function. I'm now on three and a half weeks off (third time quitting) and things are finally start to be getting back to normal. Good luck to all the sober slap pals and keep going! It really is better on the other side.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: AlexOlsonsDashiki on April 01, 2023, 08:56:59 AM
5 years today
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sle_epy on April 01, 2023, 09:35:17 AM
5 years today

🥳🥳🥳 Yay!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: woodsman on April 01, 2023, 10:29:03 AM
I got 2 years no opiates and 8 months no alcohol. I haven't posted in awhile but I was in big trouble with heroin and I somehow got it together with Suboxone and a couple of phenomenal therapists.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 01, 2023, 11:26:05 AM
@AlexOlsonsDashiki

5 years is huge. Keep it going my friend

I got 2 years no opiates and 8 months no alcohol. I haven't posted in awhile but I was in big trouble with heroin and I somehow got it together with Suboxone and a couple of phenomenal therapists.

Fuck dope! None of the dope or pills are “real” anyways. Stick with your subs too man, i got a homie thats been taking a 1/4 strip for years, as he says to “keep the edge off and keep me honest.” Good for you
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: sle_epy on April 01, 2023, 11:59:22 AM
@AlexOlsonsDashiki

5 years is huge. Keep it going my friend

Expand Quote
I got 2 years no opiates and 8 months no alcohol. I haven't posted in awhile but I was in big trouble with heroin and I somehow got it together with Suboxone and a couple of phenomenal therapists.
[close]

Fuck dope! None of the dope or pills are “real” anyways. Stick with your subs too man, i got a homie thats been taking a 1/4 strip for years, as he says to “keep the edge off and keep me honest.” Good for you

Def think there's a weird chip ppl get on their shoulders about "cheating" or whatever when choosing the lesser evil in order to function as best as you can. Like calling people Cali sober or whatever when used as a slight. That's lame, if pot works as a substitute to alcohol and you can keep it way more together and not be a disaster there's no shame in that at all. Same with Suboxone or any other substitute.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on April 11, 2023, 07:04:20 AM
First off, maaaassive props to all you guys for a) being here, and b) the time you’ve got under your belts.  Full sobriety has always been too daunting for me to take on.  I’ve taken breaks from either weed or alcohol countless times in my adult life, but never both at the same time. 

Sadly, it’s taken my fiancé telling me it’s over to get serious.  There’s still hope it’ll work out, but honestly, that’s besides the point and irrelevant to what I need to do for myself.  I cannot continue to smoke and drink regularly, without being an ugly, confused person.

I’ve always felt much better when I quit weed and just have a few occasional beers or vice versa, but I’ve never allowed myself to stop both and let my dopamine level itself out fully.  I’ve been listening to podcasts about addiction and learning a lot.  I also plan to get therapy, even just one or two sessions, depending on the cost, to really help me understand why I keep getting addicted to the same shit, and how to overcome it.

That’s a lot of words to say not much, but I guess that’s what this thread is for.  Hopefully I can share a success story in the future, but for now I’m happy to read all of yours and be inspired by them.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on April 12, 2023, 10:57:22 AM
First off, maaaassive props to all you guys for a) being here, and b) the time you’ve got under your belts.  Full sobriety has always been too daunting for me to take on.  I’ve taken breaks from either weed or alcohol countless times in my adult life, but never both at the same time. 

Sadly, it’s taken my fiancé telling me it’s over to get serious.  There’s still hope it’ll work out, but honestly, that’s besides the point and irrelevant to what I need to do for myself.  I cannot continue to smoke and drink regularly, without being an ugly, confused person.

I’ve always felt much better when I quit weed and just have a few occasional beers or vice versa, but I’ve never allowed myself to stop both and let my dopamine level itself out fully.  I’ve been listening to podcasts about addiction and learning a lot.  I also plan to get therapy, even just one or two sessions, depending on the cost, to really help me understand why I keep getting addicted to the same shit, and how to overcome it.

That’s a lot of words to say not much, but I guess that’s what this thread is for.  Hopefully I can share a success story in the future, but for now I’m happy to read all of yours and be inspired by them.

you're welcome g! sucks about your fiancé, but at least now you seem to be motivated to change something. glad you're here!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Jim and Dan on April 12, 2023, 11:34:44 AM
Expand Quote
@AlexOlsonsDashiki

5 years is huge. Keep it going my friend

Expand Quote
I got 2 years no opiates and 8 months no alcohol. I haven't posted in awhile but I was in big trouble with heroin and I somehow got it together with Suboxone and a couple of phenomenal therapists.
[close]

Fuck dope! None of the dope or pills are “real” anyways. Stick with your subs too man, i got a homie thats been taking a 1/4 strip for years, as he says to “keep the edge off and keep me honest.” Good for you
[close]

Def think there's a weird chip ppl get on their shoulders about "cheating" or whatever when choosing the lesser evil in order to function as best as you can. Like calling people Cali sober or whatever when used as a slight. That's lame, if pot works as a substitute to alcohol and you can keep it way more together and not be a disaster there's no shame in that at all. Same with Suboxone or any other substitute.

Most of the time the people who express concern over being on Suboxone for prolonged periods of times fall into 2 categories:

a.) People who have no experience with actually being an addict of any kind, especially opiates
b.) Self-righteous assholes who want to push their agenda onto you even in-spite of it not being in your best interest.

I've been on Suboxone for 5 years now (albeit at a low dose now) and to be honest, I wouldn't have traded my decision for any other at this point and the program that I've been in since the beginning has been transformative, I'm 100% certain that I would not be alive without the support I received from a reputable and caring clinical network. Of course I wanted to get clean, it was hard to accept that I didn't want to ask for help and felt that I could just "man up" and white-knuckle it until I got there. What I see now is that I didn't know how to function in life without several forms of substance abuse, being that I started smoking weed at like 15, painkillers at 16 and never looked back, being a full-blown addict by the age of 19 (I'm 34 now). If anyone feels like that's what they need to get out of that lifestyle and stay out of it, by all means do it and don't let anyone pressure you into coming off if you're not ready, a reputable clinician (I can't stress that enough, there are a lot of places that are cash grabs in the big business of "rehabilitation") will help you when you're ready to take that step. I've been off heroin for over 6 years now and will be coming up on 5 years in 2 weeks from the one slip-up I had involving crack-cocaine on 4/30/2018. I never thought in my wildest and darkest times that I would ever make it this far and not have even an inkling to go back to that lifestyle, even when I'm emotionally unstable and things aren't okay. Congratulations on the work you've done, it does get better with time but one thing I wholeheartedly recommend is that you identify the issues that brought you down that path, either with yourself, a confidant or a therapist and you work on trying to correct those issues. Once the first 3-4 years passed, I noticed I was left with the same issues that I had before I started down the road and it was very eye-opening, something that I still struggle with to this day and continue to work on diligently. I hope to make some seriously big changes in my life that will help alleviate a lot of the issues I'm currently facing and working towards the goals that I've set in order to live a much more fulfilling life.

"Godspeed little doodle, Godspeed"...
-Ned Flanders
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on April 13, 2023, 04:51:07 PM
Today is day 5.  There was a work party at the office tonight for one of the bosses’ retirement.  I went out of respect and expecting it to be pretty mellow, but when I got there everyone was already extremely turnt.  Booze, weed, etc.  I had a ginger ale, hung around for an hour and made conversation with everyone, then said my goodbyes as they raged on.  It wasn’t hard to abstain in the moment, but driving home I felt very, I dunno, raw?  It was definitely a bittersweet feeling, but I’m proud of myself.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on April 13, 2023, 10:00:48 PM
Today is day 5.  There was a work party at the office tonight for one of the bosses’ retirement.  I went out of respect and expecting it to be pretty mellow, but when I got there everyone was already extremely turnt.  Booze, weed, etc.  I had a ginger ale, hung around for an hour and made conversation with everyone, then said my goodbyes as they raged on.  It wasn’t hard to abstain in the moment, but driving home I felt very, I dunno, raw?  It was definitely a bittersweet feeling, but I’m proud of myself.

Great achievement bro. It will always feel weird to be around dudes that drink/get drunk. It‘s only when you don‘t drink that you realize how our culture is based around getting hammered all the time and how the purpose of many „social“ functions is really just to get pissed. It‘s an eye opener for sure.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: chuckles on April 14, 2023, 08:52:16 AM
Never was too crazy with it but as a bartender I'd easily have 2 beers at the end of my shifts. Thought I'd try to take a month off back in July and it's been 9 months now. I don't know how much different I feel but I get the bar closed down a lot faster now.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fineslime on April 14, 2023, 10:41:42 AM
Never was too crazy with it but as a bartender I'd easily have 2 beers at the end of my shifts. Thought I'd try to take a month off back in July and it's been 9 months now. I don't know how much different I feel but I get the bar closed down a lot faster now.

This has always been one of my reasons to stay out of the hospitality industry (I've been a bartender and server off and on for 10+ years.) It's far too easy to get sucked into having drinks with your coworkers after a busy Friday or Saturday night, or any night for that matter.

I recently got into a killer restaurant in a busy part of my town and I'm very grateful to say I haven't fallen back into that trap. Only a few of my coworkers drink, and if they do they have one after work at a bar across the street and then they're out. I've respectfully turned down the invite more times than I've accepted it. Plus, you're not burning through the money you just worked your ass off to make.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: wilog on April 17, 2023, 10:11:03 AM
Its been 3 days since ive last smoked weed after doing it every day for the last year and a half because i dont really get high for more than 30 minutes anymore if i even do, which i dont more often than not. I dont want to quit forever but I think i have to break the habit of it because i cant stop eventhough I dont get high anymore and theres no purpose of doing it at this point. Anyone thats had a simlair experience, did you fully quit or just start to do it less frequently and how did that go. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on April 17, 2023, 01:04:08 PM
Its been 3 days since ive last smoked weed after doing it every day for the last year and a half because i dont really get high for more than 30 minutes anymore if i even do, which i dont more often than not. I dont want to quit forever but I think i have to break the habit of it because i cant stop eventhough I dont get high anymore and theres no purpose of doing it at this point. Anyone thats had a simlair experience, did you fully quit or just start to do it less frequently and how did that go.

There was a point, when i was like 23 that smoking weed all the time just wasnt the same anymore and i was pretty much only doing it outta habit/identity. Was smoking like a box of phillies or a pack of woods a day and was between brain dead and lost in my head with anxiety all the time. So i just stopped. I had to find other shit to do so i started drinking and doing other stuff instead ha ha ha

Joking aside, weed has been a constant in my life in one way or another for 23 or so years. Sometimes i engage with daily for months on end, other times i just dont want/need any in my system. You might be bored but youre not gonna get sick or true/dangerous withdrawals like you do with booze/benzos/opioid drugs.

If you wanna go the taper route for the sake of doing it and what not, chances are you can mess with cbd or something for a while, edibles, buds, tinctures, suppositories etc

You’ll be ok
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ToshiroTownune on April 17, 2023, 08:35:10 PM
Its been 3 days since ive last smoked weed after doing it every day for the last year and a half because i dont really get high for more than 30 minutes anymore if i even do, which i dont more often than not. I dont want to quit forever but I think i have to break the habit of it because i cant stop eventhough I dont get high anymore and theres no purpose of doing it at this point. Anyone thats had a simlair experience, did you fully quit or just start to do it less frequently and how did that go.

Everyone's body responds differently, but having smoked a lot and quit many times, I've gone through intense insomnia that lasted almost three weeks, two weeks of no appetite, crazy sweating, intense feelings of anhedonia (inability to experience joy), depression, low energy, brain fog, and involuntary muscle twitching.

If you want to get a sense of what to expect and what others have endured, I recommend spending some time on the leaves community https://www.reddit.com/r/leaves/

If you're three days in and not experiencing anything, then it sounds like your withdrawals will be mild to nonexistent. The initial two weeks is always the worst, especially the first week. Good luck.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Frank and Fred on May 03, 2023, 09:26:09 AM
I've had three beers since Xmas 2022. Sobriety was not necessarily my plan. I went back home to the UK last month and wanted to sample some old favorites but I learned I might be losing my taste for beer. Then I got injured and really don't want to drink while I'm healing.

It's a funny old journey.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ricky Vaughn on May 03, 2023, 09:44:18 AM
I've tried it a few times, not for me
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on May 03, 2023, 12:41:18 PM
1 year next month. Just NA beers for me when I’m in the mood. Life is better, I don’t have as much anxiety, I’m able to think clearly & not be stuck with OCD symptoms all day, all of which drinking exacerbates. I believe it is safe to say. I will never touch alcohol again. Not interested. Plus I am on a low dosage of anxiety medication, which is another form of motivation.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on May 03, 2023, 03:33:46 PM
That’s awesome man, congrats!  I’ll be at 1 month this weekend, and agree completely with what you said about less anxiety/more clarity.  I’ve been through the wringer these past few weeks with car/house/work issues, and I feel like I’ve been handling everything like a champ and getting tons of shit done.  Whereas if I was still trudging through my days waiting for that evening beer/toke, I’d have broken down multiple times.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 03, 2023, 05:15:08 PM
@Coastal Fever @mrkamikaze

Big ups fellas. Big ups

I have found that i have accomplished far more in the past 8ish years without drinking than the 12 that i was a regular heavy drinker. One of my mentors in life had said to me about why he quit drinking at 30, while i was still drinking, that “if i didn’t quit drinking I would  never have done anything.” I cant reiterate just how true that has been for me.

Alcohol made nothing better… i mean shitty situations seemed more tolerable, but thats it. Alcohol made me ok about mediocrity and feeling poorly. Numbed out feeling deeply. Anyways, thats my take on it for today.

Love to you dudes. Love yourselves
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on May 03, 2023, 07:21:16 PM
@Coastal Fever @mrkamikaze

Big ups fellas. Big ups

I have found that i have accomplished far more in the past 8ish years without drinking than the 12 that i was a regular heavy drinker. One of my mentors in life had said to me about why he quit drinking at 30, while i was still drinking, that “if i didn’t quit drinking I would  never have done anything.” I cant reiterate just how true that has been for me.

Alcohol made nothing better… i mean shitty situations seemed more tolerable, but thats it. Alcohol made me ok about mediocrity and feeling poorly. Numbed out feeling deeply. Anyways, thats my take on it for today.

Love to you dudes. Love yourselves


Well said & appreciated. Love to us talking about this & sharing our victories. It matters. We matter.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on May 03, 2023, 07:22:56 PM
That’s awesome man, congrats!  I’ll be at 1 month this weekend, and agree completely with what you said about less anxiety/more clarity.  I’ve been through the wringer these past few weeks with car/house/work issues, and I feel like I’ve been handling everything like a champ and getting tons of shit done.  Whereas if I was still trudging through my days waiting for that evening beer/toke, I’d have broken down multiple times.


Congrats on one month! That’s huge & I hope you know that. It rules that you’re reflective which I can say hardly happened even drinking. Here if you need to chat!

Mass Love
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 04, 2023, 09:49:27 AM
I found this aptly stated

(https://i.ibb.co/3kv266w/IMG-1049.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3kv266w)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Space Cowboy on May 05, 2023, 01:39:24 PM
I found this aptly stated

(https://i.ibb.co/3kv266w/IMG-1049.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3kv266w)

Thats a great line, thank you for sharing I needed that
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 05, 2023, 01:52:59 PM
Expand Quote
I found this aptly stated

(https://i.ibb.co/3kv266w/IMG-1049.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3kv266w)
[close]

Thats a great line, thank you for sharing I needed that

Vonnegut is good…
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on May 05, 2023, 10:39:37 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/ZfME0IQ.jpg)

I often think of this photo from the Upfront backcover when tempted.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on May 10, 2023, 10:39:17 AM
I’ll delete this if anyone finds it triggering, but after a few weeks of not even having non-alcoholic beer, I picked up a sixer of Bud Zero and I fucking loved it.  Which is funny because I was strictly a juicy IPA guy while boozing, and I find most na beers disgusting, but this one reeeally hits the spot on a hot day. 

Thankfully, I didn’t miss the buzz aspect at all, I just truly enjoyed the taste a lot.  I’m a little nervous that I’m unwittingly leading myself back down a slippery slope towards the real thing.. but I love being sober, so I’d like to think that I’ve actually just found a healthier replacement, that provides the same refreshment I used to seek from drinking.

*this post was not in any way paid for or supported by Budweiser Zero, 0.0% alcohol beer.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 10, 2023, 11:55:57 AM
I’ll delete this if anyone finds it triggering, but after a few weeks of not even having non-alcoholic beer, I picked up a sixer of Bud Zero and I fucking loved it.  Which is funny because I was strictly a juicy IPA guy while boozing, and I find most na beers disgusting, but this one reeeally hits the spot on a hot day. 

Thankfully, I didn’t miss the buzz aspect at all, I just truly enjoyed the taste a lot.  I’m a little nervous that I’m unwittingly leading myself back down a slippery slope towards the real thing.. but I love being sober, so I’d like to think that I’ve actually just found a healthier replacement, that provides the same refreshment I used to seek from drinking.

*this post was not in any way paid for or supported by Budweiser Zero, 0.0% alcohol beer.

See the one time i grabbed the wrong can i got a mouthful of BL and it was naaaaaasty.

Went out last winter and ordered a lagunitas non alcohol, thinking it was hop water. Nope it was a no alcohol IPA. The smell alone sent me on a spiral of memories and feelings. Literally watched 15 years of alcohol abuse unfurl in 30 seconds. Never experienced something like that outside psychedelics. The server took it back after i explained my sobriety and brought me grape juice.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on May 10, 2023, 12:44:29 PM
Funny you guys are discussing ba beers today. I don’t have an issue with alc free beer but usually just drink water. This week I am in Germany tho so I had a few alc free Hefeweizen, which are really good.

Tonight I ordered « another one » and  the waitress brought me a real beer by mistake. I immediately noticed the difference in taste but also a wave of alcohol flowing through my system. Very very lightly of course because it was only one big gulp I had taken.

This was the first time I m’ve had real beer in 3.5 years and man I wanted nothing more than guzzle it down. Scary. Luckily I managed to stay reasonable and just told the waitress there had been a mistake and she took the poison away. Close one…
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on May 17, 2023, 11:44:40 AM
Funny you guys are discussing ba beers today. I don’t have an issue with alc free beer but usually just drink water. This week I am in Germany tho so I had a few alc free Hefeweizen, which are really good.

Tonight I ordered « another one » and  the waitress brought me a real beer by mistake. I immediately noticed the difference in taste but also a wave of alcohol flowing through my system. Very very lightly of course because it was only one big gulp I had taken.

This was the first time I m’ve had real beer in 3.5 years and man I wanted nothing more than guzzle it down. Scary. Luckily I managed to stay reasonable and just told the waitress there had been a mistake and she took the poison away. Close one…

scary
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 19, 2023, 03:36:37 PM
Sober friday buds. Drink coconut water instead

Love y’all
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on May 19, 2023, 06:49:22 PM
Ayyyye.  I should get on the coconut water, could use the extra hydration, as I’ve been pretty shameless with my salt and sugar intake since starting this whole deal. 

My partner’s gone to visit family for the whole long weekend and I’m holding down the fort solo.  Can’t lie and say that I wouldn’t love to get twisted right now, but I’m gonna do a face steam, drink some tea, then wake up early and go for a massage tmrw instead.  Hope you all have a wonderful  and fulfilling weekend.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 20, 2023, 10:06:25 AM
@Coastal Fever

You like hops? Hop water can be better than seltzers snd shit. Almost as expensive as beer but a nice treat
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on May 20, 2023, 02:58:56 PM
Honestly I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it anywhere?  But all my homebrews had Citra and Mosaic hops so I’m definitely interested.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Chavo on May 20, 2023, 03:41:32 PM
Going back to the original post, I've been sober since I was 16 and looking back, think it was a waste of time.

My original reasoning seemed logical. I was piling out on weekends from a young age, then decided I didn't like skating with a hangover so tapered drinking for the next few years until completely straight edge.

I'm already socially awkward, so no longer being the life of the party and having to interact with people in a honest way is uncomfortable for everyone. Since drinking/bars/clubs are our social commonality, I tended to hang out with sober weirdos and my social group became smaller and smaller (I've hung out with friends at bars and they always have a problem with you not drinking booze). Now as an adult, I actively avoid socializing, don't go to work functions or "networking", and since everyone who didn't drink before now drinks heavily, don't hang out with anyone. Back when I'd run into an old skate friend and say "let's meet up to skate", now they want to meet at a bar (even if they still skate). I think drinking is just too embedded as a social pillar in our society to completely omit it from your life.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 20, 2023, 08:55:43 PM
Going back to the original post, I've been sober since I was 16 and looking back, think it was a waste of time.

My original reasoning seemed logical. I was piling out on weekends from a young age, then decided I didn't like skating with a hangover so tapered drinking for the next few years until completely straight edge.

I'm already socially awkward, so no longer being the life of the party and having to interact with people in a honest way is uncomfortable for everyone. Since drinking/bars/clubs are our social commonality, I tended to hang out with sober weirdos and my social group became smaller and smaller (I've hung out with friends at bars and they always have a problem with you not drinking booze). Now as an adult, I actively avoid socializing, don't go to work functions or "networking", and since everyone who didn't drink before now drinks heavily, don't hang out with anyone. Back when I'd run into an old skate friend and say "let's meet up to skate", now they want to meet at a bar (even if they still skate). I think drinking is just too embedded as a social pillar in our society to completely omit it from your life.

Alcohol sucks and people on alcohol often suck as well. If people have a problem with you not drinking, they dont care about you.

But if you feel this way, idk what you do or how old you are, but go drink and tear it up if you think its going to make your life better!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on May 21, 2023, 04:05:38 AM
Funny you guys are discussing ba beers today. I don’t have an issue with alc free beer but usually just drink water. This week I am in Germany tho so I had a few alc free Hefeweizen, which are really good.

Tonight I ordered « another one » and  the waitress brought me a real beer by mistake. I immediately noticed the difference in taste but also a wave of alcohol flowing through my system. Very very lightly of course because it was only one big gulp I had taken.

This was the first time I m’ve had real beer in 3.5 years and man I wanted nothing more than guzzle it down. Scary. Luckily I managed to stay reasonable and just told the waitress there had been a mistake and she took the poison away. Close one…


Cheers to you for not falling into the thinking error of "oh, it's an accident, it was meant for me", etc, etc, etc.....

I like NA beers just because it's tied into listening to records, painting & watching Pro Wrestling for me. I'll also have one if I am doing a ton of yard work etc. It's nice & for me, it hits that same spot of wanting a beer. However, I understand how for some, this may be a "slippery slope" as everyone's addiction, experiences, needs vary so again, not for everyone. I will say that it is cool that more places have them as I was in Brooklyn yesterday & the spot had em so since I drove all of the pals, they bought, so I had two of the Samuel Adams ones. Anyway, remember that the fact that you are all thinking you should change in regards to drinking is huge. So if that means cutting back, cutting it out, whatever the case may be, that is a victory in itself.

Too many people I see from when I was younger have just let alcohol consume them. My old roommate was seen by my pals a few weeks back & he was essentially unrecognizable from all of his drinking. I guess one of the other guys that were with my pals said that guy looks like he's 50. How do you know him....just a shame....
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on May 21, 2023, 08:16:06 AM
Expand Quote
Funny you guys are discussing ba beers today. I don’t have an issue with alc free beer but usually just drink water. This week I am in Germany tho so I had a few alc free Hefeweizen, which are really good.

Tonight I ordered « another one » and  the waitress brought me a real beer by mistake. I immediately noticed the difference in taste but also a wave of alcohol flowing through my system. Very very lightly of course because it was only one big gulp I had taken.

This was the first time I m’ve had real beer in 3.5 years and man I wanted nothing more than guzzle it down. Scary. Luckily I managed to stay reasonable and just told the waitress there had been a mistake and she took the poison away. Close one…
[close]


Cheers to you for not falling into the thinking error of "oh, it's an accident, it was meant for me", etc, etc, etc.....

I like NA beers just because it's tied into listening to records, painting & watching Pro Wrestling for me. I'll also have one if I am doing a ton of yard work etc. It's nice & for me, it hits that same spot of wanting a beer. However, I understand how for some, this may be a "slippery slope" as everyone's addiction, experiences, needs vary so again, not for everyone. I will say that it is cool that more places have them as I was in Brooklyn yesterday & the spot had em so since I drove all of the pals, they bought, so I had two of the Samuel Adams ones. Anyway, remember that the fact that you are all thinking you should change in regards to drinking is huge. So if that means cutting back, cutting it out, whatever the case may be, that is a victory in itself.

Too many people I see from when I was younger have just let alcohol consume them. My old roommate was seen by my pals a few weeks back & he was essentially unrecognizable from all of his drinking. I guess one of the other guys that were with my pals said that guy looks like he's 50. How do you know him....just a shame....

I rarely drinks NA beers anymore, because of the price and calories….but those Sammy Adams NA’s are some of the best ones out. Very refreshing and tasty.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Chavo on May 21, 2023, 10:10:59 AM
Expand Quote
Going back to the original post, I've been sober since I was 16 and looking back, think it was a waste of time.

My original reasoning seemed logical. I was piling out on weekends from a young age, then decided I didn't like skating with a hangover so tapered drinking for the next few years until completely straight edge.

I'm already socially awkward, so no longer being the life of the party and having to interact with people in a honest way is uncomfortable for everyone. Since drinking/bars/clubs are our social commonality, I tended to hang out with sober weirdos and my social group became smaller and smaller (I've hung out with friends at bars and they always have a problem with you not drinking booze). Now as an adult, I actively avoid socializing, don't go to work functions or "networking", and since everyone who didn't drink before now drinks heavily, don't hang out with anyone. Back when I'd run into an old skate friend and say "let's meet up to skate", now they want to meet at a bar (even if they still skate). I think drinking is just too embedded as a social pillar in our society to completely omit it from your life.
[close]

Alcohol sucks and people on alcohol often suck as well. If people have a problem with you not drinking, they dont care about you.

But if you feel this way, idk what you do or how old you are, but go drink and tear it up if you think its going to make your life better!

I agree, fuck those people. In general though, I think it's a natural (but not healthy) reaction to get bummed out that someone in your group is doing something else.

I've been sober too long to start now. But looking back, I sometimes wonder if doing something you're not really into, yet not completely against, is such a bad thing if it makes you a more socially adjusted person overall. For example, working in certain industries is dependent on your ability to network and seem like an interesting person during social mixers (and not seem like a freak in the process). If that is a complete turn off, you just won't get jobs because of it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Jagr on May 21, 2023, 08:12:02 PM
Expand Quote
Funny you guys are discussing ba beers today. I don’t have an issue with alc free beer but usually just drink water. This week I am in Germany tho so I had a few alc free Hefeweizen, which are really good.

Tonight I ordered « another one » and  the waitress brought me a real beer by mistake. I immediately noticed the difference in taste but also a wave of alcohol flowing through my system. Very very lightly of course because it was only one big gulp I had taken.

This was the first time I m’ve had real beer in 3.5 years and man I wanted nothing more than guzzle it down. Scary. Luckily I managed to stay reasonable and just told the waitress there had been a mistake and she took the poison away. Close one…
[close]


Cheers to you for not falling into the thinking error of "oh, it's an accident, it was meant for me", etc, etc, etc.....

I like NA beers just because it's tied into listening to records, painting & watching Pro Wrestling for me. I'll also have one if I am doing a ton of yard work etc. It's nice & for me, it hits that same spot of wanting a beer. However, I understand how for some, this may be a "slippery slope" as everyone's addiction, experiences, needs vary so again, not for everyone. I will say that it is cool that more places have them as I was in Brooklyn yesterday & the spot had em so since I drove all of the pals, they bought, so I had two of the Samuel Adams ones. Anyway, remember that the fact that you are all thinking you should change in regards to drinking is huge. So if that means cutting back, cutting it out, whatever the case may be, that is a victory in itself.

Too many people I see from when I was younger have just let alcohol consume them. My old roommate was seen by my pals a few weeks back & he was essentially unrecognizable from all of his drinking. I guess one of the other guys that were with my pals said that guy looks like he's 50. How do you know him....just a shame....

I like the taste of non-alcoholic beer. But they also make me really start craving actual beer. So I steer clear of them and just do sparking waters instead. Rad that they seem to scratch the itch for a lot of you guys without being a slippery slope like they are for me though!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on May 22, 2023, 09:50:42 AM
@Coastal Fever @mrkamikaze

Alcohol made nothing better… i mean shitty situations seemed more tolerable, but thats it. Alcohol made me ok about mediocrity and feeling poorly. Numbed out feeling deeply. Anyways, thats my take on it for today.

Love to you dudes. Love yourselves

just wanna say IUTSM you hit the nail on the head with how I feel about quitting drinking. I feel like I’ve never been able to articulate it well but that hit home…
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Jim and Dan on May 22, 2023, 12:53:08 PM
So I'm over 5 years off smack and crack, best decision I ever made and haven't had any overwhelming urge to go back to that lifestyle. However, I had been tossing around the idea of maybe smoking weed again, being that it's legal and all. Now I smoked weed everyday for over 10 years, so it's not my first rodeo but hadn't smoked in 5 years. So Saturday night I decide to take a puff off of a dab/concentrate pen before I went to bed, proceeding to take a mondo rip. As soon as I exhale, I knew I had made a bad decision and within minutes was in full-blown panic mode, with my heart racing a mile-a-minute and my mind going haywire. It was so fucking overwhelming, like bad mushroom trip vibes where I'm getting extremely existential about my life and wondering if I'm finally going to lose my shit. A disconnect between my brain and my ability to move then set in, literally having to tell my brain to move my arms and legs when the vomit started to flow. Threw up some very nice, acidic contents off and on for an undetermined amount of time, passing out on the floor of my bathroom with my cat nuzzling me. Somehow made it back to bed and then nothing, woke up however many hours later feeling extremely ill, much the same feeling when I OD'd on smack many moons ago. Now you can argue that 92% concentrate is different than smoking flower and you're right, but the key takeaway from this experience is that I'm definitely not going to be picking up any form of marijuana for the foreseeable future. Sometimes in sobriety, especially with coexisting mental health issues, you crave another form of escape when you can't seem to shake the mental health paradigm you're trapped in, and this is coming off 5 years of being free from street/prescription drug abuse. In my case, sobriety is 100% beneficial to me, I couldn't function without it, but that escapism still rears its ugly head from time to time and in this instance definitely showed me that I don't need to be doing anything else than what I'm currently doing, it's just not for me anymore.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 22, 2023, 05:52:37 PM
@Huell Howser

yo brother, glad those words worked for your process of thinking. Bukowski and Burroughs way of being ain't too cool when you're living it, as thats what was happening for me. Sitting in dive bars scribbling the need for escape on napkins as if making notes of it was of more importance or value than getting out of it. Bleh.

@Jim and Dan

yo dude, dabs, hash, concentrates are not for me, someone who uses weed in various ways on a pretty regular basis, a big no way. those panic attacks are awful. 1 or 2 wacks of some clean flower or a small dose edible are juuuuust enough for me. sorry to hear your experience was so brutal. But hey, man, 5 years of dope and crack is huge. I'm glad you're alive. I wish everyone could make it like that. Sounds like you are hanging in there and got a decent thing going on. I go on weed benders every now and again. Some kratom benders a few times over the years (bleh) and it all is kinda lame but harm reductionist for me. Really though, the best thing ive found is when im in a regular meditation practice. Not that you asked, jist got me thinking.


-------------------------------------------------
there's a big homeless population where i'm living and it's but for the grace of the god, the support i've got, and some willpower that I didn't end up on the streets, you know? I see these cats tweaking or on whatever the dope is nowadays, mental illness, poor health etc, and i'm like "damn, it could have been me." I lived with this huge, monstrous survivors guilt complex for years when my good friends starting dying. I've worked through it and it's good, I'm grateful to be where i'm at, let alone alive and thriving.

So today, I'm skating this DIY spot on the side of a road and this cat comes by and starts chopping it up with me. He's got all sorts of stuff in his arms, looked like he was carrying it to build a shelter. Dude starts talking with me about skating and how he doesn't skate anymore but has the "curse of the skater vision... everything's a spot!" I give him a pound and get back to skating. think nothing of it other than "alright, that dude has some shit going on but was pleasant enough." so I move onto the next spot an hour later and dude comes out of the woods and starts chopping it up again, looks at the ledge i'm skating and is like "dude, you need some wax! I've got candles you can have." I'm like "nah bro, it's cool... i'll just go faster." He walks over to the ledge and runs his hand along the top of it and says very gently "dude, you really need some wax. this is dried out!" I keep skating and a bit later he comes up and hands me a nub from an emergency candle and says "go wax that thing, dude. get it. noseslide, right? go land that." So i wax the fucking top of the ledge and start landing the damn noseslides. Meanwhile, dude is messing with a basketball that was on the court and draining threes, kinda running solo drills, talking to himself a bit. he's got moves like he definitely played ball at another point in life. We start shooting the shit about skating for a minute again and I'm seeing that this cat is probably a few years younger than me and let him push around on my board and he's saying "not talking shit, but this board is loosey goosey and heavy... (DOA, Aces, 56mm loopholes) you got mad pop but you gotta get an element or something light and you'll be ollieing 6 decks dude..." I laughed and kept skating while he was doing his thing and I give him the $2 in my pocket, because you know, he's living in a tent and is obviously struggling, and I'm well, housed, fed, in love, got everything i could want and a dog to boot. two bucks is whatever to me most of the time. not even a cup of coffee without another 30 cents.

So I'm making my way out of the spot and i skate over to this cat and says "hey man, thanks again for the wax. what's your name?" and he says "i'm xxxxxxxxxxx, i live right over here behind the creek...." and no joke this dude's got the same name as a nickname that people used to call me til I moved to the west coast and got my shit together. I'm like "thanks for the wax and the chat, man. stay safe over there, you know?" I'm skating away and he says "hey, you know anyone with some percs?" I'm really thrown now because he's obviously from the east coast calling em percs and those are what took everyone from my generation out. I say "nah man, can't help ya there." He says to me "right on, well, if you ever have a spare board, i could use one. i camp right over there..."

Pals, it was a what the fuckity fuck sorta moment. Sad and again, i'm real grateful to be where i'm at. happy to be alive. happy you are all alive.

love to you all and love yourselves.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Jim and Dan on May 23, 2023, 04:32:06 AM
@Huell Howser

yo brother, glad those words worked for your process of thinking. Bukowski and Burroughs way of being ain't too cool when you're living it, as thats what was happening for me. Sitting in dive bars scribbling the need for escape on napkins as if making notes of it was of more importance or value than getting out of it. Bleh.

@Jim and Dan

yo dude, dabs, hash, concentrates are not for me, someone who uses weed in various ways on a pretty regular basis, a big no way. those panic attacks are awful. 1 or 2 wacks of some clean flower or a small dose edible are juuuuust enough for me. sorry to hear your experience was so brutal. But hey, man, 5 years of dope and crack is huge. I'm glad you're alive. I wish everyone could make it like that. Sounds like you are hanging in there and got a decent thing going on. I go on weed benders every now and again. Some kratom benders a few times over the years (bleh) and it all is kinda lame but harm reductionist for me. Really though, the best thing ive found is when im in a regular meditation practice. Not that you asked, jist got me thinking.


-------------------------------------------------
there's a big homeless population where i'm living and it's but for the grace of the god, the support i've got, and some willpower that I didn't end up on the streets, you know? I see these cats tweaking or on whatever the dope is nowadays, mental illness, poor health etc, and i'm like "damn, it could have been me." I lived with this huge, monstrous survivors guilt complex for years when my good friends starting dying. I've worked through it and it's good, I'm grateful to be where i'm at, let alone alive and thriving.

So today, I'm skating this DIY spot on the side of a road and this cat comes by and starts chopping it up with me. He's got all sorts of stuff in his arms, looked like he was carrying it to build a shelter. Dude starts talking with me about skating and how he doesn't skate anymore but has the "curse of the skater vision... everything's a spot!" I give him a pound and get back to skating. think nothing of it other than "alright, that dude has some shit going on but was pleasant enough." so I move onto the next spot an hour later and dude comes out of the woods and starts chopping it up again, looks at the ledge i'm skating and is like "dude, you need some wax! I've got candles you can have." I'm like "nah bro, it's cool... i'll just go faster." He walks over to the ledge and runs his hand along the top of it and says very gently "dude, you really need some wax. this is dried out!" I keep skating and a bit later he comes up and hands me a nub from an emergency candle and says "go wax that thing, dude. get it. noseslide, right? go land that." So i wax the fucking top of the ledge and start landing the damn noseslides. Meanwhile, dude is messing with a basketball that was on the court and draining threes, kinda running solo drills, talking to himself a bit. he's got moves like he definitely played ball at another point in life. We start shooting the shit about skating for a minute again and I'm seeing that this cat is probably a few years younger than me and let him push around on my board and he's saying "not talking shit, but this board is loosey goosey and heavy... (DOA, Aces, 56mm loopholes) you got mad pop but you gotta get an element or something light and you'll be ollieing 6 decks dude..." I laughed and kept skating while he was doing his thing and I give him the $2 in my pocket, because you know, he's living in a tent and is obviously struggling, and I'm well, housed, fed, in love, got everything i could want and a dog to boot. two bucks is whatever to me most of the time. not even a cup of coffee without another 30 cents.

So I'm making my way out of the spot and i skate over to this cat and says "hey man, thanks again for the wax. what's your name?" and he says "i'm xxxxxxxxxxx, i live right over here behind the creek...." and no joke this dude's got the same name as a nickname that people used to call me til I moved to the west coast and got my shit together. I'm like "thanks for the wax and the chat, man. stay safe over there, you know?" I'm skating away and he says "hey, you know anyone with some percs?" I'm really thrown now because he's obviously from the east coast calling em percs and those are what took everyone from my generation out. I say "nah man, can't help ya there." He says to me "right on, well, if you ever have a spare board, i could use one. i camp right over there..."

Pals, it was a what the fuckity fuck sorta moment. Sad and again, i'm real grateful to be where i'm at. happy to be alive. happy you are all alive.

love to you all and love yourselves.

@IusedToSkateMore thank you for the good words mate, always helps to hear some positive reinforcement in periods of relative isolation. I know you are totally correct regarding the meditation, I've gone through so many different therapy groups with meditation aspects and I know they are integrating it into a lot of AWOL/AA programs, funny to think of my 61 year old father doing guided meditations weekly but I just never stuck with. The irony is that I grew up in circles where things like meditation, yoga and emotional healing where core principals, I just never gravitated to them, probably because they where instilled by my mother and a lot of my issues in my teens and 20's were rooted with her. I'll also 2nd the motion that romanticizing Burroughs and Bukowski is definitely something different when you are living it, the former wholeheartedly being an influence on my interest in junk. When you're young you don't understand the ramifications of these choices, it seems like it's going to be all fun and games, you're an "artist", whatever bullshit you use to justify the choices throughout your life, never realizing this shit just doesn't go away and even if it does, it never really does. The monkey never dies and you don't see too many old junkies.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on May 26, 2023, 05:45:26 AM
I’ll delete this if anyone finds it triggering, but after a few weeks of not even having non-alcoholic beer, I picked up a sixer of Bud Zero and I fucking loved it.  Which is funny because I was strictly a juicy IPA guy while boozing, and I find most na beers disgusting, but this one reeeally hits the spot on a hot day. 

Thankfully, I didn’t miss the buzz aspect at all, I just truly enjoyed the taste a lot.  I’m a little nervous that I’m unwittingly leading myself back down a slippery slope towards the real thing.. but I love being sober, so I’d like to think that I’ve actually just found a healthier replacement, that provides the same refreshment I used to seek from drinking.

*this post was not in any way paid for or supported by Budweiser Zero, 0.0% alcohol beer.

i've gone from being a heavy drinker (4-6 drinks a day) to an occasional drinker where I drink 3-4 days a week now. i know that's still a decent amount but i drink less when i do and half the time. NA beers have been a cool thing lately for me and figured i'd share. on days that i do drink i'll lean no NAs to drink less and then on days i don't drink i've been drinking them and i've realized that i really just enjoy relaxing with a beer with or without alcohol. current favorite is stella. my wife is much more hardcore than me when it comes to not drinking and she was more of a wine drinker than beer drinker but she's really gotten into the NA beers.

for both of us alcohol is more about how it effects our sleep. ive been tracking my sleep score with my garmin for a good bit and it's been really helpful as it gives me a very clear view of the effect that drinks have on me. you even start to understand the difference between two beers with dinner versus right before bed.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on May 27, 2023, 06:59:08 AM
Expand Quote
I’ll delete this if anyone finds it triggering, but after a few weeks of not even having non-alcoholic beer, I picked up a sixer of Bud Zero and I fucking loved it.  Which is funny because I was strictly a juicy IPA guy while boozing, and I find most na beers disgusting, but this one reeeally hits the spot on a hot day. 

Thankfully, I didn’t miss the buzz aspect at all, I just truly enjoyed the taste a lot.  I’m a little nervous that I’m unwittingly leading myself back down a slippery slope towards the real thing.. but I love being sober, so I’d like to think that I’ve actually just found a healthier replacement, that provides the same refreshment I used to seek from drinking.

*this post was not in any way paid for or supported by Budweiser Zero, 0.0% alcohol beer.
[close]

i've gone from being a heavy drinker (4-6 drinks a day) to an occasional drinker where I drink 3-4 days a week now. i know that's still a decent amount but i drink less when i do and half the time. NA beers have been a cool thing lately for me and figured i'd share. on days that i do drink i'll lean no NAs to drink less and then on days i don't drink i've been drinking them and i've realized that i really just enjoy relaxing with a beer with or without alcohol. current favorite is stella. my wife is much more hardcore than me when it comes to not drinking and she was more of a wine drinker than beer drinker but she's really gotten into the NA beers.

for both of us alcohol is more about how it effects our sleep. ive been tracking my sleep score with my garmin for a good bit and it's been really helpful as it gives me a very clear view of the effect that drinks have on me. you even start to understand the difference between two beers with dinner versus right before bed.

My sleep has also improved immensely without alcohol. 6/18 I hit one year!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: secretvape on May 27, 2023, 07:11:23 PM
I still dream of drugs all the time.
This week was


At my grandma's house mixed with a mansion, upstairs I find bag of xans, can't loose them, enjoying the dream architecture vibe, the xans start dissolving before I can take one, big nightmare vibes, wake up

At apt with videogame type view with two twinks, they have like a pound of meth, twink puts his butt on me, I'm not gay but it was kinda nice, they leave and I steal it but only half because I didn't even want to deal with it even in my dream

That dream was also wierd cuz it was almost a gay dream like wtf

I been dreaming for like 7 months straight every night since no drugs
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Bill Salt on May 28, 2023, 01:07:56 AM
sobriety is cool even if you lose friends...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on May 28, 2023, 10:12:05 AM
sobriety is cool even if you lose friends...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on June 23, 2023, 03:39:41 AM
day 10 over here. it feels like cheating since it's being forced upon me by the county for 6-12 months. still the new found clarity of this thing called my life has been amazing. i've been realizing things about how i've been living that i never would have drinking everyday and waking up hungover. i've been doing things and taking care of stuff that i've put off for years. like dusting off my ceiling fans. i've had these fuckers for 8 years and never have dusted them once. disgusting i know. it's also pretty cool how long the weekend lasts when you don't drink.
right now i'm in the middle of reorganizing my record collection, that should keep me busy for a few months.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on June 23, 2023, 08:39:51 AM
day 10 over here. it feels like cheating since it's being forced upon me by the county for 6-12 months. still the new found clarity of this thing called my life has been amazing. i've been realizing things about how i've been living that i never would have drinking everyday and waking up hungover. i've been doing things and taking care of stuff that i've put off for years. like dusting off my ceiling fans. i've had these fuckers for 8 years and never have dusted them once. disgusting i know. it's also pretty cool how long the weekend lasts when you don't drink.
right now i'm in the middle of reorganizing my record collection, that should keep me busy for a few months.


