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Old 12-01-2015, 06:58 AM
  # 6 (permalink)  
ScottFromWI
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
There's no question that there is a void left in our lives once alcohol is gone. As bad as it was for us, it was still a big part of our lives. I remember feeling exactly the same way when I first quit, wondering how i'd ever be able to do ANYTHING without drinking. I drank when I mowed the lawn, cooked, went on vacation, did the dishes, pretty much all the time. How could I ever enjoy any of these things without a beer in my hand?

The good news is you can do all those things and enjoy them even more than you did before. In order to do that though you may need to take an inventory of what's really going on in your life. Some of us have underlying issues like anxiety/depression, etc that need to be treated. Others have physical issues from the damage that drinking did to our bodies that needs to heal. Most of us have relationship issues that sober time will help improve. For many, a structured sobriety plan like AA/NA, AVRT, etc will help address not only "not drinking", but many of the other issues.

One thing you'll also hear over in over is that "it takes time". And it's the last thing we want to hear as addicts...because by nature we want instant gratification. But unfortunately that's not the way the "real" world works. Accepting that things will improve over time if we let them is just as important as accepting our addiction.
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