SOBRIETY

[IusedToSkateMore]

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 

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

[Mongey]

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.

[Easy Slider]

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).

[Pete]

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

[jaysouthbay]

for those who went sober, did you find that it sobriety had a positive affect on your skating?

if so, in what ways?

[IusedToSkateMore]

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

[Frank and Fred]

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.

[Abyss1]

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

[Miller92]

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

[Mongey]

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.

[straight]

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

[gaunting]

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.