being sober blows

[Leo_Gnardo]

Yo cbass! On then off the wagon... did much the same last summer for a totally different reason. Mid June my car quit workin' and while I perused craigslist & other methods of finding suitable wheels, had to walk back n forth to the grocery. Not a huge hike, maybe 3 miles round trip, but in the hottest streak of weather all summer. I resolved only to carry the necessities, and that did not include alcoholic beverages. Also, took my grocery hikes early in the morning to avoid the worst heat of the day, but it still was no picnic. Amazingly I lost about 25 pounds, in only 5 weeks! By then I located a car I liked and could afford - big surprise it's almost identical to my old one just 5 years newer. It's a Jeep Cherokee 2001, one of those pokey little square things. Over the course of the last year, gained all that weight back. FEH!

Stay happy, stay healthy, all things in moderation. Well, safe things anyway. I think you're already in a frame of mind to avoid the unsafe ones.

[Colossal]

Yo cbass! On then off the wagon... did much the same last summer for a totally different reason. Mid June my car quit workin' and while I perused craigslist & other methods of finding suitable wheels, had to walk back n forth to the grocery. Not a huge hike, maybe 3 miles round trip, but in the hottest streak of weather all summer. I resolved only to carry the necessities, and that did not include alcoholic beverages. Also, took my grocery hikes early in the morning to avoid the worst heat of the day, but it still was no picnic. Amazingly I lost about 25 pounds, in only 5 weeks! By then I located a car I liked and could afford - big surprise it's almost identical to my old one just 5 years newer. It's a Jeep Cherokee 2001, one of those pokey little square things. Over the course of the last year, gained all that weight back. FEH!

I have been without a car for five years. What started as an experiment has turned into something that I don't want to end as long as I have to live in a major city. I am in a unique situation where I have access to very effective and well planned public transport. However, I walk everywhere, take the train or bus for longer or routine hauls, or barring that Uber, and then rent a car. Uber and rentals are very rare. I have 80 to 100 mile months on foot, so my phone's health app says. My grocery trips are 3 miles roundtrip. I do this with a small backpack and two hemp canvas bags. I have it down to a science. There is a lot of upside to it, but it's not for everyone and impossible for most. I go through a pair of good quality, US made New Balance once every six months But, I don't make car payments (save the money for a future car purchase), no insurance, no fuel, no maintenance. So shoes are my tires.

Stay happy, stay healthy, all things in moderation. Well, safe things anyway. I think you're already in a frame of mind to avoid the unsafe ones.

Everything in moderation....ahem...including moderation.

[boots]

Hey cbass, let me know how the sober thing goes. Good luck, man. I've been toying with the idea of giving up beer myself, but I like beer too damn much to stop. I only drink a couple beers each evening, but I do it every singly night of my life, almost. I went without beer for 5 days last month on a backpacking trip and didn't really miss it, and felt healthier and slept better too. But a soon as we came out of the woods, it was back at it again. It's just a habit. It doesn't help that Colorado has some of the best craft beers in the world.

[Gibsonman63]

I'm on this journey as well. Six days in now. Moderation has been difficult for me long term, my consumption seems to creep up over time, then I reset and start the cycle again. I have quit for over a year every decade of my adult life. This time I have a choice, bp meds or sobriety. I'm having a hard time turning off my brain at night to fall asleep, but I do feel more refreshed in the morning.

[Geeze]

It's been 39 years for me. I was the kid your parents warned you to stay away from. I was not casual - woke up with amphetamines drank and smoked until I passed out - I only hung out with others who shared my intake levels to fill a void. I quit [three trips to drug treatment - only works when the subject wants to quit BTW] when I figured out I was destined for long life of self induced pain and looking 60 if and when I got to 30.

The harsh reality for me - chemicals weren't my problem I was the problem.

To this day I still don't understand the concept of one - M&M, nacho or piece of pie. These days that means lots of amps and guitars.

I had to learn how to function in life without chemicals - for me that meant growing up [a condition I firmly resist as much as possible] spend more time being an asset to the people around me even when some of them could be vastly improved by killing. This learning process continues to this day - its amazing how rewarding it is. I have met and bonded with an amazing number of people and have done things I thought impossible. I am annoyed at the whole craft beer explosion happening now not then.