Well done!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fineslime on June 23, 2023, 05:39:33 PM
Had to get on a week long regiment of antibiotics and decided to use it as a momentum builder to quit drinking. Sunday will mark 5 weeks since I've had a sip of alcohol. I was not getting wasted, but I was drinking often. 2 to 3 drinks 4 or 5 times a week.

Day 7 was the hardest day by far. I work in the restaurant industry and it was the Sunday before memorial day. We absolutely got our asses handed to us and I wanted to go directly across the street after work and order a drink.

I debated drinking in my head literally for the last 2 hours of work and then decided, "fuck it, I deserve a drink." All the while I'm having realizations that a rough day at work should not lead me to drinking. I still committed to the drink, but as I'm walking out of work that night, I instantly called my uber and went directly home. I woke up the next morning feeling genuinely proud of myself, and I knew that if I could get through that night, the hardest part was over.

Working around alcohol is admittedly rather difficult at times, especially working in South Florida during summer, but my relationship with drinking is slowly turning into, "that sounds nice... but wait what am I even thinking???"

Since I've quit drinking I've been working out HARD, and the issues I've had in my knee that have prevented me from skating over the last year seem to be subsiding. I'm inclined to believe it's because I'm not inflamming and dehydrating myself 5 nights a week. I can actually skate and feel confident on my board again.

The thought of a drink still crosses my mind, but it's very fleeting and becoming less and less often as the time goes on. I even inspired a coworker to quit drinking too. She's almost a week in.

This is the longest period of sobriety I've had in 2 years. I feel amazing.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on June 23, 2023, 11:34:44 PM
Well done @breezy_again  and @fineslime you can be proud of your achievements. Stay vigilant, temptation lurks at every corner.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on June 24, 2023, 01:04:13 AM
Yes, good job, breezy_again and fineslime. I am at about 4 weeks no alcohol. It's also kind of forced while I sort some things out, but I found it most difficult the first two weeks. Going out is definitely a lot cheaper! I went out to the pub tonight and just had waters with my food. Keep it up, guys!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on June 24, 2023, 04:08:02 AM
So proud and happy for all you guys!  Sounds like you were all faced with tough decisions and chose wisely.  I feel I was lucky in my first few weeks, because as a result of not drinking, my meds started working properly and I felt almost euphoric. 

Now that I’m 2-1/2 months in, the euphoria is gone but I feel stable which is what you want.  I’ve got a couple camping/road trips coming up, and I’ll be damned if I said I didn’t want to drink on them.  But then I remind myself how much more I can get out of them if not inebriated/hungover.  Sobriety truly is about what you gain, not lose.

Up early on a Saturday, about to make a smoothie bowl then go skate.  Which had I had even a couple beers/puffs last night, would probably not be happening.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on June 24, 2023, 05:39:21 AM
thanks for the support pals!

and @EdLawndale going out is definitely cheaper. my tabs now are under 10 bucks compared to around 50 a day.
i get down with the topo chicos
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on June 24, 2023, 08:00:27 AM
thanks for the support pals!

and @EdLawndale going out is definitely cheaper. my tabs now are under 10 bucks compared to around 50 a day.
i get down with the topo chicos

Nice, I stay bout that Topo Chico life!

(https://i.ibb.co/xLqQXXv/Screenshot-20230624-075845-Instagram.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xLqQXXv)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fineslime on June 24, 2023, 08:30:45 AM
the sobriety thread and the guitar thread have gotta be the two most supportive threads on the board haha. I'm no longer astonished at the support you can find on the board. thanks so much for the kind words, pals. if anyone ever needs to chat or a pick me up, I'm always available.

question for AA goers: I've been in the rooms before and worked the first few steps, but the thing that keeps me away from them is having to have a sponsor. I had a fractured relationship with my dad before he passed when I was a teenager, so the male mentor/ sponsor relationship is not something I'm used to and I have difficult forming bonds like that. I'm almost in my mid 30s, and the idea of finding support or guidance in another grown man at this stage in my life just does not click with me. has anyone ever been faced with the difficulty of finding a sponsor and forming that bond/ relationship? I've also been told that having a female sponsor is frowned upon to some degree.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fineslime on June 24, 2023, 08:32:59 AM
Yes, good job, breezy_again and fineslime. I am at about 4 weeks no alcohol. It's also kind of forced while I sort some things out, but I found it most difficult the first two weeks. Going out is definitely a lot cheaper! I went out to the pub tonight and just had waters with my food. Keep it up, guys!

damn Mr. Lawndale, going to a pub this early on is a ballsy move! did you feel like you had to do it to test yourself? thats amazing that you were able to be in that environment and still stand strong in your choices. how do you feel having accomplished that? I have not yet been in a bar setting other than the restaurant I work in. I also avoided my family's summer kick off party a few weeks ago because I knew there would be alcohol there. they even had a water slide bounce house!!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on June 24, 2023, 10:09:42 AM
For me, the danger is open bars (corporate events, movie premieres, weddings, etc.). So, I try to limit my time at those. I've had a lot of bad experiences with just endless alcohol being handed to me for free with no accountability. It's even worse when I don't have to worry about driving home. Not to say it wasn't my own fault all those times. It was.

Last night, I just wanted to say hi to my friends and do some work on my laptop over a meal, so it wasn't that troublesome. Thankfully, nobody pressures me to drink, and paying for the food allows me to take care of the wait staff I've known for years and not feel like I'm being a freeloader.

Sorry to hear you missed your family's event but there will be many more in the future, I am sure.  Think about how proud you will be of yourself when you realize you have the confidence to stay in control and not feel like you have to drink anything. It's pretty cool actually. You'll get there real soon.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on June 24, 2023, 10:32:32 AM
@EdLawndale

Very cool, dude. I imagine your work environment and stressors can encourage indiscriminate alcohol consumption, so right on.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on June 27, 2023, 12:50:48 PM
Today is hopefully day one of sobriety. The biggest hurdle is sleeping. I’ve been an insomniac even before I started smoking weed and probably one of the reasons I got so into it because it helped me sleep. Especially since I’m going through a break up the depression is gonna make it hard to sleep tonight.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Jebediah on June 27, 2023, 12:51:45 PM
I've stopped weed and insomnia has been killer as well. Maybe try a small dose of melatonin a few hours before bedtime.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on June 27, 2023, 06:52:04 PM
I take 5mg melatonin, along with a magnesium supplement, and valerian tea every night before bed.  I sleep like a baby most of the time.  There’s no health consequences and it’s not like they’re drugs that leave you groggy the next day.  If taking some natural sleep aids helps you kick unhealthy vices, you shouldn’t even think twice.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on June 27, 2023, 07:02:14 PM
Today is hopefully day one of sobriety. The biggest hurdle is sleeping. I’ve been an insomniac even before I started smoking weed and probably one of the reasons I got so into it because it helped me sleep. Especially since I’m going through a break up the depression is gonna make it hard to sleep tonight.

Valerian or passiaflora do the job of weed for insomnia.

Look on ebay for a product called formula 303. Chiropractic firms sell it as a muscle relaxant. I realize eBay may seem sketch, but its right from the manufacturer in TN. Top notch sleep aide that wont get you fucked up
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on June 27, 2023, 10:01:10 PM
Thank you both. I am here on my couch unable to sleep even after an ambien my mom gave me to try to help me sleep. I’ll look into the formula 303. Muscle relaxers do make me drowsy so maybe these will help.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on June 28, 2023, 05:53:46 AM
Day 2 of treatment. Fell asleep around 3 last night but didn’t use weed or alcohol the whole day. Hopefully by tomorrow I’ll have 48 hours which I’ve never done at home in 10 years. The only times I’ve been sober in the last 10 years was when I was out of state and unable to buy weed. But even then I would drink to help me sleep. This is probably the hardest thing I have done in my life. I wish I could say I’ve done harder more fascinating things but that’s why I’m doing this now. So that one day my life is filled with challenges and obstacles and I choose to overcome them instead of retreating to drugs and alcohol and women.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on June 28, 2023, 06:08:57 AM
benedryl is good for helping you sleep. its actually the same dose of the same drug as a unisom sleep gel. i believe it does show up as alcohol on a pee test though.
i'm gonna look into some of these other options myself as my sleep is kind of fucked at the moment. the medication i'm on makes me have crazy lucid dreams which has started to become annoying.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on June 28, 2023, 06:54:28 AM
benedryl is good for helping you sleep. its actually the same dose of the same drug as a unisom sleep gel. i believe it does show up as alcohol on a pee test though.
i'm gonna look into some of these other options myself as my sleep is kind of fucked at the moment. the medication i'm on makes me have crazy lucid dreams which has started to become annoying.
I had to sign an agreement to be 100% sober during this day treatment and Benadryl was one of the things I can’t take. NyQuil as well. My mom bought me some cbd gummies to help me sleep and today they may give me non addictive pills to help with sleep. My pee tests will show up positive for thc the whole time I’m here they said but they can send it to a lab to get levels to see if I’m truly being sober. Which I have. It’s been very hard.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on June 28, 2023, 10:00:08 AM
You got this!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on June 28, 2023, 10:31:23 AM
You got this!
Thank you. Lots of stuff happening these last few days. The psychiatrist diagnosed me with bipolar type 1. Makes sense though to me
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on June 28, 2023, 12:00:06 PM
@Idk  and @breezy_again I got no advice for you on the sleeping front but just wanted to encourage you to stay strong. Eventually the body will adjust to the new way of life, after all it was used to being drugged for many years so this will take a while. In the end it's good for you and you know it. You got this lads!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: BurgerCop on June 28, 2023, 12:24:02 PM
I have an issue with binge drinking lately. I lost my dad and brother within 2 weeks of each other back in April. I don't feel like I'm drinking to cope with loss, but this wasn't an issue before so maybe it's related.
I can still go days without a drop of alcohol and not give it a second thought, but it's like the second one drop touches my lips I immediately go into binge mode. 
I'll buy a 12 pack to "last me the weekend" and drink it all in 5 hours on Friday afternoon/evening.
I tried only buying 6 packs of 12oz cans thinking once it's gone I'm done for the night, but on more than one occasion I found myself walking down to the gas station to buy more beer as soon as the sixer is gone.

Having said all that, I still only drink about 2 days a week, sometimes 3. I typically don't drink at all Monday through Thursday. I really want to get back to my usual, more moderated alcohol consumption, but I'm also scared I'm losing control.
I think I'm going to have to quit entirely for a bit while I still have the restraint to do so, if I keep going down this road I'm terrified of where it could lead.

I guess I'm not really looking for advice, I know what I need to do (quit).
It just feels kinda therapeutic to type this out and get it off my chest.   
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on June 28, 2023, 01:39:52 PM
The only time I got sent in an ambulance to the the ER for alcohol poisoning was at the end of a night binge drinking a few months after the death of my father (had already lost my mother about a decade earlier).

In response, I took six months of drinking (and three months of marijuana). After the six months, I basically eased back into drinking but had to reteach myself not to binge drink, because that was all I knew as I grew up doing it.

I have not found myself in a similar situation during the roughly 10 years since taking that six months of alcohol.

That was my bottom. Thankfully, I didn't get behind the wheel and kill anyone, but the whole event ended up costing me thousands of dollars (hospital fees, lost wallet, phone, car keys, etc.) but I realized I did not enjoy the feeling of blacking out and trying to piece together the previous night when I wake up with a major hangover and no recollection of what happened or how I conducted myself. I prefer staying in control.

Hopefully, you may be able to avoid going through a similar experience.  Good luck, man.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: BurgerCop on June 28, 2023, 02:16:39 PM
I appreciate that.
That's the crazy thing, anytime I drink way too much I always feel ashamed the next morning no matter how the night went. But lately I've been doing my binge drinking at home, alone. That part scares me too.
Thankfully I'm good at staying away from my phone and computer so far, heh.

I think I'll give your 6 month plan a try, that sounds about up my alley.
Sucks to have to start it when summer is just kicking off, but the booze isn't gonna wait until it's convenient for me, and hey, 4th of July will be a good last hurrah before going off the wagon...or on the wagon...I can't remember which means "doesn't drink"...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on June 29, 2023, 02:50:21 AM
The only thing I’d warn against a 6 month plans is that can be a daunting and discouraging length of time.  Not saying to adopt the whole “one day at a time” mindset either, but maybe a week?  2 weeks?  Just long enough to get over the initial hurdle and start feeling the positive effects.

Sorry to sidetrack, but wanted to riff off on sobriety vs addictive behaviour vs spending habits… I think my ADHD is kicking in now that I’ve stopped numbing myself, and I’ve found new fixations to obsess over.  Mainly teeth whitening products, na beers, and investing into new gear for every hobby that piques my interest.  To the point where my partner is expressing concern rather than celebrating my sobriety. 

Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

*This isn’t a flex about having lots of money either, I’m doing okay, but recently put a home reno project on credit while waiting on interest free funding, and have taken on the attitude of “hey why not invest in myself as well even if it means using credit”.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on June 29, 2023, 02:54:59 AM
The only thing I’d warn against a 6 month plans is that can be a daunting and discouraging length of time.  Not saying to adopt the whole “one day at a time” mindset either, but maybe a week?  2 weeks?  Just long enough to get over the initial hurdle and start feeling the positive effects.

Sorry to sidetrack, but wanted to riff off on sobriety vs addictive behaviour vs spending habits… I think my ADHD is kicking in now that I’ve stopped numbing myself, and I’ve found new fixations to obsess over.  Mainly teeth whitening products, na beers, and investing into new gear for every hobby that piques my interest.  To the point where my partner is expressing concern rather than celebrating my sobriety. 

Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

*This isn’t a flex about having lots of money either, I’m doing okay, but recently put a home reno project on credit while waiting on interest free funding, and have taken on the attitude of “hey why not invest in myself as well even if it means using credit”.

Lol bruh, sounds familiar. When I stopped drinking, my attention actually turned to skateboarding and that's what I have been obsessing over ever since. I am also obsessed with other stuff and have become a coffee addict. I guess it comes with an addictive character to substitute one "drug" with another. Just try to pick obsessions that are not as destructive as drugs and alcohol.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on June 29, 2023, 12:05:26 PM
Yeah, everybody's different.

I chose to do the six months of alcohol because that was what was advised by the program I started doing, Moderation Management, which takes a more secular/scientific, harm-reduction approach to drinking as opposed to the spiritual/religious, complete abstinence approach that AA focuses on. Six months seemed doable for me. But, yeah, everybody is different.

That said, one might need to experience their bottom to truly make a change.

When I woke up spread out on the grass of my front lawn, wearing a full suit, with all my shit missing, and only vague recollections of basically breaking out of the ER (lol), I decided that was it for me. I'm gonna tackle this shit.

I think I've said this before, but I liken how I consider my bottom to that scene in "Scarface" when Manny chastises Tony Montana for crushing on their boss' wife.

Manny says something to the effect of, "Remember, a year ago, we were in a hell-hole prison." To which Tony responds, "You choose to remember that if you want. I want to forget it."

I think Manny had the right idea and Tony was doing himself a disservice. I try to stay in touch with how awful I felt that day I woke up, because keeping that memory alive in my mind reminds me how much I do not want to return to that.

https://youtu.be/gDLOSjA7mrs
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on June 29, 2023, 12:51:16 PM
Expand Quote
The only thing I’d warn against a 6 month plans is that can be a daunting and discouraging length of time.  Not saying to adopt the whole “one day at a time” mindset either, but maybe a week?  2 weeks?  Just long enough to get over the initial hurdle and start feeling the positive effects.

Sorry to sidetrack, but wanted to riff off on sobriety vs addictive behaviour vs spending habits… I think my ADHD is kicking in now that I’ve stopped numbing myself, and I’ve found new fixations to obsess over.  Mainly teeth whitening products, na beers, and investing into new gear for every hobby that piques my interest.  To the point where my partner is expressing concern rather than celebrating my sobriety. 

Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

*This isn’t a flex about having lots of money either, I’m doing okay, but recently put a home reno project on credit while waiting on interest free funding, and have taken on the attitude of “hey why not invest in myself as well even if it means using credit”.
[close]

Lol bruh, sounds familiar. When I stopped drinking, my attention actually turned to skateboarding and that's what I have been obsessing over ever since. I am also obsessed with other stuff and have become a coffee addict. I guess it comes with an addictive character to substitute one "drug" with another. Just try to pick obsessions that are not as destructive as drugs and alcohol.

I hit the thrift/junk stores for my fix  ;D don't even really buy shit most of the time but much like the mission of going to a bar or the process of going to get fucked up in one way or another, the mission or ritual of digging around the thrift store for 15 minutes while looking for .25 cent books or whatever, is a whole heck of a lot better than getting wasted or high.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on June 29, 2023, 06:19:22 PM
I appreciate that.
That's the crazy thing, anytime I drink way too much I always feel ashamed the next morning no matter how the night went. But lately I've been doing my binge drinking at home, alone. That part scares me too.
Thankfully I'm good at staying away from my phone and computer so far, heh.

I think I'll give your 6 month plan a try, that sounds about up my alley.
Sucks to have to start it when summer is just kicking off, but the booze isn't gonna wait until it's convenient for me, and hey, 4th of July will be a good last hurrah before going off the wagon...or on the wagon...I can't remember which means "doesn't drink"...

This is what I was doing towards the end of my drinking career. I was hiding beers from my wife, and staying up way too late just mindlessly getting drunk. I would be so hungover the next day that work was an absolute struggle that I had to fight to accomplish (outside sales, which made it even harder). By late afternoon, I was so exhausted from work and just shaking my hang over, it was time to pick up some more beers.

I will be 2 years sober in August, and it's the best decision I've made. The moment you start hanging around drunk people while you're sober, you'll know why you quit. Hopefully, because it's fucking unbearable, and a waste of time and money.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on June 30, 2023, 06:57:21 AM
Will hit 96 hours sober tonight!!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 03, 2023, 10:16:42 AM
One week clean :)
Longest I’ve ever been clean since junior year of high school and I’m turning 27 in a few days
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on July 03, 2023, 10:24:08 AM
One week clean :)
Longest I’ve ever been clean since junior year of high school and I’m turning 27 in a few days

Big up dude!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Natas_Fauxas on July 06, 2023, 07:07:04 PM
I have been on here with the same name twice. First time i posted about how i was excited to be almost 2 years or so sober. Well i completely fell into a full on drinking binge. I did the absolutely classic mistake of thinking i could have one at my friends wedding.

That was a year ago today. Im only 1 month dry. I do smoke bud, but no tobacco etc. I swear it was easier last time when i stopped to keep no doing so. RN its insane to not drink. Any advice? I stay away from drinking friends when they are doing that. I try to just keep my mind off it. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 06, 2023, 07:16:32 PM
I have been on here with the same name twice. First time i posted about how i was excited to be almost 2 years or so sober. Well i completely fell into a full on drinking binge. I did the absolutely classic mistake of thinking i could have one at my friends wedding.

That was a year ago today. Im only 1 month dry. I do smoke bud, but no tobacco etc. I swear it was easier last time when i stopped to keep no doing so. RN its insane to not drink. Any advice? I stay away from drinking friends when they are doing that. I try to just keep my mind off it.
Do you have access to a day treatment program or an IOP (intensive outpatient program)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Natas_Fauxas on July 06, 2023, 08:13:47 PM
im in our local AA program rn. I may have a sponsor lined up this week. I know that i just cant drink. Im dry rn i just gotta do something else.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on July 06, 2023, 09:13:49 PM
im in our local AA program rn. I may have a sponsor lined up this week. I know that i just cant drink. Im dry rn i just gotta do something else.

Stay strong bro, you got this.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 07, 2023, 03:47:35 AM
im in our local AA program rn. I may have a sponsor lined up this week. I know that i just cant drink. Im dry rn i just gotta do something else.
what has helped me is journaling, acknowledging the anxiety and depression that comes out once you stop numbing yourself. Journal your cravings every time they come. I just wrote I want to get high and I wrote it so many times the first few days. I don’t really have cravings now. Just dealing with the underlying mental health issues that caused me to spiral into addiction. Move. Like I’d just lay in bed and think of terrible shit so now when I wake up I get up and go outside or just go get some water. Have you tried SMART recovery meetings? They don’t do higher power but instead emphasize on your own responsibility. I like the meetings and they have virtual or in person. If you want to join mine you can dm me.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 10, 2023, 04:35:40 AM
Two weeks sober today. I’ve had some cravings but my life in the long run will be better. I’ll actually have a life not just be a prisoner to weed and alcohol when I didn’t have any. I’m very sad and depressed right now but I’m not numbing my pain away. Trying to let it out.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on July 10, 2023, 04:48:36 AM
Two weeks sober today. I’ve had some cravings but my life in the long run will be better. I’ll actually have a life not just be a prisoner to weed and alcohol when I didn’t have any. I’m very sad and depressed right now but I’m not numbing my pain away. Trying to let it out.

Stay strong. It's not easy but I am convinced that you are doing the right thing. You're not in this alone, many pals are going through this.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/WereNotInThisAloneOriginal.jpg)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on July 10, 2023, 06:27:27 AM
Congrats Idk!  That’s a huge accomplishment.  If you’re feeling down maybe try reading or listening to some material about the benefits of sobriety?  I don’t like the stuff that’s prefaced or focuses on the dark times leading up to it, but there’s some great motivational resources out there to remind you why you’re doing it, and why you’ll thank yourself soon.

I’m at 3 months today.  In the beginning I was worried that my life wouldn’t actually improve going sober, that I’d still be bored, sad and unmotivated.  It’s crazy how untrue that was.  I have more time, money, energy, mental well-being, etc.  I’m taking on and enjoying things that before would’ve felt like an absolute chore. 

I also have to give credit to my supportive partner, friends and family.  If they drank around me like I used to in their presence, this would be a lot harder.  So I truly appreciate their patience with me when I was down bad.  Be kind to yourself and others.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on July 10, 2023, 06:29:41 AM
Congrats Idk!  That’s a huge accomplishment.  If you’re feeling down maybe try reading or listening to some material about the benefits of sobriety?  I don’t like the stuff that’s prefaced or focuses on the dark times leading up to it, but there’s some great motivational resources out there to remind you why you’re doing it, and why you’ll thank yourself soon.

I’m at 3 months today.  In the beginning I was worried that my life wouldn’t actually improve going sober, that I’d still be bored, sad and unmotivated.  It’s crazy how untrue that was.  I have more time, money, energy, mental well-being, etc.  I’m taking on and enjoying things that before would’ve felt like an absolute chore. 

I also have to give credit to my supportive partner, friends and family.  If they drank around me like I used to in their presence, this would be a lot harder.  So I truly appreciate their patience with me when I was down bad.  Be kind to yourself and others.

Well done bruh, so good to read this.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 10, 2023, 08:20:20 AM
What I’ve been doing is reading sober journeys. Especially pro skaters. Guy’s and AVE’s. Spanky. It definitely helps and motivates me. I don’t really have cravings anymore but I know that won’t always be the case. I’m trying not to be complacent. I have a group meeting Thursday it’s a really good group so I at least have that. But I definitely need an individual therapist it is just hard to find one that accepts Medicaid.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: doublesteveburger on July 10, 2023, 09:27:38 AM
had the worst cravings yesterday and decided to hit the gym instead of pacing around... highly recommend

not only does it distract you but one hour doing cardio and breaking a sweat made the rest of my day way more peaceful
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Enrico Pallazzo on July 10, 2023, 09:53:08 AM
Sitting at 4.5 months-ish right now as I didn’t really have an official start date. Was strictly a social drinker other than the occasional glass of wine or cocktail on a date night, but when it was party time I definitely suffered from CEBS (Constantly Empty Beer Syndrome), and would lose track and end up drinking too much and getting terrible sleep and anxiety the next few days. Just didn’t like who I was when I got to that point.

We welcomed our first baby in April, which has absolutely changed my life. I was thinking about giving it up for a while, but the third trimester and first few months of fatherhood have been the perfect catalyst. I just want to be there for every moment, and be ready at a second’s notice, and don’t want to have those experiences dulled in any way, either through alcohol or a hangover.

Still have plenty of anxiety issues to work on in therapy and a whole bunch of stupid party shit I did to feel guilty about forever, but this new step in my life definitely feels like the right one.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on July 11, 2023, 01:32:45 PM
was just working a 40,000+ people/per day sort of event that doesn't serve/sell/prohibits alcohol. Mushrooms are legal in Oregon and instead of getting shitty on booze it seemed like at least 1/2 people were eating mushrooms. I'll take people on moderate dosages of boomers all day long. 100K+ people filtering in and out for 5 days with no fights, no cops, etc. Instead we got people hugging, laughing, making art, music, and being all around decent. fuck ya
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 11, 2023, 02:12:05 PM
was just working a 40,000+ people/per day sort of event that doesn't serve/sell/prohibits alcohol. Mushrooms are legal in Oregon and instead of getting shitty on booze it seemed like at least 1/2 people were eating mushrooms. I'll take people on moderate dosages of boomers all day long. 100K+ people filtering in and out for 5 days with no fights, no cops, etc. Instead we got people hugging, laughing, making art, music, and being all around decent. fuck ya
I have been microdosing more now that I’m sober from weed and alcohol. Obviously shrooms are a drug but they’ve never been enticing to me where I have to do them everyday nor is the high something I love, it’s way too intense for me. But I just eat a little of chocolate shrooms and they tend to bring me a peace of mind and a calmness. Like everything will be ok. Really has helped this recovery process.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on July 11, 2023, 05:25:47 PM
Expand Quote
was just working a 40,000+ people/per day sort of event that doesn't serve/sell/prohibits alcohol. Mushrooms are legal in Oregon and instead of getting shitty on booze it seemed like at least 1/2 people were eating mushrooms. I'll take people on moderate dosages of boomers all day long. 100K+ people filtering in and out for 5 days with no fights, no cops, etc. Instead we got people hugging, laughing, making art, music, and being all around decent. fuck ya
[close]
I have been microdosing more now that I’m sober from weed and alcohol. Obviously shrooms are a drug but they’ve never been enticing to me where I have to do them everyday nor is the high something I love, it’s way too intense for me. But I just eat a little of chocolate shrooms and they tend to bring me a peace of mind and a calmness. Like everything will be ok. Really has helped this recovery process.

Yep. DMT helped me get off booze 8 yr ago. Ive witnessed a handful of buddies get off the sauce with mushroom microdosing in the past couple years as well. Capsules of .1 are the way. Same thing, every time
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on July 14, 2023, 04:10:31 PM
https://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/joe-buffalo-a-first-nations-legend-speaks/ (https://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/joe-buffalo-a-first-nations-legend-speaks/)

Im cross posting this but heres some good words about getting sober
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on July 14, 2023, 06:48:14 PM
That sounds like a nightmare. Well, recognizing it is the first step towards success. Keep your head up and get better. We can all only work on ourselves. If you did 2 years, you can do 2 again (and more) if you put your mind to it and perhaps try to tap into the steps that maneuvered you there before. If you're bummed out at the notion of having to cut stuff/ppl out again, take this as a conformation that stuff/ppl are highly overrated. Think about how amped you will be when you see that stuff/those ppl when you have some new sobriety under your belt and you realize you are making the right decision. If the bleeding doesn't stop, soon, please see a doctor.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: MC3 on July 15, 2023, 01:09:35 PM
I'm starting to think about stopping drinking. I don't know if I consume enough to where it is a legitimate problem, but more and more I think about it and the notion of quitting (if I wanted to) seems harder and harder. Makes me think I'm going in the wrong direction.

Im about to be 25, but I am tired of spending what people tell me some of the best times of my life with headaches, a shitty diet and slight gut, and less money from buying booze. Like I said, I don't think I have a "problem" in the formal sense, and I probably drink far less than some of my friends, but I'm wondering if there is some clarity or presence to be had from cutting it out completely. Would love to hear what y'all think.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on July 15, 2023, 02:47:09 PM
Oh, and the amount of blood that starting to go from both ends is scary

And most of my adult life I’ve drank during work for sure. It becomes this massive task of always have deodorant, perfume (ck1!) mouthwash, toothpaste, cigarettes, anything to hid it. Like a full time job in itself

Dude, if you seriously have blood being emitted by your body as you described on a consistent basis, you need to make seeing a physician an immediate priority, especially considering that you are using methadone and alcohol together.  Early identification and treatment truly is the difference between life and death. You'd be surprised how early colon cancer can affect people.


https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/colorectal-cancer-in-young-people (https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/colorectal-cancer-in-young-people)


Hoping the best for you Velcro.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on July 15, 2023, 03:07:12 PM
Has anyone read the book “Alcohol lied to me”?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on July 15, 2023, 04:44:51 PM
Can’t even pretend to know what you’re going through, but I basically just want to repeat everything EdLawndale said.  You’re capable of stopping, you can and will feel better when you come out the other side.  Definitely consult and be honest with a doctor asap.  We’re all here and rooting for you <3
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on July 15, 2023, 06:35:22 PM
The thing I hate most about this addiction is the lying. All the little white lies add up and people work it out in the end. Also the money. Atm it’s around $60 a day. I’ve sold most of my Jordan’s, Airmaxs,so much ACG gear and stuff  that took ages to hunt down only to sell them for cheap so I can get money in my hand now.
I stole a bottle of wine this morning. The shops around here don’t open till 7am.

Sorry for spewing all this shit. If it is triggering anyone please tell me to stop. Sorry in advance

No need to be apologetic. Just be fully transparent with your healthcare provider about your current situation so that they can adequately structure intervention by considering all variables. Detoxing alcohol without medical supervision is increasingly complicated as a person's use of alcohol increases. This is further compounded when individuals are taking other substances.

I am glad you get to talk to folks tomorrow. I don't know the intricacies of your country, and I am guessing you are from Australia since you talked about VB beer, but from my perspective as an American, stopping theft is another VERY important goal to reach. In America, when a person gets a record, it has the potential to have a strong negative impact on employment opportunities in the short and long term. Then again, I am an American, and our system is completely fucked. 
 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Bill Salt on July 16, 2023, 02:00:59 AM
unfortunately, sobritey often comes with sudden religious belief and plastic teeth.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Daewons front truck on July 16, 2023, 11:42:05 AM
I love that I found this thread. I got back to skating after I got sober, of course I was too occupied with coping dope to entertain my past hobby at the time. I was addicted to heroin and alcohol from ages 20-30. I finally had enough after loosing my house, my wife, and most important of all, my self respect. I had been to rehab a couple times In the past two appease my family and friends but I finally got to the point that I was either going to eat a bullet, or find a new way to live. Thankfully I chose the latter option. I went to detox and then I went to an AA meeting. I heard some of their stories and realized that they were just like me. I worked the 12 steps with a sponsor with no expectation of it doing anything but I was wrong. I've been blessed to sponsor someone  in the program and help them through the 12 steps. I have a life I never imagined I could have before. I got a wonderful job helping those with mental health issues. I got my family back and they don't have to worry about finding me dead in the bathroom anymore. I'm not perfect and still fuck up on things all the time, but today I don't have to drink and get high to get through the day. I try to "do the next right thing" now, even if it's extremely difficult to do so. I'm beyond grateful for 2 years and 10 months I've been clean. If anyone that reads this is still struggling, I hope you hit YOUR bottom soon, and I pray it isn't as painful or costly as mine was. I know you won't believe this because I never did when I was using, but you can live a sober life and be HAPPY doing so. -Alexander
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 16, 2023, 12:23:53 PM
No need to say sorry @Velcro Wallet you can do this. You can get better. You can use this space/thread as a sounding board. I’m 19 days sober today and it is amazing how life can be positive and fun and then sad and hard in the same day but instead of running away from the world and being numb to all of it I can feel it all. I just feel so much more human. I’d love to see you get back to your humanity too. You matter. You’re enough.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: S. on July 16, 2023, 01:51:47 PM
Sitting at 4.5 months-ish right now as I didn’t really have an official start date. Was strictly a social drinker other than the occasional glass of wine or cocktail on a date night, but when it was party time I definitely suffered from CEBS (Constantly Empty Beer Syndrome), and would lose track and end up drinking too much and getting terrible sleep and anxiety the next few days. Just didn’t like who I was when I got to that point.

We welcomed our first baby in April, which has absolutely changed my life. I was thinking about giving it up for a while, but the third trimester and first few months of fatherhood have been the perfect catalyst. I just want to be there for every moment, and be ready at a second’s notice, and don’t want to have those experiences dulled in any way, either through alcohol or a hangover.

Still have plenty of anxiety issues to work on in therapy and a whole bunch of stupid party shit I did to feel guilty about forever, but this new step in my life definitely feels like the right one.

Congratulations!

I have an 18 months old. At first I stopped getting drunk for the exact same reasons you wrote about, plus, I felt that the newborn was so fragile and I didn't want to do anything stupid after I had had a few drinks.

Now I will have a few drinks when I go out (which doesn't happen often anymore). But: Being hungover and taking care of a toddler doesn't mix for me at all. It's the worst. It gets to be super annoying and stressful. So the only time when I will have more then two drinks now is when I have the following day for myself. This only happens in the rare case, when my wife and son visit her mother for the weekend.
It's been good, but sometimes I do miss being stupid and drinking too much without these immediate consequences.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on July 16, 2023, 02:13:57 PM
I’m on day 14 of no booze. Spent 8 days abroad and was drinking at least 3 beers/ drinks a day, with a couple of nights I went harder. I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my but noticed, over the last year or so, drinking was exacerbating it far more than before. I’m hoping to ride this out through the rest of the year and get my mental/ physical health in a good and balanced place
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Post Alone on July 16, 2023, 02:36:22 PM
I’m on day 14 of no booze. Spent 8 days abroad and was drinking at least 3 beers/ drinks a day, with a couple of nights I went harder. I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my but noticed, over the last year or so, drinking was exacerbating it far more than before. I’m hoping to ride this out through the rest of the year and get my mental/ physical health in a good and balanced place

You got this 💪
I struggled/struggle with depression and anxiety and quitting drinking was one of the greatest decisions I’ve made. It’s helps make those things a little more manageable.
Either way, hope you find what’s best.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on July 16, 2023, 05:38:16 PM
I know my drinking and drug problems come from childhood stuff. Does anyone else feel the same? But then again my father and his family were 90% alcoholics and my mothers side suffered from major depression and suicide.
The only thing my dad taught me was how to take a punch to the face. But that made me so scared of confrontation. I remember coming home from getting my ass beat up and my dad calling me a pussy.
Not until my 20’s where I thought it was normal to get blind drunk and fight every other night. Being 6’3 and 110Kgs helped but I still felt like a pussy.

Again, my bad. Props to you guys that are sober and I’m here talking shit about myself being selfish. But it’s shit I never have really told anyone.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on July 16, 2023, 06:14:26 PM
Actually, SUPER MEGA PROPS to those who even have 24 hours!!!!!!

I wish you peeps so much strength and health.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on July 17, 2023, 04:17:23 AM
I'll never get there. I've tried a few times. Usually, I couldn't even look at this thread after every imminent failure. Maybe I'm not ready or something. I don't know. It kinda feels like I'm finally over smoking weed though after 20-some years. But alcohol is so much worse that it doesn't even feel like that's progress and more like a step backwards into self-destruction.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: lightnet on July 17, 2023, 08:21:59 AM
Im still stuck in the depressed phase after getting sober. I find no enjoyment in life, mixed with no friends and a non existent life it really sucks.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on July 17, 2023, 09:35:31 AM
I'll never get there. I've tried a few times. Usually, I couldn't even look at this thread after every imminent failure. Maybe I'm not ready or something. I don't know. It kinda feels like I'm finally over smoking weed though after 20-some years. But alcohol is so much worse that it doesn't even feel like that's progress and more like a step backwards into self-destruction.

You’re ready in the sense you’re admitting that there is a concern. Have you gone to an AA meeting? Have you looked into a Therapist? I get that you’re down at the moment but please know you admitting that it’s hard & your trying is a good thing.

Mass Love
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 17, 2023, 09:44:14 AM
With the amount of people that go on this thread we could do our own video meeting kinda like smart recovery? You don’t even have to be sober it’s more for if you’re considering sobriety or are currently sober.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on July 17, 2023, 10:36:41 AM
With the amount of people that go on this thread we could do our own video meeting kinda like smart recovery? You don’t even have to be sober it’s more for if you’re considering sobriety or are currently sober.

like the idea!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on July 17, 2023, 03:18:16 PM
That does sound like a rad idea.

AA never worked for me and I’ve gone heaps… but I have mates that swear by it. Talking about drinking for an hour (with most people showing off their war stories) MAKES me feel like drinking even more.

I found this support group that was must more helpful. We’d talk about or day and things that stressed us out and how we dealt with it. Alcohol and drugs were the reason why we were there but didn’t talk about substance much if that make sense

This was years ago and I tried to find it recently but it had been de-funded and stopped.

I go into detox on Thursday. A bunch of people dropped out so I got a spot very quickly. Stoked.

Hope you pals have a good day. Sober or not.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 17, 2023, 03:21:41 PM
All we would have to do is find a medium like Zoom or Skype and then see if someone is down to moderate or we could switch weeks where one person kind starts/leads. I find it best when group therapy is just us doing MEPS. How are you Mentally, Emotionally, Physically, Socially/Spiritually. And we’d just go from there til everyone in the group finishes. Cross talk so if someone can relate they can respectfully chime in and it becomes a discussion.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on July 17, 2023, 04:38:10 PM
Hey y'all, formerly hmmokay here. I've posted in this thread a few times in the past and have since deactivated here and there, but I wanted to make a new account to post in this thread again after going through a few of the most recent pages.

I just wanted to say to the folks that are on the fence or are having a hard time getting going in sobriety; keep going, keep getting back up, it does get better, and you can do this. I know I've seen this kind of encouragement on here before but I felt compelled to at least repeat it in the hopes that someone who needs to see it, does. I was that person here and elsewhere on the internet idk how many times before it clicked, but I'm very grateful that it did.

I'm coming up on 500 days sober this week (1yr 4month-ish), something that I NEVER, ever could have imagined even a few years ago. Getting half a sober day was a miracle at one point and now, at least for today, alcohol is something I never wish to fuck around with again. For better or worse my only vice was booze, I never fucked around with harder shit, but as many of us know alcohol (because of its legality) can be for some the most lethal thing there is. I truly feel like I am lucky that I got that "second chance" multiple times, because a lot of people, sadly, do not.

I didn't go to AA though I have thought about it more recently just for a sense of community, but one thing I felt very helpful early on and still today is podcasts about recovery. The one I consistently listen to these days is called Recovery Elevator, but even things I didnt expect to help like Bobby Lee's "Bad Friends" with Santino or a randomly recommended SteveO's wild ride on the topic, stuff like that is has been so valuable when I've least expected it. Try and seek out what you think might work for you, podcasts and similar media are what helped me put two feet on the ground when I thought I was ready to throw in the towel once again. Lately, exercise (running, some weights) has been very helpful for keeping my mind straight and keeping focused.

@Velcro Wallet; IDK already said this to you but I just want to boost their sentiment; no need to say sorry for getting shit off your chest, or getting real. One of the best things sobriety has given me is the ability to be honest to others and myself without thinking twice. Sometimes that's just what you've gotta do and really, that is how you make change within and around yourself. Like others have said, you've recognized what you've gotta do and you're already beginning to make changes, just keep it up. You got this!

Not gonna deactivate this time, so I'll keep popping back in. My sobriety gave me my life back and I want the same for others trying to get there.

Stay up Pals, we got this.

____

tldr; coming up on 500 days sober and wanted to share some encouragement to recent posters.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on July 17, 2023, 05:06:44 PM
Shit. I just saw I have some people who have PM’d (like a man lol) and I haven’t got back to you. Very, very sorry!!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Enrico Pallazzo on July 17, 2023, 09:07:00 PM
Expand Quote
Sitting at 4.5 months-ish right now as I didn’t really have an official start date. Was strictly a social drinker other than the occasional glass of wine or cocktail on a date night, but when it was party time I definitely suffered from CEBS (Constantly Empty Beer Syndrome), and would lose track and end up drinking too much and getting terrible sleep and anxiety the next few days. Just didn’t like who I was when I got to that point.

We welcomed our first baby in April, which has absolutely changed my life. I was thinking about giving it up for a while, but the third trimester and first few months of fatherhood have been the perfect catalyst. I just want to be there for every moment, and be ready at a second’s notice, and don’t want to have those experiences dulled in any way, either through alcohol or a hangover.

Still have plenty of anxiety issues to work on in therapy and a whole bunch of stupid party shit I did to feel guilty about forever, but this new step in my life definitely feels like the right one.
[close]

Congratulations!

I have an 18 months old. At first I stopped getting drunk for the exact same reasons you wrote about, plus, I felt that the newborn was so fragile and I didn't want to do anything stupid after I had had a few drinks.

Now I will have a few drinks when I go out (which doesn't happen often anymore). But: Being hungover and taking care of a toddler doesn't mix for me at all. It's the worst. It gets to be super annoying and stressful. So the only time when I will have more then two drinks now is when I have the following day for myself. This only happens in the rare case, when my wife and son visit her mother for the weekend.
It's been good, but sometimes I do miss being stupid and drinking too much without these immediate consequences.

Appreciate it! Yeah not sure what the future holds for reintroducing the occasional drink, but for now being totally dry just feels like the best move for me and my family. I’ve also gotten a little soft over these past few months so cutting out the ale calories helps as well.

Sending love and support to all the pals posting in the thread, everyone’s sobriety journey looks different and I’m certainly aware that the ability to “turn it off” is a blessing and something I’m grateful for. Not something that is as easy for others, been watching my dad party away his final years, wish him the best but I worry he’s not going to find that off button.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Natas_Fauxas on July 18, 2023, 02:16:50 AM
Im doing great rn and still dry. My new sponsor is really cool. Ty yall.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on July 18, 2023, 05:35:19 AM
Im still stuck in the depressed phase after getting sober. I find no enjoyment in life, mixed with no friends and a non existent life it really sucks.

This is merely a phase, and yes, it is hard to cope with. You have to counteract it with new hobbies/goals/things you never thought you could do or accomplish. THAT in itself will give you the satisfaction of knowing you are no longer a drunk pile, and you took a shot at something you never would have before. I'm not calling you, lightnet, a drunk pile, I'm more so projecting myself into this scenario.

It will take time, but trust me, it is worth it.

