Originally Posted by
Melina 
And when people would talk about self care, like suggesting a bubble bath or buying a special tea, I thought they were sooooooo lame. How was that ever going to scratch the itch that blackout drinking did? hat that day.
Me too!
I thought ... no friggin' way ... a cup of tea?? WTD? How silly. A cup of tea and lighting a candle was suggested by a therapist years ago. There was no way I could envision or imagine an enjoyable time without a bottle of wine (or multiple bottles).
After I got sober, it was a necessity - I had to find things to replace the ritual of drinking, and so at first it was with coffee, and later, tea. Also, there was ice-cream and chocolate
Working out, gardening, the beagles, and finally, once my head cleared a little, reading and writing. All those things tend to soothe me, albeit, in different ways.
And the LaCroix waters! Can't forget those. I always keep club soda, juice, and some lemons or limes. I replaced my old wine glasses with some semi-fancy French bee motif pedestal glasses.
Another thing, for many of us who are introverted, just making sure we have downtime and solitude is enough to qualify as self-care
You're doing great, Melina, keep it up
Finding ways to soothe, and even knowing that you need to self-soothe is excellent.