There's a line in the AA big book that talks about the motivation for going to bar or party - 'Are you going to add to the situation/festivities or take?' This is the lens I tend to view my actions. Most days I'm in the ADD zone - most wives fear me as a bad gear influence.

Being unhappy blows. I encourage you to reach out.

Russ

[Thermionic/EL-34]

I had 18 years continuous sobriety July 7th 2019. For a guy who went to 12 step meeting for 20 years & couldn't stop drinking i can say it does work & never stop trying.
I never have to drink or drug again & i never want to go back to the way things were prior to 2001.
As far as life in recovery goes we all go thru seasons in recovery but my worst day sober is miles better than my best day drunk.

[cbass]

Yo cbass! On then off the wagon... did much the same last summer for a totally different reason. Mid June my car quit workin' and while I perused craigslist & other methods of finding suitable wheels, had to walk back n forth to the grocery. Not a huge hike, maybe 3 miles round trip, but in the hottest streak of weather all summer. I resolved only to carry the necessities, and that did not include alcoholic beverages. Also, took my grocery hikes early in the morning to avoid the worst heat of the day, but it still was no picnic. Amazingly I lost about 25 pounds, in only 5 weeks! By then I located a car I liked and could afford - big surprise it's almost identical to my old one just 5 years newer. It's a Jeep Cherokee 2001, one of those pokey little square things. Over the course of the last year, gained all that weight back. FEH!

Stay happy, stay healthy, all things in moderation. Well, safe things anyway. I think you're already in a frame of mind to avoid the unsafe ones.

hey Leo good to hear from you. some exercise would probably do me some good. Its pretty rural here a trip to the grocery store would be a hell of a walk. ive relegated myself to light beer and no whiskey. if i could just get back to drinking a few beers at night i would be happy with myself. The last few years have been pretty rough amd my alcohol intake has steadily increased but i think I'm doing better.

[Charlie Wilson]

If sober blows than your not doing it right. I think the parents of the half a dozen or so like minded young adults we buried in the last year would disagree with the sober blows statement. Sorry, but for some people, it is a matter of life and death.
CW

[lpd]

thats all

Not from where I stand...28 years long term recovery and no regrets. Life can be a challenge at times but that’s life as the old saying goes

[pjd3]

Hi, my name is Phil and I'm an alcoholic. I've been sober 24 years.

I found the quality of my sobriety was directly contingent on how completely I surrendered to my affliction, and in particular, how thoroughly I ceased trying to hang on to controls on my defenses. As a devout atheist then it was a real ego crusher to admit that I had been had by this, and that whatever attitudes or notions I kept concerning my addiction where of no use to me, except for continued drinking and falling off the wagon. While puking into toilets not able to work or be effective as a human being any longer, it wasn't so far fetched to consider that perhaps there is something, anything higher than myself.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that giving up these controls and notions did not make me feel like "a hole in the donut" but did indeed allow me to develop a new depth of inner autonomy, freedom and strength that I couldn't have imagined while in the bondage of my drinking. And when I did finally totally (totally being the key element) surrender my control and take on the childs mind, it was about 4-6 months afterwards that I woke up one morning to realize that I had "zero" desire to medicate myself, that I had developed a state of content that no amount of drinking had ever alloted. It did feel like a miracle. Life didn't get easier, the shit was still in the bag burning on the front porch, but, through the surrender and work of recovery these things of life that used to floor and disable me were now totally manageable and no longer debilitating and overwhelming. One of the promises of recovery, and possible the greatest one was, "You will intuitively be able to handle situations that used to baffle you". What a gift that was, damn. Well, now, I have not been going to meeting as I used to, and can feel that old intolerance and overwhelm beginning to creep back into situations. In my moments of clarity I realize what this is, and know that its time to re-vitalize my status in the most important thing, which is a pro-active involvement in recovery. It ain't always easy but, its there for us "if" we want it.

Sincerely,

Phil D.

[lpd]

Wow a lot of active twelve step recovery members here!!! The recovery movement is really gaining traction in Canada. Many paths of recovery with individuals accessing meaningful and helpful journeys.