Every time I think about drinking, i picture a scenario where somebody, somewhere, will need me in a pinch/emergency. The old me would've been 8 IPA's deep and absolutely useless. The new me is ready at the crack to do whatever needs to be done. Mentally, physically, and lets be honest, more financially ready to be A HUMAN.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on July 18, 2023, 08:09:38 AM
i'm 17 days into my second dry 30 of the year. i went to costa rica for 12 days and was drinking and doing normal vacation stuff and then i stopped drinking the day before we came back (sat) and was expecting to have a productive week but mon and tues were sluggish and wed i had alcohol withdraws (like clockwork on 3rd-4th day) and got exhausted and took a huge nap. i was so annoyed by friday and already almost a week in so figured i'd do another dry 30. my wife doesn't drink and we've been really enjoying 00 beers. i'm not sure i'll every completely quit drinking but i'm definitely enjoying my time detoxed with high beams on more than i enjoy melting into the couch with a good burbon these days.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on July 22, 2023, 07:20:25 AM
i'll be at 6 weeks this upcoming tuesday. it's amazing how clear headed i am these days. i love it!
i've also come to the point where i'm realizing things about myself. i had serious issues managing my anger when i was drinking everyday. if anything drinking elevated my don't-give-a-fuck attitude. i seriously owe a few people serious apologies. most notably my exgirlfriend from a year ago. i'm gonna try and cross that bridge later today. she probably won't answer the phone but we'll see.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on July 22, 2023, 07:39:33 AM
500 days today. Kinda can't believe it really, but I'm very grateful to be here.

i'll be at 6 weeks this upcoming tuesday. it's amazing how clear headed i am these days. i love it!
i've also come to the point where i'm realizing things about myself. i had serious issues managing my anger when i was drinking everyday. if anything drinking elevated my don't-give-a-fuck attitude. i seriously owe a few people serious apologies. most notably my exgirlfriend from a year ago. i'm gonna try and cross that bridge later today. she probably won't answer the phone but we'll see.

I relate to this a lot. I also think some of it was in my head too, or at least the severity to which I upset someone or thought my actions resulted in someone disliking me. Some relationships have been repaired, others are sadly beyond repair I think (including an ex myself), but it's best I don't dwell on that stuff I suppose. It is what it is and life goes on.

Congrats on the upcoming 6 weeks pal, huge!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on July 22, 2023, 09:48:04 AM
good for both of you dudes up there. 6 weeks or 500 days is a long fucking time!

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on July 22, 2023, 06:29:34 PM
thank you for the kind words pals, i'm gonna keep on keepin on
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Baglady on July 22, 2023, 08:13:28 PM
This is a dope thread. 2.5 yrs sober.
Shouts out to everyone brave enough to even admit that things are getting shifty.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on July 22, 2023, 09:53:24 PM
This is a dope thread. 2.5 yrs sober.
Shouts out to everyone brave enough to even admit that things are getting shifty.

big ups, homie. 2.5 years is ill as fuck.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mark Renton on July 23, 2023, 02:05:03 AM
I have severe mental health issues (depression, anxiety, BP2) and ton of childhood trauma that I was trying to block out with weed and booze then the occasional mix with meds and benzos.

Quitting booze months ago was a nightmare cos the things you’re trying to block out come haunting you like random thunders. Also my social life now is basically non existent outside of skate seshes.

Also quit weed recently and started dreaming again a little bit, so hell awaits, the gnarly nightmares are about to pop up.

I had to try and do it for the very few people that were always there for me and also to detach myself from people and memories that made me start in the first place.
Also for the people that I for sure hurt along the path.

Not the first time trying. We will see.
If there’s anything, I’ve been skating better ever since.
I think the key is always keeping it moving with activities and hobbies. Not just obsessing over skateboarding.

I wish everyone the best.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on July 23, 2023, 08:15:16 AM
Sobriety is the new high.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on July 23, 2023, 10:57:23 AM
i'll be at 6 weeks this upcoming tuesday. it's amazing how clear headed i am these days. i love it!
i've also come to the point where i'm realizing things about myself. i had serious issues managing my anger when i was drinking everyday. if anything drinking elevated my don't-give-a-fuck attitude. i seriously owe a few people serious apologies. most notably my exgirlfriend from a year ago. i'm gonna try and cross that bridge later today. she probably won't answer the phone but we'll see.

Sobriety is the new high.

@breezy_again i was telling my wife this today. note i'm only 20 days in on a dry 30 so not trying to over state things as i'm an amateur compared to most in this thread. i had a friend over last night and he was going to do some mushrooms today and i was telling my wife that for me waking up and just being so alert and energetic is my new fix and if i end up going longer stretches it'll be chasing that.

have you tried not drinking coffee for first hour of the day? this is a new one i've been doing after hearing a speaker talk about it at a recent business talk. the idea is that your body creates cortisol when you first wake up to help you get alert and drinking coffee gets in the way of this process (https://www.thorne.com/take-5-daily/article/why-you-should-reconsider-that-morning-cup-of-coffee). I've been doing it for a few weeks and really noticed a difference. I've also found if i'm not drinking i don't need the coffee right away.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on July 23, 2023, 12:00:42 PM
Expand Quote
i'll be at 6 weeks this upcoming tuesday. it's amazing how clear headed i am these days. i love it!
i've also come to the point where i'm realizing things about myself. i had serious issues managing my anger when i was drinking everyday. if anything drinking elevated my don't-give-a-fuck attitude. i seriously owe a few people serious apologies. most notably my exgirlfriend from a year ago. i'm gonna try and cross that bridge later today. she probably won't answer the phone but we'll see.
[close]

Expand Quote
Sobriety is the new high.
[close]

@breezy_again

have you tried not drinking coffee for first hour of the day? this is a new one i've been doing after hearing a speaker talk about it at a recent business talk. the idea is that your body creates cortisol when you first wake up to help you get alert and drinking coffee gets in the way of this process (https://www.thorne.com/take-5-daily/article/why-you-should-reconsider-that-morning-cup-of-coffee). I've been doing it for a few weeks and really noticed a difference. I've also found if i'm not drinking i don't need the coffee right away.
i haven't tried this. in fact quite the opposite. i've had 3 servings today already. i think i'll give this a try tomorrow and skip my cup before work. by the time i get there i'll have been up for 2 hours or so.
like i said earlier i really feel like i'm cheating at sobriety. i wouldn't be where i am with it if it wasn't for being on probation. i'm kind of thankful for it because i definitely needed a break. it's easy to stop drinking and smoking weed when your freedom depends on it. i kind of feel like a bum compared to some of you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on July 23, 2023, 12:13:10 PM
and what i mean by being a bum is i see some of yall having a lot of difficulty with it.
don't give up and never surrender!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 24, 2023, 06:28:41 PM
27 days sober but it’s been really rough since last Thursday.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on July 25, 2023, 06:43:56 AM
27 days sober but it’s been really rough since last Thursday.

Stay strong.

I have discovered Guinness Zero lately, which I enjoy.

 I also copped a bottle of alc free whisky, which is just flavoured water if I understand it correctly. The smell is quite surprisingly similar to a bourbon with rye in the mashbill, taste is watery but they added something to imitate the sting of the alcohol.

Not sure if that stuff is helping me stay away or tempting me to get real whisky, so I will not recommend it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on July 27, 2023, 12:58:14 AM
I just got out of detox and it was a really good positive time.

Giving up piss and also coming down to a point that I can switch from methadone to micro dosing suboxone and end up on the weekly, then monthly injections has really got me hyped.

Fuck I hate it when people complain about the food in detox/hospital. It’s free you cxnts. This one dude was saying how he’d love a proper coffee shop coffee. I told him he should be thankful he got a bed in here anyway.

Every second or so nights we have AA or NA speakers come in and share some knowledge. While the NA people were going around our group they asked what we wanted to talk about etc. and I said as long as it’s not them telling us war stories about how much they used and rather give use examples on how to deal with cravings and steps to deal when it gets close to using.

They both went into war story mode. “I used to do this much ____” and not good examples or help at all. You could see his tracks up and down each arm. They gave us nothing helpful.

Maybe I’m being a dickhead but shit wasn’t right and the rest of the group agreed.

Now I feel like a cunt
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on July 27, 2023, 04:23:41 AM
Strong cravings once your withdrawals are close to finishing can only last 15 minutes. Doesn’t mean they won’t go on the whole day but the human brain can’t extremely focus for more than 15 minutes. Whether it’s a craving or a strong emotion it will plateau then go down. That’s what I’m learning in IOP. So for those super strong 15 minutes where you want to use do something completely different. Get tooth picks and throw them to the ground and pick up every single one before you use. Then ask yourself do I still want to use?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on August 01, 2023, 05:08:51 PM
I’m currently on a solo road trip, first time ever driving in/visiting the US.  There’s been a few moments so far where had I been even the slightest bit hungover.. I would’ve had a full on panic attack.  Not to mention I would’ve made worse decisions, spent more money, and the entire trip would subconsciously be influenced by when and where I can drink.  This is my first sober adult vacation, and I’m so thankful that I can truly enjoy it to the fullest.  The saying “sobriety’s about what you gain, not lose” is really ringing true for me right now.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on August 01, 2023, 06:39:33 PM
A little over 2 months with no alcohol here. Been buying zero-proof cocktails (in between waters) when I go to my local tavern, usually some sort of non-alcoholic mule.

Always felt it would be silly paying for non-alcoholic beverages, but it is not so bad. Good that I have an option to feel like I can be in a social setting and still support the establishment as a paying customer.

Other weird small things too, like not worrying about draining every last drop of my drink to get as much of that sweet firewater as possible -- once it gets watered down, I'm over it. Or if I forget to guard my drink and it gets picked up by a waitress, I'm less concerned for some reason (it's like losing a coca cola). All in all, there's less anxiety involved. I'm not getting that liquid courage anymore, but since I'm 38 (and gonna be a pro skater) now, the liquid courage has become pretty unnecessary at this point.

One thing I've noticed is that the bar is a lot emptier these days than when I first went dry and I suspect it is because everything has gotten so expensive (it sure as hell isn't because everyone else stopped drinking too). I think the bar owners have had to tighten their belts by raising prices and cutting back on deals for regulars. For 2 drinks and a meal, I'm dropping like $40 nowadays, whereas it used to cost me almost half that much (granted I'm friends with the staff so they would hook me up).

Proud of you guys and gals, keep it up!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 01, 2023, 06:53:54 PM
A little over 2 months with no alcohol here. Been buying zero-proof cocktails (in between waters) when I go to my local tavern, usually some sort of non-alcoholic mule.

Always felt it would be silly paying for non-alcoholic beverages, but it is not so bad. Good that I have an option to feel like I can be in a social setting and still support the establishment as a paying customer.

Other weird small things too, like not worrying about draining every last drop of my drink to get as much of that sweet firewater as possible -- once it gets watered down, I'm over it. Or if I forget to guard my drink and it gets picked up by a waitress, I'm less concerned for some reason (it's like losing a coca cola). All in all, there's less anxiety involved. I'm not getting that liquid courage anymore, but since I'm 38 (and gonna be a pro skater) now, the liquid courage has become pretty unnecessary at this point.

One thing I've noticed is that the bar is a lot emptier these days than when I first went dry and I suspect it is because everything has gotten so expensive (it sure as hell isn't because everyone else stopped drinking too). I think the bar owners have had to tighten their belts by raising prices and cutting back on deals for regulars. For 2 drinks and a meal, I'm dropping like $40 nowadays, whereas it used to cost me almost half that much (granted I'm friends with the staff so they would hook me up).

Proud of you guys and gals, keep it up!

good for you, edmund!

@Coastal Fever

where are you traveling?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on August 01, 2023, 07:17:48 PM
A little over 2 months with no alcohol here. Been buying zero-proof cocktails (in between waters) when I go to my local tavern, usually some sort of non-alcoholic mule.

Always felt it would be silly paying for non-alcoholic beverages, but it is not so bad. Good that I have an option to feel like I can be in a social setting and still support the establishment as a paying customer.

Other weird small things too, like not worrying about draining every last drop of my drink to get as much of that sweet firewater as possible -- once it gets watered down, I'm over it. Or if I forget to guard my drink and it gets picked up by a waitress, I'm less concerned for some reason (it's like losing a coca cola). All in all, there's less anxiety involved. I'm not getting that liquid courage anymore, but since I'm 38 (and gonna be a pro skater) now, the liquid courage has become pretty unnecessary at this point.

One thing I've noticed is that the bar is a lot emptier these days than when I first went dry and I suspect it is because everything has gotten so expensive (it sure as hell isn't because everyone else stopped drinking too). I think the bar owners have had to tighten their belts by raising prices and cutting back on deals for regulars. For 2 drinks and a meal, I'm dropping like $40 nowadays, whereas it used to cost me almost half that much (granted I'm friends with the staff so they would hook me up).

Proud of you guys and gals, keep it up!

https://stagrestis.com/products/phony-negroni?variant=42965996503293

These are great! Had one out with my wife on our 4 year anniversary.

Not trying to put the cart before the horse, but I'll be 2 years sober on August 21st. It has changed my life for the better in every way imaginable. To those on the path, keep fighting, it's worth it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on August 01, 2023, 07:44:06 PM
A friend of mine moved back from the east coast and is going through detox right now. I'm very proud of him. Can't wait to see him in a couple of months and have a chill skate session. I just don't want to be an enabler since I'm still pounding back liquor daily. Every time I consider quitting I just get so anxious an hour before the liquor store closes and have to pick something up. Things are not going well in my life but I'm putting all my energy into skateboarding to distract myself so that's something at least.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on August 01, 2023, 09:55:43 PM
@EdLawndale The part about bars being emptier post-covid is something I've read from a lot of bar staff on Reddit about.  Times are changing and it's hard to point out just one thing.  I quit 21 months ago, have bumped into a lot of acquaintances who have also quit in the past few years.  On Saturday, I went skating with a buddy who used to bartend at the bars I would frequent.  He quit and said a huge chunk of the staff quit as well.  I know a decent chunk of early 20's kids through skating and NEVER hear them talk about drinking, rarely see pictures on social media.

A friend of mine moved back from the east coast and is going through detox right now. I'm very proud of him. Can't wait to see him in a couple of months and have a chill skate session. I just don't want to be an enabler since I'm still pounding back liquor daily. Every time I consider quitting I just get so anxious an hour before the liquor store closes and have to pick something up. Things are not going well in my life but I'm putting all my energy into skateboarding to distract myself so that's something at least.

@Steely Daniel How's your buddy detoxing?  Is he in a facility or some shit?  I"m only asking cause they don't teach you this shit in school and will always take an opportunity to talk about it.  I was lucky enough to get medically detoxed my final time, took a good 5 days to get me off the shit.  This is a quick guide for tapering off booze.  For the record, WITHDRAWAL IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, IF YOU'RE HEARING SHIT/HALLUCINATING DRINK SOME BOOZE OR GO TO A HOSPITAL DON'T TRY TO TOUGH IT OUT.    https://hams.cc/taper/

And Steely I can definitely relate.  When I used to drink the thought of going 3 days without it was terrifying.  It took quite a while to rewire my brain.  I used to wake up still a bit drunk, and the only think I could think about was immediately getting to the store to get more beer.  Waiting again till that night to get drunk again was torture, so usually I'd just start day drinking.  It took me a few weeks of not drinking, until it wasn't constantly on my mind.  After about 6 months, the thoughts got a lot less intrusive.  Had a ton of anxiety the first few months, skating/working out helped a bit, but I kinda just had to sit there with it.

I"m not going to preach at you because I know this shit's not easy.  The alcohol did a number on my mental health.  It's hard to not have anxiety and depression when you're constantly liquored up.  I didn't exactly quit on a winning streak either, but it was much easier for me to fix the problems in my life when I wasn't giving 90 percent of my physical and mental energy to alcohol. It's good to hear you're skating though, if it weren't for shit I'm passionate about I would have just kept drinking or pulled the plug.  Best of luck to you man.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on August 01, 2023, 10:31:03 PM
@Steely Daniel I can’t offer anything better than what’s been already said, but the fact you keep checking in here shows you’ve got the will.  Take care of yourself and hopefully it’ll get easier!

@EdLawndale good on you for still supporting the homies.  Hopefully bars serving NAs and people congregating there for them becomes more commonplace in the future.

@IusedToSkateMore Just a quick rip through ME, NH and VT on my way to Ontario.  Pretty wild seeing mickeys for sale at gas station counters haha.  That and walking through downtown/tourist areas really makes you realize how much booze is being pushed on people.  But it’s been fun so far, left the board at home but checked out Mocean in Portland and might check out Burlington shops tmrw.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on August 02, 2023, 05:43:23 PM
@EdLawndale The part about bars being emptier post-covid is something I've read from a lot of bar staff on Reddit about.  Times are changing and it's hard to point out just one thing.  I quit 21 months ago, have bumped into a lot of acquaintances who have also quit in the past few years.  On Saturday, I went skating with a buddy who used to bartend at the bars I would frequent.  He quit and said a huge chunk of the staff quit as well.  I know a decent chunk of early 20's kids through skating and NEVER hear them talk about drinking, rarely see pictures on social media.

Expand Quote
A friend of mine moved back from the east coast and is going through detox right now. I'm very proud of him. Can't wait to see him in a couple of months and have a chill skate session. I just don't want to be an enabler since I'm still pounding back liquor daily. Every time I consider quitting I just get so anxious an hour before the liquor store closes and have to pick something up. Things are not going well in my life but I'm putting all my energy into skateboarding to distract myself so that's something at least.
[close]

@Steely Daniel How's your buddy detoxing?  Is he in a facility or some shit?  I"m only asking cause they don't teach you this shit in school and will always take an opportunity to talk about it.  I was lucky enough to get medically detoxed my final time, took a good 5 days to get me off the shit.  This is a quick guide for tapering off booze.  For the record, WITHDRAWAL IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, IF YOU'RE HEARING SHIT/HALLUCINATING DRINK SOME BOOZE OR GO TO A HOSPITAL DON'T TRY TO TOUGH IT OUT.    https://hams.cc/taper/

And Steely I can definitely relate.  When I used to drink the thought of going 3 days without it was terrifying.  It took quite a while to rewire my brain.  I used to wake up still a bit drunk, and the only think I could think about was immediately getting to the store to get more beer.  Waiting again till that night to get drunk again was torture, so usually I'd just start day drinking.  It took me a few weeks of not drinking, until it wasn't constantly on my mind.  After about 6 months, the thoughts got a lot less intrusive.  Had a ton of anxiety the first few months, skating/working out helped a bit, but I kinda just had to sit there with it.

I"m not going to preach at you because I know this shit's not easy.  The alcohol did a number on my mental health.  It's hard to not have anxiety and depression when you're constantly liquored up.  I didn't exactly quit on a winning streak either, but it was much easier for me to fix the problems in my life when I wasn't giving 90 percent of my physical and mental energy to alcohol. It's good to hear you're skating though, if it weren't for shit I'm passionate about I would have just kept drinking or pulled the plug.  Best of luck to you man.

Yeah, he's in a clinical program doing it all properly. They're giving him benzos to get through the withdrawals and monitoring him and all that kind of stuff. They only give him 30 minutes of online time a day even so he's pretty focused on recovery. My friend is a really awesome indigenous skater and I want to buy him the Joe Buffalo guest AH deck as a gift for when he gets out.

Thanks for the kind supportive words too gentlemen. I at least milked a 26-bottle or a fifth or whatever you call it in the states for 3 days instead of drinking it all in one day so that's some small progress I suppose.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: wo_bauer on August 04, 2023, 12:07:44 AM
Sobriety is suiting me well at the moment. Sounds silly but I want to live a long life to see what crazy tech there is in 2063. Having so many vices before was a burden, financially, psychologically etc.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: igrindtwinkies on August 06, 2023, 07:32:40 PM
@Steely Daniel Where's your buddy from?  I think I have you in my head as a Canadian?  Either way I'm just curious because I live where there's a lot of natives.  Decent amount of them skate too and we occasionally go out to the rezervations that have small plazas built by the Tony Hawk Foundation.  I've been meaning to hit the Pine Ridge park and skate with the kids, but shit keeps coming up.

Been to treatment twice, 14 years apart and I went to the same place for it.  It was a dumpy little place, but it was really colorful due to all the Native patients/employees.  They had contracts with tribes all across the country, but most of them were from the midwest.  A couple years back, I dropped my car off at the mechanic and then went and got a couple pints of booze from this gas station.  Ubered home and the driver was telling me about how he worked there(I had only been there once at this point).  When I went back, it was a holy shit moment when I found out he runs the sweat lodge there.

This is like a 5 hour drive away, but it's in the state I live in.  I've always had a lot of interest in Native culture just due to where I live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN98eObkFCQ
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Steely Daniel on August 06, 2023, 08:27:29 PM
@Steely Daniel Where's your buddy from?  I think I have you in my head as a Canadian?  Either way I'm just curious because I live where there's a lot of natives.  Decent amount of them skate too and we occasionally go out to the rezervations that have small plazas built by the Tony Hawk Foundation.  I've been meaning to hit the Pine Ridge park and skate with the kids, but shit keeps coming up.

Been to treatment twice, 14 years apart and I went to the same place for it.  It was a dumpy little place, but it was really colorful due to all the Native patients/employees.  They had contracts with tribes all across the country, but most of them were from the midwest.  A couple years back, I dropped my car off at the mechanic and then went and got a couple pints of booze from this gas station.  Ubered home and the driver was telling me about how he worked there(I had only been there once at this point).  When I went back, it was a holy shit moment when I found out he runs the sweat lodge there.

This is like a 5 hour drive away, but it's in the state I live in.  I've always had a lot of interest in Native culture just due to where I live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN98eObkFCQ

Yep, very Canadian haha. I'm not sure where his people are originally from but I met him here in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, BC. He's coming from Toronto back to Vancouver. It's very nice to see some cool parks built for the rez kids though. We've always had a good crew of native skaters here throughout every generation. I made a post about it in the Joe Buffalo video thread but I got a little too personal and emotional in it and decided to delete it. My kids are half-native too so I definitely have a lot of love and understanding for the culture on their mother's side.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on August 06, 2023, 08:54:39 PM
I’m heading into week 3. Coincidently, the last time I drank was while hanging with @EdLawndale (he was not drinking nor enabling) and another pal.

I saw him at the restaurant we were at, and he ordered some healthy food and a non alcoholic beverage. I was 3 beers in and I felt miserable (physically). I sat there and thought how much I had wished I was in his shoes. Ed, you already know it’s nothing but love, and you have no idea how impactful/ good it was to see you holding strong.

I think I’m solid until I have a work function I’ll be traveling to in September. 100% of my motivation to drink comes from social anxiety or anticipating it. I’m hoping I can power through that trip and feel solid. I’m headed to a large skate premiere next week, which I’d normally want to drink at, but my wife will be with me and she’s always in my corner to be healthy, so I’m feeling good.

Other than that, I’ve stuck true to a diet and exercise regimen of either skating or going to the gym for at least an hour every day and am eating super clean. Meat, veggies and fruit. My body/ gut feel great for the first time since I can remember but still a decent amount of weight to shed.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on August 07, 2023, 11:52:12 PM
Yeah, glad to hear you are making some healthy decisions, fakie nollie. You generally keep it pretty moderate (and the clips I saw of you skating recently look good!). I think as one gets older, the social anxiety tends to dissapate, so that's promising. Keep it up!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on August 17, 2023, 09:43:53 AM
i'm 6 weeks in and really enjoying it. lot's of energy, feel great and so pumped everyday. my weight is at a 8ish year low, been working out consistently (never been a problem for me).

main negative is i get bored eating out which is a problem sometimes because i do a lot of business networking. i have a happy hour tonight. the challenge isn't not wanting to drink, i'm fine with a soda water or NA beer. challenge is wanting to be social and outgoing which my business needs me to be. i did a business dinner at this really fancy place last week, food was amazing but i was bored out of my mind and counting the minutes and i'm sure some people noticed. and oh my god when the conversation of sports came up i thought i was going to die.

very small price to pay for feeling so revitalized.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on August 17, 2023, 10:31:42 AM
Congrats, Sleazy.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 17, 2023, 08:43:57 PM
i'm 6 weeks in and really enjoying it. lot's of energy, feel great and so pumped everyday. my weight is at a 8ish year low, been working out consistently (never been a problem for me).

main negative is i get bored eating out which is a problem sometimes because i do a lot of business networking. i have a happy hour tonight. the challenge isn't not wanting to drink, i'm fine with a soda water or NA beer. challenge is wanting to be social and outgoing which my business needs me to be. i did a business dinner at this really fancy place last week, food was amazing but i was bored out of my mind and counting the minutes and i'm sure some people noticed. and oh my god when the conversation of sports came up i thought i was going to die.

very small price to pay for feeling so revitalized.

Hell ya dude. Good for you. If u stick with it, the boredom gets easier
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on August 18, 2023, 02:20:45 PM
i'm 6 weeks in and really enjoying it. lot's of energy, feel great and so pumped everyday. my weight is at a 8ish year low, been working out consistently (never been a problem for me).

main negative is i get bored eating out which is a problem sometimes because i do a lot of business networking. i have a happy hour tonight. the challenge isn't not wanting to drink, i'm fine with a soda water or NA beer. challenge is wanting to be social and outgoing which my business needs me to be. i did a business dinner at this really fancy place last week, food was amazing but i was bored out of my mind and counting the minutes and i'm sure some people noticed. and oh my god when the conversation of sports came up i thought i was going to die.

very small price to pay for feeling so revitalized.
Congrats dude. I feel you on the lameness when the convo turns to sports or other stuff I don’t care about (pretty much anything but skating, fishing, or family). If you are lucky enough to have a cool work homie that you vibe with, get those vibes going while out at a dinner and then involve others. I find it hard to be in a social situation I don’t want to be in now that I don’t drink, but I try to find little things I can use to get into the conversation and introduce humor. Or I just roll my eyes and bounce if the vibe is lame. That isn’t always an option though.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on August 18, 2023, 06:31:14 PM
I realised social functions are often not about being social but about getting pissed most times. Avoiding them is not ideal if you are in a line of work where networking is required. I noticed that there are always some persons who don’t drink for some reason, might be they are sick, pregnant or strict muslims. You can stick with those guys, but usually they are not the target group but rather fringe characters. The best are morning functions, e.g. breakfast meetings, brunches or coffee meetings, where people are not drinking yet. Try to attend or organize those. However, I don’t have a recipe to make the bulk of those functions easier, hence I avoid them altogether, but this lead to me becoming a bit of a recluse.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on August 18, 2023, 07:30:17 PM
Really appreciate everyone’s encouragement and tips. I was sort of host at lunch today at a Steakhouse for this entrepreneur group that I’m in and it was actually really fun. I think not drinking made me get more out of it. And I was able to come home and get a little work done and work out. The table I was at was all people who weren’t drinking so it made it a little easier. The other tables with us were decanting what I assume we’re nice bottles of wine and going for it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 26, 2023, 07:19:40 AM
Pretty much the only time I thinks “wow, some beans would be great” is when i am sitting in the airport and have a 6 hr flight. Those were exercises in a time machine.  I used to get sooooo wasted when flying. It actually made it more stressful, always checking my shit to make sure I wasnt losing stuff. Didnt even think to take sole gummies with me today. Coffee it is
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on August 27, 2023, 04:24:09 PM
Since I can’t buy hop water anywhere around here I found a recipe to make it, where you basically just make a strong hop tea then add a couple tbsp to sparkling water with lime juice or whatever you like.  Not as good as Lagunitas but does the trick.  Only thing is making the hop tea makes the house smell like feet according to my partner.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Enrico Pallazzo on August 27, 2023, 09:05:51 PM

Since I can’t buy hop water anywhere around here I found a recipe to make it, where you basically just make a strong hop tea then add a couple tbsp to sparkling water with lime juice or whatever you like.  Not as good as Lagunitas but does the trick.  Only thing is making the hop tea makes the house smell like feet according to my partner.

Big fan of the Hop Waters. I feel like an insane person dropping 7 bucks on a six pack of sparkling waters, but they’re tasty and it’s still cheaper than beer.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 28, 2023, 07:58:46 AM
I drink em too. Sierra Nevada is my favorite so far


Ive thought about making my own but didnt have a chance to grow hops this summer
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: lord of weed on August 28, 2023, 09:16:31 AM
now that i think drugs are the wackest shit, i also think being in sobriety as a thing is the wackest shit. anything that has to do with drugs or centered around drug shit is just wack.

shoutout to the people who escaped their drug addictions
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on August 28, 2023, 06:26:20 PM
Rounding 6 weeks and feel great. Mental stability, losing weight etc.

Liquid Death has been weirdly nice for social situations
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on August 29, 2023, 05:31:02 AM
12 weeks today. dreaming like crazy and i wake up with morning wood every damn day. the opposite of whisky dick basically. i feel great!
people keep telling me that i look good and they can see it in my face.
it seems like it gets easier as the days go by. maybe that's just me though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8-MN37CT_g
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: itspizzapie on August 29, 2023, 06:24:49 AM
what is it with americans that they're either drinking two 24 beer packs on their own every evening or be "sober" ?

question from a european who enjoys a 25cl beer in the evening every now and then and sharing a good bottle of wine at a dinner with friends
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on August 29, 2023, 06:41:07 AM
what is it with americans that they're either drinking two 24 beer packs on their own every evening or be "sober" ?

question from a european who enjoys a 25cl beer in the evening every now and then and sharing a good bottle of wine at a dinner with friends

Are you kidding? There’s parts of Europe with government sanctioned beer/liquor stores because of how stupid y’all get on the sauce. PS what the fuck is a CL? We measure our alcoholic liquids in hamburgers and “HELL YEAH!”’s
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: itspizzapie on August 29, 2023, 10:26:59 AM
Expand Quote
what is it with americans that they're either drinking two 24 beer packs on their own every evening or be "sober" ?

question from a european who enjoys a 25cl beer in the evening every now and then and sharing a good bottle of wine at a dinner with friends
[close]

Are you kidding? There’s parts of Europe with government sanctioned beer/liquor stores because of how stupid y’all get on the sauce. PS what the fuck is a CL? We measure our alcoholic liquids in hamburgers and “HELL YEAH!”’s

it's just that they have too much shitty weather and no light during winter give em a break
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: yghartsyrt on August 29, 2023, 11:59:40 AM
i'm 6 weeks in and really enjoying it. lot's of energy, feel great and so pumped everyday. my weight is at a 8ish year low, been working out consistently (never been a problem for me).

main negative is i get bored eating out which is a problem sometimes because i do a lot of business networking. i have a happy hour tonight. the challenge isn't not wanting to drink, i'm fine with a soda water or NA beer. challenge is wanting to be social and outgoing which my business needs me to be. i did a business dinner at this really fancy place last week, food was amazing but i was bored out of my mind and counting the minutes and i'm sure some people noticed. and oh my god when the conversation of sports came up i thought i was going to die.

very small price to pay for feeling so revitalized.

Having to go through that kind of social interaction without some sort of “lubricant” is always hard. Props  for making it through such encounters.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Noble Experiment on August 29, 2023, 03:42:01 PM
I drink. A good amount actually. I post about it here and there, but I just now realized that I haven’t had a sober streak of more than a week since early January. Only been able to get a couple days in a row since then before I go back to boozing.

Currently I’m at one shot of one of those 50ml tequila shots (those ones that they give you on airplane rides) right before i get into work at 9am to get that morning buzz going, another one of those 50ml shots a couple hours later at 11am-12pm, and then maybe another one a couple hours after that (or sometimes I’ll just cap it off at two of those for the afternoon). Then once I’m off work around 6pm I’ll buy a few more of those 50ml tequila shots and just chug em throughout the night as I’m hanging out or skating, and then I’ll usually end the night at the bar with a couple beers and a couple more shots on top of what I already drank earlier, then repeat again the next day. That’s about an average of ten drinks a day (sometimes less, but often times more) and it’s been like that all of 2023 for me pretty much. Maybe not a lot when you compare it to some people who drink like a handle a day or a 24 pack a day, but still more than the average drinker for sure.
I’ve been thinking about going sober for a while now, if not permanently then at least for a handful of months just to give my body a rest from this constant boozing which I feel can’t be too good for it.
I’ve been reading up on withdrawals n stuff and it’s got me a bit nervous that I might get them so I was gonna try to just cut back by one less drink a day for the next week or two until I cut it down to none and then just go from there, kinda like what BA did when he quit drinking, so that way it would lessen any potential withdrawals. Wish me luck y’all.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 29, 2023, 03:47:28 PM
I drink. A good amount actually. I post about it here and there, but I just now realized that I haven’t had a sober streak of more than a week since early January. Only been able to get a couple days in a row since then before I go back to boozing.

Currently I’m at one shot of one of those 50ml tequila shots (those ones that they give you on airplane rides) right before i get into work at 9am to get that morning buzz going, another one of those 50ml shots a couple hours later at 11am-12pm, and then maybe another one a couple hours after that (or sometimes I’ll just cap it off at two of those for the afternoon). Then once I’m off work around 6pm I’ll buy a few more of those 50ml tequila shots and just chug em throughout the night as I’m hanging out or skating, and then I’ll usually end the night at the bar with a couple beers and a couple more shots on top of what I already drank earlier, then repeat again the next day. That’s about an average of ten drinks a day (sometimes less, but often times more) and it’s been like that all of 2023 for me pretty much. Maybe not a lot when you compare it to some people who drink like a handle a day or a 24 pack a day, but still more than the average drinker for sure.
I’ve been thinking about going sober for a while now, if not permanently then at least for a handful of months just go give my body a rest from this constant boozing which I feel can’t be too good for it.
I’ve been reading up on withdrawals n stuff and it’s got me a bit nervous that I might get them so I was gonna try to just cut back by one less drink a day for the next week or two until I cut it down to none and then just go from there, kinda like what BA did when he quit drinking, so that way it would lessen any potential withdrawals. Wish me luck y’all.

ya know, it doesn't matter what you're drinking compared to others. not at all. if it's something you want to change, thn that's all that matters. i was chilling with a friend back east last week and while they're very rarely "wasted," they're drinking from the time they wake til the time they go to bed at night. their hand shakes while they're pouring the first glass of wine or making a drink. like I said, they're rarely wasted and quite functional, but they can't do anything without the sauce in them.

I say this because you're not alone, holmes.

If you're going to work on a detox, and are planning this thing out, maybe it could be cool to talk to a doctor about it. A lot of people, myself included, ended up substituting with other problematic stuff when getting off booze.

wish you the best
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Noble Experiment on August 29, 2023, 04:12:12 PM
Expand Quote
I drink. A good amount actually. I post about it here and there, but I just now realized that I haven’t had a sober streak of more than a week since early January. Only been able to get a couple days in a row since then before I go back to boozing.

Currently I’m at one shot of one of those 50ml tequila shots (those ones that they give you on airplane rides) right before i get into work at 9am to get that morning buzz going, another one of those 50ml shots a couple hours later at 11am-12pm, and then maybe another one a couple hours after that (or sometimes I’ll just cap it off at two of those for the afternoon). Then once I’m off work around 6pm I’ll buy a few more of those 50ml tequila shots and just chug em throughout the night as I’m hanging out or skating, and then I’ll usually end the night at the bar with a couple beers and a couple more shots on top of what I already drank earlier, then repeat again the next day. That’s about an average of ten drinks a day (sometimes less, but often times more) and it’s been like that all of 2023 for me pretty much. Maybe not a lot when you compare it to some people who drink like a handle a day or a 24 pack a day, but still more than the average drinker for sure.
I’ve been thinking about going sober for a while now, if not permanently then at least for a handful of months just go give my body a rest from this constant boozing which I feel can’t be too good for it.
I’ve been reading up on withdrawals n stuff and it’s got me a bit nervous that I might get them so I was gonna try to just cut back by one less drink a day for the next week or two until I cut it down to none and then just go from there, kinda like what BA did when he quit drinking, so that way it would lessen any potential withdrawals. Wish me luck y’all.
[close]

ya know, it doesn't matter what you're drinking compared to others. not at all. if it's something you want to change, thn that's all that matters. i was chilling with a friend back east last week and while they're very rarely "wasted," they're drinking from the time they wake til the time they go to bed at night. their hand shakes while they're pouring the first glass of wine or making a drink. like I said, they're rarely wasted and quite functional, but they can't do anything without the sauce in them.

I say this because you're not alone, holmes.

If you're going to work on a detox, and are planning this thing out, maybe it could be cool to talk to a doctor about it. A lot of people, myself included, ended up substituting with other problematic stuff when getting off booze.

wish you the best
Yeah a lot of what has been stopping me from stopping is just the nervousness of “what if i go through withdrawals and what if they get gnarly?” They sound pretty scary.
I’ve read that severe withdrawals happen to a smaller percentage than some would assume but it still makes me nervous, which is why I was going to do the weaning off with a drink less per day method until I’m cut back altogether. I heard about BA doing a similar method to quit drinking in a YouTube vid about his alcohol addiction.
I would consult a doctor but my health insurance is crap so I try to stay away from hospitals and doctors unless I really need them. I already owe the hospital a ton of money as is.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 29, 2023, 04:43:51 PM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I drink. A good amount actually. I post about it here and there, but I just now realized that I haven’t had a sober streak of more than a week since early January. Only been able to get a couple days in a row since then before I go back to boozing.

Currently I’m at one shot of one of those 50ml tequila shots (those ones that they give you on airplane rides) right before i get into work at 9am to get that morning buzz going, another one of those 50ml shots a couple hours later at 11am-12pm, and then maybe another one a couple hours after that (or sometimes I’ll just cap it off at two of those for the afternoon). Then once I’m off work around 6pm I’ll buy a few more of those 50ml tequila shots and just chug em throughout the night as I’m hanging out or skating, and then I’ll usually end the night at the bar with a couple beers and a couple more shots on top of what I already drank earlier, then repeat again the next day. That’s about an average of ten drinks a day (sometimes less, but often times more) and it’s been like that all of 2023 for me pretty much. Maybe not a lot when you compare it to some people who drink like a handle a day or a 24 pack a day, but still more than the average drinker for sure.
I’ve been thinking about going sober for a while now, if not permanently then at least for a handful of months just go give my body a rest from this constant boozing which I feel can’t be too good for it.
I’ve been reading up on withdrawals n stuff and it’s got me a bit nervous that I might get them so I was gonna try to just cut back by one less drink a day for the next week or two until I cut it down to none and then just go from there, kinda like what BA did when he quit drinking, so that way it would lessen any potential withdrawals. Wish me luck y’all.
[close]

ya know, it doesn't matter what you're drinking compared to others. not at all. if it's something you want to change, thn that's all that matters. i was chilling with a friend back east last week and while they're very rarely "wasted," they're drinking from the time they wake til the time they go to bed at night. their hand shakes while they're pouring the first glass of wine or making a drink. like I said, they're rarely wasted and quite functional, but they can't do anything without the sauce in them.

I say this because you're not alone, holmes.

If you're going to work on a detox, and are planning this thing out, maybe it could be cool to talk to a doctor about it. A lot of people, myself included, ended up substituting with other problematic stuff when getting off booze.

wish you the best
[close]
Yeah a lot of what has been stopping me from stopping is just the nervousness of “what if i go through withdrawals and what if they get gnarly?” They sound pretty scary.
I’ve read that severe withdrawals happen to a smaller percentage than some would assume but it still makes me nervous, which is why I was going to do the weaning off with a drink less per day method until I’m cut back altogether. I heard about BA doing a similar method to quit drinking in a YouTube vid about his alcohol addiction.
I would consult a doctor but my health insurance is crap so I try to stay away from hospitals and doctors unless I really need them. I already owe the hospital a ton of money as is.

Right on! I advise you to avoid benzodiazepines at all costs. Might help at first but its a bad road to hoe. Valerian, passion flower, magnesium, and zinc will be very helpful. Low thc weed can also be very helpful
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Noble Experiment on August 29, 2023, 04:53:06 PM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I drink. A good amount actually. I post about it here and there, but I just now realized that I haven’t had a sober streak of more than a week since early January. Only been able to get a couple days in a row since then before I go back to boozing.

Currently I’m at one shot of one of those 50ml tequila shots (those ones that they give you on airplane rides) right before i get into work at 9am to get that morning buzz going, another one of those 50ml shots a couple hours later at 11am-12pm, and then maybe another one a couple hours after that (or sometimes I’ll just cap it off at two of those for the afternoon). Then once I’m off work around 6pm I’ll buy a few more of those 50ml tequila shots and just chug em throughout the night as I’m hanging out or skating, and then I’ll usually end the night at the bar with a couple beers and a couple more shots on top of what I already drank earlier, then repeat again the next day. That’s about an average of ten drinks a day (sometimes less, but often times more) and it’s been like that all of 2023 for me pretty much. Maybe not a lot when you compare it to some people who drink like a handle a day or a 24 pack a day, but still more than the average drinker for sure.
I’ve been thinking about going sober for a while now, if not permanently then at least for a handful of months just go give my body a rest from this constant boozing which I feel can’t be too good for it.
I’ve been reading up on withdrawals n stuff and it’s got me a bit nervous that I might get them so I was gonna try to just cut back by one less drink a day for the next week or two until I cut it down to none and then just go from there, kinda like what BA did when he quit drinking, so that way it would lessen any potential withdrawals. Wish me luck y’all.
[close]

ya know, it doesn't matter what you're drinking compared to others. not at all. if it's something you want to change, thn that's all that matters. i was chilling with a friend back east last week and while they're very rarely "wasted," they're drinking from the time they wake til the time they go to bed at night. their hand shakes while they're pouring the first glass of wine or making a drink. like I said, they're rarely wasted and quite functional, but they can't do anything without the sauce in them.

I say this because you're not alone, holmes.

If you're going to work on a detox, and are planning this thing out, maybe it could be cool to talk to a doctor about it. A lot of people, myself included, ended up substituting with other problematic stuff when getting off booze.

wish you the best
[close]
Yeah a lot of what has been stopping me from stopping is just the nervousness of “what if i go through withdrawals and what if they get gnarly?” They sound pretty scary.
I’ve read that severe withdrawals happen to a smaller percentage than some would assume but it still makes me nervous, which is why I was going to do the weaning off with a drink less per day method until I’m cut back altogether. I heard about BA doing a similar method to quit drinking in a YouTube vid about his alcohol addiction.
I would consult a doctor but my health insurance is crap so I try to stay away from hospitals and doctors unless I really need them. I already owe the hospital a ton of money as is.
[close]

Right on! I advise you to avoid benzodiazepines at all costs. Might help at first but its a bad road to hoe. Valerian, passion flower, magnesium, and zinc will be very helpful. Low thc weed can also be very helpful

Thank you!
I try to stay away from benzodiazepines when I can, had some bad experiences with them a decade or so back when I was abusing Xanax and would rather not go down that rabbit hole again. Hardest part of quitting I feel like is going to be dealing with anxiety, it’s a big reason why I drank so much to begin with, because it’s so good at muting the overwelming daily anxieties and stresses of life, so having to deal with that “back to reality” feeling is going to be rough, but I’ve been looking into forms of therapy to help with that so I’m feeling prepared for this.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: changed1 on August 29, 2023, 05:27:49 PM
Getting sober was the best thing I ever did. I never had a drinking problem but I did smoke like a chimney for many years. Besides the obvious health and money saving benefits of getting sober, i also see the world much more clearly and quit letting people walk all over me. And it’s been 10x easier to accomplish goals
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on August 29, 2023, 08:38:11 PM
I drink. A good amount actually. I post about it here and there, but I just now realized that I haven’t had a sober streak of more than a week since early January. Only been able to get a couple days in a row since then before I go back to boozing.

Currently I’m at one shot of one of those 50ml tequila shots (those ones that they give you on airplane rides) right before i get into work at 9am to get that morning buzz going, another one of those 50ml shots a couple hours later at 11am-12pm, and then maybe another one a couple hours after that (or sometimes I’ll just cap it off at two of those for the afternoon). Then once I’m off work around 6pm I’ll buy a few more of those 50ml tequila shots and just chug em throughout the night as I’m hanging out or skating, and then I’ll usually end the night at the bar with a couple beers and a couple more shots on top of what I already drank earlier, then repeat again the next day. That’s about an average of ten drinks a day (sometimes less, but often times more) and it’s been like that all of 2023 for me pretty much. Maybe not a lot when you compare it to some people who drink like a handle a day or a 24 pack a day, but still more than the average drinker for sure.
I’ve been thinking about going sober for a while now, if not permanently then at least for a handful of months just to give my body a rest from this constant boozing which I feel can’t be too good for it.
I’ve been reading up on withdrawals n stuff and it’s got me a bit nervous that I might get them so I was gonna try to just cut back by one less drink a day for the next week or two until I cut it down to none and then just go from there, kinda like what BA did when he quit drinking, so that way it would lessen any potential withdrawals. Wish me luck y’all.

