MindfulMan

Anyone else have an activity that used to be associated with drinking/using that's so much better sober?

I love love LOVE music, like some people love sporting events.

For me, concerts always involved drinking, and music festivals meant low dose polypharmacology.

I've been to a few concerts since getting sober. The first one was a bit tough, I had to avert my eyes when walking past the bar, which I need to do to get to our seats. My friends each had a beer. I had a ginger ale or two. Kept going back to cravings, but the show was so good (Alt-J) that I stuck it out.

I went to a show last night (Elbow). Again there were bars, and my friends had drinks at dinner, as well as consumed edible weed. One friend drank continuously and disappeared for a while...I could tell when we talked later that he'd been off alone doing coke. I wasn't surprised.

Any slight cravings I had were more do to habit. I imagined what it would be like to have a drink. I pictured the fuzzy feeling, and was a bit repulsed; I was so PRESENT for the show, and it was far more enjoyable. I still got up and danced when they got upbeat. I'm a terrible dancer and used to be self-conscious about it.

Just wanted to share that and see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Wholesome

I've been out to a bunch of shows since getting sober. I was just out at a jazz show last night. Doesn't bother me. I feel differently about going out to a bar where there is no entertainment or to a club where a DJ is spinning. I associate those with getting high or drunk. But live music is about the music.

Lpg

Loved reading this. Reminds me of my last sober stint I done when I went to the stone roses concert completely sober (first ever) and I have to say I came away feeling so buzzing. It was hard seeing everyone drunk to begin with and wondering if they where having a better time than me, then I got over that and soaked up the music. Plus I could drive home... Result.

Fusion

Oh my.......live music and concerts are my new passion, now that I don't drink. When I drank for over two decades, I'd attend, in a fuzzy headed haze generated by drinking prior, and during the event. I was mentally out of it, basically, the event was just about drinking, not the music.

Now? Wow, oh wow! How much I missed in the past, by drinking, by numbing my senses, hearing and sight. I can categorically say that I absolutely adore live music, sober. It's so awesome and makes me feel so very alive, sometimes I feel so emotional I could cry, it's just so moving to be there, witnessing and part of an event. Who would've thought that removing the drink, made the event enormously better.......my AV said drink enhanced and added to the music event. My AV lied to me - no longer, I'm wise to its pathetic protestations.

Wholesome

I love The Stone Roses! I would have loved to see them, and to see them sober so I could remember!

Lpg

It was the last show they done this year👏 👏 that atmosphere was another level. Being sober made it all the more memorable.

Stayingsassy

I love this thread. My husband is very into live music and also gigs himself, so we do this a lot together, I usually drank so much I needed him to hold me up halfway through...I did attend his gig sober on the 11th though and look forward to more sober gigs and concerts, especially after reading this uplifting thread

Dee74

Everything is better for me sober, but music particularly

scaredikklegoth

Last time I went to a live show (we saw Ghost. I am madly in love with Papa Emeritus ) I had a glass of wine but that was it as I was so into the show. I hope that my next live show won't trigger any cravings.

Nightclubs were very different. I always found them really dull so I would get extremely drunk, more so than I even wanted to, and would waste money. I ended up going to horrible drug filled parties afterwards and I never had a good time but I still kept doing it. Bizarre behaviour.

Purplrks3647

I've been to a few live shows sober this year and I agree....rock concerts are my favorite place to be....it may be a challenge at first, but as the night progresses & I see how others are when drunk, I'm like Woah, is that what I look like???

Plus it's a bonus if I'm not sloppy drunk and I get to say hi to my rockstar crush!