MrPL

The last weeks have been busy with social activities for me, all of which would have been heavy drinking occasions in the past.


I said in a previous post that, by truly not waiting to have a drink, I was able to enjoy these experiences a lot more. Now I’d like to share some insights I had since writing that post.


I used to think drinking was an essential part of social experiences, that it was part of the fun. I was wrong, It isn’t.


I’d be a hypocrite if said I didn’t have fun drinking , but the point here is that drinking was a cause of “drinking fun”, not fun per se.


What I think is that alcohol (and other drugs in general) were replacing the true meaning of my experiences with “drinking fun” (and eventually “drinking not fun at all”). The occasions were formalities, they became opportunities for me to chase drinking fun at any cost. Alcohol was hijacking my moments!


The mistake I made was to believe “drinking fun” was real fun. I don’t know if because of addiction, or because I just always drank so couldn’t dissociate the two, but the effect is the same.


By ruling out the possibility of drinking I was forced to look at social situations in a different way. They have their own intrinsic fun, not linked to drinking at all, and all I needed to do was let myself enjoy things for what they are.

This was hard to do when drinking was still an option (even if a subconscious one).

I hope this can help others enjoy their sober life a bit more, it’s surely helping me enjoy mine!