Anyone who's drank for awhile and then decides to go sober is, and has went through a bit anxiety when quitting. It's hard! But if you're ready, you'll get through it. The sheer amount of benefits (money, quality sleep, mental clarity) are worth it in every way.

I was personally never a day drinker. In my heaviest drinking days I was a chef and couldn't handle weed or booze when it was busy. But after work was my time to shine. Never just one or two, more like 5-6. Years went by and couldn't recall taking more than a day in a row off drinking.

I've had a few friends get to the point your at, but it spiraled into more and more during the course of the day. I wasn't quite sure how to reply to this post, as it hit close to home, but I know you'll figure out when you're ready. I'm always a message away if you have any questions. I just clicked two years no alcohol.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on August 31, 2023, 04:29:08 PM
Just passed 3 months no alcohol here.

Has anyone found any interesting non-drinking uses for the beer and other alcohol left over in your home from before you quit?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on August 31, 2023, 05:16:35 PM
Congrats @EdLawndale!

I just broke 2 months and gonna keep going for 3.

Expand Quote
i'm 6 weeks in and really enjoying it. lot's of energy, feel great and so pumped everyday. my weight is at a 8ish year low, been working out consistently (never been a problem for me).

main negative is i get bored eating out which is a problem sometimes because i do a lot of business networking. i have a happy hour tonight. the challenge isn't not wanting to drink, i'm fine with a soda water or NA beer. challenge is wanting to be social and outgoing which my business needs me to be. i did a business dinner at this really fancy place last week, food was amazing but i was bored out of my mind and counting the minutes and i'm sure some people noticed. and oh my god when the conversation of sports came up i thought i was going to die.

very small price to pay for feeling so revitalized.
[close]

Having to go through that kind of social interaction without some sort of “lubricant” is always hard. Props  for making it through such encounters.

thanks @yghartsyrt
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on August 31, 2023, 05:55:05 PM
Just passed 3 months no alcohol here.

Has anyone found any interesting non-drinking uses for the beer and other alcohol left over in your home from before you quit?

give it away or just put it outside to save someone the hassle of having to fly a sign to buy their shit for the day

Oh yea, 3 months is ill. Congrats!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on August 31, 2023, 06:33:15 PM
Just passed 3 months no alcohol here.

Has anyone found any interesting non-drinking uses for the beer and other alcohol left over in your home from before you quit?

I had garage beers for well over a year that got slowly consumed by two buddies. I also used it in my smoker instead of water when smoking ribs.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on September 01, 2023, 04:00:38 AM
I have about 200 homebrews sitting in my basement closet that I bottled in March/April before going sober.  I have no intention or desire to drink them, but also can’t bring myself to dump or give them away.  Part of me thinks “I need to save these so that I can try them in 10-20 years and see how well/poorly they’ve aged”.  Then I think about what I want to look and feel like in 10-20 years and booze isn’t part of that equation.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on September 01, 2023, 07:21:45 AM
67 days sober. But I do miss my ex and her corgi.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on September 09, 2023, 02:21:48 PM
year and a half today pals, much love to all y'all doin' it, or tryin' it! life can definitely get better if we let it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on September 12, 2023, 07:53:09 AM
year and a half today pals, much love to all y'all doin' it, or tryin' it! life can definitely get better if we let it.

congratulations! i'm definitely enjoying it so far. 74 days in for me.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on September 12, 2023, 05:28:04 PM
Expand Quote
year and a half today pals, much love to all y'all doin' it, or tryin' it! life can definitely get better if we let it.
[close]

congratulations! i'm definitely enjoying it so far. 74 days in for me.

appreciate that; congrats on 74 days! glad to hear you're enjoying it and wishing you continued success!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Democratic Republic Of Mongo on September 13, 2023, 06:00:57 PM
307 days no alcohol. It’s quite a relief.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Jim and Dan on September 14, 2023, 05:33:12 AM
Fuck yes, love seeing these kind of numbers and the enthusiasm, congratulations everyone!

Seeing these numbers got we wondering, as I've never been a "___ days sober" kind of guy, but plugging the numbers into Excel renders 1963 days since my last rendezvous with a this drug I heard The Gipper refer to as "crack" and 2428 days since heroin, reluctantly at the time, exited my life . It's incredible that there were times I couldn't go even hours without getting "fixed" up and now I can't even remember what it was like... But I never fool myself into believing I can take any of these pastimes back up, or even worse, pick up a new one like alcohol, it took me a long time to realize there is no such thing as moderation in my life for things like this. 

"Stay clean, stay focus, have fun with your friends Frankenstein".
- Sonny Koufax
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on September 14, 2023, 06:22:03 AM
Not an excel guy either but I just realised it has now been four years as I am of the sauce since Sep. 2019.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on September 14, 2023, 08:05:18 AM
Huge congrats dudes!  Hope you both still regularly feel the benefits of your choices.

My 37th bday just passed, so did 150 days/5 months.  Always had 6 months in my head as the first big milestone, and it still is, but looking forward to a full year now.

Started taking an SSRI right when my last run of getting faded regularly began.  It didn’t do shit until I went sober, and has been good since.  I’ve even read that SSRIs can make quitting drinking/drugs easier.  This week I decided to see if I could scale back from 30mg to 20mg, gonna try it out for a bit then maybe try to get off them completely.

I don’t want to rush or do anything self-sabotaging.. but I’m really curious if I actually do need it, or if sobriety was the answer to my mental instability throughout my whole adulthood.  If I do find that I struggle without and they help me significantly, I’d happily get back on them.

Would love to hear any of your experiences with that type of medication in conjunction with your sobriety.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on September 14, 2023, 08:19:53 AM
i'm guessing it's been mentioned but regarding "excel guy" angle. i use this app called I Am Sober that my wife turned me onto. the only thing I use it for is tracking days. You put your start date and then it shows how many days whenever you open it.

(https://iamsober.com/static/cc556b502eee193eb8d5ea9d453c25c7/852f1/screenshot1.en.webp)

not drinking hasn't been a struggle for me as i genuinely feel better and really it's just me prioritizing my days over my nights. so nights are little more boring but days and mornings are way better. the app is mainly helpful when my kids, wife or friends ask me or if i'm in this thread. outside of that i never really look at it and haven't had the "one more day" vibe at all this time. i'm also loosely using it for goals. current goal is 90 days but i'm not eggar to get back to drinking.

my first dry 30 also used the checkin feature which is kind of cool. you check in weekly or whenever and it will ask you to fill out this survey about how you've been feeling. i found that reflection useful at that time but not anymore because now i know what the difference is.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: meaningless mess on September 14, 2023, 08:43:17 AM
Coming up on a year and eight months of no alcohol. Feeling mentally present and not dreading every moment I wasn't able to drink has been the biggest upside for me. I still struggle with depression, but it's way more manageable now than when I was downing 4-6 9% IPAs a night.
On top of that, getting to fall in love with skateboarding, nature, and arts again has been a blessing.
Wish all of y'all well on your sobriety; whether it be temporary or for good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on September 14, 2023, 11:32:29 AM
Huge congrats dudes!  Hope you both still regularly feel the benefits of your choices.

My 37th bday just passed, so did 150 days/5 months.  Always had 6 months in my head as the first big milestone, and it still is, but looking forward to a full year now.

Started taking an SSRI right when my last run of getting faded regularly began.  It didn’t do shit until I went sober, and has been good since.  I’ve even read that SSRIs can make quitting drinking/drugs easier.  This week I decided to see if I could scale back from 30mg to 20mg, gonna try it out for a bit then maybe try to get off them completely.

I don’t want to rush or do anything self-sabotaging.. but I’m really curious if I actually do need it, or if sobriety was the answer to my mental instability throughout my whole adulthood.  If I do find that I struggle without and they help me significantly, I’d happily get back on them.

Would love to hear any of your experiences with that type of medication in conjunction with your sobriety.

While I've never been on medication I do think that this point is something I was also kind of hoping to "figure out" at some point in my continued sobriety. In my case, I think it is a lot of things; definitely sobriety, but trying to stay physically fit (got really into running in my case), eating well, (attempting) to get better sleep, have all additionally helped my mental well being tremendously. I 1000% still have my rough patches, currently kind of going through one right now, but I do know for damn sure that a drink isn't going to do me any good. So at the very least it's easier these days to think and act rationally much more quickly, rather than drinking about it and ruining any rational thought or taking days sometimes to come to the logical conclusion about x y or z.

I definitely used to think that one thing would solve all my problems or give me relief, I think that's why a lot of us turned to heavy drinking or other drug use in the first place. But these days I'd like to think it's the confluence of a few little things or habits that can kind of help us correct or stay on course. I still have a hard time being comfortable with myself for sure, just in life in general, but I do think all the previously mentioned things are what have kept me stable on the whole, unlike the previous 5 years or so.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Democratic Republic Of Mongo on September 14, 2023, 11:50:29 AM
Yep im using that I Am Sober app as well. It also has milestones and you can read other people’s comments on what’s improving. But as they say, don’t count the days, make the days count.

It’s been easy for me to turn down alcohol when that situation comes along, but keeping myself busy outside of work can be an uphill battle sometimes. Get mad exercise.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on September 14, 2023, 01:47:08 PM
Coming up on 8 years alcohol free. Had a few years and mishaps messing around with other stuff, but that was, despite worse w/d, less habitual and easier to stop than the booze. People in my family drink and drink and drink, and although other drug use has been accepted and prevalent with some of us, its not like they’re openly chopping up lines on the cars table or shooting dope at parties. Folks just dont come around when its on that level.

But ya, sept 28 should be 8 years. Ive gotten a whole lot more done too from 30-38 than i did from 16-30. Fuckin hell have I!

More important than anything is that I am alive and well. Not just alive but healthy and thriving.

Its funny cuz im moving back to from where i came, in Massachusetts, and last time i was living there was in the throes of my super wasted phase that pushed me to sober up. People gonna be like “damn, IUTSM, you actually skate again… you lost weight… you aren’t a piece of shit…”

Big big HUGES ups to all you dawgs and dawgettes tryna figure the sober path. Ya gotta find what works for you and take it from there.

Peace luv n hippy grease 🌞
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: slaab900turbo on September 29, 2023, 07:07:19 AM
I am 30 days alcohol free. There wasn't any cataclysmic event or rock bottom, it was just time to give it up. It was not as hard as I thought it would be. I cannot put into words how much better I feel.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on September 29, 2023, 02:29:41 PM
props to everyone posting up. keep it up!

i'm 91 days in. i started with a dry 30, went for 60 then 90 and now i'm just enjoying being sober and the energy. i might be done. probably getting too old for drinking.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on September 29, 2023, 03:41:05 PM
Congrats!

I passed my 4 month mark last night. Had a weird hankering for a Mickey's grenade earlier today (I used to let them sit in the fridge with habanero peppers in them) but the urge went by without indulgence.

Stay strong, pals!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Idk on September 29, 2023, 09:31:04 PM
Had a bad day. Job didn’t do my direct deposit (they’re gonna give me a check tomorrow thankfully) and my std/uti symptoms flared up after almost a week of no symptoms. I have some Percocet in my house stored after my last flare up that sent me to the ER and I was really close to using today. Just wanted to get high tonight. But I’m 94 days sober.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on September 30, 2023, 06:24:54 AM
Stay strong homes.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: slaab900turbo on September 30, 2023, 02:21:18 PM
props to everyone posting up. keep it up!

i'm 91 days in. i started with a dry 30, went for 60 then 90 and now i'm just enjoying being sober and the energy. i might be done. probably getting too old for drinking.

I’m with you on being too old. The recovery from an evening moderate drinking isn’t worth it and I’m positive the booze and a slowing metabolism are to blame for the extra weight I’m carrying around.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on October 01, 2023, 01:46:04 PM
Expand Quote
props to everyone posting up. keep it up!

i'm 91 days in. i started with a dry 30, went for 60 then 90 and now i'm just enjoying being sober and the energy. i might be done. probably getting too old for drinking.
[close]

I’m with you on being too old. The recovery from an evening moderate drinking isn’t worth it and I’m positive the booze and a slowing metabolism are to blame for the extra weight I’m carrying around.

My diet has always been not bad and since I’ve stopped drinking I’ve started eating more candy. I eat chocolate most nights (bark thins) and my exercise has been way down from what I was doing before and I’ve lost a solid 10lbs. That doesn’t sound like much but I’m also way less blaoted. I’ve had a lot of people mention to me that “you been working out hard, looking good” type comments which is absolutely not the case.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on October 04, 2023, 11:30:47 AM
Yeah, it took about 4 months of alcohol for my metabolism to adjust maybe, but I am losing crazy weight rn with minimal exercise and diet chages. Around a pound a week. Gonna have to poke a new hole in my belt soon.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on October 04, 2023, 03:27:48 PM
Yeah, it took about 4 months of alcohol for my metabolism to adjust maybe, but I am losing crazy weight rn with minimal exercise and diet chages. Around a pound a week. Gonna have to poke a new hole in my belt soon.

Yeah I had a similar experience but I did hit a bit of a plateau after a while, which was actually a bit of a relief (thought something was wrong there for a bit). I also have some digestive issues that I think impacted my weight loss a little bit but that initial drop in the beginning was huge motivation to keep going early on.

Now, I definitely am "normal" when it comes to maintaining or losing weight, which is nice. And when I see that scale go up or down depending on my level of activity or what I've been eating (or the combination of the two of course) I am reminded of how much alcohol was actually affecting my weight and overall health / wellbeing. THAT, is a huge motivation to never look back for me at least.

Keep it up pals, love seeing everything trending in a positive direction in here. If anyone ever needs to chat or something like that PM's are open.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on October 04, 2023, 04:11:20 PM
Keep it up pals, love seeing everything trending in a positive direction in here.

username checks out
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on October 06, 2023, 05:43:07 AM
Now, I definitely am "normal" when it comes to maintaining or losing weight, which is nice. And when I see that scale go up or down depending on my level of activity or what I've been eating (or the combination of the two of course) I am reminded of how much alcohol was actually affecting my weight and overall health / wellbeing. THAT, is a huge motivation to never look back for me at least.

feeling the same about it. so many things get so much easier with one little change.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on October 19, 2023, 05:34:22 PM
Four years alcohol free today. Probably one of the best descions I’ve made in my life. If you are doubting if you can quit drinking, just know…if I did it, you can too. I’m here for anyone that wants to chat, send me a message if you want.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on October 19, 2023, 06:20:16 PM
That’s amazing man congrats!  So awesome to hear about someone who’s got so much time under their belt and still feels thankful for it. 

I just passed 6 months, feeling great still.  Though I can’t say I’m not dreading the cold, dark winter months that led to my last downward spiral.  Really motivated to make it a full year so I’ll have to find other outlets for my energy/restlessness/obsessive tendencies.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on October 20, 2023, 03:30:07 AM
6 months is awesome! I found that keeping busy made it much easier. And yeah for sure when there was down time my mind would go into drink mode since thats what I did when I was bored for so long. Skateboarding helped with that, kinda like “want to stop thinking about having 25+ beers tonight? How about landing your first clean kickflip?”. Keep on going! I make myself a basement spot to skate all winter to stay on the good path.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Enrico Pallazzo on October 23, 2023, 08:35:59 PM
Celebrated 32 last week, don’t have an official start date but a little over 7 months sober (9 months since the last time I got “drunk”).

Feeling awesome, was a great move for me and not something I’m planning on changing for the foreseeable future. Has really helped with my anxiety as well.

Wish I could say I lost weight because of it - I’ve actually gained 15 pounds this year, but I’ll chalk that up to new fatherhood and cutting way back on running and biking.

Wishing everyone the best at every stage in their journey.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on October 24, 2023, 06:43:02 AM
fubar thanks for the shares. it's good to hear someone 4 years deep still stoked

Enrico 7 months is a solid milestone. bet you feel great.

i'm closing in on 4 months and feeling great. i've also not been drinking coffee first hour of the day (https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/the-right-time-to-drink-coffee-according-to-scientists/) which my wife calls a life hack. she started doing it also. it's a cool thing to try. the idea is that your body releases cortisol to wake you up in the morning for the first hour or so and drinking caffeine disrupts the process. doing this has me feeling super alert and awake all day and it's pretty easy to wait if your not hung over from drinking.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on October 24, 2023, 04:07:24 PM
Keep it going, Sleazy! Four months is rad! I’m not sure I can go an hr each morning without caffeine tho…I try to get a walk run in before work and if I’m not all hopped up on caffeine, it won’t happen.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on October 24, 2023, 04:49:16 PM
Ya, coffee is the one thing I let myself neeeeeeeeed. I enjoy it. The ritual, the light craving, the flavor…
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on October 24, 2023, 10:06:41 PM
Halloween weekend can be tempting so stay strong, ladies and gentlemen.

I went to a concert last week and only had a couple of redbulls.

I've kind of become accustomed to that sour look I get from strange bartenders when I only order a non-alcoholic beverage and they realize I'm not someone they are going to make a lot of money of of. I get a thrill of that sour look now and savor it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on October 25, 2023, 06:07:31 AM
Halloween weekend can be tempting so stay strong, ladies and gentlemen.

I went to a concert last week and only had a couple of redbulls.

I've kind of become accustomed to that sour look I get from strange bartenders when I only order a non-alcoholic beverage and they realize I'm not someone they are going to make a lot of money of of. I get a thrill of that sour look now and savor it.

Bro when I first quit drinking, I was still going into bars and shooting pool. Id be ordering cranberry juice and seltzer water all night

Alcohol industry is fucked too. Profits on a bottle of booze are insane, something like 5-700%
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on October 25, 2023, 12:30:27 PM
Ya, coffee is the one thing I let myself neeeeeeeeed. I enjoy it. The ritual, the light craving, the flavor…

I switched to tea 6 years ago bc I was too dependent on coffee and if I didn’t have it, I was going to have a bad day. The smell of good quality coffee is one of the most beautiful smells in the world. I’ll probably start drinking it again at some point.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on October 27, 2023, 04:24:22 AM
Coffee and energy drinks are my thing. When I hang with people that are drinking, I’ll get all hopped up on a couple Monsters and I can talk nonsense with everyone else that is drinking. I do find that having a non alcoholic beverage in my hand when in a setting where people are drinking makes me feel better…it’s hard to describe. I read about that tactic somewhere, but it really works for me.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on October 27, 2023, 04:59:19 AM
Coffee and energy drinks are my thing. When I hang with people that are drinking, I’ll get all hopped up on a couple Monsters and I can talk nonsense with everyone else that is drinking. I do find that having a non alcoholic beverage in my hand when in a setting where people are drinking makes me feel better…it’s hard to describe. I read about that tactic somewhere, but it really works for me.

the NA beers have gotten really good. my wife and i really like heineken 0. definitely helpful to have a good social drink figured out. if there's no NAs then i'll go with a soda water
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on October 27, 2023, 05:09:03 AM
Expand Quote
Coffee and energy drinks are my thing. When I hang with people that are drinking, I’ll get all hopped up on a couple Monsters and I can talk nonsense with everyone else that is drinking. I do find that having a non alcoholic beverage in my hand when in a setting where people are drinking makes me feel better…it’s hard to describe. I read about that tactic somewhere, but it really works for me.
[close]

the NA beers have gotten really good. my wife and i really like heineken 0. definitely helpful to have a good social drink figured out. if there's no NAs then i'll go with a soda water


Heineken 0 rules. That is my go to, along with the Athletic NA's. They have 4-5 options. The Samuel Adams NA is also a great option as it has a nice crisp taste. This June will be two years for me. There's no going back. Stay strong out there mates. You will all be happier with a hard day missing drinking & not giving in instead of waking up & saying "it got me".
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on October 27, 2023, 06:04:21 AM
This past summer I went to Trader Joe’s and bought a variety pack of Eighteen Twenty Brewing Co. NA beers, probably the best I’ve had, highly recommended if you can find them anywhere.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on October 27, 2023, 06:18:32 AM
Cant do fake beers. The taste and smell is too much. Got one accidentally and the tiny sip sent me into a literal mental spiral of thoughts, feelings, and memories. My lady had to shake me out of it.

Sierra nevada hop water is my go to.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Enrico Pallazzo on October 27, 2023, 09:30:13 AM
One of my good friends went to a grad program that had a policy that required an EANAB (Equally Appetizing Non Alcoholic Beverage) at all school functions and that acronym now gets tossed around in our friend group and between my wife and I (“enabs” or “nabs”) whenever we’re going to a party.

Never liked IPAs, but for whatever reason I’ve been enjoying the Athletic Brewing IPA - not having that 6-10% ABV kick makes them way more palatable I think.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on October 27, 2023, 10:24:36 AM
Throwing in Guinness Zero, I really like it, comes close to the OG taste wise.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on October 27, 2023, 11:15:50 AM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Coffee and energy drinks are my thing. When I hang with people that are drinking, I’ll get all hopped up on a couple Monsters and I can talk nonsense with everyone else that is drinking. I do find that having a non alcoholic beverage in my hand when in a setting where people are drinking makes me feel better…it’s hard to describe. I read about that tactic somewhere, but it really works for me.
[close]

the NA beers have gotten really good. my wife and i really like heineken 0. definitely helpful to have a good social drink figured out. if there's no NAs then i'll go with a soda water
[close]


Heineken 0 rules. That is my go to, along with the Athletic NA's. They have 4-5 options. The Samuel Adams NA is also a great option as it has a nice crisp taste. This June will be two years for me. There's no going back. Stay strong out there mates. You will all be happier with a hard day missing drinking & not giving in instead of waking up & saying "it got me".

atheletic is also great. peroni's good too. for me though, i'm probably pretty boring with it. if they have the heineken 0 it hits the spot every time.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on November 09, 2023, 01:16:08 AM
thought of y'all today. 11 months. lately, in fear of autumn depression, been drinking a lot of cola. love this guarana cola. guarana is different than coffein, coffein just releases it's powers on you at once, guarana is slowly sneaking its energy into your system. lol.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on November 09, 2023, 10:19:43 AM
thought of y'all today. 11 months. lately, in fear of autumn depression, been drinking a lot of cola. love this guarana cola. guarana is different than coffein, coffein just releases it's powers on you at once, guarana is slowly sneaking its energy into your system. lol.

Congrats on 11 months! You started this journey around the same time last year! Cheers to a year
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on November 09, 2023, 12:38:51 PM
Yeah man congrats!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: srfoden on November 10, 2023, 07:56:10 PM
I got sober two years ago. I was admitted into a psych ward four times then spent seven months in rehab and four in outpatient. I do miss getting high I think I always will, but I had to kinda accept that I can not take one hit without wanting to be high 24/7. Im off everything now but low key really just wanna finish the deal and get off nicotine and porn. I know that I am still technically sober and that nic and porn is literally nothing compared to real shit but I’m this close to literally not a single mental vice might as well just finish the deal.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on November 12, 2023, 01:00:16 PM
congrats @ralf_ !
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on December 10, 2023, 06:14:13 PM
Still holding strong over here, hope you guys are too.  It’s my first sober holidays/winter and it’s def a bit daunting, as I historically always pile out this time of year.  Had to skip my work staff party this weekend, just couldn’t do it.

Got a pool membership and been doing laps/hitting the sauna a few times a week, which has been great.. but also eating too much junk, overspending, and sitting around on my phone more than I should. 

I guess I should look back gratefully on this, mostly, clean year and use it as motivation to keep it going.  Hope you’re all feeling good and get to enjoy yourselves this holiday season.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: the_dangery_bois on December 10, 2023, 08:18:13 PM
Respect!
The first milestone stuff is hard. Fortunately, I pulled a “life hack” and hit a wall a couple of weeks before Christmas..so my first Christmas was white knuckle shame and the second one was not only easier, but kind of a milestone.

Good call on skipping that party. That took some balls.

If I were you, I wouldn’t beat myself up about eating or overspending right now. The advice I got was to shoot the Alligator closest to the boat (fight one battle at a time)

Sounds like you have a good attitude. That’s what’s up. Thanks for the stoke. Onward and upward, no doubt.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on December 10, 2023, 08:34:51 PM
Congrats on staying sober, Coastal Fever. Only 6 months on my clock here so this will be my first holiday season without drinking as well. So far so good. Sometimes you have to miss the parties, esp in the beginning. Oh well. And it sounds like you have things more in balance than you may be giving yourself credit for. Keep it up!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on December 10, 2023, 10:22:08 PM
Skipped office party as well. No fun watching others getting drunk.

 Try and surround yourself with sober people as much as possible, even if that means reducing a few relationships. For the parties you can‘t avoid make sure people know you don‘t drink from the beginning. If they have any decency they will then not try to convince you to make „an exception“. If they do they suck.

 Also, when in a restaurant, the first time the waiter comes around and asks what you drink, immediately tell em no alcohol so they will remove the wine glasses and not come near you with a bottle of wine the entire evening even if everybody else is constantly being served.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: yghartsyrt on December 11, 2023, 12:21:04 AM
Expand Quote
Coffee and energy drinks are my thing. When I hang with people that are drinking, I’ll get all hopped up on a couple Monsters and I can talk nonsense with everyone else that is drinking. I do find that having a non alcoholic beverage in my hand when in a setting where people are drinking makes me feel better…it’s hard to describe. I read about that tactic somewhere, but it really works for me.
[close]

the NA beers have gotten really good. my wife and i really like heineken 0. definitely helpful to have a good social drink figured out. if there's no NAs then i'll go with a soda water

Still drink occasionally, but usually resort to non-alcoholic beers.
There are quite a number of non-alcoholic IPAs out there that I really enjoy. The higher amount of hopes really counter balances the additional sweetness non-alcoholic beers usually have. The brew dog Punk NA and Nanny State NA are some widely available and pretty affordable beers that avoid the typical non-alcoholic taste
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: mrselfdestruct on December 11, 2023, 05:44:03 AM
over a year sober forced to quit but im happy about it now.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on December 13, 2023, 05:00:36 AM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Coffee and energy drinks are my thing. When I hang with people that are drinking, I’ll get all hopped up on a couple Monsters and I can talk nonsense with everyone else that is drinking. I do find that having a non alcoholic beverage in my hand when in a setting where people are drinking makes me feel better…it’s hard to describe. I read about that tactic somewhere, but it really works for me.
[close]

the NA beers have gotten really good. my wife and i really like heineken 0. definitely helpful to have a good social drink figured out. if there's no NAs then i'll go with a soda water
[close]

Still drink occasionally, but usually resort to non-alcoholic beers.
There are quite a number of non-alcoholic IPAs out there that I really enjoy. The higher amount of hopes really counter balances the additional sweetness non-alcoholic beers usually have. The brew dog Punk NA and Nanny State NA are some widely available and pretty affordable beers that avoid the typical non-alcoholic taste

this is the brand we've really gotten into. they are pretty easy to find in austin but i'm not sure about other places. they only do na beer. all that said i'm probably drinking to many lately. i've lost around 15-18 pounds without dieting or exercising and i'm getting into bad habbits. i used to work out 30-1h our day and now i just walk a lot and i've started eating chocolate most days and my diet is just not as on point as it used to be. good problems to have but if i actually pushed it like i used to when i drink id probably get in great shape which would feel good for a guy in his 50s.

https://athleticbrewing.com/collections/beer
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on December 13, 2023, 05:14:24 AM
i've only gained pounds since being sober but everyone always comments that i look good and that it looks like I've lost weight. i think it must have to do with my face not being bloated and red from drinking. today is 6 months for me but my time on probation is drawing near. it really is amazing how much better i feel and all the things i've accomplished these past 6 months that i wouldn't have done if i had been drinking.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on December 13, 2023, 05:27:44 AM
celebrated my first full year last saturday. had a pizza.

congratulations breezy!

i feel like i look better and healthier too, despite also gaining some pounds. weighed myself for the first time in ages the other day. it's not that bad. don't let the holiday season bring y'all down. cheers
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: PaulHarwood856 on December 13, 2023, 07:00:19 AM
 I did the sober stint a while back. Good stuff: clearer head, saved some cash, and better sleep. Bad stuff: social situations were a bit awkward at first, but got easier over time. Overall, it's a solid choice.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on December 13, 2023, 02:01:32 PM
i've only gained pounds since being sober but everyone always comments that i look good and that it looks like I've lost weight. i think it must have to do with my face not being bloated and red from drinking. today is 6 months for me but my time on probation is drawing near. it really is amazing how much better i feel and all the things i've accomplished these past 6 months that i wouldn't have done if i had been drinking.

this is something I'll never, ever take for granted. when I look back at pictures from when my drinking was at it's worst, it's not even the same person. even when I was starting to ramp up, but still generally looked like a normal functioning person (2016/17 (when I started thinking I might have a problem but as we all know, sometimes it's gotta get worse before it gets better)) doesn't really look like "me" to me anymore. it's a strange feeling but a good one, really. getting a compliment like "you look healthy" probably means more than anyone other than those in recovery will ever know. what a gift.

congrats on 6mos, I hope you feel incredible and the accomplishments continue to stack up pal!

it's that time of year; shitty weather, holidays, family stuff, cabin fever (for us winter weather folks) be sure to check up on yourself and your homies!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: breezy_again on December 13, 2023, 07:53:01 PM
i appreciate the kind words ralf and hmmmokay, yall are the best

together we are stronger
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Noble Experiment on December 19, 2023, 10:25:06 AM
Giving it another go. Tried earlier in the year during summer and managed to taper down to just a few drinks here and there a couple days a week. Not fully sober but with how much I was drinking before that (anywhere from 7 to 10 drinks a night every night), it was a huge improvement. Fast forward to November and December, went through a rough patch that was extremely hard to handle and of course, I turned right back to booze. Went from drinking a few drinks a couple days a week to drinking every night. The second I was off work it was go time. Not only that, but I looked back and did the math and I was at 12-13 drinks a night! Whether it was beers or shots, it usually added up to 12-13 drinks throughout the course of the night. I did this every night from November all the way until mid December, so that’s a good month and a half straight with 12-13 drinks a night every night. The plan is the same as what I did the first time: going to taper off slowly just like how Brian Anderson stopped drinking, deducting 1 or 2 drinks every few days until the number dwindles down, this is to avoid withdrawals. Its been a few days now and I went down from 12-13 to 9-10. Feeling good about this, just gotta stay consistent with it and watch my self control like I did the first time.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Noble Experiment on December 19, 2023, 11:31:37 AM
Also any advice or feedback from y’all who are currently going through cutting back or quitting or those of you who are sober would be greatly appreciated! Feels good to have a place to vent and rant and talk about it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on December 19, 2023, 11:45:36 AM
props to everyone hitting milestones. i'm just shy of 6 months and had a pretty neat thing happen i figured i'd share. took my daughter (15) and son (13) to their first metal show. didn't drink, had a great time. my daughter and i got to the front of the stage and she was jamming the whole time and the guitarist ended up giving her the set list on his way off stage. my daughter was bragging after the show that she was partying harder and having more fun than a lot of the people and that she wasn't even drinking. she was saying how she felt bad for this couple next to us who were clearly huge fans but got so wasted they got thrown out of the show. she also commented how how "present" the people in the band seemed and how they didn't seem wasted. we googled it later and it turned out that they guys in the band had all sobered up a few years earlier and their before and after picks were pretty amazing difference. all in all it felt to be a great influence on my kids, be completely sober to drive them home and then to see my daughter and son learning to enjoy these type things without alcohol before they inevitably get into real partying. helping create that baseline and good example felt great.

before

(https://conc.art/files/2016/07/deafheaven_live_chicago_open_air_2016-04-1918x1280.jpg)

after

(https://blog.native-instruments.com/wp-content/uploads/dynamic/2021/08/kerry-mc-coy-deafheaven-interview-hero-big-2880x1200-c-default.jpg)


Also any advice or feedback from y’all who are currently going through cutting back or quitting or those of you who are sober would be greatly appreciated! Feels good to have a place to vent and rant and talk about it.

good luck @Noble Experiment

share from my side... i find stressful situations easier to navigate when i'm not drinking. to clarify, physical feelings of stress pretty much disappear with a drink but for me that just pauses it till the next day and then i still have to deal with the root cause of the stress. i've had to deal with putting my 7 year old dog down from cancer and having my business go from being profitable money maker to a stressful "is this still working" over the last year and being sober has made each blow easier to navigate for me. YMMV.

few other things that were helpful for me

- NA beers
- fitness tracker (keeping track of sleep scores is really eye opening)
- understanding alcohol withdraws. for me if i drink i'm going to have shit sleep for 2-3 days after and then on the 3rd to 4th day i have a full on crash and end up needing to take a huge nap mid day. it's why moderation wasn't working for me. if i only drink on the weekends it was actually harder than going dry.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Monolithic Flick on December 20, 2023, 07:34:10 AM
Expand Quote
props to everyone posting up. keep it up!

i'm 91 days in. i started with a dry 30, went for 60 then 90 and now i'm just enjoying being sober and the energy. i might be done. probably getting too old for drinking.
[close]

I’m with you on being too old. The recovery from an evening moderate drinking isn’t worth it and I’m positive the booze and a slowing metabolism are to blame for the extra weight I’m carrying around.

Pretty much these two.  I’m lucky in that while alcoholism runs all over my family I have had no problems picking up or putting down beer for the most part.  I’m the typical moderate old man weekend drinker for the most part. But lately beer just doesn’t sit well with me.  The buzz isn’t great, the sleep gets fucked, it seems to give  me heartburn now, and the next day is generally grey.  Not to mention I took up skateboarding as an old man and I don’t need anything to interfere with my already shitty balance.

I have a brother who generally struggles with alcohol so we are quitting together.  One thing I have thought a lot about is associations.  Even as a moderate drinker it is new to associate not being buzzed with a Friday night movie.  Making new mental associations is going to be key for me I think.

Good luck to all of you during this holiday season.  Appreciate this thread.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: yghartsyrt on December 20, 2023, 07:47:08 AM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
props to everyone posting up. keep it up!

i'm 91 days in. i started with a dry 30, went for 60 then 90 and now i'm just enjoying being sober and the energy. i might be done. probably getting too old for drinking.
[close]

I’m with you on being too old. The recovery from an evening moderate drinking isn’t worth it and I’m positive the booze and a slowing metabolism are to blame for the extra weight I’m carrying around.
[close]

Pretty much these two.  I’m lucky in that while alcoholism runs all over my family I have had no problems picking up or putting down beer for the most part.  I’m the typical moderate old man weekend drinker for the most part. But lately beer just doesn’t sit well with me.  The buzz isn’t great, the sleep gets fucked, it seems to give  me heartburn now, and the next day is generally grey.  Not to mention I took up skateboarding as an old man and I don’t need anything to interfere with my already shitty balance.

I have a brother who generally struggles with alcohol so we are quitting together.  One thing I have thought a lot about is associations.  Even as a moderate drinker it is new to associate not being buzzed with a Friday night movie.  Making new mental associations is going to be key for me I think.

Good luck to all of you during this holiday season.  Appreciate this thread.

best wishes for your endeavour!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on December 20, 2023, 09:02:13 AM
props to everyone hitting milestones. i'm just shy of 6 months and had a pretty neat thing happen i figured i'd share. took my daughter (15) and son (13) to their first metal show. didn't drink, had a great time. my daughter and i got to the front of the stage and she was jamming the whole time and the guitarist ended up giving her the set list on his way off stage. my daughter was bragging after the show that she was partying harder and having more fun than a lot of the people and that she wasn't even drinking. she was saying how she felt bad for this couple next to us who were clearly huge fans but got so wasted they got thrown out of the show. she also commented how how "present" the people in the band seemed and how they didn't seem wasted. we googled it later and it turned out that they guys in the band had all sobered up a few years earlier and their before and after picks were pretty amazing difference. all in all it felt to be a great influence on my kids, be completely sober to drive them home and then to see my daughter and son learning to enjoy these type things without alcohol before they inevitably get into real partying. helping create that baseline and good example felt great.

before

(https://conc.art/files/2016/07/deafheaven_live_chicago_open_air_2016-04-1918x1280.jpg)

after

(https://blog.native-instruments.com/wp-content/uploads/dynamic/2021/08/kerry-mc-coy-deafheaven-interview-hero-big-2880x1200-c-default.jpg)


Expand Quote
Also any advice or feedback from y’all who are currently going through cutting back or quitting or those of you who are sober would be greatly appreciated! Feels good to have a place to vent and rant and talk about it.
[close]

good luck @Noble Experiment

share from my side... i find stressful situations easier to navigate when i'm not drinking. to clarify, physical feelings of stress pretty much disappear with a drink but for me that just pauses it till the next day and then i still have to deal with the root cause of the stress. i've had to deal with putting my 7 year old dog down from cancer and having my business go from being profitable money maker to a stressful "is this still working" over the last year and being sober has made each blow easier to navigate for me. YMMV.

few other things that were helpful for me

- NA beers
- fitness tracker (keeping track of sleep scores is really eye opening)
- understanding alcohol withdraws. for me if i drink i'm going to have shit sleep for 2-3 days after and then on the 3rd to 4th day i have a full on crash and end up needing to take a huge nap mid day. it's why moderation wasn't working for me. if i only drink on the weekends it was actually harder than going dry.

@sleazy that's awesome man, what a great feeling that must have been for you as a father. surely that has to be motivation to continue.

I'll be two years in the spring (not to get ahead of myself, keeping it one day at a time as always). My motivation to stay sober hasn't really changed; to be the best version of myself, to experience life, to be a good person to others, among other things. I agree with sleazy's list there, if beer was your thing the NA beer market is kind of booming right now, I'm sure you could find a replacement for something boozy that you liked. I was a liquor man so NA beers are alright but very few and far between for me. I have not tried any of the alcohol free spirits, as I'm kind of worried those might point me in a direction I don't want to go. To each their own though!

Non-skateboarding fitness was always something I struggled with especially when drinking but getting in to running tremendously helped me around 6-7mos, mostly as something to keep me occupied in the evenings. Still continuing to improve on that in addition to adding biking back in (stationary right now because winter) but fitness truly is something wonderful in sobriety as cliche or corny as it sounds. I ended up taking a hiatus from skating this year to focus on running instead and I'm looking forward to getting back in to skating when it feels right. The last few years of skating before I quit drinking were so intertwined with booze I think I just needed time to re-associate that with other, more positive things.

Do not discount the power of sleep and how much proper rest can affect your mental as well. Sleep is so important.

Sobriety podcasts and online communities are also big for me, listening/reading others stories both cautionary and celebratory. Super crucial for me. This thread 100% counts as one of those communities.

TLDR; fill your time you might have otherwise been drunk or high with things that stimulate the mind or body, or both! It's kind of a sober person cliche for a reason. Sleep! Community!

@noble rooting for you homie! keep that taper going (unless you feel you need medical assistance, in that case do that), you'll get down to 0 before you know it. That's when the real work starts but it's worth it, I promise.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on December 23, 2023, 07:55:43 AM
@Noble Experiment wishing you success on your journey and happy wholesome holidays.  You got this champ.

I got through my family Xmas dinner last weekend without issues, had a nice time and honestly the only uncomfortable part was seeing my parents get buzzed and lippy towards each other.  Yesterday though, may have been my toughest day yet.  Finished work early and started my vacation, which in past years, would mean an instant kickoff to festivities, ie: go straight to the liquor store and let the week of self-numbing/loathing begin.  A tough tradition to break for sure.

It’s especially hard this year because my partner’s going to visit family for the week, so I’ll essentially be alone with the cats the whole time.  Definitely had thoughts about getting into the weed and booze, but I’ve come too far to throw it away now.  Gonna try to be active and reasonably healthy, and make the best of my time off.

Good luck and best wishes to everyone here.  New year is just around the corner, no better time to make positive changes, or celebrate those you’ve made and held onto.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on December 23, 2023, 08:52:59 AM
Stay strong brehs, you got this.

Looking forward to not drinking and being able to drive home from the various gatherings and skating or running the next day instead of having to sleep over and being hungover.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on December 24, 2023, 11:20:43 PM
I have completely and truly gone of the rails. I don’t think there are rails at all anymore.

Having spent 3 or 4 (I can’t remember) times in detox since April I cannot stop. Each time walk out of detox SWEARING I’ll never drink again, it takes about 10 minutes before I’m at the bottleo.

My last time they had to do all the blood tests plus an ultrasounds etc because of all the blood that was coming out both ends. Thank god they put you under when they shove cameras up your ass and throat.
They told me I have cirrhosis of the liver, infected bladder and my kidneys where fucked.

But the thing with alcohol is that I feel like I’m going insane. My brain is playing tricks on me. Way worse that drug psychosis.

I go into detox on the 8th and then rehab for 3 months.

I feel so much shame. That’s the worst part.

It’s Xmas here in Aus so.. MERRY CHRISTMAS XO
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on December 24, 2023, 11:22:57 PM
Oh and I saw one of my best friends turn yellow/brown from alcohol ad die in September. Sorry if I’ve to you guys/gals this stuff before. Memories shot
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on December 25, 2023, 02:25:26 AM
Hey man, you’re trying, and that’s all yourself or anyone else can ask of you.  Be proud of your efforts, and try again.  You’ve got what it takes to come out the other side.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on December 25, 2023, 02:46:49 AM
Oh man @Velcro Wallet stay with us bro, praying for you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fakie nollie on December 25, 2023, 05:20:13 AM
@Velcro Wallet it sounds like this will be your first time doing anything beyond detox and it will be good for you. Rehab will be a good way to surround yourself with other people recovering and they’ll likely send you to AA throughout it, building the muscle to do it once you’re out. I’ve seen many recover from alcoholism and a few to the extent you’re at. You got this ❤️
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: disclosed on December 25, 2023, 05:51:46 AM
little late but wishing everyone succes during the holidays. i can imagine this will be tough time especially for those who got sober recently, or those who are going through a tough time right now.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on December 25, 2023, 09:44:35 AM
Keeping you in my thoughts @velcrowallet as has been said already you're trying and that 100% counts for something, what matters.

Sobriety granted me the opportunity to make breakfast for everyone this morning which was fun. I did that when drinking too but it's much more enjoyable sober, with no headache or shakes, etc.

Additionally, a good friend of mine is 60 days sober today after quite a scare over the summer. he's put in a lot of work to get those 60 days and I so happy for him. I dont think he lurks the boards and if he did he wouldnt know my user name, but on the off chance both of those things do happen, just know I'm proud of you bud!

much love pals, wishing everyone a safe and sober holiday season including new years. dms always open to talk!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on December 25, 2023, 03:00:01 PM
Have any of you girls/guys been diagnosed with cirrhosis and other major internal problems from drinking?

I know it sounds dumb but I need to hear real stories about any of you have similar stuff and survived.

I understand that talking about your past is hard. It’s not very anti hero. (A poor example)

What time is it over there!?!? Merry Xmas and all that. I hope you’re with your children. I got to FaceTime mine for 15 minutes which was only better than nothing, it was magic.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on December 25, 2023, 03:03:29 PM
Plus is anyone on long term opioid programs?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on December 25, 2023, 09:21:00 PM
Have any of you girls/guys been diagnosed with cirrhosis and other major internal problems from drinking?

I know it sounds dumb but I need to hear real stories about any of you have similar stuff and survived.

I understand that talking about your past is hard. It’s not very anti hero. (A poor example)

What time is it over there!?!? Merry Xmas and all that. I hope you’re with your children. I got to FaceTime mine for 15 minutes which was only better than nothing, it was magic.

I did not have a cirrhosis but I met a dude who had it and survived because he stopped drinking. That‘s the only treatment for it. You can do it, and you will live if you do.

What helps me stay away from the sauce is to look at it realistically without any emotion/nostalgia or whatever: Alcohol is poison. Your body does not need it. Everybody telling you something else lies. There are absolutely no benefits attached to drinking the stuff, period.

The buzz you feel are the symptoms of the intoxication and your body fighting it. It is not good for sleeping, it fucks with your sleep pattern. It makes you feel good because dopamine is released but when that effect wears off, your dopamine level drops below baseline, making you feel shitty and crave more (as does any drug).

Get your dopamine hit elsewhere, skating, running, coffee, sex, nice food, whatever floats your boat (except other substitute drugs).

It‘s past 6 am in central Europe, I am going for a run in the woods because I indulged in some (a bit too much) delicious food yesterday. I prayed for you when I woke up because I care for you and want you to pull through. There are many other people who care for you.



Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on December 26, 2023, 06:09:03 PM
Yeah, the book “alcohol lied to me” is amazing and is pretty much telling you “you are putting poison into your body.. so what do you expect”

I’ve read/listened to countless self help alcohol and drug books but this one really hit home. I went on a pretty good sober stretch because it tripped me out so much (with truth bombs)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: the_dangery_bois on December 27, 2023, 08:46:26 PM

If I can, I could offer you one piece of advice.

Getting sober is more about really accepting that addiction creates a false reality from our distorted perception.
It can take a couple of years to reconstruct a stable reality if you are really fucked…

imagine it like this: you have curable dementia. It has gotten so bad that you are damaging your body unintentionally.

 Like how Cardiel left the hospital in a wheelchair, and learned to walk and bike again when he got home. 

There is only so much that can be done quickly.
That’s the whole “one day at a time” thing.

You were brave enough to smash your body into concrete to learn to play skateboards. Embrace the suck, and you can 100% build a life that you don’t want to escape from.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on December 28, 2023, 12:55:34 AM
It all goes back to the fucked up childhood. Being abused by parents and relatives. Then it compounds itself when you try to deal with it yourself with drugs and alcohol and trying to find happiness in places it’s not gonna happen.

I’m so sick of thinking about it. I can’t wait for the next 3 plus months where that’s all you talk about every day.

BUT. I live in the lucky country so I’m gonna punch myself in the face and suck it up.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on December 28, 2023, 04:35:30 AM
It all goes back to the fucked up childhood. Being abused by parents and relatives. Then it compounds itself when you try to deal with it yourself with drugs and alcohol and trying to find happiness in places it’s not gonna happen.

I’m so sick of thinking about it. I can’t wait for the next 3 plus months where that’s all you talk about every day.

BUT. I live in the lucky country so I’m gonna punch myself in the face and suck it up.

If that‘s what it takes go for it bro.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: the_dangery_bois on December 28, 2023, 07:01:57 AM
It all goes back to the fucked up childhood. Being abused by parents and relatives. Then it compounds itself when you try to deal with it yourself with drugs and alcohol and trying to find happiness in places it’s not gonna happen.

I’m so sick of thinking about it. I can’t wait for the next 3 plus months where that’s all you talk about every day.
There is not a single person (myself included) with a history of addiction who has not experienced trauma.  There are also huge numbers of people with unspeakable traumas who don’t become addicted,
Authentic recovery involves the understanding that the addiction is the reason that your brain has given you permission to frame your life in terms of your worst experiences.
That is to say, someone may have tried to kill you in the past, but you are killing you now. Your brain is rationalizing this by framing it externally.
That, imo, is what the higher power thing is about..the development of a meta-cognition….a watcher…a space in your perception that does not believe the narrative of the brain.
In the next 3 months, you’ll tell your story again, but maybe then, you won’t ever want to tell it, even to yourself.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on December 28, 2023, 05:28:54 PM
There’s also a big number of people with perfect childhoods that go onto to be monsters. But I’d say it’s about 20/80% maybe less.

I have no idea what I’m talking about.

Anyone else had ECT?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on December 31, 2023, 06:05:04 AM
everyone have a fun sober new years. i hit an interesting milestone this week. my wife an i are just hosting a few of our kids friends and probably going to go to bed at 10 watching fargo. what you all got gooing?

(https://i.ibb.co/X53ZWvY/IMG-8205.png)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on December 31, 2023, 07:36:28 AM
everyone have a fun sober new years. i hit an interesting milestone this week. my wife an i are just hosting a few of our kids friends and probably going to go to bed at 10 watching fargo. what you all got gooing?

(https://i.ibb.co/X53ZWvY/IMG-8205.png)

congrats!!! big 6mos 😤

honestly, kinda forgot it was nye today. busy holidays this year or maybe I've just stopped paying attention, who knows. might go skate with a friend at an indoor in a few hours. as far as nye celebration is concerned, like yourself, I will probably be in bed before midnight, and I wouldn't have it any other way. the funny thing was that when I was drinking I always kinda looked down on holidays like this; "I can drink whenever I want I don't need a holiday to dictate that"...funny, I'd often go a little easier on something like NYE than a normal night of drinking almost out of spite, and maybe out of guilt, telling myself "this year I'm gonna cut back or stop" but knowing that I probably wouldn't. even just typing that out made me retroactively anxious. I'm really thankful that I'm not that guy anymore. I'll take going to bed early over what would have normally transpired any day.

wishing you all a safe, sober new years and more success in all areas of life in 2024. while I am generally comfortable talking about my sobriety and my journey to people irl, this thread has made that a lot easier, seeing fellow pals going through the same things. grateful for y'all!

if you catch this thread wondering if you should give sobriety a shot in 2024, give it a try. you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. trust.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on January 02, 2024, 07:22:06 AM
binged some its always sunny while working on a manuscript on the couch on sunday, then my girlfriend came home and said, she has some work to do aswell. 15 before midnight we each wrote 3 wishes / reflections / whatever on some little paper scraps, went on the balcony, seen some fireworks, set the papers on fire one by a time and through them off. then listening to a record or two and after that reading in bed. january first i scraped myself out of bed to go jogging and make breakfast for ma boo. then she left for her family (i didnt feel like coming)... at 7 pm, having fixed some stuff around the house, i was like: i am done for the day, it's to early to go to sleep.. right?? ended up playing some session listening to an episode of seincast. today, getting up was a lot harder, but i am baking a bread right now (can take it out of the oven in 20!)

long story short: make it nice for youself, dont be sorry for yourself, give yourself some wiggle room.
there is a lot to do in this world and your brain will always tell you this or that, which you will then again interpret as this or that. but don't be confused: you are not your brain. you're a rhythmic knot in a world-net waiting to connect. ha-ha, sorry, got off the rails there.

you know what the hesh guys keep yelling, yell it too, in the mirror if you have to: Let's fucking go!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Monolithic Flick on January 02, 2024, 11:56:15 AM
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props to everyone posting up. keep it up!

i'm 91 days in. i started with a dry 30, went for 60 then 90 and now i'm just enjoying being sober and the energy. i might be done. probably getting too old for drinking.
[close]

I’m with you on being too old. The recovery from an evening moderate drinking isn’t worth it and I’m positive the booze and a slowing metabolism are to blame for the extra weight I’m carrying around.
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Pretty much these two.  I’m lucky in that while alcoholism runs all over my family I have had no problems picking up or putting down beer for the most part.  I’m the typical moderate old man weekend drinker for the most part. But lately beer just doesn’t sit well with me.  The buzz isn’t great, the sleep gets fucked, it seems to give  me heartburn now, and the next day is generally grey.  Not to mention I took up skateboarding as an old man and I don’t need anything to interfere with my already shitty balance.

I have a brother who generally struggles with alcohol so we are quitting together.  One thing I have thought a lot about is associations.  Even as a moderate drinker it is new to associate not being buzzed with a Friday night movie.  Making new mental associations is going to be key for me I think.

Good luck to all of you during this holiday season.  Appreciate this thread.
[close]

best wishes for your endeavour!

I forgot to say thank you for this, but thank you.  20 days as of today for me.  I have enjoyed some NA beers here and there just for fun.  Unfortunately my brother has re-started twice now.  I'm really hoping this last one takes. Maybe momentum from the Dry January thing can help.  I'm more worried about him than me.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Monolithic Flick on January 02, 2024, 12:03:21 PM
Have any of you girls/guys been diagnosed with cirrhosis and other major internal problems from drinking?

I know it sounds dumb but I need to hear real stories about any of you have similar stuff and survived.

I understand that talking about your past is hard. It’s not very anti hero. (A poor example)

What time is it over there!?!? Merry Xmas and all that. I hope you’re with your children. I got to FaceTime mine for 15 minutes which was only better than nothing, it was magic.

Others here have given you good replies already.  I knew a co-worker who had every organ stop on him, including the liver, and lived.  His hospital stay was his detox and he never drank again for the 13 years I knew him (still alive, I just got a different job and then later moved away).  He had gave up smoking too, so then super expensive coffee became his 'vice.' 

He was happier, funnier person sober for sure. You can get through this and it can be better on the other side.  Hang in there.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 03, 2024, 02:52:56 PM
Whaddup. Trying to ease into quitting drinking via dry January. Tried a few times before and never made it past 5-6 weeks. But as I’m getting older and drinking more, and more often, the impacts from it are getting more and more clear and undeniable. I’m outwardly a highly functioning individual but I think if I keep drinking there’s no other outcome but it eventually ruining my life.

Honestly what’s most daunting is how I’ll deal with having to do things I don’t feel like doing…for years now I’ve just gotten drunk for those.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on January 03, 2024, 04:34:25 PM
Whaddup. Trying to ease into quitting drinking via dry January. Tried a few times before and never made it past 5-6 weeks. But as I’m getting older and drinking more, and more often, the impacts from it are getting more and more clear and undeniable. I’m outwardly a highly functioning individual but I think if I keep drinking there’s no other outcome but it eventually ruining my life.

Honestly what’s most daunting is how I’ll deal with having to do things I don’t feel like doing…for years now I’ve just gotten drunk for those.
Start easy…just don’t do things you’d need to get drunk to do. Example: you have to get drunk to hang out with a certain crowd…stay away. I used to enjoy getting hammered and washing my truck. I would take it through the wash once I stopped drinking, but now I am back to enjoying it with some good music playing. Took some time though.
Also, I can’t enjoy bowling sober, so no more of that.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 03, 2024, 05:10:05 PM
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Whaddup. Trying to ease into quitting drinking via dry January. Tried a few times before and never made it past 5-6 weeks. But as I’m getting older and drinking more, and more often, the impacts from it are getting more and more clear and undeniable. I’m outwardly a highly functioning individual but I think if I keep drinking there’s no other outcome but it eventually ruining my life.

Honestly what’s most daunting is how I’ll deal with having to do things I don’t feel like doing…for years now I’ve just gotten drunk for those.
[close]
Start easy…just don’t do things you’d need to get drunk to do. Example: you have to get drunk to hang out with a certain crowd…stay away. I used to enjoy getting hammered and washing my truck. I would take it through the wash once I stopped drinking, but now I am back to enjoying it with some good music playing. Took some time though.
Also, I can’t enjoy bowling sober, so no more of that.
appreciate the advice, thank you.

I have some events I’ll have to attend (weddings, family stuff) that I’d need to drink at to enjoy. I think I’ll just have to be ok setting hard boundaries with myself and others. If I’m done and ready to go home, I’ll just go.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 03, 2024, 06:13:53 PM
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Whaddup. Trying to ease into quitting drinking via dry January. Tried a few times before and never made it past 5-6 weeks. But as I’m getting older and drinking more, and more often, the impacts from it are getting more and more clear and undeniable. I’m outwardly a highly functioning individual but I think if I keep drinking there’s no other outcome but it eventually ruining my life.

Honestly what’s most daunting is how I’ll deal with having to do things I don’t feel like doing…for years now I’ve just gotten drunk for those.
[close]
Start easy…just don’t do things you’d need to get drunk to do. Example: you have to get drunk to hang out with a certain crowd…stay away. I used to enjoy getting hammered and washing my truck. I would take it through the wash once I stopped drinking, but now I am back to enjoying it with some good music playing. Took some time though.
Also, I can’t enjoy bowling sober, so no more of that.
[close]
appreciate the advice, thank you.

I have some events I’ll have to attend (weddings, family stuff) that I’d need to drink at to enjoy. I think I’ll just have to be ok setting hard boundaries with myself and others. If I’m done and ready to go home, I’ll just go.

desire is most of it so you are off to a great start and props on giving it a go. i just broke 6 months and i feel i've completely lost the desire to drink. no expert and total rookie compared to others in here but few things i can share from my experience.

- i like the i am sober app just to have something keeping count of my days. i don't use it for anything else now but in the begining the check ins where you reflect on how things went the last week was helpful.
- na beers have made it way easier for me, especially the social stuff. i brought a yeti backpack with some na's in it to the last wedding i went to and kept it off to the side.
- for social events, as soon as people start getting drunk it gets boring. i don't force it. chat and bounce when it gets boring until you've had enough and head out.
- for me the things i liked changed. i thought i really liked going to nice restaurants for a meal, turns out it was really the drinks. i like quick casual places with insta food porn type food now.
- weight loss didn't happen till way later than i expected. i loss probably 15+ lbs without doing any work but it took over 2 months before it started happening.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Allen. on January 03, 2024, 08:45:14 PM
Celebrated 2 years just before Christmas. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s worth it. I promise.

When it comes to gatherings or anything like that… for me, the first time was the most difficult. I got offered a beer at my girlfriend’s family’s Christmas shindig like 2-3 days after I poured everything out and told myself I was done and I kinda didn’t know what to say, despite building it up in my mind the whole time. I finally just said “nah, thanks, I’m not drinking right now.” And I fully thought everything was going to be awkward or weird or different but it’s not. And now I get to revel in hearing about how miserable everyone is the next morning and how I do not miss hangovers in the slightest.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 04, 2024, 05:41:37 AM
for anyone who likes data. i wear a garmin which tracks my sleep. below is average sleep score per week over last year. first month was drinking normal, then a dry almost 40, then moderating and only drinking weekends and then when i quit. you can see from the numbers there's a huge difference but the actual difference in sleep as been unbelievable. what the data doesn't really show is that now i pretty much never have a bad night sleep were before it was all peaks and valleys: not bad night, horrible night, good night, horrible night, horrible night. the other interesting thing for me was that moderating was harder than quitting. i still slept like shit during the week, i was still always thinking about drinking, i didn't loose any weight. it was way easier just to let it all go.

(https://i.ibb.co/YN2R7Ls/Sleep-score-drinking.png)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 04, 2024, 09:50:10 AM
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Whaddup. Trying to ease into quitting drinking via dry January. Tried a few times before and never made it past 5-6 weeks. But as I’m getting older and drinking more, and more often, the impacts from it are getting more and more clear and undeniable. I’m outwardly a highly functioning individual but I think if I keep drinking there’s no other outcome but it eventually ruining my life.

Honestly what’s most daunting is how I’ll deal with having to do things I don’t feel like doing…for years now I’ve just gotten drunk for those.
[close]
Start easy…just don’t do things you’d need to get drunk to do. Example: you have to get drunk to hang out with a certain crowd…stay away. I used to enjoy getting hammered and washing my truck. I would take it through the wash once I stopped drinking, but now I am back to enjoying it with some good music playing. Took some time though.
Also, I can’t enjoy bowling sober, so no more of that.
[close]
appreciate the advice, thank you.

I have some events I’ll have to attend (weddings, family stuff) that I’d need to drink at to enjoy. I think I’ll just have to be ok setting hard boundaries with myself and others. If I’m done and ready to go home, I’ll just go.
[close]

desire is most of it so you are off to a great start and props on giving it a go. i just broke 6 months and i feel i've completely lost the desire to drink. no expert and total rookie compared to others in here but few things i can share from my experience.

- i like the i am sober app just to have something keeping count of my days. i don't use it for anything else now but in the begining the check ins where you reflect on how things went the last week was helpful.
- na beers have made it way easier for me, especially the social stuff. i brought a yeti backpack with some na's in it to the last wedding i went to and kept it off to the side.
- for social events, as soon as people start getting drunk it gets boring. i don't force it. chat and bounce when it gets boring until you've had enough and head out.
- for me the things i liked changed. i thought i really liked going to nice restaurants for a meal, turns out it was really the drinks. i like quick casual places with insta food porn type food now.
- weight loss didn't happen till way later than i expected. i loss probably 15+ lbs without doing any work but it took over 2 months before it started happening.
I appreciate this. I think the social events will be the hard part. I’ll just need to give myself leeway to leave things or say no to protect myself regardless of how it makes other people feel.

Definitely curious what will change over the next weeks/hopefully months+. When I’ve had sober stints before I notice serious decreases in anxiety/malaise pretty quickly once I’m done with any withdrawals.

I have a good friend trying this with me now. He keeps asking me what I think will “replace” or “fill the gap” for what booze provides…I’ve accepted that I don’t think anything will similarly let me immediately, without effort on my part, temporarily expel unwanted feelings the way booze does (short of other unhealthy substances). And I’ll just have to live with that and finding other ways to cope.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 04, 2024, 09:58:12 AM
You eventually fill those "would've been drinking" times with other things. sometimes they're more productive like working out, skating, or doing more in your respective job/career. other times it's sometimes as simple as getting more sleep (depending on the day a good nap can completely turn me around), enjoying a meal (not even a nice meal, just enjoying food in general), stuff like that. listen to yourself and your body, ittl know what feels right and what it needs next. also, don't beat yourself up if you do find yourself kind of, for lack of a better term, living aimlessly for a little bit. depending on how often you were drinking you may need some time to just 'exist'. I did. But everyone is different.

The unwanted feelings things is something I personally just had to learn to live with. They come, you acknowledge the bad feelings, and you let them pass. Scenarios vary of course, but that stuff does become easier to just let happen without trying to intervene with a substance.

Wishing you all well on your journeys even if it is just for dry january!  :)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Allen. on January 04, 2024, 12:00:04 PM
Also, I dont have any data to back this up outside of anecdotes re: sleeping better, but I can tell you you dont realize how often you feel like you’re at about 70-80% battery after drinking. Even if you aren’t hungover per se, it’s way, way easier to wake up without hitting snooze.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Yonnycage on January 05, 2024, 09:22:31 AM
Went on the absolute dumbest 3 day long New Year’s bender and have been paying for it since wednesday. Drank a shit ton of russian standard, coquito and killed like a liter of Jose Cuervo and that was after pregaming with 8% beers. The feeling of impending doom, the sweating, nonstop projectile vomiting all the water I’m trying to chug down, NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP because my mind is just fucking racing constantly is nothing compared to how terrible I feel for my girl who’s been laying next to me this whole time trying to get her work done while trying to force the smallest bit of food down my throat. I’ve had bad hangovers before but this shit is straight up withdrawals. I’m turning 30 this year and decided this morning that my days of cosplaying a hardened eastern european laborer are done (even though I am Polish and work in HVAC lol) Reading this thread fills me with hope for the future, thanks pals.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on January 06, 2024, 03:31:17 AM
I start my week of detox then 3 months of full time rehab the day after tomorrow. I’m kinda shook. It’s kinda like boot camp. I’ve done detox many times (4 times in the last 6 months? It’s hard to remember) but never rehab.
My memory is cooked. I’m worried about the wet brain stuff or just damage I’ve done already.

I’m so looking forward to not have a splitting headache and super painful sore stomach everyday.  I have to make sure I have at least half a bottle of vodka/brandy as soon as I wake up. It’s the only way I can down me one piece of Vegemite toast and even think about looking at my phone. Ha :(

In the rehab pamphlet it’s seems to be not to phone friendly (another thing I’m fine giving up) but I do need SLAP for some stoke.

Anyway, peace out. I hope the beginning of 2024 goes according to the plans you all have made.

One

Remember… if you are older and want to feel younger get a Velcro Wallet. The sound!! Hahaha xo
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on January 06, 2024, 04:33:43 AM
Go for it bro. The sober Slap pals have got your back.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 06, 2024, 08:35:40 AM
I start my week of detox then 3 months of full time rehab the day after tomorrow. I’m kinda shook. It’s kinda like boot camp. I’ve done detox many times (4 times in the last 6 months? It’s hard to remember) but never rehab.
My memory is cooked. I’m worried about the wet brain stuff or just damage I’ve done already.

I’m so looking forward to not have a splitting headache and super painful sore stomach everyday.  I have to make sure I have at least half a bottle of vodka/brandy as soon as I wake up. It’s the only way I can down me one piece of Vegemite toast and even think about looking at my phone. Ha :(

In the rehab pamphlet it’s seems to be not to phone friendly (another thing I’m fine giving up) but I do need SLAP for some stoke.

Anyway, peace out. I hope the beginning of 2024 goes according to the plans you all have made.

One

Remember… if you are older and want to feel younger get a Velcro Wallet. The sound!! Hahaha xo

you got this man, rooting for you!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 06, 2024, 09:14:19 AM
my current challenges 7-9pm. i get so bored during this time. at 9 ish my wife and i watch tv then i go to bed after but after dinner at 7 till 9 is pretty boring for me at this point. i don't feel right watching so much tv but that's what i've been doing. i'm going to start playing around with trying to exercise at that time but i'm usually pretty over it and just ate. guess i need a new hobby.

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Whaddup. Trying to ease into quitting drinking via dry January. Tried a few times before and never made it past 5-6 weeks. But as I’m getting older and drinking more, and more often, the impacts from it are getting more and more clear and undeniable. I’m outwardly a highly functioning individual but I think if I keep drinking there’s no other outcome but it eventually ruining my life.

Honestly what’s most daunting is how I’ll deal with having to do things I don’t feel like doing…for years now I’ve just gotten drunk for those.
[close]
Start easy…just don’t do things you’d need to get drunk to do. Example: you have to get drunk to hang out with a certain crowd…stay away. I used to enjoy getting hammered and washing my truck. I would take it through the wash once I stopped drinking, but now I am back to enjoying it with some good music playing. Took some time though.
Also, I can’t enjoy bowling sober, so no more of that.
[close]
appreciate the advice, thank you.

I have some events I’ll have to attend (weddings, family stuff) that I’d need to drink at to enjoy. I think I’ll just have to be ok setting hard boundaries with myself and others. If I’m done and ready to go home, I’ll just go.
[close]

desire is most of it so you are off to a great start and props on giving it a go. i just broke 6 months and i feel i've completely lost the desire to drink. no expert and total rookie compared to others in here but few things i can share from my experience.

- i like the i am sober app just to have something keeping count of my days. i don't use it for anything else now but in the begining the check ins where you reflect on how things went the last week was helpful.
- na beers have made it way easier for me, especially the social stuff. i brought a yeti backpack with some na's in it to the last wedding i went to and kept it off to the side.
- for social events, as soon as people start getting drunk it gets boring. i don't force it. chat and bounce when it gets boring until you've had enough and head out.
- for me the things i liked changed. i thought i really liked going to nice restaurants for a meal, turns out it was really the drinks. i like quick casual places with insta food porn type food now.
- weight loss didn't happen till way later than i expected. i loss probably 15+ lbs without doing any work but it took over 2 months before it started happening.
[close]
I appreciate this. I think the social events will be the hard part. I’ll just need to give myself leeway to leave things or say no to protect myself regardless of how it makes other people feel.

Definitely curious what will change over the next weeks/hopefully months+. When I’ve had sober stints before I notice serious decreases in anxiety/malaise pretty quickly once I’m done with any withdrawals.

I have a good friend trying this with me now. He keeps asking me what I think will “replace” or “fill the gap” for what booze provides…I’ve accepted that I don’t think anything will similarly let me immediately, without effort on my part, temporarily expel unwanted feelings the way booze does (short of other unhealthy substances). And I’ll just have to live with that and finding other ways to cope.

there is nothing that makes stress go away the way having a drink does. that kind of stress you feel in your chest for some real shit like money problems, relationship problems, etc. during my first dry 30 we had to put our 7 year old dog down from cancer and i lost my biggest client which was close to half of my companies revenue and it turned out that overall that stuff was easier to deal with without numbing the stress with alcohol. i find that alcohol is more of a snooze button for stress.

for me i leaned into exercise and mental discipline. i found if there was a lot of stress that even just taking a long hike with my dogs would help but for heavy stress doing some cardio and zoning out on TV was helpful to get it off my chest. i have an exercise bike in front of a TV at my place so just put on some rick and morty or something funny and distracting and start peddling. for mental discipline what i did is force myself not to think about stressful things unless i'm actively planning how to fix them. it works pretty well and i usually force myself to think about skate tricks i want to try instead. it's also slightly dangerous form of procrastination that i'm sure i could get burned by at some point if i take it too far. i have some financial planning that is long over due at the moment and i need to do this weekend. these are my hacks YMMV.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on January 06, 2024, 12:18:58 PM
Yeah, a lil over 7 months no-alcohol here. Everything Sleazy and FUBAR said is spot on. I would have never have thought I could attend a wedding without drinking but I did it in September. Made it through with a bunch of Coke (soda). Desire to drink is almost completely gone. I still go to the bar regularly and all my friends (customers and staff) know I just drink na beers now -- nobody pressures me. I'm actually a bit more productive now. I don't think there was anything I relied on being drunk to do, save the whole social anxiety thing...but I realized: fuck that noise, I'm running the ship here, I'm not awkward, everybody else can be, so I'm not altering my mindset just to try to fit in. Good luck to you, NoComply180.

Went on the absolute dumbest 3 day long New Year’s bender and have been paying for it since wednesday. Drank a shit ton of russian standard, coquito and killed like a liter of Jose Cuervo and that was after pregaming with 8% beers. The feeling of impending doom, the sweating, nonstop projectile vomiting all the water I’m trying to chug down, NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP because my mind is just fucking racing constantly is nothing compared to how terrible I feel for my girl who’s been laying next to me this whole time trying to get her work done while trying to force the smallest bit of food down my throat. I’ve had bad hangovers before but this shit is straight up withdrawals. I’m turning 30 this year and decided this morning that my days of cosplaying a hardened eastern european laborer are done (even though I am Polish and work in HVAC lol) Reading this thread fills me with hope for the future, thanks pals.

How many Polish ppl does it take to stop drinking alcohol?


One.

You got this, buddy. I deffo do not miss the days of vomiting up freshly-drank water the morning after getting hammered.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 06, 2024, 04:13:43 PM
VelcroWallet, yonnycage im rooting for y’all.

Weekend without booze has actually been super easy so far. Wrapped up work a little early yesterday, hit the gym, played some call of duty and watched a movie with the lady after getting dinner with an old friend. Felt fucking great to wake up and not be 1. Disoriented because I’m still hammered, slowly becoming aware that will transition to hungover if I don’t hair of the dog it or 2. Already hungover and dealing with feelings of doom and depersonalization.

Very lazy day today and took a nice walk in the rain.

Seeing some friends tomorrow who I don’t need booze to enjoy being around.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 07, 2024, 08:07:24 AM
i think i'm going to try and reach out some of my neighbors who are members of the same tennis club as me and get some more value out of this membership i haven't been using and kills some 7-9 boredom.

VelcroWallet, yonnycage im rooting for y’all.

Weekend without booze has actually been super easy so far. Wrapped up work a little early yesterday, hit the gym, played some call of duty and watched a movie with the lady after getting dinner with an old friend. Felt fucking great to wake up and not be 1. Disoriented because I’m still hammered, slowly becoming aware that will transition to hungover if I don’t hair of the dog it or 2. Already hungover and dealing with feelings of doom and depersonalization.

Very lazy day today and took a nice walk in the rain.

Seeing some friends tomorrow who I don’t need booze to enjoy being around.

hell yeah man! getting that inner 12 year old back.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 08, 2024, 11:26:59 AM
A Week without booze today, struggling with sleeping through the night but aside from that everything is better. Mood, focus, work, energy, consistency, etc. My resting heart rate is 10-20bpm lower on average too which is an interesting benefit.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on January 08, 2024, 07:17:47 PM
A Week without booze today, struggling with sleeping through the night but aside from that everything is better. Mood, focus, work, energy, consistency, etc. My resting heart rate is 10-20bpm lower on average too which is an interesting benefit.
Right on man! Sleep may be a struggle for now but the sleep you are getting while sober is much better than drunk sleep. And fuck hangovers!
Keep it up, I don’t want to sound corny but it will get better and easier. Someone will tell you that you look better, because you will. Outside and inside.
Keep going!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 08, 2024, 08:06:59 PM
^thanks man! Yeah I know sleep will improve with time. And it sure beats being hungover or getting crappy drunk sleep.

Been splurging a bit on eating out the last few days but excited to save some more money in the long term.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on January 08, 2024, 09:32:45 PM
A Week without booze today, struggling with sleeping through the night but aside from that everything is better. Mood, focus, work, energy, consistency, etc. My resting heart rate is 10-20bpm lower on average too which is an interesting benefit.

I hit 2 years October 2023 and struggled with sleep issues for awhile since I was used to going to sleep drunk every night. I used that non habit forming Zzzzquil (generic version) stuff to get through the first couple of months and then cut it totally out. Maybe not for everyone, but it worked for me. Good luck with it all and enjoy feeling good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 09, 2024, 05:17:08 AM
Nice nocomply! I was drinking a lot of sleepy time type hot t before bed at first and it helped. They have some ones that really make you tired but don’t effect sleep. I stopped drinking them without really noticing. Ne factor was not wanting to get up and pee in middle of night.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 09, 2024, 08:38:55 AM
Expand Quote
A Week without booze today, struggling with sleeping through the night but aside from that everything is better. Mood, focus, work, energy, consistency, etc. My resting heart rate is 10-20bpm lower on average too which is an interesting benefit.
[close]

I hit 2 years October 2023 and struggled with sleep issues for awhile since I was used to going to sleep drunk every night. I used that non habit forming Zzzzquil (generic version) stuff to get through the first couple of months and then cut it totally out. Maybe not for everyone, but it worked for me. Good luck with it all and enjoy feeling good.

Same but I eventually had to cut it out because it fucked up my stomach. These days I just kinda wait til I actually get tired before I get into bed. I used to try to force an earlier sleep time but it just doesn't work for me. Congrats on 2 years! Coming up on that milestone in a couple months myself.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on January 09, 2024, 04:13:04 PM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
A Week without booze today, struggling with sleeping through the night but aside from that everything is better. Mood, focus, work, energy, consistency, etc. My resting heart rate is 10-20bpm lower on average too which is an interesting benefit.
[close]

I hit 2 years October 2023 and struggled with sleep issues for awhile since I was used to going to sleep drunk every night. I used that non habit forming Zzzzquil (generic version) stuff to get through the first couple of months and then cut it totally out. Maybe not for everyone, but it worked for me. Good luck with it all and enjoy feeling good.
[close]

Same but I eventually had to cut it out because it fucked up my stomach. These days I just kinda wait til I actually get tired before I get into bed. I used to try to force an earlier sleep time but it just doesn't work for me. Congrats on 2 years! Coming up on that milestone in a couple months myself.

Thanks!

Yeah, I wasn’t really into it but it did help with sleep and gave me some mental gratification of getting “medicated”. Which kind of helped ease me psychologically out of the habitual substance abuse cycle I was in. These days, like @sleazy said above, I drink sleepy time tea every night and regular tea in the morning. I really just enjoy my evening tea, don’t think I need it to sleep or anything anymore.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 09, 2024, 06:18:12 PM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
A Week without booze today, struggling with sleeping through the night but aside from that everything is better. Mood, focus, work, energy, consistency, etc. My resting heart rate is 10-20bpm lower on average too which is an interesting benefit.
[close]

I hit 2 years October 2023 and struggled with sleep issues for awhile since I was used to going to sleep drunk every night. I used that non habit forming Zzzzquil (generic version) stuff to get through the first couple of months and then cut it totally out. Maybe not for everyone, but it worked for me. Good luck with it all and enjoy feeling good.
[close]

Same but I eventually had to cut it out because it fucked up my stomach. These days I just kinda wait til I actually get tired before I get into bed. I used to try to force an earlier sleep time but it just doesn't work for me. Congrats on 2 years! Coming up on that milestone in a couple months myself.
[close]

Thanks!

Yeah, I wasn’t really into it but it did help with sleep and gave me some mental gratification of getting “medicated”. Which kind of helped ease me psychologically out of the habitual substance abuse cycle I was in. These days, like @sleazy said above, I drink sleepy time tea every night and regular tea in the morning. I really just enjoy my evening tea, don’t think I need it to sleep or anything anymore.

This is gonna sound funny, but the rest of the day I thought about sleepytime tea after reading your reply and decided to grab some when I went to the store tonight. Looking forward to that in a couple hours, thanks man! Maybe it will help me a little more than I think, not a bad idea to have a little evening wind down ritual which is something I've tried and failed at many times.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on January 10, 2024, 08:35:47 AM
This and a 5-10mg melatonin results in a quick and restful sleep for me most nights.  Doesn’t leave me feeling extra groggy or anything in the morning either.

(https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/871c4b88-5131-4478-bbaf-23094ec186d0.3e730c08073049d201c1d10a48169b15.jpeg)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 10, 2024, 08:41:26 AM
This and a 5-10mg melatonin results in a quick and restful sleep for me most nights.  Doesn’t leave me feeling extra groggy or anything in the morning either.

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/871c4b88-5131-4478-bbaf-23094ec186d0.3e730c08073049d201c1d10a48169b15.jpeg

Might try that one out too. I got this;

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T1/images/I/71Ies4ARO4L.jpg)

The tea itself was very pleasant as I'm kind of on a weird cinnamon kick right now and I do think it eased me into sleepland. I usually don't do well with melatonin but I figured the 1g would be fine.

I will say I used to drink a lot of Traditional Medicinals tea back in like, 2017-18 and it never did me wrong. Maybe I'll order some sort of variety pack.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Abyss1 on January 10, 2024, 08:57:32 AM
What worked for fixing me going to bed early was to wake up early around 4 or 5am.  I usually sit around with some coffee or meditate, and if I feel up to it will get a workout going.   By 8am Im working and by the time 7-8pm rolls around I start to feel pretty worn out.

For the Pals that have gym memberships with a dry and wet sauna, i'd recommend this at least 1-2x a week.  Been super helpful with my anxiety
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 10, 2024, 09:18:20 AM
@Abyss1 i like that tip a lot. you get up at 4-5 you going to not have problems going to sleep. my current goal is 5:30. i also find that i really love mornings, probably my favorite part of the day. walk at sunrise always feels so good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Monolithic Flick on January 14, 2024, 08:54:01 AM
32 days no alcohol today.  As a moderate drinker I have still been pretty amazed at the positive effects.  Better sleep, vivid dreams, more energy, lasting longer skating, e.t.c.  Haven’t really lost weight but I was not overweight to begin with.  There are other things only my wife notices but apparently I am “more of a man” as well.


I started this mainly to support my brother and I have done Dry January before.  But now I am in a new longest streak of my adult life without a beer or two.    My brother has re-started twice but is on day 14 so I’m happy for him.  Anyway hang in there all of you.  Sobriety feels like a super power and  think I am going to stick with it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 14, 2024, 01:55:50 PM
Tomorrow will be 2 weeks for me. Really no complaints. Grateful for how it’s been so far. I’ve had a few brief hankerings for things like going to a nice cocktail bar and trying a bunch of new drinks, or sitting at a dive bar doing beer/shot combos and bonding with random fellow boozehounds, but I mostly miss the ritual and the novelty of trying new things and places - I’m sure I’ll eventually find plenty of new things that will give me that sans booze. The thought of being even mildly hungover now is super off putting.

Also found some low dose 1:5 thc:cbd gummies that have hit the spot for me when I want a little alteration without losing a grip on things. Pure giggles and munchies but I can still hold a conversation. Reminds me of what weed was for me when I was 18 and carefree.

Also grateful that my best friend who is also an alcoholic and doing dry January with me is doing well so far too.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 16, 2024, 06:57:02 AM
@Monolithic Flick nice man! i heard someone say quitting drinking is a cheat code for life and that really resonated with me.

@nocomply way to go man!

i had a dinner at a steak house that only had odouls. i drink 4 and felt tired the next day. pretty funny how far i've come. i'm guessing if i drink a burbon home pour at this point it'd destroy me for days.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 16, 2024, 10:47:11 AM
^nice man, I’m looking forward to trying more of the NA beers out there. Seems like there’s new ones every day
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Monolithic Flick on January 16, 2024, 11:57:57 AM
@Sleazy...thank you sir.  That's indeed a good way to put it. Things absolutely feel like I'm playing with a cheat code these days.  And good story on the O'Doul's.  As a beer drinker I was into more craft beers.  I have noticed with NA beers I prefer the ones that are basically just NA of beers that didn't have that much alcohol to begin with.  Seems they come closer imo.  I enjoyed an NA guiness a while back and this weekend I had a few NA Corona's.

I have read that NA Beers can be trouble for some who struggle with alcholo due to the fact that it could tempt back to the real beers.  If so, I apologize to anyone who is struggling out there.  I do overall just prefer sparkling water.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on January 16, 2024, 06:59:37 PM
Keep it up, gents. I’m 1.5 years in & it just gets better. Dreaming is cool, sleep is nice, not having anxiety is great. Just remind yourself of the worse version of yourself when drinking & I guarantee you you’ll at least think more than once about having a drink.


I wish you all well.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: dope boy harlem on January 16, 2024, 07:05:54 PM
we drank + kill foolz
u kno da rulez
drug$ = l.i.f.e.
only in if ur cooL
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 17, 2024, 10:52:41 AM
^ you alright?

_____

I'm almost a week of caffeine. Doing it more for digestive health purposes but also the past few months I've found myself way too dependent on caffeine and I'm kind of sick of it. Switched to decaf and it's been alright so far. My sleep is better for sure. The first two days were hell though. Not like alcohol withdrawals, that is its own fun fucked up time, but definitely not anything I feel like going through again. I've added it to my sobriety tracker for motivation and to keep track but I don't plan on leaving caffeine behind forever, just a bit of a reset. Maybe not. We'll see where it goes and how I feel in a month or so.

Happy to see so much success over the holiday season now that that's done. As always dm's open if anyone ever needs to talk!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 19, 2024, 07:04:35 AM
^caffeine is a tough one to quit depending on your habit. I cold turkeyed off of 1-1.5 grams/day between coffee and energy drinks 6 years ago and the first week was hell. Headaches, exhausted, etc. but my gut definitely thanked me for it

After 5 weeks without it I had a coffee with a double shot of espresso in it and was legitimately high
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 21, 2024, 06:32:40 PM
^caffeine is a tough one to quit depending on your habit. I cold turkeyed off of 1-1.5 grams/day between coffee and energy drinks 6 years ago and the first week was hell. Headaches, exhausted, etc. but my gut definitely thanked me for it

After 5 weeks without it I had a coffee with a double shot of espresso in it and was legitimately high

Yeah it's been interesting. I definitely still have a lack of energy at certain points throughout the day but I believe that things will even out eventually. Honestly, with the way I've been feeling as far as gut health is concerned, I do think I'll continue this more long term or at the very least be much more conscious of my caffeine intake should I decide to reintroduce it. It's been that worth it even in this short period of time.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on January 21, 2024, 09:18:26 PM
I am inspired by reading everyone's booze free journeys.
Like most of you posting in this thread, I've had a long and very unhealthy relationship with alcohol almost my entire life.

I have been trying to cut drinking out completely from my life, but it's so hard. It's everywhere, and I have such terrible willpower when it comes to booze. It's always like, hey one won't hurt, but then the second it touches my lips... it just escalates and always turns into more and then I feel like shit the next day.

I've had four drinks since Christmas, and this past Christmas was the one where I've drank the least amount in as long as I can remember.  The only four were because I was hanging out with my neighbour's shop two weeks ago and he offered beer. I always thought it was rude to refuse beer, but no one gives a shit if you do. Old habits for hard I guess. So four drinks in almost a month is pretty good.

I've been drinking some different craft brewed non alcoholic beers to kill the craving. They're not the same, but I guess it's working, I don't know.  I crushed a case of bubbly water in a day once, trying to kill the craving, just to have something in my hand.

I just need to keep looking forward. It's for future me and my family.
I think back to all the terrible things I've done, and terrible ways I've treated other people, and myself because of drinking... it's honestly so embarrassing

My daughter doesn't need a boozer dad.
The way the healthcare system is falling apart up here, I've got to stay healthy as I can as a get older.
The booze was always also a self medication for the mental issues I was always battling, but I've been working on that with professionals and the booze just makes it worse.

thanks for listening. Throw me some reassurance,  or words of wisdom or something. It will help.



Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 22, 2024, 11:51:37 AM
^you got this man. You and your daughter will both benefit a ton from you being off the sauce, hope that reality comes true for you.

I’m in an interesting place where I’m not craving booze specifically, but my body is absolutely craving random shit to fill the absence booze left. I’m eating much more frequently, drinking a lot more water/non alcohol drinks, going for tons of walks every day.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on January 22, 2024, 12:14:52 PM
I am inspired by reading everyone's booze free journeys.
Like most of you posting in this thread, I've had a long and very unhealthy relationship with alcohol almost my entire life.

I have been trying to cut drinking out completely from my life, but it's so hard. It's everywhere, and I have such terrible willpower when it comes to booze. It's always like, hey one won't hurt, but then the second it touches my lips... it just escalates and always turns into more and then I feel like shit the next day.

I've had four drinks since Christmas, and this past Christmas was the one where I've drank the least amount in as long as I can remember.  The only four were because I was hanging out with my neighbour's shop two weeks ago and he offered beer. I always thought it was rude to refuse beer, but no one gives a shit if you do. Old habits for hard I guess. So four drinks in almost a month is pretty good.

I've been drinking some different craft brewed non alcoholic beers to kill the craving. They're not the same, but I guess it's working, I don't know.  I crushed a case of bubbly water in a day once, trying to kill the craving, just to have something in my hand.

I just need to keep looking forward. It's for future me and my family.
I think back to all the terrible things I've done, and terrible ways I've treated other people, and myself because of drinking... it's honestly so embarrassing

My daughter doesn't need a boozer dad.
The way the healthcare system is falling apart up here, I've got to stay healthy as I can as a get older.
The booze was always also a self medication for the mental issues I was always battling, but I've been working on that with professionals and the booze just makes it worse.

thanks for listening. Throw me some reassurance,  or words of wisdom or something. It will help.

Dude that sums it up. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on January 22, 2024, 08:11:02 PM
I am inspired by reading everyone's booze free journeys.
Like most of you posting in this thread, I've had a long and very unhealthy relationship with alcohol almost my entire life.

I have been trying to cut drinking out completely from my life, but it's so hard. It's everywhere, and I have such terrible willpower when it comes to booze. It's always like, hey one won't hurt, but then the second it touches my lips... it just escalates and always turns into more and then I feel like shit the next day.

I've had four drinks since Christmas, and this past Christmas was the one where I've drank the least amount in as long as I can remember.  The only four were because I was hanging out with my neighbour's shop two weeks ago and he offered beer. I always thought it was rude to refuse beer, but no one gives a shit if you do. Old habits for hard I guess. So four drinks in almost a month is pretty good.

I've been drinking some different craft brewed non alcoholic beers to kill the craving. They're not the same, but I guess it's working, I don't know.  I crushed a case of bubbly water in a day once, trying to kill the craving, just to have something in my hand.

I just need to keep looking forward. It's for future me and my family.
I think back to all the terrible things I've done, and terrible ways I've treated other people, and myself because of drinking... it's honestly so embarrassing

My daughter doesn't need a boozer dad.
The way the healthcare system is falling apart up here, I've got to stay healthy as I can as a get older.
The booze was always also a self medication for the mental issues I was always battling, but I've been working on that with professionals and the booze just makes it worse.

thanks for listening. Throw me some reassurance,  or words of wisdom or something. It will help.

That’s a really good start! You are on your way to redefining your habits. Do what you need to do to keep it going and stay motivated. I def enjoy me some no sodium, unsweetened bubbly water. Sometimes I’ll just pop in this thread or a similar thread on another forum and just read some posts to refocus myself when I catch my mind wandering. It really seems to help. Use this thread as a resource and outlet.

Oh yeah, it’s always okay to refuse someone offering you booze. If they take offense, that’s really weird.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 23, 2024, 06:41:47 AM
Expand Quote
I am inspired by reading everyone's booze free journeys.
Like most of you posting in this thread, I've had a long and very unhealthy relationship with alcohol almost my entire life.

I have been trying to cut drinking out completely from my life, but it's so hard. It's everywhere, and I have such terrible willpower when it comes to booze. It's always like, hey one won't hurt, but then the second it touches my lips... it just escalates and always turns into more and then I feel like shit the next day.

I've had four drinks since Christmas, and this past Christmas was the one where I've drank the least amount in as long as I can remember.  The only four were because I was hanging out with my neighbour's shop two weeks ago and he offered beer. I always thought it was rude to refuse beer, but no one gives a shit if you do. Old habits for hard I guess. So four drinks in almost a month is pretty good.

I've been drinking some different craft brewed non alcoholic beers to kill the craving. They're not the same, but I guess it's working, I don't know.  I crushed a case of bubbly water in a day once, trying to kill the craving, just to have something in my hand.

I just need to keep looking forward. It's for future me and my family.
I think back to all the terrible things I've done, and terrible ways I've treated other people, and myself because of drinking... it's honestly so embarrassing

My daughter doesn't need a boozer dad.
The way the healthcare system is falling apart up here, I've got to stay healthy as I can as a get older.
The booze was always also a self medication for the mental issues I was always battling, but I've been working on that with professionals and the booze just makes it worse.

thanks for listening. Throw me some reassurance,  or words of wisdom or something. It will help.
[close]

That’s a really good start! You are on your way to redefining your habits. Do what you need to do to keep it going and stay motivated. I def enjoy me some no sodium, unsweetened bubbly water. Sometimes I’ll just pop in this thread or a similar thread on another forum and just read some posts to refocus myself when I catch my mind wandering. It really seems to help. Use this thread as a resource and outlet.

Oh yeah, it’s always okay to refuse someone offering you booze. If they take offense, that’s really weird.

In my almost 2 years (coming up soon! but who's counting. me, I'm counting lol) I've only had a couple of instances where someone gets offended or weirded out. I often chalk it up to the fact that perhaps the last time the person had seen me, I would have taken the drink and asked for more. I really became a recluse during that last bit of drinking so if an offense is taken or someone is really taken aback I try not to blame them. It's my problem not theirs. And that's a really important thing to remember. You're ultimately doing this for yourself and you've gotta put you above all else (and your kids too @ankle_lift, I dont have kids so I imagine that definitely factors in somewhere for sure)

Funny enough I have friends that will still apologize for drinking around me on the occasions that happens. It used to really annoy me but now I look at it as that maybe they want to respect my space and ultimately I should do the same for them. Balance.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Monolithic Flick on January 23, 2024, 10:20:29 AM
I am inspired by reading everyone's booze free journeys.
Like most of you posting in this thread, I've had a long and very unhealthy relationship with alcohol almost my entire life.

I have been trying to cut drinking out completely from my life, but it's so hard. It's everywhere, and I have such terrible willpower when it comes to booze. It's always like, hey one won't hurt, but then the second it touches my lips... it just escalates and always turns into more and then I feel like shit the next day.

I've had four drinks since Christmas, and this past Christmas was the one where I've drank the least amount in as long as I can remember.  The only four were because I was hanging out with my neighbour's shop two weeks ago and he offered beer. I always thought it was rude to refuse beer, but no one gives a shit if you do. Old habits for hard I guess. So four drinks in almost a month is pretty good.

I've been drinking some different craft brewed non alcoholic beers to kill the craving. They're not the same, but I guess it's working, I don't know.  I crushed a case of bubbly water in a day once, trying to kill the craving, just to have something in my hand.

I just need to keep looking forward. It's for future me and my family.
I think back to all the terrible things I've done, and terrible ways I've treated other people, and myself because of drinking... it's honestly so embarrassing

My daughter doesn't need a boozer dad.
The way the healthcare system is falling apart up here, I've got to stay healthy as I can as a get older.
The booze was always also a self medication for the mental issues I was always battling, but I've been working on that with professionals and the booze just makes it worse.

thanks for listening. Throw me some reassurance,  or words of wisdom or something. It will help.

You have already taken huge steps.  You have the right reasons in mind, and you absolutely got this.  I had some pretty intense sugar cravings during some of this, and I mainly gave into them.  My thinking is "beat one thing at at time."  Beat the drinking first, enjoy the benefits of that, and work on the sugar later is my mindset.  I feel the same about sparkling water--they overcharge for that shit now, but it still is waaaay cheaper than craft beer where I am at.  So I drink as many of those as I want.  And your health is going to surprise you on this.  It really is.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: mrselfdestruct on January 23, 2024, 11:48:16 AM
2 minutes no nic im geekin'
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on January 23, 2024, 05:16:36 PM
Thank you for all the kind words, my dudes.

 I don't know any of you, but I appreciate it. I really do.

It's... I don't know, kind of comforting I guess to see that there are other regular dudes like myself struggling with the same thing and the same emotions and issues  involving booze, and you're all going through it, but also succeeding at it.

At my weakest points in my life I have turned to booze, but that's the past, you know? Life is so much better now, and it's like an old habit that is hard to ditch.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Carrolls Chesthairs on January 23, 2024, 05:21:55 PM
Doing dry January
Let’s just say I’ve been playing a lot of video games
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 23, 2024, 07:27:30 PM
@Ankle_Lift thanks for sharing and way to go man. can't get a better reason to do something than for your kids
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on January 23, 2024, 10:14:32 PM
Expand Quote
I am inspired by reading everyone's booze free journeys.
Like most of you posting in this thread, I've had a long and very unhealthy relationship with alcohol almost my entire life.

I have been trying to cut drinking out completely from my life, but it's so hard. It's everywhere, and I have such terrible willpower when it comes to booze. It's always like, hey one won't hurt, but then the second it touches my lips... it just escalates and always turns into more and then I feel like shit the next day.

I've had four drinks since Christmas, and this past Christmas was the one where I've drank the least amount in as long as I can remember.  The only four were because I was hanging out with my neighbour's shop two weeks ago and he offered beer. I always thought it was rude to refuse beer, but no one gives a shit if you do. Old habits for hard I guess. So four drinks in almost a month is pretty good.

I've been drinking some different craft brewed non alcoholic beers to kill the craving. They're not the same, but I guess it's working, I don't know.  I crushed a case of bubbly water in a day once, trying to kill the craving, just to have something in my hand.

I just need to keep looking forward. It's for future me and my family.
I think back to all the terrible things I've done, and terrible ways I've treated other people, and myself because of drinking... it's honestly so embarrassing

My daughter doesn't need a boozer dad.
The way the healthcare system is falling apart up here, I've got to stay healthy as I can as a get older.
The booze was always also a self medication for the mental issues I was always battling, but I've been working on that with professionals and the booze just makes it worse.

thanks for listening. Throw me some reassurance,  or words of wisdom or something. It will help.
[close]

You have already taken huge steps.  You have the right reasons in mind, and you absolutely got this.  I had some pretty intense sugar cravings during some of this, and I mainly gave into them.  My thinking is "beat one thing at at time."  Beat the drinking first, enjoy the benefits of that, and work on the sugar later is my mindset.  I feel the same about sparkling water--they overcharge for that shit now, but it still is waaaay cheaper than craft beer where I am at.  So I drink as many of those as I want.  And your health is going to surprise you on this.  It really is.

Beating one thing at a time is good advice and way to look at things. This can’t be rushed…..give yourself time bc it takes time. Think about how much time you spent building your habit to get to that point you wanted to stop. Just slow and steady focus to redefine your habits and how you live your life.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on January 23, 2024, 10:31:46 PM
Thank you for all the kind words, my dudes.

 I don't know any of you, but I appreciate it. I really do.

It's... I don't know, kind of comforting I guess to see that there are other regular dudes like myself struggling with the same thing and the same emotions and issues  involving booze, and you're all going through it, but also succeeding at it.

At my weakest points in my life I have turned to booze, but that's the past, you know? Life is so much better now, and it's like an old habit that is hard to ditch.

I echo the sentiments that it sounds like you are making a great effort here. It's not easy but try to keep it up, Ankle_Lift, as there will likely be a time in the not-so-distant future where the urge isn't as appealing or hard to resist, even when your emotions get tested. Props on taking some new steps to feel more healthy.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on January 24, 2024, 06:03:44 AM
Yooo, proud of all you homies giving it a shot and/or maintaining.  The rewards are endless, and I hope you all get to continuously enjoy life with fresh eyes and feeling.

9.5 months here, and again I owe 100% of the thanks and credit to my amazing partner who’s stuck by me through dark times, and encouraged/supported me throughout my sobriety journey.

The thing is, I feel guilty for having zero interest in my other friendships anymore.  To be fair, most of my friends are also grown up, have busy lives, etc.. But even reaching out to my lifelong friends feels somewhat triggering, because every friend I’ve ever had, we bonded over substances. 

It’s not that I’m worried about slipping.. it’s more this feeling of “I’ve got my partner, my cats, and myself.. and that’s all I need to be happy”.  I just can’t help but feel like this is an unhealthy way of thinking, and I should put more effort into my friend and family relationships.  I just don’t don’t feel like it? 

Has anyone else gone through this?  Have you found a way to become more social without it being dreadful?  Or found a way to justify your introvertedness?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 24, 2024, 11:15:09 AM
^i can kind of relate in that without alcohol the scope of things I’m interested in/want to do/even tolerate has narrowed significantly. I’m only a few weeks in so where I’m at I’m just giving myself grace with that - sobriety is important enough to me that I’m willing to say no/not invest in certain things or people and I’ve accepted that the consequences of that will be whatever they are.

I don’t have an answer for you but I think you’ll figure something out and congrats on 9.5 months!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on January 24, 2024, 12:50:07 PM
for me to reach out to friends (most of my close friends life relatively long distances away) i have to need their expertise. so bonding over shared nerdery / wanting to know something specific. for me that's a nice way to stay connected without the randomness of all the "hey how you doing havent heard in a while" thing. the friends i have where i live it's kinda similiar: if i can help them with something specific i am mostly happy too, but i am usually the first one to call it a night etc.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 24, 2024, 02:29:41 PM
i definitely find things boring that i used to like doing. friends isn't one of them for me because i deprioritized friendships a long time ago when my wife and i got serious. i knew something had to go and i wasn't about to stop skating so smoking weed and playing video games with friends was an easy target. so my friends now are people who happen to be at the same place as me (skatepark, business networking event, etc.).

on the flip side, i find i enjoy hanging out the pool way less, grilling is not as fun as it used to be and i really can't be bothered eating out in fancy slow places anymore. i actually don't mind happy hours because i drink a few NAs, float around talking to different people and move on if i get bored till i'm over it and leave.

my wife and i had a really hard time figuring out valentines day too. last year was so boring. we were both not drinking, we spend so much time together and we were in this slow, boring place just staring at the walls. this year we are going to go for a dog park, coffee shop, lunch kind of flow.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 24, 2024, 07:19:12 PM
I think it's okay to be selective with your friendships as you continue your sober journey, even if those friendships were not dependent on drugs or alcohol. Personally, I have a limit when it comes to social time that I realized I was just suppressing with alcohol, and I don't even mean the actual time spent in person with people. A text conversation, phone conversation, doesn't matter. I now know when I've gotta exit regardless of the situation and that's okay, whereas the people pleaser in me used to take over as the booze continued to flow. I'm still working on the people pleaser aspect of my personality but its a lot easier to deal with now sober and I think my friendships, even if not as "important" now, have gotten better because of it. My conversations and interactions are more genuine, I think people pick up on that for sure.

Boundaries are a great thing to recognize. Gotta protect the mental.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Mr. Kamikazi on January 25, 2024, 09:44:21 AM
NA’s, records, candy, wrestling, everything. Recently was at a party & only two people were drinking but it was light. Had a blast.

Almost two years of no beer! Doctor commended me today when I treated myself to a physical for my birthday. That felt good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Monolithic Flick on January 26, 2024, 01:19:19 PM
NA’s, records, candy, wrestling, everything. Recently was at a party & only two people were drinking but it was light. Had a blast.

Almost two years of no beer! Doctor commended me today when I treated myself to a physical for my birthday. That felt good.

That's completely awesome.  Congratulations from a random internet stranger.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on January 27, 2024, 06:34:38 AM
Went night riding at the ski hill last night, downed a few 0% Coronas in the parking lot after to relax after the work week. Now I'm up at 6am to go back up the the hill to ride with my wife while the kid is in ski lessons....and I don't feel like shit!

Life is good!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 28, 2024, 09:14:03 PM
Went to my first wedding sober this weekend.

Was honestly fun and a lot easier than I expected - sipped club sodas with bitters the whole night. Only downside was sitting across from a random at dinner who (politely) wanted to try to make small talk the whole time despite the music and general noise being way too loud for conversation. That would’ve felt less awkward with a drink or two (10-15) in me. Fair trade off for being fully present for the most important day in my friends’ lives though!

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on January 28, 2024, 09:26:19 PM
Dope shit, fellas. Got a cpl events (movie premiere and wedding) next month. Will use your recent successes as fuel to give me the strength to stay dry.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Velcro Wallet on January 29, 2024, 03:39:06 AM
Well, I didn’t last too long. Sorry.

I was only one of two people in there not on a court order from either jail or mum’s getting access to their kids or both. No shit, it was gladiator school in there. My roommate was doing his 3-6 month stay as a part of his end of 7 year stretch. We quickly became homies as we both had a love for Fords with Barra engines plus he knew my girlfriend who is a nurse at the jail who helped him a ton. He was also member of the main biker club here which helped.

The rehab itself was a joke.

I’m so confused now. I feel everyone is angry and disappointed in me. Girlfriend included!!

Fuck.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 29, 2024, 05:59:23 AM
Don't be sorry, you're trying. We have not had the same experience so unfortunately I cannot offer anecdotal advice specific to what you're going through, but it took me probably 5 years to actually get and stay sober for some sort of extended time. That included lying to myself (and sadly others) about being sober for a good while, "I've 2 weeks, 10 Days, etc" even when I was still drinking (though less, and trying to ween off) every few months. It wasn't from a place of malice but more to try and give myself motivation to really get started. "If people think I'm doing better maybe I will want to do better, finally". 5 years is not some sort of magic number, I'm only saying that to point out that it really does take the right combination of things to finally get it to click, I wish I had the one size fits all magic solution for you I really do! But it does eventually click when it's supposed to. I know that might not be what you want to hear especially if you're in pain both emotionally and physically.

Is there any way for you to do some sort of intensive outpatient therapy or something like that? A way for you to "do the work" but not necessarily in an AA setting, not in traditional rehab, while still being surrounded by loved ones on the daily? I do believe you want to quit but it sounds like it falls back because of the people you end up having to be surrounded with, largely not by your own choice.

I wish you all the best man, gonna be corny but all I can say is; it works if you work it, whatever program you put in place or attend, it will work if you continue to give it effort. I really believe that.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on January 29, 2024, 11:39:22 AM
Ill be sober a year in april. I was on hard drugs it took meth psychosis to get me sober I though I was talking to god and threw out all my drugs and been sober since, now im kinda fat, life if super boring, man i could write a whole book about it but its just all about getting used to the boringness i guess, at least thats been the lesson for me so far
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 29, 2024, 06:08:28 PM
feeling pumped from all the recent shares. way to go everyone. 7 months for me tomorrow.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 31, 2024, 08:22:03 AM
feeling pumped from all the recent shares. way to go everyone. 7 months for me tomorrow.
congrats homie! 1 for me tomorrow.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on January 31, 2024, 08:39:20 AM
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feeling pumped from all the recent shares. way to go everyone. 7 months for me tomorrow.
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congrats homie! 1 for me tomorrow.

nice, 1 month is a big one. i didn't really start feeling "normal" till week 3.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on January 31, 2024, 09:16:40 AM
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feeling pumped from all the recent shares. way to go everyone. 7 months for me tomorrow.
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congrats homie! 1 for me tomorrow.
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nice, 1 month is a big one. i didn't really start feeling "normal" till week 3.
weeks 1-2 (well, after 4/5 days of withdrawals) were pretty happy go lucky and idealistic for me. Weeks 3/4 I’ve come back down to earth a bit but still feel confident in the path I’m on.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on January 31, 2024, 10:06:57 AM
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feeling pumped from all the recent shares. way to go everyone. 7 months for me tomorrow.
[close]
congrats homie! 1 for me tomorrow.
[close]

nice, 1 month is a big one. i didn't really start feeling "normal" till week 3.
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weeks 1-2 (well, after 4/5 days of withdrawals) were pretty happy go lucky and idealistic for me. Weeks 3/4 I’ve come back down to earth a bit but still feel confident in the path I’m on.

Some will say the "pink cloud" of sobriety shows up once and then never again but I feel like at various times it will manifest again for a bit. Maybe that's just my brain actually experiencing positivity and being able to realize whats good when its good, you know?

Congrats on 7mos and 1mo respectively dudes! Big things, stoked for you both.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 01, 2024, 09:45:25 PM
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feeling pumped from all the recent shares. way to go everyone. 7 months for me tomorrow.
[close]
congrats homie! 1 for me tomorrow.
[close]

nice, 1 month is a big one. i didn't really start feeling "normal" till week 3.
[close]
weeks 1-2 (well, after 4/5 days of withdrawals) were pretty happy go lucky and idealistic for me. Weeks 3/4 I’ve come back down to earth a bit but still feel confident in the path I’m on.
[close]

Some will say the "pink cloud" of sobriety shows up once and then never again but I feel like at various times it will manifest again for a bit. Maybe that's just my brain actually experiencing positivity and being able to realize whats good when its good, you know?

Congrats on 7mos and 1mo respectively dudes! Big things, stoked for you both.
thank you! yeah I heard about the pink cloud haha. I think a big chunk of it for me was relief/realizing I don’t have to keep the cycle of drinking too much/hangovers/withdrawals/trying to cut back and failing -> back to drinking too much going.

I don’t have a scale but I’m pretty sure I dropped 5-10 lbs since January 1. I’m definitely not being restrained in my eating but considering I was drinking probably an average of 1000 calories of booze a day, removing that makes a difference.

Also…did the math on what I saved and I was spending close to 25% of my take home pay on drinking/ubers/eating out meals I would’ve eaten at home if I wasn’t drinking…pocketing that extra money in January was a huge plus.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on February 03, 2024, 06:09:24 AM
If you find yourself bored in sobriety, I highly suggest trying new things. Challenge youself. Learn a new language. Skate more. Go on a trip. Etc etc.

Skating did it for me. I focused on just getting out there more. Instead of slamming 15 beers after work on Friday, I hit the parking garage and skated until I was tired. Went home with no energy to drink, even if I wanted to. Shower, dinner, then skate videos till I fell asleep. The drinking crowd would prob view this as a ‘lame’ Friday night, but it worked for me. I’d also be able to get up early on Saturday morning (no hangover) and go do shit too. Weekends feel longer when you are sober.

Im not a sobriety coach…just a fat old guy that stopped drinking after 25+ years and am trying to help.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: TheDraught on February 03, 2024, 06:56:45 AM
Went to my first wedding sober this weekend.

Was honestly fun and a lot easier than I expected - sipped club sodas with bitters the whole night. Only downside was sitting across from a random at dinner who (politely) wanted to try to make small talk the whole time despite the music and general noise being way too loud for conversation. That would’ve felt less awkward with a drink or two (10-15) in me. Fair trade off for being fully present for the most important day in my friends’ lives though!

Great you made it! One thing I noticed is that at a lot bars, clubs or events the music is so loud and there are so many other stimuli (lights, people bumping into you, people talking, just people in general) that you can only handle it (or at least I can) after a few drinks.

Trying to talk/scream literally in someones ear because the music is so loud is not fun at all to say the least. So I tend to avoid those places. A dinner in a quiet restaurant with some N/A beers is much easier for instance.

But sometimes you can't avoid it, like your wedding. Luckily there are always some cigarette smokers you can hang out with outside for a while, they tend to have the best gossip too haha
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 03, 2024, 07:55:03 AM
Ill be honest, it was a way easier life on drugs being able to control my mood and motivation with substances. I have hardcore depression and schizophrenia and drugs are the only thing that really are able cut through that bullshit and let me live my life. Ever since I got sober I applied for disability and I havent left the house, I quit skating, Im just trapped in this mental illness ive had since I was 15, Im just existing at this point. Hopefully this is just a rough period in my life but yea shit has been sucking man.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 03, 2024, 03:26:21 PM
Ill be honest, it was a way easier life on drugs being able to control my mood and motivation with substances. I have hardcore depression and schizophrenia and drugs are the only thing that really are able cut through that bullshit and let me live my life. Ever since I got sober I applied for disability and I havent left the house, I quit skating, Im just trapped in this mental illness ive had since I was 15, Im just existing at this point. Hopefully this is just a rough period in my life but yea shit has been sucking man.

May I ask since when you are sober?
I can relate to and understand the part of controlling your emotions with drugs. But I think the drugs only made you think, that everything is under control because you suppressed your emotions. It all feels rough and pointless now, but there is always a way out of that.
I don't know if you ever considered therapy or things like that. But dude, hang in there. I work with disabled people and nothing is hopeless for you, I promise you that. There are places where you can go to. You are not worthless. If you need someone to talk to, send me a DM.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 03, 2024, 03:59:31 PM
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Ill be honest, it was a way easier life on drugs being able to control my mood and motivation with substances. I have hardcore depression and schizophrenia and drugs are the only thing that really are able cut through that bullshit and let me live my life. Ever since I got sober I applied for disability and I havent left the house, I quit skating, Im just trapped in this mental illness ive had since I was 15, Im just existing at this point. Hopefully this is just a rough period in my life but yea shit has been sucking man.
[close]


May I ask since when you are sober?
I can relate to and understand the part of controlling your emotions with drugs. But I think the drugs only made you think, that everything is under control because you suppressed your emotions. It all feels rough and pointless now, but there is always a way out of that.
I don't know if you ever considered therapy or things like that. But dude, hang in there. I work with disabled people and nothing is hopeless for you, I promise you that. There are places where you can go to. You are not worthless. If you need someone to talk to, send me a DM.
Ive been sober 10 months, I used drugs for 10 years. This is my therapy just venting on the internet.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on February 03, 2024, 10:49:26 PM
Wow, 10 months after ten years is a great achievement. Pull through homie.

I was drinking for more than 20 years and was always the outgoing engaging type of dude (when drunk, aka all the time). I also struggled with bouts of depression.

Now I have been on the wagon for more than four years and a lot of things are better. I am fitter than five years ago. But I also get to know myself, my sober self. That is a much more introverted dude, and I have to deal with a lot of mental stuff that I used to drown in alcohol.

It‘s not an easy journey but the alternative is much worse: going back to drinks, drugs and an early grave. No way, stay with us dude!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 04, 2024, 12:49:46 AM
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Ill be honest, it was a way easier life on drugs being able to control my mood and motivation with substances. I have hardcore depression and schizophrenia and drugs are the only thing that really are able cut through that bullshit and let me live my life. Ever since I got sober I applied for disability and I havent left the house, I quit skating, Im just trapped in this mental illness ive had since I was 15, Im just existing at this point. Hopefully this is just a rough period in my life but yea shit has been sucking man.
[close]


May I ask since when you are sober?
I can relate to and understand the part of controlling your emotions with drugs. But I think the drugs only made you think, that everything is under control because you suppressed your emotions. It all feels rough and pointless now, but there is always a way out of that.
I don't know if you ever considered therapy or things like that. But dude, hang in there. I work with disabled people and nothing is hopeless for you, I promise you that. There are places where you can go to. You are not worthless. If you need someone to talk to, send me a DM.
[close]
Ive been sober 10 months, I used drugs for 10 years. This is my therapy just venting on the internet.

10 months is huge! You can be proud of yourself. I felt way more confused and aimless after 10 months. It felt better after 2 years I think. You got this mate. And yeah, keep on venting and talk to us here.

And like the homie @Easy Slider said, the alternative is much worse.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: People over profits on February 04, 2024, 10:08:46 AM
thank you guys, Im not there yet but Im going for it, didnt drink yet in feb haha, lets see where it leads me... this topic is a good inspiration!!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 05, 2024, 07:55:01 AM
Im 18 in my first year of college and i kind of feel like im blowing it in terms of substance abuse. Ive been smoking weed every day for a couple years and im starting to notice signs of schizophrenia which i know for a fact runs in my family but i just cant get myself to stop. I also have a pretty bad cocaine habit around twice a week on average. I also drink at least a few times a week and when i start i usually dont stop until i sort of crash. I still and am on top of my school work and im not fucking up my relationships or anything like that but im always very depressed and anxious and feel like i use these things as a crutch especially when going out socially and such. Sometimes like right now i just think im going down a dark path and i need to stop before it gets worse. Other times i convince myself its not that serious but i dont know i dont really open up to people i know in real life and i feel like it would be good to hear other peoples perspectives. Anyone whos been in a similar position or was close to people who are, i tripping over this too much or should i seriously start trying make some better lifestyle choices

This is going to be a long post about my own problems because I finally feel able to talk about that. So first of all, sorry for annoying ya all with my stupid shit.

Can't tell you anything about coke. But I developed some crazy schizophrenia when I was 27, after about 6 years of taking antidepressants and 8 years of daily weed smoking. The last year of me smoking everyday like 3 grams, my whole body and mind felt like shit. I heard like two different voices battling against each other. One telling me, to give up and kill myself. The other voice saying, everything will be alright if you stop smoking weed and take care of yourself. Then on christmas I slit my wrist but survived somehow. I kept on smoking weed and taking antidepressants, smoking painkillers and drinking whiskey for the next two months. 19th February 2018. I had a pneumonia, took antibiotics, antidepressants, smoked two pills of painkillers with some whiskey and went skating. After that I smoked like 3 grams of weed and drank more whiskey. Then the voices were back but like 6 of them. In the night I had a heart attack, got panic, started crying and screaming and just wanted everything to stop. So I smashed my head against a wall which didn't help. Then all I can remember is, lying on the floor under my window that I prayed to god that he make the voices stop. Then my heart raced like crazy, like it would explode and I became unconscious. A few hours later I woke up because some sunrays shined on my face. The voices were all gone and I cried tears of happiness and thanked god. Felt like absolute shit for the rest of the day and was very anxious and scared of everything that happened the night before. This was February the 20th 2018, since then I am mostly sober. Because 40 days later I took 3 hits of a spliff and the voices were instantly back and my heart went crazy again. The homies helped me to calm down. Had like 10 days of drinking since then and all those times felt like shit. Now I can have like two drinks in the evening and everything is fine but I very rarely drink. That still counts as 6 years sober for me in a few days on February the 20th.

Coming back to your original post. If you already notice signs of schizophrenia I would tell you, to stop with the weed or cut it back a bit. You are still young and I have two "friends" from back then who didn't stop when I did and they are in really dark places nowadays. Nothing wrong with a bit of party, go for it if you feel so. But I don't think any substance abuse can be a long term solution for anything. Be it making social interactions easier or bring the mind in a better space or just to relax and chill. I think you would want the best possible life for you and your family and you got to be healthy for that. Physically and mentally. Those are just my thoughts and opinions and I am a stranger from the internet. But you will figure out, what you want to achieve in this life. 🧡
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 05, 2024, 08:20:08 AM
Im 18 in my first year of college and i kind of feel like im blowing it in terms of substance abuse. Ive been smoking weed every day for a couple years and im starting to notice signs of schizophrenia which i know for a fact runs in my family but i just cant get myself to stop. I also have a pretty bad cocaine habit around twice a week on average. I also drink at least a few times a week and when i start i usually dont stop until i sort of crash. I still and am on top of my school work and im not fucking up my relationships or anything like that but im always very depressed and anxious and feel like i use these things as a crutch especially when going out socially and such. Sometimes like right now i just think im going down a dark path and i need to stop before it gets worse. Other times i convince myself its not that serious but i dont know i dont really open up to people i know in real life and i feel like it would be good to hear other peoples perspectives. Anyone whos been in a similar position or was close to people who are, i tripping over this too much or should i seriously start trying make some better lifestyle choices
18/19 in college was similar for me in someways. I smoked weed every day for the most part and drank 2-3 nights a week or so, drinking mostly at parties/social settings. I was also on top of my classes and stuff. Had a lot of really bad depression and anxiety I hadn’t learned how to label and deal with yet.

Eventually by the time I turned 20 being stoned all the time had me panicking constantly and feeling worse than I did when I wasn’t smoking. I would get so paranoid high that I’d be convinced loved ones were dying or people were coming to get me/after me. I ended up taking time off from school to deal with my mental health and since then (10+ years later) have never been able to smoke weed more than occasionally. Though, after that over the next decade I developed a huge booze problem.

 I know a lot of people swear by weed helping their anxiety/depression/mental health (and I don’t doubt that and I’m happy for them finding whatever relief they can get) but I do strongly believe that for other people, especially those like you or me who have a genetic disposition for schizophrenia or other serious mental health issues, it can make things worse. 

Anyways, you’re super young and so is your brain. I’d recommend trying to take a few months off the substances if you can and see how you feel. Or, at least reduce/cut back on something. I know that can be hard to do. Wish you the best.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 05, 2024, 09:27:15 AM
it's really interesting to hear people talking about schizophrenia and weed as i haven't heard anyone talk about that before but experienced it myself. i quit smoking years back which was in part thanks to a thread here on slap. at the time i was feeling some schizophrenia type symptoms. for me it was just a lot of random dark thoughts that would pop in my head when i smoked. the best thing i can compare it too is when your on a really high balcony near a big drop and you get butterflies and images of falling in your head. that kind of vibe but just about anything shitty that could happen. i think a lot of it had to do with my mind racing and me smoking alone at home instead of when i'm out and about and my mind is preoccupied. i also felt on some level it was my mind trying to send me a signal by making smoking unenjoyable for me kind of like your mind wants you to back away form a high ledge. after stopping smoking those thoughts eventually went away but it wasn't immediate for me.

i've also got a friend who shared a story about one of his colleagues going off the deep end and eventually committing suicide. the people that were close to him were all convinced that the "high dose THC" he was into was a huge cause/contributing factor to his mental decline and eventual suicide. to add context, my friend was in a forum with this guy for almost 10 years where you share extremely personal details so he was very plugged into what was going on with his friend.

anecdotally i feel weed can cause mental health problems, i know for me it did on some level.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 05, 2024, 11:34:19 AM
Im 18 in my first year of college and i kind of feel like im blowing it in terms of substance abuse. Ive been smoking weed every day for a couple years and im starting to notice signs of schizophrenia which i know for a fact runs in my family but i just cant get myself to stop. I also have a pretty bad cocaine habit around twice a week on average. I also drink at least a few times a week and when i start i usually dont stop until i sort of crash. I still and am on top of my school work and im not fucking up my relationships or anything like that but im always very depressed and anxious and feel like i use these things as a crutch especially when going out socially and such. Sometimes like right now i just think im going down a dark path and i need to stop before it gets worse. Other times i convince myself its not that serious but i dont know i dont really open up to people i know in real life and i feel like it would be good to hear other peoples perspectives. Anyone whos been in a similar position or was close to people who are, i tripping over this too much or should i seriously start trying make some better lifestyle choices

I feel like I overshare in this thread so I'll try to keep things short and on track with this reply.

Speaking from experience when I was a student your age, I didn't fuck around with hard drugs because that is what I was always worried would always get me. I stuck to booze (rarely weed but I would accept if the opportunity presented itself) and like yourself started out 1-3 times a week because I had only started drinking as a freshman in college and that's just what the scene was on campus. Unfortunately, it was really easy to get my hands on booze pretty much all the time (as im sure it is for most college kids still) and before I knew it (but didnt recognize it at the time) drinking was an every day thing in some capacity, often drunk, even through the school week. I'll save the long of it but that did eventually lead to getting drunk pretty much every single day through my early-mid twenties, into my late 20's. I'm 32 now and got sober at 30. Like yourself, my academics never suffered. Two degrees obtained despite all that internal turmoil. All I'm trying to say there is that often when we're accomplishing shit outside of what we're doing to ourselves with drugs or alcohol its easy to ignore warning signs and push things aside. Just be careful if you continue to drink or do recreational drugs and try to recognize when you feel it might start to become to much (which I think is what your post above is recognizing, maybe). I'd never tell anyone that they need to get sober, that's on the individual. If that is the route you feel you need to take, I hope that it happens a little sooner for you than it did me. Wasted time sucks to reflect on.

The only thing I can add to the weed discussion is that last year I did try using very low dose thc/cbd edibles for sleep as I was going through some sleep problems and that seemed like a safe, natural solution. I do not count this as interfering with my sobriety because I wasn't getting high and only took them at bed time. But, I do think they were making me depressed so I stopped using those and continue to use cbd for pain management / sleep. Maybe try giving yourself a break from the weed for a bit and just see how you feel. Don't worry about the social implications or anything like that, you gotta do what's right for your mental.

Also, I know you said you haven't, but try opening up to people you trust in real life. You wouldn't believe the number of people within reach that might be going through the same thing. Look at all the people in this thread. (I know this isn't IRL per se but you know what I mean)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 05, 2024, 11:41:45 AM
Also, approaching a month fully of caffeine. I said I would give myself that amount of time and re-evaluate, and I will, but I think I might keep it going. I've kind of adjusted to not relying on a pickmeup to "get me through" parts of the day because in reality if I just try and manage sleep well, make sure I'm eating well / enough, generally I've got the energy to do the important things and get exercise. The only part of my day that "suffers" now are the evenings where a few days through the week I'll go to bed a little earlier and feel down because I feel "boring", but in reality all I'm missing out on is staying up a little later to get fucked on by cheaters in Apex Legends, so I'm not really missing anything, haha. It's been a nice change, again I'm gonna see what's up at the end of these 30 days.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on February 05, 2024, 02:19:46 PM
It's interesting what everyone is talking about about with smoking weed.
I was a daily weed smoker until I was about 19 (Im 39 now)

I stopped smoking it because it just gave me wicked anxiety, but it also fucked me up. Weed fucks me right up, and if I do smoke some weed, I hear basically techno music and I guess what I would describe as malevolent voices, in my head. Almost like whispering voices.
I don't know if that's from mental issues, or from a history of drug taking from a young age. Either way it's fucked.
I've never been able to explain it to anyone because it makes me sound crazy, because the majority of people smoke weed and it relaxes them.

I have always liked alcohol for the main reason because it's numbing. It numbs my brain and feels so good.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on February 05, 2024, 02:28:28 PM


The only thing I can add to the weed discussion is that last year I did try using very low dose thc/cbd edibles for sleep as I was going through some sleep problems and that seemed like a safe, natural solution.



I'd you're having trouble sleeping but want something natural try Valerian root.
I've used it, it actually works, but one of the side effects of it is possible nightmares.
I had a night after taking some where I legitimately had night terrors, like literally screaming while I was sleeping until my wife woke me up.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 05, 2024, 02:53:54 PM
It's interesting what everyone is talking about about with smoking weed.
I was a daily weed smoker until I was about 19 (Im 39 now)

I stopped smoking it because it just gave me wicked anxiety, but it also fucked me up. Weed fucks me right up, and if I do smoke some weed, I hear basically techno music and I guess what I would describe as malevolent voices, in my head. Almost like whispering voices.
I don't know if that's from mental issues, or from a history of drug taking from a young age. Either way it's fucked.
I've never been able to explain it to anyone because it makes me sound crazy, because the majority of people smoke weed and it relaxes them.

I have always liked alcohol for the main reason because it's numbing. It numbs my brain and feels so good.

Fuck man, this. I WISH weed relaxed me in the moment like alcohol did or weed seems to do for lots of people. I’ve tried to get it to work for me a lot but it still seems like at best it’ll sometimes be enjoyable while still running the risk of putting me in a really fucked mental space.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on February 05, 2024, 02:55:08 PM
I get everyone is different and not trying to discount anyone's experiences. That said, I did take a class that taught me that one's reactions to and experiences with all substances, marijuana included, is related to one's "set and setting". In other words, there are variables that can change the experience each individual time you do it.

For me, sometimes I smoke weed and get very anxiety-ridden/paranoid, other times it's a very enjoyable experience. I can't really find a pattern or through line, except for maybe my built-up tolerance level or taking care of things to worry about beforehand, as sometimes each sort of experience happens regardless of where I am or who I'm with.

I recently started smoking much less, and partook with someone for the first time in months on Thanksgiving. He had a toddler staying in the house with us. And almost as soon as I smoked even a small amount, I began to trip hard on where I left my medication and if it was in place that the toddler could reach. Had he gone into my room when I wasn't there? Did he already find it and accidentally ingest it? Do I know where it is? I went upstairs to my room and searched my luggage for the pills (some were in a child-proof container, but I had others in just a plastic bag). Once I accounted for my pills, I put them all the way at the bottom of a zipped backpack. That seem to alleviate that concern.

While searching for my pills, I noticed the Air B&B had many roach traps under the beds. Then that became a thing to me that had to be immediately dealt with. I had to inform my friend that the roach traps were there, in case it was a threat of ingestion or contact to his son. My friend's wife was pregnant with their second child and ended up having a miscarriage that night in the Air B&B but I googled it and it likely had nothing to do with the insect traps.

But I was tripping.

Other times, I've smoked a bowl and gone to Costco or the farmer's market and been on cloud 9.

But it definitely can be a crapshoot as to what sort of time you are going to have.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 05, 2024, 04:09:16 PM
Expand Quote


The only thing I can add to the weed discussion is that last year I did try using very low dose thc/cbd edibles for sleep as I was going through some sleep problems and that seemed like a safe, natural solution.


[close]

I'd you're having trouble sleeping but want something natural try Valerian root.
I've used it, it actually works, but one of the side effects of it is possible nightmares.
I had a night after taking some where I legitimately had night terrors, like literally screaming while I was sleeping until my wife woke me up.

Appreciate the suggestion! I'll give that a go if I start having issues again but coincidentally the quitting caffeine things has helped a lot with my sleep in addition to some sleepytime tea before I actually lay down to go to sleep. But I think the big thing has been not being overstimulated whereas previously I was drinking some form of caffeine sometimes into the evening depending on the day.

Also, I really resonate with what you said in your other post about the numbing effect of alcohol as I'm sure a lot of people do. While I don't necessarily get cravings these days, that is one of the things I have found myself having to talk myself down from before, especially after a particularly stressful day or situation; the desire to just completely shut off and shut myself out from the world, even if for a bit. But then I play that tape forward and remember where it will get me, so for another day I choose not to be that person again.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 05, 2024, 05:52:40 PM
I get everyone is different and not trying to discount anyone's experiences. That said, I did take a class that taught me that one's reactions to and experiences with all substances, marijuana included, is related to one's "set and setting". In other words, there are variables that can change the experience each individual time you do it.

For me, sometimes I smoke weed and get very anxiety-ridden/paranoid, other times it's a very enjoyable experience. I can't really find a pattern or through line, except for maybe my built-up tolerance level or taking care of things to worry about beforehand, as sometimes each sort of experience happens regardless of where I am or who I'm with.

I recently started smoking much less, and partook with someone for the first time in months on Thanksgiving. He had a toddler staying in the house with us. And almost as soon as I smoked even a small amount, I began to trip hard on where I left my medication and if it was in place that the toddler could reach. Had he gone into my room when I wasn't there? Did he already find it and accidentally ingest it? Do I know where it is? I went upstairs to my room and searched my luggage for the pills (some were in a child-proof container, but I had others in just a plastic bag). Once I accounted for my pills, I put them all the way at the bottom of a zipped backpack. That seem to alleviate that concern.

While searching for my pills, I noticed the Air B&B had many roach traps under the beds. Then that became a thing to me that had to be immediately dealt with. I had to inform my friend that the roach traps were there, in case it was a threat of ingestion or contact to his son. My friend's wife was pregnant with their second child and ended up having a miscarriage that night in the Air B&B but I googled it and it likely had nothing to do with the insect traps.

But I was tripping.

Other times, I've smoked a bowl and gone to Costco or the farmer's market and been on cloud 9.

But it definitely can be a crapshoot as to what sort of time you are going to have.

Yeah, I always felt like weed enhanced whatever was already there in my mind, booze (painkillers, benzos too but I never had a problem with either of those) just numbed everything temporarily.

That night in the air bnb sounds brutal. I would’ve been a mess.

 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 05, 2024, 06:39:18 PM
The whole 10 years I was addicted to drugs I used the darknet I never had a real life dealer, I wonder if I ever bought from even hernandez crew

Ill tell you this I got addicted to every drug, I used up to 5 drugs a day to keep me going but what took me out was meth

meth is crazy, I managed 10 years on benzos, amphetamines, and opiates and it only took 6 months of meth to complety ruin me

That shit had to ruin me for me for me to get sober though

Meth really kicked my ass

I still dream about it every time I dream, meth, heroin, rc's, all kinds of crazy fent and benzo pills

That shit was my life, now I have no life I have to rebuild it

Shit sucks I landed on my ass in my 30s with nothing

Dont mind me Im just talking into the abyss
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Allen. on February 05, 2024, 07:18:43 PM
To the college freshman homie from last page - I promise you this, and I think anyone who has dabbled in being of or on the wagon would agree with me: substances and booze will not cure your depression or your anxiety. In fact… in a lot of cases it’s very much the opposite. I was so fucking anxious for years and blamed everything but the booze I was drinking every single night on an empty stomach. And so I’d drink to rid myself of the anxiety and start it all over again.

I promise you that your mental health issues will not get worse in the long run when it comes to sobriety.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 06, 2024, 04:17:32 PM
My doctor added gabapentin to my meds and it has helped my mood alot, they wont give me benzos, which is what I was self medicating with. I actually went out to the garage and did a few kickflips I was feeling so good.

Hopefully this puts me on a better path, Im already thinking about ditching disability and getting a job, but man that disability money seems sweet. I havent heard any voices in months and my paranoia and delusions have been minor.

Im just 10 months in to my new life and im super lost as to what to do.

I know the answer is stop being a bitch but damn, im kinda fucked up over here

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 06, 2024, 08:43:10 PM
I just started gaba too, but for my chronic pain. One of my goals in sobriety is to be able to skate at least a little again.

I told my family about quitting drinking recently and it was well received. Feeling ok so far.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 07, 2024, 01:09:42 AM
My doctor added gabapentin to my meds and it has helped my mood alot, they wont give me benzos, which is what I was self medicating with. I actually went out to the garage and did a few kickflips I was feeling so good.

Hopefully this puts me on a better path, Im already thinking about ditching disability and getting a job, but man that disability money seems sweet. I havent heard any voices in months and my paranoia and delusions have been minor.

Im just 10 months in to my new life and im super lost as to what to do.

I know the answer is stop being a bitch but damn, im kinda fucked up over here

I'm stoked for the kickflips. That must have felt awesome. Maybe look for some small jobs if you want to stay busy. Something where you can work like 4 hours a day. I think your mind and body need time to get used to your new life. The weather will get better soon too, depending on where you live. Maybe it will help you, if you write a list with your goals. Small goals first. What do you want to do in the next weeks, months, in a year.
Anyway, if you feel like talking, DM me. But stoked for you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 07, 2024, 05:57:26 AM
I just started gaba too, but for my chronic pain. One of my goals in sobriety is to be able to skate at least a little again.

I told my family about quitting drinking recently and it was well received. Feeling ok so far.

Fuck yeah! Stoked for you, what a great feeling that was for myself as well. I'm glad they're on your side!

700 Days today pals, right at the cusp of two years. Grateful. As always thankful for the people and stories shared in this thread. Keep going!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 07, 2024, 06:00:20 AM
Choices are so important, if I had held on to all the bitcoin I spent on drugs with an investment mindset I would be a multi millionaire right now. Ill never have another opportunity like that again, but moving forward I just hope we can all make the best choices for ourselves in sobriety. Our choices are all we have.

Now if I could quit vaping...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 07, 2024, 07:06:47 PM
Expand Quote
I just started gaba too, but for my chronic pain. One of my goals in sobriety is to be able to skate at least a little again.

I told my family about quitting drinking recently and it was well received. Feeling ok so far.
[close]

Fuck yeah! Stoked for you, what a great feeling that was for myself as well. I'm glad they're on your side!

700 Days today pals, right at the cusp of two years. Grateful. As always thankful for the people and stories shared in this thread. Keep going!
thanks homie!! 700 is huge. Next Monday will be 6 weeks - haven’t gone that long without booze in almost 15 years. Every time I’ve quit before I fail before the 6 week mark. Not a doubt in my mind I’ll get it this time.

Type - I have some close friends who spent bitcoin back in the day on dumb shit - synthetic cannabinoids, random stupid dark web crap. Hindsight eh
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 08, 2024, 07:13:00 AM
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I just started gaba too, but for my chronic pain. One of my goals in sobriety is to be able to skate at least a little again.

I told my family about quitting drinking recently and it was well received. Feeling ok so far.
[close]

Fuck yeah! Stoked for you, what a great feeling that was for myself as well. I'm glad they're on your side!

700 Days today pals, right at the cusp of two years. Grateful. As always thankful for the people and stories shared in this thread. Keep going!
[close]
thanks homie!! 700 is huge. Next Monday will be 6 weeks - haven’t gone that long without booze in almost 15 years. Every time I’ve quit before I fail before the 6 week mark. Not a doubt in my mind I’ll get it this time.

Type - I have some close friends who spent bitcoin back in the day on dumb shit - synthetic cannabinoids, random stupid dark web crap. Hindsight eh

Thank you! You got this! 6 weeks is amazing. And yeah re: Type, hindsight is definitely a bitch but it's hard to ignore sometimes and I get that it can make you feel the way you are. Just gotta try and look towards the future. I was just having a conversation about that with a friend who opened up to me about their issues with alcohol and that was kind of his hangup, worrying about what could have been but also worrying about the future as well. It all kinda sucks sometimes but I guess I just try and trust the process. Stay up G.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: mfweeno on February 08, 2024, 04:07:21 PM
Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 10, 2024, 09:57:54 PM
Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!
keep your head up homie. You got this. Shit can be tough though I feel you.

Ineed to start saying no more to social things. I’m doing ok not feeling tempted but boy am I drained. Just want to check out and play video games all day.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on February 10, 2024, 10:06:01 PM
I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: EdLawndale on February 11, 2024, 07:51:50 AM
I saw GZA like 5 years ago and he killed it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on February 11, 2024, 08:50:37 AM
I saw GZA like 5 years ago and he killed it.

GZA brought the goods and played mostly Liquid Swords and a few Wu classics but he was with a live band which somehow messed with the overall experience. I would have preferred to just hear him rap over the original RZA instrumentals. ODBs older brother was on drums tho. Anyhow, sorry for the off topic.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 11, 2024, 09:18:43 AM
Had a dream last night I was trying to smoke meth out of a smartphone, then in another phase this teacher lady was trying to fuck me but I was doing everything to get her off my tail so I could keep smoking meth out of this phone.

Heres the thing I always hated meth, its just I got so addicted to it now it torments me in my sleep. I remember crying hitting the pipe because I didnt want to but the addiction was just too strong.

I cant lie though, I do like the xanax and opiod dreams, im kinda glad im able to still get high off those in my sleep.



Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 11, 2024, 09:49:26 AM
I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.

I feel you on that one. I took my daughter to see Angel maker at this park called Empire room in Austin. The show got rain delayed and we ended up hanging out in the bar and just looking at all the locals. I was texting my wife and saying these people are clearly not living very healthy. I’m only seven months in and I look at things way differently.

Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!

@mfweeno

What situations are getting you to feel a little Squirrley?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: jgonzalez on February 11, 2024, 10:01:29 AM
I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
I go to shows and places where people drink and I’m grossed out now. Maybe it’s wrong to judge people but yeah some look out of shape and sad. Pointless conversations they will forget. Seeking socialization in an isolated world, sad that drinking booze is one of the ways adults can meet other adults.

I always think about that Jason Adams interview where he says you don’t have to go into an environment you don't want to be. Exiting drinking circles will initially be lonely but I’ve met more skaters and people that like other shit. Slow process.

Our society is fucked up and I think about SOMA from brave new world. Normalized drug to blunt our thoughts and emotions to deal with this shitty world. Like how casual it is to say “I need a drink!” And how acceptable that phrase is. Booze is so ingrained in our culture to suppress our emotions.

I’ve cut booze back a lot in my life,  no more casual drinks to “wind down” in the evenings and I’m eating whole foods and being active. My job now has a lot of people that rely on me to be sharp so I’ve cut back a lot. I would rather be present now in my life. Alcohol and weed disrupt sleep cycles and actual rest. This thread is inspiring. Seems like addiction is pretty normal and good for everyone here to be honest with themselves and each other.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on February 11, 2024, 10:16:33 AM
Expand Quote
I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
[close]
I go to shows and places where people drink and I’m grossed out now. Maybe it’s wrong to judge people but yeah some look out of shape and sad. Pointless conversations they will forget. Seeking socialization in an isolated world, sad that drinking booze is one of the ways adults can meet other adults.

I always think about that Jason Adams interview where he says you don’t have to go into an environment you don't want to be. Exiting drinking circles will initially be lonely but I’ve met more skaters and people that like other shit. Slow process.

Our society is fucked up and I think about SOMA from brave new world. Normalized drug to blunt our thoughts and emotions to deal with this shitty world. Like how casual it is to say “I need a drink!” And how acceptable that phrase is. Booze is so ingrained in our culture to suppress our emotions.

I’ve cut booze back a lot in my life,  no more casual drinks to “wind down” in the evenings and I’m eating whole foods and being active. My job now has a lot of people that rely on me to be sharp so I’ve cut back a lot. I would rather be present now in my life. Alcohol and weed disrupt sleep cycles and actual rest. This thread is inspiring. Seems like addiction is pretty normal and good for everyone here to be honest with themselves and each other.

Very well put!

I'm 2.5 years on my journey, and lost (still friends, but seems like in passing) a few really good friends that just haven't slowed down. And I'm ok with that. A couple have gotten DWI's, and still haven't stopped drinking.

In those 2.5 years, I've made some really good, and healthy new friends that share the same mindset as myself. That has been huge, and has just reassured me that cutting booze out of my life was worth it in so many ways.

I went to a DJ Shadow show with a life long friend who most definitely has a drinking problem. He had about 6 drinks before the show, and kept bumping into this dude, and the dude got pissed. I had to remind them they're at a sold out concert and to chill the fuck out. Both were drunk and acting the fool. Made me feel great :)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 11, 2024, 11:40:22 AM
Yeah I’m already noticing my friends and family getting sloppy around me a few hours into hangs where booze is there. Mostly been funny things so far, but I’m sure it’ll get sad eventually.


For me I’m struggling with how booze allowed me to make anything tolerable - I said yes to things, was ok doing things I didn’t really feel like doing because I knew I could just be drunk.

Without them, I have a much much shorter list of things I enjoy (for now).
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on February 11, 2024, 11:53:59 AM
Yeah I’m already noticing my friends and family getting sloppy around me a few hours into hangs where booze is there. Mostly been funny things so far, but I’m sure it’ll get sad eventually.


For me I’m struggling with how booze allowed me to make anything tolerable - I said yes to things, was ok doing things I didn’t really feel like doing because I knew I could just be drunk.

Without them, I have a much much shorter list of things I enjoy (for now).

Have you tried going on walks, running, exercising a.k.a. stuff you typically don‘t do when hungover?

Also: Read, write, paint, sing, play an instrument, play chess.

You can also cook, make yourself delicious and/or healthy food, check out some teas or coffees (I dabble with herbal teas, yerba mate, green tea, matcha currently).

Listen to music, podcasts.

Get a project car, work on it, clean it, drive around (it gets you anywhere and you never have to worry about drunk driving).

Go to places you never visited, historic sites, nice landscapes, take pictures and work on them back home.

Just some stuff I do that comes to mind.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 11, 2024, 12:06:32 PM
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Yeah I’m already noticing my friends and family getting sloppy around me a few hours into hangs where booze is there. Mostly been funny things so far, but I’m sure it’ll get sad eventually.


For me I’m struggling with how booze allowed me to make anything tolerable - I said yes to things, was ok doing things I didn’t really feel like doing because I knew I could just be drunk.

Without them, I have a much much shorter list of things I enjoy (for now).
[close]

Have you tried going on walks, running, exercising a.k.a. stuff you typically don‘t do when hungover?

Also: Read, write, paint, sing, play an instrument, play chess.

You can also cook, make yourself delicious and/or healthy food, check out some teas or coffees (I dabble with herbal teas, yerba mate, green tea, matcha currently).

Listen to music, podcasts.

Get a project car, work on it, clean it, drive around (it gets you anywhere and you never have to worry about drunk driving).

Go to places you never visited, historic sites, nice landscapes, take pictures and work on them back home.

Just some stuff I do that comes to mind.
appreciate the suggestions! I’m heavy on the workouts, walks with headphones on, and reading. I’m pretty happy on the hobby front. I’m having a tough time recalibrating my socialization mechanisms/tolerance. My partner is super outgoing and extroverted and I’m figuring out how to manage that. It’s tough but I’m sure gets easier with time.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Easy Slider on February 11, 2024, 12:35:14 PM
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Yeah I’m already noticing my friends and family getting sloppy around me a few hours into hangs where booze is there. Mostly been funny things so far, but I’m sure it’ll get sad eventually.


For me I’m struggling with how booze allowed me to make anything tolerable - I said yes to things, was ok doing things I didn’t really feel like doing because I knew I could just be drunk.

Without them, I have a much much shorter list of things I enjoy (for now).
[close]

Have you tried going on walks, running, exercising a.k.a. stuff you typically don‘t do when hungover?

Also: Read, write, paint, sing, play an instrument, play chess.

You can also cook, make yourself delicious and/or healthy food, check out some teas or coffees (I dabble with herbal teas, yerba mate, green tea, matcha currently).

Listen to music, podcasts.

Get a project car, work on it, clean it, drive around (it gets you anywhere and you never have to worry about drunk driving).

Go to places you never visited, historic sites, nice landscapes, take pictures and work on them back home.

Just some stuff I do that comes to mind.
[close]
appreciate the suggestions! I’m heavy on the workouts, walks with headphones on, and reading. I’m pretty happy on the hobby front. I’m having a tough time recalibrating my socialization mechanisms/tolerance. My partner is super outgoing and extroverted and I’m figuring out how to manage that. It’s tough but I’m sure gets easier with time.

Gotcha. I am struggling with that part too tbh…
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 11, 2024, 04:11:54 PM
I’ve accepted that I enjoy different things now and just focus on the things I like. Fortunately for me networking isn’t one as it’s the lifeblood of my business. My wife and I have both gotten way more into cleaning and organizing our home.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 12, 2024, 03:44:32 AM
First cup of regular coffee in a month happening right now. My no caffeine journey has ended, kind of. I felt pretty great that entire month. I definitely feel like not relying on caffeine in the mornings helped give me structure, which sounds weird, but it made me prioritize sleep a little more, which in turn made me think about how I spend my time through the day and ways to improve that relative to energy and when it would be at it's peak vs time to wind down, stuff like that. Also, it really helped with creating a better eating schedule; not snacking way into the night mostly, because I would already be in bed or maybe my metabolism was not as active later in the day as a result of all this. I plan on being much more cognizant of when I have caffeine and how much I ingest moving forward, that is for sure.

Still, my main goal was to continue with improving my digestive health, something I felt caffeine was affecting. And while I do think this helped a lot, I believe the real culprit to be the acidic nature of coffee itself. So for now, we're trying some baking soda in with the coffee, and we'll see how that goes. I'm also starting a set of nutrients to help fix my gut biome which is kind of part of this as well. But that's for another time.

Anyway, if you consider caffeine to be something in your life that may have a little too much presence, consider taking a small break. Yeah, it was tough at the beginning, but I think it's helped me shape a different relationship with it in the end.

Another day booze free, hope all is well pals. DM's always open if anyone ever needs to talk.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 12, 2024, 06:23:42 AM
coffee is rough on my stomach too. had to stop cold brew. i really like the don't drink for first 60-90 minutes hack with caffine. it's been a game changer for me. for the stomach acid i've started taking acid reducers from the pharmacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSO-11o2A_M
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: mfweeno on February 12, 2024, 07:26:07 AM
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I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
[close]

I feel you on that one. I took my daughter to see Angel maker at this park called Empire room in Austin. The show got rain delayed and we ended up hanging out in the bar and just looking at all the locals. I was texting my wife and saying these people are clearly not living very healthy. I’m only seven months in and I look at things way differently.

Expand Quote
Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!
[close]

@mfweeno

What situations are getting you to feel a little Squirrley?

Appreciate you asking, man. I'm definitely doing better than I was when I typed that.

I think I'm just still ultimately learning to deal with life on life's terms. I start fantasizing about escaping into my old habits again when life feels too overwhelming or monotonous. I have to remember I can only take things one moment at a time and to be grateful for what's in front of me.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 12, 2024, 08:56:54 AM
coffee is rough on my stomach too. had to stop cold brew. i really like the don't drink for first 60-90 minutes hack with caffine. it's been a game changer for me. for the stomach acid i've started taking acid reducers from the pharmacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSO-11o2A_M

Yeah I feel most days I'm able to achieve that, today for example I was already up for 45min or so before I even got the brew going. The baking soda seems to have helped though! None of the usual mid coffee bs tummy ache type stuff.

Expand Quote
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I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
[close]

I feel you on that one. I took my daughter to see Angel maker at this park called Empire room in Austin. The show got rain delayed and we ended up hanging out in the bar and just looking at all the locals. I was texting my wife and saying these people are clearly not living very healthy. I’m only seven months in and I look at things way differently.

Expand Quote
Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!
[close]

@mfweeno

What situations are getting you to feel a little Squirrley?
[close]

Appreciate you asking, man. I'm definitely doing better than I was when I typed that.

I think I'm just still ultimately learning to deal with life on life's terms. I start fantasizing about escaping into my old habits again when life feels too overwhelming or monotonous. I have to remember I can only take things one moment at a time and to be grateful for what's in front of me.

This is something that I still deal with every so often. Luckily it passes quickly but even on Saturday night, was on a nice night drive taking a long way home, started thinking "man, wouldn't it be nice..." and yeah, it would be nice. but it would not be nice very quickly / the next day / the next week. just gotta play the tape forward.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on February 12, 2024, 03:17:16 PM
First cup of regular coffee in a month happening right now. My no caffeine journey has ended, kind of. I felt pretty great that entire month. I definitely feel like not relying on caffeine in the mornings helped give me structure, which sounds weird, but it made me prioritize sleep a little more, which in turn made me think about how I spend my time through the day and ways to improve that relative to energy and when it would be at it's peak vs time to wind down, stuff like that. Also, it really helped with creating a better eating schedule; not snacking way into the night mostly, because I would already be in bed or maybe my metabolism was not as active later in the day as a result of all this. I plan on being much more cognizant of when I have caffeine and how much I ingest moving forward, that is for sure.

Still, my main goal was to continue with improving my digestive health, something I felt caffeine was affecting. And while I do think this helped a lot, I believe the real culprit to be the acidic nature of coffee itself. So for now, we're trying some baking soda in with the coffee, and we'll see how that goes. I'm also starting a set of nutrients to help fix my gut biome which is kind of part of this as well. But that's for another time.

Anyway, if you consider caffeine to be something in your life that may have a little too much presence, consider taking a small break. Yeah, it was tough at the beginning, but I think it's helped me shape a different relationship with it in the end.

Another day booze free, hope all is well pals. DM's always open if anyone ever needs to talk.

Coffee is a hard one to give up. I was drinking a pot of coffee before work last year, but I've scaled way back.

The only way I stopped drinking so much of it was by not bringing a thermos of it to work to drink at lunch or break, because I'm not willing to drink shitty coffee from the local drive thrus.
Ive been called a coffee snob because I despise Tim Hortons coffee, which everyone at work gets for coffee break.
McDonald's coffee has become so bad and so inconsistent that I don't like drinking it either.

So in the end, I would just rather drink water than shitty coffee, which isn't a bad thing I guess. I absolutely hate having a bad cup of coffee. Like a shitty roast, or a weak cup. It's gross and just makes me feel like shit after.

Haven't had any booze for a month now. Feels ok.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Big Baby Jesus on February 13, 2024, 03:43:08 AM
Amazing to see every one’s successes in this thread. I just hit 5 years back in January 11th. It’s been motivational and inspiring to see so many others on their journey. Keep up the great work pals!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 13, 2024, 06:24:27 AM
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I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
[close]

I feel you on that one. I took my daughter to see Angel maker at this park called Empire room in Austin. The show got rain delayed and we ended up hanging out in the bar and just looking at all the locals. I was texting my wife and saying these people are clearly not living very healthy. I’m only seven months in and I look at things way differently.

Expand Quote
Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!
[close]

@mfweeno

What situations are getting you to feel a little Squirrley?
[close]

Appreciate you asking, man. I'm definitely doing better than I was when I typed that.

I think I'm just still ultimately learning to deal with life on life's terms. I start fantasizing about escaping into my old habits again when life feels too overwhelming or monotonous. I have to remember I can only take things one moment at a time and to be grateful for what's in front of me.

i had excessive bordum around 7-9 at night after dinner for a while. i'd just sit on the couch and stare at the TV after dinner. eventually it just stopped being a focus for me.

Expand Quote
coffee is rough on my stomach too. had to stop cold brew. i really like the don't drink for first 60-90 minutes hack with caffine. it's been a game changer for me. for the stomach acid i've started taking acid reducers from the pharmacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSO-11o2A_M
[close]

Yeah I feel most days I'm able to achieve that, today for example I was already up for 45min or so before I even got the brew going. The baking soda seems to have helped though! None of the usual mid coffee bs tummy ache type stuff.

@hmmoookay can you share more about what you are doing with baking soda and coffee? this seems cool
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 13, 2024, 06:43:02 AM
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I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
[close]

I feel you on that one. I took my daughter to see Angel maker at this park called Empire room in Austin. The show got rain delayed and we ended up hanging out in the bar and just looking at all the locals. I was texting my wife and saying these people are clearly not living very healthy. I’m only seven months in and I look at things way differently.

Expand Quote
Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!
[close]

@mfweeno

What situations are getting you to feel a little Squirrley?
[close]

Appreciate you asking, man. I'm definitely doing better than I was when I typed that.

I think I'm just still ultimately learning to deal with life on life's terms. I start fantasizing about escaping into my old habits again when life feels too overwhelming or monotonous. I have to remember I can only take things one moment at a time and to be grateful for what's in front of me.
[close]

i had excessive bordum around 7-9 at night after dinner for a while. i'd just sit on the couch and stare at the TV after dinner. eventually it just stopped being a focus for me.

Expand Quote
Expand Quote
coffee is rough on my stomach too. had to stop cold brew. i really like the don't drink for first 60-90 minutes hack with caffine. it's been a game changer for me. for the stomach acid i've started taking acid reducers from the pharmacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSO-11o2A_M
[close]

Yeah I feel most days I'm able to achieve that, today for example I was already up for 45min or so before I even got the brew going. The baking soda seems to have helped though! None of the usual mid coffee bs tummy ache type stuff.
[close]

@hmmoookay can you share more about what you are doing with baking soda and coffee? this seems cool

On a base level, I am simply adding a bit of it to my coffee after I'm done brewing it. I usually do pour overs / aeropress which, I guess I never really thought about it, actually helps to decrease acidity already because the water contact is pretty short rather than sitting with the grounds like a coffee maker.

What I have thought about trying though, and I think I will later today when I get home from work, is mixing the baking soda in with the grounds and then carrying out the pour over process. I wanna try this for two reasons. 1. In theory, it should do the exact same thing as mixing it after the fact in terms of helping reduce acidity, which in turn helps my stomach. 2. From a brewing standpoint, I'm curious as to if the bubbly reactive nature of water to baking soda has any effect on bloom and overall brew time because of how active it would make the grounds relative to their normal gas releases.

I read through this website the other day and while there seem to be a number of ways to reduce acidity for both taste and sensitive stomach, baking soda seems to be doing the trick for now so I'm gonna keep rolling with it.

https://mybigfatgrainfreelife.com/2023/06/how-to-make-coffee-alkaline.html
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on February 13, 2024, 07:53:38 PM
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I have cut off most social events but yesterday I went to see the GZA. Club was full of old heads getting drunk. Not only was I not tempted but I found it repulsive to see how they turned into blabbering idiots as the time moved on. Also most of them looked hella unhealthy. Maybe I am really over it. Might as well after five years off the sauce.

Anyway, hang in there bros, being sober may be tough but being an alkie is much worse in the long run.
[close]

I feel you on that one. I took my daughter to see Angel maker at this park called Empire room in Austin. The show got rain delayed and we ended up hanging out in the bar and just looking at all the locals. I was texting my wife and saying these people are clearly not living very healthy. I’m only seven months in and I look at things way differently.

Expand Quote
Been feeling kind of squirrelly and having some booze thoughts lately. Wanted to speak (type?) the truth of it rather than keep it bottled in. Encouraging and inspiring to see everyone finding new freedom away from a drink. To those struggling, I feel you right now!
[close]

@mfweeno

What situations are getting you to feel a little Squirrley?
[close]

Appreciate you asking, man. I'm definitely doing better than I was when I typed that.

I think I'm just still ultimately learning to deal with life on life's terms. I start fantasizing about escaping into my old habits again when life feels too overwhelming or monotonous. I have to remember I can only take things one moment at a time and to be grateful for what's in front of me.
[close]

i had excessive bordum around 7-9 at night after dinner for a while. i'd just sit on the couch and stare at the TV after dinner. eventually it just stopped being a focus for me.

Expand Quote
Expand Quote
coffee is rough on my stomach too. had to stop cold brew. i really like the don't drink for first 60-90 minutes hack with caffine. it's been a game changer for me. for the stomach acid i've started taking acid reducers from the pharmacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSO-11o2A_M
[close]

Yeah I feel most days I'm able to achieve that, today for example I was already up for 45min or so before I even got the brew going. The baking soda seems to have helped though! None of the usual mid coffee bs tummy ache type stuff.
[close]

@hmmoookay can you share more about what you are doing with baking soda and coffee? this seems cool
[close]

On a base level, I am simply adding a bit of it to my coffee after I'm done brewing it. I usually do pour overs / aeropress which, I guess I never really thought about it, actually helps to decrease acidity already because the water contact is pretty short rather than sitting with the grounds like a coffee maker.

What I have thought about trying though, and I think I will later today when I get home from work, is mixing the baking soda in with the grounds and then carrying out the pour over process. I wanna try this for two reasons. 1. In theory, it should do the exact same thing as mixing it after the fact in terms of helping reduce acidity, which in turn helps my stomach. 2. From a brewing standpoint, I'm curious as to if the bubbly reactive nature of water to baking soda has any effect on bloom and overall brew time because of how active it would make the grounds relative to their normal gas releases.

I read through this website the other day and while there seem to be a number of ways to reduce acidity for both taste and sensitive stomach, baking soda seems to be doing the trick for now so I'm gonna keep rolling with it.

https://mybigfatgrainfreelife.com/2023/06/how-to-make-coffee-alkaline.html

I was using baking soda with water for a brief period of time and it was wild how noticeable it was when I would piss. It became soothing. The difference in acidity was remarkable. I stay away from it now because I need to chill on sodium consumption, but may try it with coffee just for fun.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 14, 2024, 03:53:20 AM
One last baking soda coffee update so I don't derail the thread further; not worth trying to mix in the baking soda with the grounds for brew. Way too much carbonic acid fizzing around in combination with the natural gas release of the grounds themselves. Not worth it. As I mentioned I make pourovers, I would by no means try this in an automatic coffee maker, that would probably be a huge mess.

In conclusion; a bit of baking soda in your already brewed morning coffee can appear to go a long way when it comes to sensitive stomachs. Def worth trying out, especially for us pals in this specific thread who may have stomach issues/sensitivities stemming from, possibly, our past habits.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Freelancevagrant on February 14, 2024, 04:03:17 AM
I got sober in 2015 at the behest of my ex-wife. We split up in the tail end of 2022 and if I’m being honest with myself, I think I only stayed sober through last year out of a hope she would take me back. Now at this point it’s abundantly clear I will never be in her life again and it’s been a serious struggle to not drink myself to death. Everyday is an eternity. But still sober.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 14, 2024, 04:18:42 AM
I got sober in 2015 at the behest of my ex-wife. We split up in the tail end of 2022 and if I’m being honest with myself, I think I only stayed sober through last year out of a hope she would take me back. Now at this point it’s abundantly clear I will never be in her life again and it’s been a serious struggle to not drink myself to death. Everyday is an eternity. But still sober.

My first serious attempt to stay sober, outside of all the little other attempts over the years, was right before my ex and I split up towards the end of 2020. We were together almost 10 years, through almost my whole 20's. To say she and her family were a huge part of my life is an understatement. Anyway, the writing on the wall was there but I knew that my drinking at the very least pushed her away in the end and I was hoping somehow I could show her I was getting it together. Not to get into it too much but she moved states for work so in reality she wasn't seeing that I was trying, even if I tried to show it from afar, the damage was done.

3 years and some change on and I'll be honest that first year removed from that relationship pulled me right back in to the same old habits. You've got more sober years than I, so I know you know this, but going back again for another year just amplified that pain I was feeling and was definitely not worth it. Sobriety continues to teach me lessons about letting the world happen around you, staying focused on what you can control, and all of that was stripped away from me when I kept going off the wagon. Do I miss that person I was around for so long? Absolutely. But the reality now is that we have both changed and quite frankly I don't recognize who she even is anymore, at least from afar. I kind of take comfort in that now, but it took time for sure, and I hope you find the same kind of solace soon.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 14, 2024, 07:17:46 AM
I got sober in 2015 at the behest of my ex-wife. We split up in the tail end of 2022 and if I’m being honest with myself, I think I only stayed sober through last year out of a hope she would take me back. Now at this point it’s abundantly clear I will never be in her life again and it’s been a serious struggle to not drink myself to death. Everyday is an eternity. But still sober.
fuck man. I can’t imagine how difficult shit must be for you right now. I don’t have any advice, just hope you can stay strong.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Freelancevagrant on February 14, 2024, 02:21:53 PM
@hmmoookay I’m in a kind of similar situation. We got together when I was 23, got married a year or so later, bought a house in may of 2022, and on my 32nd birthday in October, it all imploded. She had a boyfriend before the year was up. There’s a lot more to it but it’s besides the point, ya know?

I’ve thought a lot about what would happen if I start drinking again. I’m well aware it’s a zero sum game, and essentially just long form, passive, suicide. Which, if we’re keeping it a buck, is admittedly appealing in some ways. But for now, at least for today, gotta stay sober because who knows what tomorrow brings. Maybe Kat Dennings gonna slide into my dm’s and I’ll finally land a tre tres hahah

@NoComply180 big love homie. Greatly appreciated my dude. It hasn’t been all doom and gloom, and I’ve enjoyed getting to do whatever I want to but there’s times where it gets real dark, and I’d give anything back to have what I lost.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on February 14, 2024, 02:30:26 PM
@hmmoookay I’m in a kind of similar situation. We got together when I was 23, got married a year or so later, bought a house in may of 2022, and on my 32nd birthday in October, it all imploded. She had a boyfriend before the year was up. There’s a lot more to it but it’s besides the point, ya know?

I’ve thought a lot about what would happen if I start drinking again. I’m well aware it’s a zero sum game, and essentially just long form, passive, suicide. Which, if we’re keeping it a buck, is admittedly appealing in some ways. But for now, at least for today, gotta stay sober because who knows what tomorrow brings. Maybe Kat Dennings gonna slide into my dm’s and I’ll finally land a tre tres hahah

@NoComply180 big love homie. Greatly appreciated my dude. It hasn’t been all doom and gloom, and I’ve enjoyed getting to do whatever I want to but there’s times where it gets real dark, and I’d give anything back to have what I lost.

yo player. stick with bananas and energy drinks. i know how you do. phukin powah food. love to you bruddah. of all of em, i'm glad you're alive n hangin' dong
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on February 14, 2024, 04:52:22 PM
Massive respect, Freelance.  Might not feel like it, but you’re killing it right now by staying booze free.  33 is young, and there’s definitely buttery tricks and bangin babes in your future if you keep taking care of yourself.  Sending you all the good vibes.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 15, 2024, 06:58:01 AM
Man, I feel like brain is starting to play catch up on 15+ years of not fully processing emotions/experiences/feelings. Can be a bit overwhelming. Really realizing just how much booze shaped my life in ways I didn’t realize, even when it was just a weekends thing in college and what not. Kinda questioning my life a lot.


On a positive note - all the above doesn’t make me want to drink.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Peter Zagreus on February 15, 2024, 01:55:00 PM
Strength and love to all the pals dealing with the psychological/emotional challenges that come with sobriety, but I have a question relating to the "lower" faculties:

Anybody else deal with digestive issues after they stopped drinking? I'm a couple of months into sobriety and I've gone from taking substantial dumps just about every day (when I was drinking regularly) to taking these meager little half-shits now that I'm sober. My diet isn't terrible or particularly low on fiber and I probably eat more now that I'm not worried about trying to balance my booze and food calories, but my shits are just not there. I'm not experiencing any pain or constipation per se, but it's like my digestive system is on low battery mode or recalibrating or something. Idk what to think.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 15, 2024, 04:45:05 PM
Strength and love to all the pals dealing with the psychological/emotional challenges that come with sobriety, but I have a question relating to the "lower" faculties:

Anybody else deal with digestive issues after they stopped drinking? I'm a couple of months into sobriety and I've gone from taking substantial dumps just about every day (when I was drinking regularly) to taking these meager little half-shits now that I'm sober. My diet isn't terrible or particularly low on fiber and I probably eat more now that I'm not worried about trying to balance my booze and food calories, but my shits are just not there. I'm not experiencing any pain or constipation per se, but it's like my digestive system is on low battery mode or recalibrating or something. Idk what to think.
drinking gave me diarrhea for the last 5+ years of it - a week or so into sobriety I had my first solid, satisfying tree trunk breaking off in my ass kind of dump in years.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Freelancevagrant on February 15, 2024, 07:57:51 PM
Can vouch for the above. I’ve got ulcerative colitis, which the booze definitely exacerbated, but I’ll never forget passing a fucking duraflame log when I first dried out.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 16, 2024, 08:37:29 AM
I did have a lapse of judgment yesterday, I havent been on the darkweb since I got sober but yesterday i hopped on to see what was up with it. Sure enough different markets are now the new thing, and the only thing stopping me from ordering xanax and heroin was that I dont have any money. When I got sober I also stopped selling drugs so Ive been broke ever since.

I kinda fear for when I get a job Im just gonna fall right back into addiction. In some ways I feel like im staying broke just so I can stay sober.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 16, 2024, 11:34:32 AM
Also have been getting some teeth pulled at a couple of places and apparently they stopped giving prescriptions to painkillers for afterword, I remember before this whole opiod crisis getting painkillers for a pulled tooth no problem now I guess theyre scared to.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 16, 2024, 02:14:09 PM
@Freelancevagrant sorry to hear. that's one of the hardest situations in life to deal with. sending you good vibes
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Xen on February 16, 2024, 03:09:19 PM
I'll be 3 years sober in May. Like smoking, one day I just said no more (however this was after making the switch to tequila only, no yummy bourbon or wine, as I felt it would help me taper off).

I also had to friends that were bad and enablers, I cut them out of my life.

Clarity, focus energy, lowered blood pressure (mine goes thru the fucking roof when I drink) lost weight/got ripped, not tired at the gym, can skate more/whenever the homies txt - saves.so.much.money (money I put into getting my bloodwork done and levels adjusted).

I miss it when I'm bored and socializing (all my drinking friends all but dropped off, never get invites out anymore, fuck them anyway ;) I drank when bored so I tried to fill those gaps....I'd go skate or play more games, read, do a bit more work, whatever instead of drinking and watching fucking shows....I drank, varying amounts 6pm - 10pm that was the window (I wasn't cracking box wine at 2pm until the pandemic, full bottles of everything were going down too easy that's what pushed me to stop - I ;)

Boredom and anxiety, it helped me GET to sleep but the sleep was shit. I, too, use sleepy time tea (extra, with valerian) as well as these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWPKRMV2?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details, all in addition to some doctor prescribed theanine mixes...oh and I also love LOVE caffeine (so even more anxiety); I still do coffee and green tea, but usually for pre-workouts (ditched energy drinks and pre-workout supps) and not first thing in the morning.

It's hard, but keep at it you can do it - it's takes massive balls to admit there is a problem, let alone come on here and voice that out in the open. If *I* can do it, you can too. Go you - I am proud of you.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 17, 2024, 02:53:39 PM
I did have a lapse of judgment yesterday, I havent been on the darkweb since I got sober but yesterday i hopped on to see what was up with it. Sure enough different markets are now the new thing, and the only thing stopping me from ordering xanax and heroin was that I dont have any money. When I got sober I also stopped selling drugs so Ive been broke ever since.

I kinda fear for when I get a job Im just gonna fall right back into addiction. In some ways I feel like im staying broke just so I can stay sober.

Will xanax and heroin improve anything in your life? Why do you think, that you need it? I think you already came a long way being sober, why do you wanna destroy it all again? No judgement mate, we are with you and all fight our battles. We have to be stronger as the demons.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Fishhb on February 17, 2024, 05:11:19 PM
9 years free of alcohol and hard drugs and 6 weeks free from weed for me
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 17, 2024, 05:32:23 PM
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I did have a lapse of judgment yesterday, I havent been on the darkweb since I got sober but yesterday i hopped on to see what was up with it. Sure enough different markets are now the new thing, and the only thing stopping me from ordering xanax and heroin was that I dont have any money. When I got sober I also stopped selling drugs so Ive been broke ever since.

I kinda fear for when I get a job Im just gonna fall right back into addiction. In some ways I feel like im staying broke just so I can stay sober.
[close]

Will xanax and heroin improve anything in your life? Why do you think, that you need it? I think you already came a long way being sober, why do you wanna destroy it all again? No judgement mate, we are with you and all fight our battles. We have to be stronger as the demons.
I really just want to improve my mood. Nothing defeats depression better than a hit of heroin, nothing gets me out of my own head like a xanax. Trying to self medicate. Its just been rough having to learn how to live with this depression ive always had, on top of that I take anti psychotics that leave me like a lifeless zombie. Its tough inside my head. Really I just have to stay off the markets to not get tempted.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 17, 2024, 09:37:00 PM
9 years free of alcohol and hard drugs and 6 weeks free from weed for me
congrats dude that’s major! What made you decide to quit weed too?

@type depression sucks. I hope you stay strong and clean. Nothing good comes from the dark web.



Without alcohol, I’m losing a little bit of weight and taking better care of my health issues that have caused chronic pain and kept me from doing many things that I love, including skating. I haven’t skated since July 2021. I think when I hit 2 months (march 1) I’m going to reward myself with a new complete and see if I can push around. Shit, even if I can’t yet maybe I can buttboard around my neighborhood. There’s some kids on bikes who I see around, maybe they’ll accept a limping 30 something into their crew.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Fishhb on February 18, 2024, 08:32:39 AM
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9 years free of alcohol and hard drugs and 6 weeks free from weed for me
[close]
congrats dude that’s major! What made you decide to quit weed too?

@type depression sucks. I hope you stay strong and clean. Nothing good comes from the dark web.



Without alcohol, I’m losing a little bit of weight and taking better care of my health issues that have caused chronic pain and kept me from doing many things that I love, including skating. I haven’t skated since July 2021. I think when I hit 2 months (march 1) I’m going to reward myself with a new complete and see if I can push around. Shit, even if I can’t yet maybe I can buttboard around my neighborhood. There’s some kids on bikes who I see around, maybe they’ll accept a limping 30 something into their crew.

Thanks I really appreciate the support my problem is I can’t do anything I’m moderation I got a two year old and another on the way and I just don’t want them to grow up around my substance abuse issues. So I just replace my unhealthy addiction’s with healthier ones like skating and surfing but I really just want to be a good dad and set good examples
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 18, 2024, 09:16:07 AM
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9 years free of alcohol and hard drugs and 6 weeks free from weed for me
[close]
congrats dude that’s major! What made you decide to quit weed too?

@type depression sucks. I hope you stay strong and clean. Nothing good comes from the dark web.



Without alcohol, I’m losing a little bit of weight and taking better care of my health issues that have caused chronic pain and kept me from doing many things that I love, including skating. I haven’t skated since July 2021. I think when I hit 2 months (march 1) I’m going to reward myself with a new complete and see if I can push around. Shit, even if I can’t yet maybe I can buttboard around my neighborhood. There’s some kids on bikes who I see around, maybe they’ll accept a limping 30 something into their crew.
[close]

Thanks I really appreciate the support my problem is I can’t do anything I’m moderation I got a two year old and another on the way and I just don’t want them to grow up around my substance abuse issues. So I just replace my unhealthy addiction’s with healthier ones like skating and surfing but I really just want to be a good dad and set good examples

Hell yeah, what a great move on your part for you and your kiddos. Smart man.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Fishhb on February 18, 2024, 09:54:32 AM
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I did have a lapse of judgment yesterday, I havent been on the darkweb since I got sober but yesterday i hopped on to see what was up with it. Sure enough different markets are now the new thing, and the only thing stopping me from ordering xanax and heroin was that I dont have any money. When I got sober I also stopped selling drugs so Ive been broke ever since.

I kinda fear for when I get a job Im just gonna fall right back into addiction. In some ways I feel like im staying broke just so I can stay sober.
[close]

Will xanax and heroin improve anything in your life? Why do you think, that you need it? I think you already came a long way being sober, why do you wanna destroy it all again? No judgement mate, we are with you and all fight our battles. We have to be stronger as the demons.
[close]
I really just want to improve my mood. Nothing defeats depression better than a hit of heroin, nothing gets me out of my own head like a xanax. Trying to self medicate. Its just been rough having to learn how to live with this depression ive always had, on top of that I take anti psychotics that leave me like a lifeless zombie. Its tough inside my head. Really I just have to stay off the markets to not get tempted.


Hey man I’ve been in your shoes and everything theses substances improve only mask the problem and just dig you deeper in that hole try focusing on the other things that make you feel good like skating you can beat this
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 19, 2024, 04:41:23 AM
This far into my sobriety I have generally been able to kind of just accept life on life's terms and try to smile and continue forward. That doesn't mean I haven't had bad days and all that, but I'm pretty sure I had some kind of dissociative / anxiety attack last night. Long story short, I have had a pretty stressful couple weeks at work, which culminated Friday after an email from another employee, kind of questioning my job performance (really generalized way of putting it, worth mentioning this person is not my boss or has any actionable power over me) and despite doing my job very fucking well for 5 years now it really, really got to me. Friday was the first time I had to seriously sit with myself and tell myself that any escape was not worth it (for me that would be drinking). #1, I cant believe I let someones opinion, as short sighted as it is, get to me like that. But I have a feeling that was just the cherry on top so I cant blame them 100% but #2, this was a serious reminder that no matter how positive I can try to be, none of us are immune to the intrusive thoughts of times gone by where our past selves would have just poured gasoline all over our emotions.

I'm feeling better today, good enough at least. I did reach out to some close friends not so much to say "hey, I'm worried about drinking" but just giving them a similar rundown of the situation so they were at least aware I was pretty fucking stressed out. Those folks would know how to talk me down if need be. Anyway I just kind of wanted to get that off my chest a bit. Last night was really weird and (hopefully) just the tail end of a stressful period of time. I was questioning my entire life choices, felt so hopeless and lost, I truly don't want to feel those things again given how sure I am that I'm doing the best that I can, but we all know how unpredictable life is so that's an unrealistic expectation.

Thankful for this thread to be able to spell things out, much love y'all.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Fishhb on February 19, 2024, 07:45:52 PM
This far into my sobriety I have generally been able to kind of just accept life on life's terms and try to smile and continue forward. That doesn't mean I haven't had bad days and all that, but I'm pretty sure I had some kind of dissociative / anxiety attack last night. Long story short, I have had a pretty stressful couple weeks at work, which culminated Friday after an email from another employee, kind of questioning my job performance (really generalized way of putting it, worth mentioning this person is not my boss or has any actionable power over me) and despite doing my job very fucking well for 5 years now it really, really got to me. Friday was the first time I had to seriously sit with myself and tell myself that any escape was not worth it (for me that would be drinking). #1, I cant believe I let someones opinion, as short sighted as it is, get to me like that. But I have a feeling that was just the cherry on top so I cant blame them 100% but #2, this was a serious reminder that no matter how positive I can try to be, none of us are immune to the intrusive thoughts of times gone by where our past selves would have just poured gasoline all over our emotions.

I'm feeling better today, good enough at least. I did reach out to some close friends not so much to say "hey, I'm worried about drinking" but just giving them a similar rundown of the situation so they were at least aware I was pretty fucking stressed out. Those folks would know how to talk me down if need be. Anyway I just kind of wanted to get that off my chest a bit. Last night was really weird and (hopefully) just the tail end of a stressful period of time. I was questioning my entire life choices, felt so hopeless and lost, I truly don't want to feel those things again given how sure I am that I'm doing the best that I can, but we all know how unpredictable life is so that's an unrealistic expectation.

Thankful for this thread to be able to spell things out, much love y'all.

I had someone tell me when i first quit drinking “it gets easier but it never get easy” I think things like this remind up how fragile things are and kinda helps keep us on track the day I think I got it beat is the day I start drinking again. Good luck out there
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Kook Me Amadeus on February 19, 2024, 09:16:35 PM
10 months of not drinking for health reasons and it’s surprising how all cravings are gone.  Impressed by how adaptable the human mind/body is.  Mostly just about declining it in situations when it’s offered.  I used to explain, but now I just say ‘no thanks’ and it’s not a big deal. 
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 20, 2024, 05:27:56 AM
Expand Quote
This far into my sobriety I have generally been able to kind of just accept life on life's terms and try to smile and continue forward. That doesn't mean I haven't had bad days and all that, but I'm pretty sure I had some kind of dissociative / anxiety attack last night. Long story short, I have had a pretty stressful couple weeks at work, which culminated Friday after an email from another employee, kind of questioning my job performance (really generalized way of putting it, worth mentioning this person is not my boss or has any actionable power over me) and despite doing my job very fucking well for 5 years now it really, really got to me. Friday was the first time I had to seriously sit with myself and tell myself that any escape was not worth it (for me that would be drinking). #1, I cant believe I let someones opinion, as short sighted as it is, get to me like that. But I have a feeling that was just the cherry on top so I cant blame them 100% but #2, this was a serious reminder that no matter how positive I can try to be, none of us are immune to the intrusive thoughts of times gone by where our past selves would have just poured gasoline all over our emotions.

I'm feeling better today, good enough at least. I did reach out to some close friends not so much to say "hey, I'm worried about drinking" but just giving them a similar rundown of the situation so they were at least aware I was pretty fucking stressed out. Those folks would know how to talk me down if need be. Anyway I just kind of wanted to get that off my chest a bit. Last night was really weird and (hopefully) just the tail end of a stressful period of time. I was questioning my entire life choices, felt so hopeless and lost, I truly don't want to feel those things again given how sure I am that I'm doing the best that I can, but we all know how unpredictable life is so that's an unrealistic expectation.

Thankful for this thread to be able to spell things out, much love y'all.
[close]

I had someone tell me when i first quit drinking “it gets easier but it never get easy” I think things like this remind up how fragile things are and kinda helps keep us on track the day I think I got it beat is the day I start drinking again. Good luck out there

Yep, I definitely subscribe to all the cliches, they're cliche for a reason after all. But when things are going "well" it's can be easy to forget, you know? Good luck to you too Pal, feelin' much better today. Thankful.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 20, 2024, 05:28:57 AM
10 months of not drinking for health reasons and it’s surprising how all cravings are gone.  Impressed by how adaptable the human mind/body is.  Mostly just about declining it in situations when it’s offered.  I used to explain, but now I just say ‘no thanks’ and it’s not a big deal.

Congrats! It's nice to be able to just say "no" and have that be an acceptable response for most people.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 20, 2024, 09:35:52 AM
6 years sober today. The first 2 years were rough. Especially the first 6 months, I felt overwhelmed a lot from all the suppressed emotions all the years before. But I had much more energy after those 6 months. I felt really lost for the first month and I needed some structure and things to do. Skating, drawing, video games, going on dates and coffee all helped. It all felt lame and boring compared to party but it also felt good to take a slower pace and see how good life is already. It is still what you make of it, you just need to have a plan I think. It was the best decision in my life, especially if I now see the people I used to hang around back then. They haven't stopped in the last 6 years and things got worse for them. But that is another topic, maybe they are happy with the life they live and don't expect or want much more from it. But enough of that, I don't want to judge them. Neither am I in the right to do so. I am happy that I was able to break out of that cycle and find other things in life that make me happy. I still feel bad how I treated the people around me and how I made people sad or angry. Only thinking about myself and getting high or drunk was all that mattered to me. But I also don't wanted to end up as the 40 something year old who never took responsibilities for anything in his life. Still trying to be a better person everyday. The only thing that never fully got away is my aversion of people. Too much, too loud, too annoying but I try to be better with that. There are still some rough days nowadays but it is better to deal with any emotions instead of swallowing them. At the very least you can still say fuck you to stupid people and avoid them. I think that’s all I had in my head half the day and I am happy we have this place here to talk/write about stuff.

You can all kick the bad habits and create a better life for you if you want. Yes, it will suck in the beginning and it won't be easy. But that is still better as being homeless, mentally ill or dead.

Send me a message if any of you make it here and wanna skate some crusty spots. Or if you just want to talk or get stuff of your chest, my DMs are always open. Much love from Berlin pals.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 20, 2024, 12:28:49 PM
6 years sober today. The first 2 years were rough. Especially the first 6 months, I felt overwhelmed a lot from all the suppressed emotions all the years before. But I had much more energy after those 6 months. I felt really lost for the first month and I needed some structure and things to do. Skating, drawing, video games, going on dates and coffee all helped. It all felt lame and boring compared to party but it also felt good to take a slower pace and see how good life is already. It is still what you make of it, you just need to have a plan I think. It was the best decision in my life, especially if I now see the people I used to hang around back then. They haven't stopped in the last 6 years and things got worse for them. But that is another topic, maybe they are happy with the life they live and don't expect or want much more from it. But enough of that, I don't want to judge them. Neither am I in the right to do so. I am happy that I was able to break out of that cycle and find other things in life that make me happy. I still feel bad how I treated the people around me and how I made people sad or angry. Only thinking about myself and getting high or drunk was all that mattered to me. But I also don't wanted to end up as the 40 something year old who never took responsibilities for anything in his life. Still trying to be a better person everyday. The only thing that never fully got away is my aversion of people. Too much, too loud, too annoying but I try to be better with that. There are still some rough days nowadays but it is better to deal with any emotions instead of swallowing them. At the very least you can still say fuck you to stupid people and avoid them. I think that’s all I had in my head half the day and I am happy we have this place here to talk/write about stuff.

You can all kick the bad habits and create a better life for you if you want. Yes, it will suck in the beginning and it won't be easy. But that is still better as being homeless, mentally ill or dead.

Send me a message if any of you make it here and wanna skate some crusty spots. Or if you just want to talk or get stuff of your chest, my DMs are always open. Much love from Berlin pals.
congrats man! Stoked on you for having gotten out of the cycle of harm for yourself.

The suppressed emotions coming out really resonate with me. It’s mostly good but also very overwhelming and a ton to process.





Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 25, 2024, 10:39:57 AM
I think im done skating for good. Like drugs it just feels like something I need to move forward from. I skated from kindergarten till 32 non stop, all I have to show for is im kinda good at skating. Maybe because drugs and skating were so intertwined for me, I never piled out and stopped skating, I would do drugs and skate, my favorite combo. I kinda feel at this point I can only skate if im high. Thats all I cared about was drugs and skating.

Really Im just ready to move forward with my life and focus on the things I never focused on like getting a career and a relationship. Disability denied my claim and I dont feel like appealing it, Im just ready to start moving forward and skating just isnt important to me anymore.

I dunno, maybe Ill just take a break and revisit it in the future, I think it would maybe be fun relearning stuff in the future.

Im just at that point that im over it, I dont feel bad about it either it is what is.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on February 25, 2024, 11:41:57 AM
Skating until 32 without quitting is next level commitment.  There’s absolutely zero shame in putting it down to see what else life has to offer.  It can actually feel quite freeing and refreshing.  Skating will always be there when you want it.  Work, relationships and other hobbies might give you a whole new sense of control and confidence that skating doesn’t. 

I stopped playing music when I got sober because it felt awkward and wasn’t fun anymore without getting a buzz on.  No regrets, I found new fulfilling ways to spend my time.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: the_dangery_bois on February 25, 2024, 03:16:44 PM
I think im done skating for good. Like drugs it just feels like something I need to move forward from. I skated from kindergarten till 32 non stop, all I have to show for is im kinda good at skating. Maybe because drugs and skating were so intertwined for me, I never piled out and stopped skating, I would do drugs and skate, my favorite combo. I kinda feel at this point I can only skate if im high. Thats all I cared about was drugs and skating.

Really Im just ready to move forward with my life and focus on the things I never focused on like getting a career and a relationship. Disability denied my claim and I dont feel like appealing it, Im just ready to start moving forward and skating just isnt important to me anymore.

I dunno, maybe Ill just take a break and revisit it in the future, I think it would maybe be fun relearning stuff in the future.

Im just at that point that im over it, I dont feel bad about it either it is what is.

Maybe you’ll eventually come back to it in a different way.  Cruise or skate bowls or whatever you haven’t done, but I totally get where you are coming from. 
I really think that is what separates people is the willingness to take on new ways of being in the world.
Not everyone is willing to do that. 
Respect.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on February 25, 2024, 04:51:45 PM
Thanks dudes I thought I was gonna be a law breaker piece of shit all my life, I used to want to press ecstacy and xanax and now I just want a stable career that pays good and a chill girl. My mindset from getting sober has changed so much.

I dropped out of highschool so Im thinking about trucking for swift for a few years maybe to get my bread up.

Im still gonna get my thrashers and stay up on the skate shit.

one day at a time. you need to get those thoughts/memories/regrets about the lost btc and DNM dreams out of your mind before you do anything. one step at a time
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: type on February 25, 2024, 05:15:29 PM
Trust me Im not worried about that shit, it just haunts my dreams
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: mfweeno on February 26, 2024, 01:10:47 PM
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I think im done skating for good. Like drugs it just feels like something I need to move forward from. I skated from kindergarten till 32 non stop, all I have to show for is im kinda good at skating. Maybe because drugs and skating were so intertwined for me, I never piled out and stopped skating, I would do drugs and skate, my favorite combo. I kinda feel at this point I can only skate if im high. Thats all I cared about was drugs and skating.

Really Im just ready to move forward with my life and focus on the things I never focused on like getting a career and a relationship. Disability denied my claim and I dont feel like appealing it, Im just ready to start moving forward and skating just isnt important to me anymore.

I dunno, maybe Ill just take a break and revisit it in the future, I think it would maybe be fun relearning stuff in the future.

Im just at that point that im over it, I dont feel bad about it either it is what is.
[close]

Maybe you’ll eventually come back to it in a different way.  Cruise or skate bowls or whatever you haven’t done, but I totally get where you are coming from. 
I really think that is what separates people is the willingness to take on new ways of being in the world.
Not everyone is willing to do that. 

Respect.

This really spoke to me this afternoon. I think this willingness is foundational to living an actively sober life - it's also the hardest part and something I have to come to grips with myself daily.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Peter Zagreus on February 26, 2024, 02:33:09 PM
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I think im done skating for good. Like drugs it just feels like something I need to move forward from. I skated from kindergarten till 32 non stop, all I have to show for is im kinda good at skating. Maybe because drugs and skating were so intertwined for me, I never piled out and stopped skating, I would do drugs and skate, my favorite combo. I kinda feel at this point I can only skate if im high. Thats all I cared about was drugs and skating.

Really Im just ready to move forward with my life and focus on the things I never focused on like getting a career and a relationship. Disability denied my claim and I dont feel like appealing it, Im just ready to start moving forward and skating just isnt important to me anymore.

I dunno, maybe Ill just take a break and revisit it in the future, I think it would maybe be fun relearning stuff in the future.

Im just at that point that im over it, I dont feel bad about it either it is what is.
[close]

Maybe you’ll eventually come back to it in a different way.  Cruise or skate bowls or whatever you haven’t done, but I totally get where you are coming from. 
I really think that is what separates people is the willingness to take on new ways of being in the world.
Not everyone is willing to do that. 

Respect.
[close]

This really spoke to me this afternoon. I think this willingness is foundational to living an actively sober life - it's also the hardest part and something I have to come to grips with myself daily.

Here, here!
I'll tack my little thought onto the line here: I'm 34 years old going on 35. Alcohol was always my drug of choice. I went sober for ~year long stretches at two different points in my 20s, both of them basically to appease the two women with whom I've been in long term relationships. The latter of these women is now my wife, and the period of sobriety which I undertook for her sake ended a few years ago when we both agreed that it was unhealthy, for my own psychology and for the health of our relationship, for me to go sober for her sake instead of my own. I needed to be actively, not passively, sober, or what was the point? A few months ago, after a couple of years of heavy but relatively orderly drinking (I'd picked up some maturity and restraint along the way!), I had a bad night where I drank way too much, for no discernible reason, and my wife found me blacked out in the bathroom. When she woke me up, I stood up and basically fainted (it felt like passing out from heat exhaustion) and almost hit my head on the edge of the tub. I didn't quit drinking for a couple of weeks after that, but I knew without reservation that I was soon going to, and now that I've stopped, I have to say that it feels different from the other times I've quit (knock on wood).

Circling back around to the "finding different ways of being in the world" point, I think the thing that strikes me now that didn't really strike me in my late teens and 20s, no matter how fucked up I got, and no matter how many times I actually did put my life on the line while I was "being in the world" under the influence, is that my time in the world is really limited. Given an average lifespan, I'm likely halfway through my life; in my prime in some ways, but the cracks are beginning to show (as they will) and I'm having to come to terms with the fact that I will only live to do and be so much, and that the decisions that I make will have some binding effect on the way the rest of my life plays out. This isn't a new thought to me - in fact, some of my most primal fears have always been bound up with the notion that choices are binding, that I can't just be anything or anyone I want, that on some level I have to "become who I am." For so long I think I was just letting the booze choose for me, and I think I could see how that was playing out and I just finally had enough. I have to remind myself that the choices that come up are a privilege and that I've got to show up to make them before they are made for me. Or maybe what I'm saying is that I finally don't have to remind myself...that it has become clear to me in a way that I can't unsee or ignore.



Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: the_dangery_bois on February 26, 2024, 03:30:32 PM
Damn…
Slap is going DEEP!

“my most primal fears have always been bound up with the notion that choices are binding, that I can't just be anything or anyone I want, that on some level I have to "become who I am”

Yep.  100%.
That is me, too.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: JoseCansnake0 on February 26, 2024, 06:49:48 PM
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I think im done skating for good. Like drugs it just feels like something I need to move forward from. I skated from kindergarten till 32 non stop, all I have to show for is im kinda good at skating. Maybe because drugs and skating were so intertwined for me, I never piled out and stopped skating, I would do drugs and skate, my favorite combo. I kinda feel at this point I can only skate if im high. Thats all I cared about was drugs and skating.

Really Im just ready to move forward with my life and focus on the things I never focused on like getting a career and a relationship. Disability denied my claim and I dont feel like appealing it, Im just ready to start moving forward and skating just isnt important to me anymore.

I dunno, maybe Ill just take a break and revisit it in the future, I think it would maybe be fun relearning stuff in the future.

Im just at that point that im over it, I dont feel bad about it either it is what is.
[close]

Maybe you’ll eventually come back to it in a different way.  Cruise or skate bowls or whatever you haven’t done, but I totally get where you are coming from. 
I really think that is what separates people is the willingness to take on new ways of being in the world.
Not everyone is willing to do that. 

Respect.
[close]

This really spoke to me this afternoon. I think this willingness is foundational to living an actively sober life - it's also the hardest part and something I have to come to grips with myself daily.
[close]

Here, here!
I'll tack my little thought onto the line here: I'm 34 years old going on 35. Alcohol was always my drug of choice. I went sober for ~year long stretches at two different points in my 20s, both of them basically to appease the two women with whom I've been in long term relationships. The latter of these women is now my wife, and the period of sobriety which I undertook for her sake ended a few years ago when we both agreed that it was unhealthy, for my own psychology and for the health of our relationship, for me to go sober for her sake instead of my own. I needed to be actively, not passively, sober, or what was the point? A few months ago, after a couple of years of heavy but relatively orderly drinking (I'd picked up some maturity and restraint along the way!), I had a bad night where I drank way too much, for no discernible reason, and my wife found me blacked out in the bathroom. When she woke me up, I stood up and basically fainted (it felt like passing out from heat exhaustion) and almost hit my head on the edge of the tub. I didn't quit drinking for a couple of weeks after that, but I knew without reservation that I was soon going to, and now that I've stopped, I have to say that it feels different from the other time's I've quit (knock on wood).

Circling back around to the "finding different ways of being in the world" point, I think the thing that strikes me now that didn't really strike me in my late teens and 20s, no matter how fucked up I got, and no matter how many times I actually did put my life on the line while I was "being in the world" under the influence, is that my time in the world is really limited. Given an average lifespan, I'm likely halfway through my life; in my prime in some ways, but the cracks are beginning to show (as they will) and I'm having to come to terms with the fact that I will only live to do and be so much, and that the decisions that I make will have some binding effect on the way the rest of my life plays out. This isn't a new thought to me - in fact, some of my most primal fears have always been bound up with the notion that choices are binding, that I can't just be anything or anyone I want, that on some level I have to "become who I am." For so long I think I was just letting the booze choose for me, and I think I could see how that was playing out and I just finally had enough. I have to remind myself that the choices that come up are a privilege and that I've got to show up to make them before they are made for me. Or maybe what I'm saying is that I finally don't have to remind myself...that it has become clear to me in a way that I can't unsee or ignore.

Fuck yah Peter. High Five!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Enrico Pallazzo on February 27, 2024, 08:45:13 AM
Just celebrated 1 year over the past weekend. Since my son was born about 2 months after I stopped drinking entirely (was only sparsely drinking before), this past year has been wild in terms of changes in habits, friends, free time, etc. But being present through it all and always ready to help out has been amazing.

My anxiety has improved a good amount, I’m eating relatively healthy and exercising when I get some time, I think the last step for me to where I can really feel like I’m nailing it and being the person I want to be is kicking my phone addiction. Feels so silly having removed alcohol and caffeine and being worried about this, but I just hate how much time I spend plugged in. I’ve tried to go cold turkey a few times but I always back in the same loops, so gonna try to find a book or some other resource.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 27, 2024, 06:39:56 PM
Dealing with some bad family problems - I’m lucky in that I’ve never really had them before, as I know many people do, but I’m unlucky in that I don’t really have a playbook for dealing with them. Positive side - I’ve not been tempted, at all, to drink about it. I’ll have 2 months without booze Friday.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: No-pants Pee Hands on February 27, 2024, 08:38:59 PM
First time posting but today marks 36 days of sobriety. So far loving the clarity, and thank a lot of previous posters for sharing their stories and progress, super inspiring and supportive!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on February 28, 2024, 05:03:55 AM
Just celebrated 1 year over the past weekend. Since my son was born about 2 months after I stopped drinking entirely (was only sparsely drinking before), this past year has been wild in terms of changes in habits, friends, free time, etc. But being present through it all and always ready to help out has been amazing.

My anxiety has improved a good amount, I’m eating relatively healthy and exercising when I get some time, I think the last step for me to where I can really feel like I’m nailing it and being the person I want to be is kicking my phone addiction. Feels so silly having removed alcohol and caffeine and being worried about this, but I just hate how much time I spend plugged in. I’ve tried to go cold turkey a few times but I always back in the same loops, so gonna try to find a book or some other resource.

No this isn't silly at all, I'm right there with you. Not so much the phone itself but social media. I'm not even all that active, but the passive scrolling and letting things get to me that I choose to subject myself to; those things kind of need to go. There can be enough negativity in real life, I don't need to keep adding to it. I was thinking when I hit two years sober next month I might give myself the gift of deactivating all socials. We'll see. And congrats on 1 year!!!

Dealing with some bad family problems - I’m lucky in that I’ve never really had them before, as I know many people do, but I’m unlucky in that I don’t really have a playbook for dealing with them. Positive side - I’ve not been tempted, at all, to drink about it. I’ll have 2 months without booze Friday.

Thinking of you pal I've been super lucky to have become a lot closer with family both close and extended, as a result of my sobriety. But there were some years where I was definitely the one that was the problem (not willing to connect, distant, etc.) Hope things smooth out soon and I'll come back Friday to say congrats, but congrats  :)

First time posting but today marks 36 days of sobriety. So far loving the clarity, and thank a lot of previous posters for sharing their stories and progress, super inspiring and supportive!

Lets gooo, keep it up!

_

Work has continued to kind of kick my ass lately but I had a revelation in that I would rather be my authentic self in these situations rather than forcing myself to act a different way. What I mean by that is I have a real desire for people to succeed in what they're doing, and I work in education, so you may see how that could kinda drive you crazy. Anyway, I'm gonna keep doing what I feel is right to the best of my ability even if that means over extending myself. I tried to get away from that but it's just how I operate. Good outta the "bad" or tough, I suppose.

Been applying for new jobs and looking to relocate within the next few months so I'm hoping something will land soon. I feel like I'm ready to start the next chapter of my life, wouldn't have been possible at all with out sobriety. The waiting sucks but it feels good to feel confident and hopeful.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on February 28, 2024, 11:54:19 AM
^thank you fellow slapper. I’m lucky that my whole family is super supportive of my sobriety and they’re all very happy for me. I’m also lucky I was a happy/outwardly functional drunk so I didn’t burn bridges or lose contact with folks.

Honestly, having work stress, family/life things all happen at once during this new journey of not drinking is kind of a blessing in that I’m being forced to figure out navigating life challenges without booze.

Hope everyone else has a great day
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 28, 2024, 01:59:37 PM
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Just celebrated 1 year over the past weekend. Since my son was born about 2 months after I stopped drinking entirely (was only sparsely drinking before), this past year has been wild in terms of changes in habits, friends, free time, etc. But being present through it all and always ready to help out has been amazing.

My anxiety has improved a good amount, I’m eating relatively healthy and exercising when I get some time, I think the last step for me to where I can really feel like I’m nailing it and being the person I want to be is kicking my phone addiction. Feels so silly having removed alcohol and caffeine and being worried about this, but I just hate how much time I spend plugged in. I’ve tried to go cold turkey a few times but I always back in the same loops, so gonna try to find a book or some other resource.
[close]

No this isn't silly at all, I'm right there with you. Not so much the phone itself but social media. I'm not even all that active, but the passive scrolling and letting things get to me that I choose to subject myself to; those things kind of need to go. There can be enough negativity in real life, I don't need to keep adding to it. I was thinking when I hit two years sober next month I might give myself the gift of deactivating all socials. We'll see. And congrats on 1 year!!!

I don't know if that works on all phones. But I activated a timer on my phone, so that I can only use 40 minutes of Instagram per day, after those 40 minutes the app closes itself. That was a huge step in the right direction for me personally. I started with 2 hours per day and now I am at 40 minutes. And most days, I don't use that 40 minutes.

Stay strong and healthy ya all pals.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on February 28, 2024, 04:54:06 PM
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Just celebrated 1 year over the past weekend. Since my son was born about 2 months after I stopped drinking entirely (was only sparsely drinking before), this past year has been wild in terms of changes in habits, friends, free time, etc. But being present through it all and always ready to help out has been amazing.

My anxiety has improved a good amount, I’m eating relatively healthy and exercising when I get some time, I think the last step for me to where I can really feel like I’m nailing it and being the person I want to be is kicking my phone addiction. Feels so silly having removed alcohol and caffeine and being worried about this, but I just hate how much time I spend plugged in. I’ve tried to go cold turkey a few times but I always back in the same loops, so gonna try to find a book or some other resource.
[close]

No this isn't silly at all, I'm right there with you. Not so much the phone itself but social media. I'm not even all that active, but the passive scrolling and letting things get to me that I choose to subject myself to; those things kind of need to go. There can be enough negativity in real life, I don't need to keep adding to it. I was thinking when I hit two years sober next month I might give myself the gift of deactivating all socials. We'll see. And congrats on 1 year!!!
[close]

I don't know if that works on all phones. But I activated a timer on my phone, so that I can only use 40 minutes of Instagram per day, after those 40 minutes the app closes itself. That was a huge step in the right direction for me personally. I started with 2 hours per day and now I am at 40 minutes. And most days, I don't use that 40 minutes.

Stay strong and healthy ya all pals.

I really need to do the same. What is the name of the app you use and is it iPhone or android?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fs1/2cab on February 28, 2024, 11:34:53 PM
I have a Samsung phone, so it is android. As far as I can tell, that is a standard app on android devices.

You go into settings, there should be something called digital wellbeing. Open that. Now they show you which app you used the most. Scroll a bit down and there should be something called app-timer. Select the app and choose how many daily minutes you want to use it. Wait, I take a screenshot how it looks on my phone.

(https://i.postimg.cc/W4FPC0QP/Screenshot-20240229-081830-Digital-Wellbeing.jpg)

I hope my explainations made sense.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on February 29, 2024, 07:22:37 AM
I hit 8 months today. I'm honestly not even thinking about alcohol these days and very much stoked on getting my old self back. Only recent incident was traveling back from a trip to California and being exhausted in the airport with a long day of travel ahead of me. I thought about "man this is the kind of situation that drinking was made for" but that's about as far as it went.


Just celebrated 1 year over the past weekend. Since my son was born about 2 months after I stopped drinking entirely (was only sparsely drinking before), this past year has been wild in terms of changes in habits, friends, free time, etc. But being present through it all and always ready to help out has been amazing.

My anxiety has improved a good amount, I’m eating relatively healthy and exercising when I get some time, I think the last step for me to where I can really feel like I’m nailing it and being the person I want to be is kicking my phone addiction. Feels so silly having removed alcohol and caffeine and being worried about this, but I just hate how much time I spend plugged in. I’ve tried to go cold turkey a few times but I always back in the same loops, so gonna try to find a book or some other resource.

I wish I had timed it with the birth of my kids and your insights are spot on. My wife and I fought a lot because I was too tired after 8 to do much of anything because I was winding down with a drink.

Dealing with some bad family problems - I’m lucky in that I’ve never really had them before, as I know many people do, but I’m unlucky in that I don’t really have a playbook for dealing with them. Positive side - I’ve not been tempted, at all, to drink about it. I’ll have 2 months without booze Friday.

that's awesome. i'm guessing you've gotten to the point where you are glad you aren't drinking as it helps you navigate the stressful things easier. i loss half of my income and had to put my dog down the first month i quit and it was way easier to navigate sober.

First time posting but today marks 36 days of sobriety. So far loving the clarity, and thank a lot of previous posters for sharing their stories and progress, super inspiring and supportive!

36 days is a big milestone, i bet you are feeling amazing. congratulations!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: pugmaster on February 29, 2024, 11:04:24 AM
I have a Samsung phone, so it is android. As far as I can tell, that is a standard app on android devices.

You go into settings, there should be something called digital wellbeing. Open that. Now they show you which app you used the most. Scroll a bit down and there should be something called app-timer. Select the app and choose how many daily minutes you want to use it. Wait, I take a screenshot how it looks on my phone.

(https://i.postimg.cc/W4FPC0QP/Screenshot-20240229-081830-Digital-Wellbeing.jpg)

I hope my explainations made sense.

Thanks!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on March 09, 2024, 03:51:44 AM
2 years today Pals. Thankful to have this safe space for my sobriety ramblings, appreciate all of you! On to the next, one day at a time.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on March 09, 2024, 09:49:24 AM
15 months lezzgooo
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Enrico Pallazzo on March 09, 2024, 10:55:23 AM
Huge milestones in this thread, gets me so stoked to read through it. Congrats to everybody whether it’s 12 years or 12 hours.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on March 09, 2024, 12:17:00 PM
2 years, 15 months, I’m sure I missed a few…fuck yeah fam! Y’all are crushing it. I hit 2 months last week and things are still on the up. Funny timing for sobriety too - suddenly bars/stores by me have way more NA beers and other beverage options than they did in the past. Really enjoying being able to go out and not just drink Diet Coke or soda water.

Definitely notice other substances (caffeine, nicotine, THC, OTC meds etc) hit me way more noticeably now that my brain isn’t pickled all the time. I smoked a cigar to celebrate something a few weeks ago and realized I hadn’t had nicotine without substantial amounts of booze in at least a decade. Shit hit me like a train - it was midnight and I had to walk around for 2 hours in the rain after to get even remotely tired enough to sleep  ;D
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: FUBAR on March 09, 2024, 02:51:11 PM
Just dropping by to say hell yeah to all of you making positive changes! If you are struggling and/or going through some shit, we are here for you. We’ve all been around the block at this point.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on March 18, 2024, 08:36:41 AM
Traveled this weekend for the first time since quitting booze and man, travel is definitely a trigger for me. Or at least, all my habits while traveling have been centered around drinking. Didn’t drink but definitely dealt with a really wide range of emotions. I think my brain was trying to figure out what the fuck to do in a new place and free time and none of my routines from at home. Normally traveling meant drink on the way there, bar hop the whole time being there, suffer or hair of the dog the whole way back.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: LUGR on March 18, 2024, 09:56:06 PM
Traveled this weekend for the first time since quitting booze and man, travel is definitely a trigger for me. Or at least, all my habits while traveling have been centered around drinking. Didn’t drink but definitely dealt with a really wide range of emotions. I think my brain was trying to figure out what the fuck to do in a new place and free time and none of my routines from at home. Normally traveling meant drink on the way there, bar hop the whole time being there, suffer or hair of the dog the whole way back.

Man, totally relate to this and have been thinking about it a lot lately. I was always a really big traveler going all over the world. But I am now worried about getting out of my current routine comfort zone and getting back on the sauce to cope with those disruptions. When ever I traveled I was drinking before, during and on the way back everyday. Hopefully I can figure out a way to do it, probably need to start small and not jump into some big international trip or anything.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on March 19, 2024, 08:23:37 AM
props to all sharing updates! always feels good reading these updates.

Expand Quote
Traveled this weekend for the first time since quitting booze and man, travel is definitely a trigger for me. Or at least, all my habits while traveling have been centered around drinking. Didn’t drink but definitely dealt with a really wide range of emotions. I think my brain was trying to figure out what the fuck to do in a new place and free time and none of my routines from at home. Normally traveling meant drink on the way there, bar hop the whole time being there, suffer or hair of the dog the whole way back.
[close]

Man, totally relate to this and have been thinking about it a lot lately. I was always a really big traveler going all over the world. But I am now worried about getting out of my current routine comfort zone and getting back on the sauce to cope with those disruptions. When ever I traveled I was drinking before, during and on the way back everyday. Hopefully I can figure out a way to do it, probably need to start small and not jump into some big international trip or anything.

only time i thought about drinking recently was traveling. i was stuck in an airport, tired and had a long day of traveling ahead of me.

"this is the kind of situation that drinking is made for..."

but it was a fleeting thought. i'm more or less in a new mental space where my nights are about resting up so i can have a killer day and not about unwinding from a shitty day.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Huell Howser on March 19, 2024, 09:09:08 AM
Coming up on 3 years without drinking next week. life is still hard(that ain’t changin) but 1000x more manageable. way less reactionary to bullshit and quicker to fix problems.

I have forgotten until day of the last two years to try and do something to “celebrate” the time passing so it’s been lackluster, but this year I’m going to do it up. Maybe go eat a nice/fancy dinner…

anyone else do anything when they hit milestones?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on March 19, 2024, 09:10:06 AM
props to all sharing updates! always feels good reading these updates.

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Traveled this weekend for the first time since quitting booze and man, travel is definitely a trigger for me. Or at least, all my habits while traveling have been centered around drinking. Didn’t drink but definitely dealt with a really wide range of emotions. I think my brain was trying to figure out what the fuck to do in a new place and free time and none of my routines from at home. Normally traveling meant drink on the way there, bar hop the whole time being there, suffer or hair of the dog the whole way back.
[close]

Man, totally relate to this and have been thinking about it a lot lately. I was always a really big traveler going all over the world. But I am now worried about getting out of my current routine comfort zone and getting back on the sauce to cope with those disruptions. When ever I traveled I was drinking before, during and on the way back everyday. Hopefully I can figure out a way to do it, probably need to start small and not jump into some big international trip or anything.
[close]

only time i thought about drinking recently was traveling. i was stuck in an airport, tired and had a long day of traveling ahead of me.

"this is the kind of situation that drinking is made for..."

but it was a fleeting thought. i'm more or less in a new mental space where my nights are about resting up so i can have a killer day and not about unwinding from a shitty day.

I was literally thinking about this as my morning was kind of going to shit today, just thankful to at least not be dealing with a hangover and being dehydrated on top of already being frustrated with the mornings sequence of events and an already upset stomach. Could be worse, it has been worse, but at least I'm doing my best to not make it worse today.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on March 19, 2024, 09:14:32 AM
Coming up on 3 years without drinking next week. life is still hard(that ain’t changin) but 1000x more manageable. way less reactionary to bullshit and quicker to fix problems.

I have forgotten until day of the last two years to try and do something to “celebrate” the time passing so it’s been lackluster, but this year I’m going to do it up. Maybe go eat a nice/fancy dinner…

anyone else do anything when they hit milestones?

I did order in some excellent pizza when I hit two years recently, but otherwise the day was pretty normal with the added pat on the back I gave myself when I woke up. It's funny, I'm not much of a going out person but I did kind of want to go get dinner somewhere with family but it just didn't work out that weekend. If I'm lucky, I'll have more milestones to do that another time. Congrats on the incoming 3 years, huge accomplishment!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Frank and Fred on March 19, 2024, 09:18:16 AM
last beer was on boxing day (dec 26th) not sure where i am going from here.... but really not missing it...
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on March 19, 2024, 11:01:55 AM
props to all sharing updates! always feels good reading these updates.

Expand Quote
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Traveled this weekend for the first time since quitting booze and man, travel is definitely a trigger for me. Or at least, all my habits while traveling have been centered around drinking. Didn’t drink but definitely dealt with a really wide range of emotions. I think my brain was trying to figure out what the fuck to do in a new place and free time and none of my routines from at home. Normally traveling meant drink on the way there, bar hop the whole time being there, suffer or hair of the dog the whole way back.
[close]

Man, totally relate to this and have been thinking about it a lot lately. I was always a really big traveler going all over the world. But I am now worried about getting out of my current routine comfort zone and getting back on the sauce to cope with those disruptions. When ever I traveled I was drinking before, during and on the way back everyday. Hopefully I can figure out a way to do it, probably need to start small and not jump into some big international trip or anything.
[close]

only time i thought about drinking recently was traveling. i was stuck in an airport, tired and had a long day of traveling ahead of me.

"this is the kind of situation that drinking is made for..."

but it was a fleeting thought. i'm more or less in a new mental space where my nights are about resting up so i can have a killer day and not about unwinding from a shitty day.

Really encouraging to hear I’m not alone in these particular feelings. I have therapy today and it’ll be great to dissect this a bit there as well.

Definitely enjoying my days more without alcohol - I was totally rushing through work/chores/whatever before to get to the point in the day where I could justify starting drinking.

Congrats to those of yall hitting milestones now/soon!
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on March 19, 2024, 12:52:46 PM
it gets easier the longer you go. i'm somewhere around 9 years off the fermented sauce. I once asked this older cat who mentored me why they quit drinking and he said "i never would have gotten anything done other than drinking if I kept drinking." sometimes it helps to take inventory of what i've gotten done and am doing that most likely wouldn't have happened were i still getting fucked up

-i'm alive and pretty well when most of the old ones passed on
-working mostly for myself since around the time i stopped
-traveled all over creation
-earned a master's degree
-got a home with no help
-been with the same partner in a good, strong relationship
-im skating on the regular
-building relationships with important and skilled members of my chosen field
-avoided unintended kids or diseases
-learned to fix/repair engines and cars in general
-learned to train a dog to a higher than basic pet level
-no record
-no dui

i'm not posting this to gloat or boast, but just taking stock on a particularly shitty feeling day to remind myself that life is alright and it's a long journey. before i got kicked outta boot camp the thing that stuck was "the days are long, but the months fly by." life is like that sometimes, ya know?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on March 20, 2024, 09:41:06 AM
Expand Quote
props to all sharing updates! always feels good reading these updates.

Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Traveled this weekend for the first time since quitting booze and man, travel is definitely a trigger for me. Or at least, all my habits while traveling have been centered around drinking. Didn’t drink but definitely dealt with a really wide range of emotions. I think my brain was trying to figure out what the fuck to do in a new place and free time and none of my routines from at home. Normally traveling meant drink on the way there, bar hop the whole time being there, suffer or hair of the dog the whole way back.
[close]

Man, totally relate to this and have been thinking about it a lot lately. I was always a really big traveler going all over the world. But I am now worried about getting out of my current routine comfort zone and getting back on the sauce to cope with those disruptions. When ever I traveled I was drinking before, during and on the way back everyday. Hopefully I can figure out a way to do it, probably need to start small and not jump into some big international trip or anything.
[close]

only time i thought about drinking recently was traveling. i was stuck in an airport, tired and had a long day of traveling ahead of me.

"this is the kind of situation that drinking is made for..."

but it was a fleeting thought. i'm more or less in a new mental space where my nights are about resting up so i can have a killer day and not about unwinding from a shitty day.
[close]

Really encouraging to hear I’m not alone in these particular feelings. I have therapy today and it’ll be great to dissect this a bit there as well.

Definitely enjoying my days more without alcohol - I was totally rushing through work/chores/whatever before to get to the point in the day where I could justify starting drinking.

Congrats to those of yall hitting milestones now/soon!

my wife and i talk a lot about being freed from the mental baggage of drinking and the race to happy hour everyday was a big part of it. it's just there on your mind all day. then other parts being annoyed when you eat out because it takes so long to get your drink. having to plan your workouts and fitness around having enough calories to dedicate to alcohol. i'm bored more than i used to be but also free from that mental baggage.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Natas_Fauxas on March 20, 2024, 03:38:31 PM
Still here still sober. I have a craving for some whiskey every once in a while. I just do something else to try to forget. Do the cravings ever go away? Or am i gonna have that forever?
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Coastal Fever on March 21, 2024, 10:24:12 AM
I thought travelling would be rough without booze as well, but then I went on a solo road trip and it was amazing.  So much more time and energy to actually see and do things.  No planning around drinking or not drinking, just pure freedom.  A brewery is a brewery, a glass of wine is a glass of wine.  The things you’ll see and experience away from home are worth so much more than a slightly different drink.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: fuhkin_powahfood_kid on March 22, 2024, 11:16:44 AM
I thought travelling would be rough without booze as well, but then I went on a solo road trip and it was amazing.  So much more time and energy to actually see and do things.  No planning around drinking or not drinking, just pure freedom.  A brewery is a brewery, a glass of wine is a glass of wine.  The things you’ll see and experience away from home are worth so much more than a slightly different drink.

Wait. Wait. Wait. Whaaaaat!?! You planned around drinking? Damn, G. Sorry to hear that 😂

Only thing i planned was to never run out. I drank all the time. On the road. On the rails. In the air. Walking in the park. Riding a bike… GROSS!!!

Glad you’re alive, dood. Glad you’re well and enjoying the fruits of life
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: phony sock on March 22, 2024, 10:33:48 PM
i put the bottle down in 2023. i was just about dead. a breathing corpse.

im slowly getting better. now im just hoping i can stick with the program and stay sober.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on March 24, 2024, 09:18:02 PM
I'll be thee months no booze in a few weeks. I've been craving sweets like a mother fucker though...chocolate bars and candy, even Pepsi and pop. I don't normally have a sweet tooth, and I never would drink pop. One of the dollar stores in my city has these weird Turkish chocolate bars, amd ones called 4fun and it's absolutely delicious and is only 60¢. I'm not proud , but I've been crushing those.

Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: radcunt on March 24, 2024, 09:49:13 PM
Just reading through this thread and wanna give all you guys who have kicked, trying or thinking about kicking booze a shoutout for making sick life changing moves.  It's fucked how hard it is to quit as it's so available, encouraged and easy to self medicate with it.  Inspiring shit, love it.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: hmmoookay on March 25, 2024, 05:02:25 AM
I'll be thee months no booze in a few weeks. I've been craving sweets like a mother fucker though...chocolate bars and candy, even Pepsi and pop. I don't normally have a sweet tooth, and I never would drink pop. One of the dollar stores in my city has these weird Turkish chocolate bars, amd ones called 4fun and it's absolutely delicious and is only 60¢. I'm not proud , but I've been crushing those.

I was never a big sweets guy until I quit drinking, you'll eventually phase out of it, enjoy it for now though haha. If you're lucky, you'll strike a nice balance. I did for a bit but now I can hardly get through a whole soda without just kinda being over it, which I guess is a healthy balance I suppose, but sometimes I find it hard to enjoy sweets now. I'm sure my body is happier for it though! Congrats on three months!  :)
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Sleazy on March 25, 2024, 05:49:18 AM
Still here still sober. I have a craving for some whiskey every once in a while. I just do something else to try to forget. Do the cravings ever go away? Or am i gonna have that forever?

i'm in the 8-9 month range and cravings stopped for me probably 2-3 months in, maybe more. i then had more situational cravings, in restaurants, etc. but those went away for me around 6 month mark. these days when i see other people drinking it just reinforces me because it looks unhealthy to me now like smoking cigarettes or something like that.

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I'll be thee months no booze in a few weeks. I've been craving sweets like a mother fucker though...chocolate bars and candy, even Pepsi and pop. I don't normally have a sweet tooth, and I never would drink pop. One of the dollar stores in my city has these weird Turkish chocolate bars, amd ones called 4fun and it's absolutely delicious and is only 60¢. I'm not proud , but I've been crushing those.
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I was never a big sweets guy until I quit drinking, you'll eventually phase out of it, enjoy it for now though haha. If you're lucky, you'll strike a nice balance. I did for a bit but now I can hardly get through a whole soda without just kinda being over it, which I guess is a healthy balance I suppose, but sometimes I find it hard to enjoy sweets now. I'm sure my body is happier for it though! Congrats on three months!  :)

i eat way more sweets but there was definitely a spike and then flattening of the curve. we are on our first night of spring break and i hung out playing video games and listening to music with my 13 and 16 year old and then we did a late night mission to get their first malt shakes at whataburger and candy at the corner store. blasted music the whole way. it was pretty much today's version of partying for me. up at 6:30 and feel great this morning.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: Ankle_Lift on March 25, 2024, 08:25:59 AM
Good news that the sugar craving will subside. I've never been a big sugar guy, it's terrible for you. Plus my kid will eat candy at any possible chance so if I have candy I have to share it with her.

A guy at work had the whole work crew of dudes, about 10, over to his place two weeks ago after work on a Friday to hang out in his shop and he fed us and had snacks and stuff, big drinking session as well.

I stuck to the NA Coronas and left at 930, felt great when i woke at six to go to the ski hill and take the kid to ski lessons and ride while she was in her lessons.
When I heard about their hang overs on monday, It brought back that hangover anxiety feeling, on their part.
I don't miss that feeling, at all. You know the feeling, "hangxiety"? you wake up, and you don't know what happened, what you did, who you pissed of, or what you ended up breaking?

Pile that on with the daily anxiety and no wonder I was a mess.
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: NoComply180 on March 25, 2024, 01:48:42 PM
Shout out to everyone who has updated in the thread recently. I have a really good support group of friends/family but I find that the anonymous group setting here is really nice too because there’s no pressure or anything personal really, we’re just internet strangers with similar goals.

I also noticed the sweets craving/food cravings in general. I didn’t give them much thought because my main focus is kicking booze and whatever I gotta do to get there (within reason) I’m ok with. I’ve been eating more and eating more treats and I’m still down 12 lbs since January.


I’m getting absolutely crushed at work right now - I’m in tech and pretty sure my company is gearing up for more layoffs. The good news is even though my anxiety is through the roof, I’m not sleeping, etc - drinking hasn’t been an appealing thought. I think I’m slowly getting better at dealing with emotions and life’s ups and downs instead of trying to push them away or temporarily blunt them with 12 old fashioneds

Hope everybody has a great week ahead of them
Title: Re: SOBRIETY
Post by: ralf_ on March 28, 2024, 02:58:01 PM
Shout out to everyone who has updated in the thread recently. I have a really good support group of friends/family but I find that the anonymous group setting here is really nice too because there’s no pressure or anything personal really, we’re just internet strangers with similar goals.

I also noticed the sweets craving/food cravings in general. I didn’t give them much thought because my main focus is kicking booze and whatever I gotta do to get there (within reason) I’m ok with. I’ve been eating more and eating more treats and I’m still down 12 lbs since January.


I’m getting absolutely crushed at work right now - I’m in tech and pretty sure my company is gearing up for more layoffs. The good news is even though my anxiety is through the roof, I’m not sleeping, etc - drinking hasn’t been an appealing thought. I think I’m slowly getting better at dealing with emotions and life’s ups and downs instead of trying to push them away or temporarily blunt them with 12 old fashioneds

Hope everybody has a great week ahead of them

and if you're loosing the job you'll get another one eventually my g!