Lpg

Hey morning folks.

I'm really needing to find myself a new hobby now. I nearly have 4 weeks free from alcohol and I'm starting to get ants in my pants. All my free time before was consumed by alcohol so now on my free time I'm twiddling my thumbs and I start thinking about booze.
I haven't posted in here for a few days either and was considering ditching aa today so I know this is where things go **** up if I don't act on it.
Plan so far do some hobby hunting and attend aa.

Thanks lpg

Done4today

Do you have a sponsor and working the steps? This should be your number one priority.

Not drinking gets and keeps you sober. Working the steps, helps you to achieve sobriety. It will change your perspective and outlook. You will get a spiritual awakening.

Volunteer somewhere?

Train for an Ironman. Read a book. Get your degree, MBA, MS, Phd. or just work on your sobriety. Find out who LPG is, love LPG, journal.

Lpg

No I don't have a sponsor or thought about doing the steps, how do I go about getting a sponsor?
I'd love to volunteer to help homeless maybe something to make happen instead of thinking I'd like to do it.
I also looked into adult dance classes and found ballet for beginners so thinking about starting this when it starts in the new year.

I keep getting this awful voice popping in my head telling me I have went 4 weeks without a drink so I must not be an alcoholic, I just want this voice to do one its driving me insane. I don't know why it's coming in as Im enjoying all the new feelings of freedom from guilt and shame and I have so much more energy I know I'm better without it.

Lpg

steve-in-kville

A pastor once told me that one way to help depression is to serve. Perhaps there is a local soup kitchen that needs help. Or a volunteer fire company that needs help with fundraisers. Not sure what area you live in, but I'm there are opportunities everywhere!

ChloeRose63

Do you have a local library nearby? Just spend some time there and asking about upcoming events. There is usually a board with flyers. It is a wonderful place to meet new people and get inspired. One new friend can make a world of difference. Be a friend and you will find a friend!

Fusion

Hi Lpg, I call that voice my AV (Addictive Voice) which emanates from the addicted part of my Brain (the Booze Beast) whereas the author of the article, calls it her Disease - but it seems to me we’re both referring to the egoic-self (which thinks drinking is a solution) as opposed to our true-self (which knows drinking isn’t a solution). I’m posting this link, because something may resonate with you. it’s from AA Agnostica and I wish I’d read it years ago:

Committee/AV in the Head

I made hollow promises to myself for years “I’ll take up new hobbies, study a new field of interest, volunteer.....”. never did. Once I stopped drinking for good, I finally launched into action and the net effect is those new actions fill in the time previously spent drinking, plus they’ve grown my self-respect and esteem. My favourite is volunteering at dog rescues, were I try to retrain the dogs out of any bad habits that landed them in the rescue, and I assist in the assessment of potential new owners and their home circumstances. I wholeheartedly recommend volunteering for a cause which you support.

Stayingsassy

I recommend fitness. . You’ll meet people, counteract depression, get stronger and have something helpful that fills up time. Exercise fixes a lot of sobriety’s ills. Not as many as time does.....but it sure helps.

MyLittleHorsie

I have the same thing. Sometimes we argue about the fact i gave up had no bad consequences so maybe I am just a heavy drinker home wrong... Then I remind myself of all the nights I stayed up late or drank anything after my wine was gone just to keep going. Then we both laugh and admit I have a problem and carry on.

One of the companies I own designs seniors programs. With the large influx of seniors into homes and more trying to stay in their homes, aging is coming to the forefront as a social issue. Seniors homes are always looking for volunteers.

FBL

I think hobbies are a wonderful idea. Surely you must be passionate about something in life (besides drinking, of course)? Maybe even re-visit something you loved before your addiction took over.

24violets

As nerdy as this sounds, knitting, helps my anxiety. It helps keep me occupied while trying to sit still. YouTube has videos to teach every stitch.

ChloeRose63

I took up quilting and sewing again!

doggonecarl

Since getting sober, I don't have enough time in the day for the things I want to do. It is a natural by-product of a fulfilled life, which recovery blessed me with.

That "ants in your pants" may not be boredom, but the restlessness and discontent of your addiction. You're four weeks without a drink, but as you stated in a previous post, still smoking pot. Focus on your recovery; get clean and sober, stay that way and interests and hobbies will spring forth like flowers in a garden.

Doug39

Same here.

I am not even working and I don't have enough hours in the day to do what I what. I took on too many new things since getting sober to keep myself busy.

I am starting a new full time job in a few weeks so I am going to have to abandon some things.

I started by going to a lot of AA meetings, which led to meeting a lot of new people and that led to different activities and social gatherings that they were involved in.

shauninspain

Hi. Something I did after being sober for a while was to volunteer with the Salvation Army. We would go out 2 or 3 times a week in my city and distribute food and soup, coffee/tea to the homeless people. I found it to be very rewarding, and it made me realize just how lucky I was to have a place to sleep, a shower to keep myself clean, and food. I no longer live in the UK and have not found any local organizations similar to the SA, which is a pity.

All the best.

August252015

Good thoughts above....

I FIRMLY believe that having a sponsor and working the steps are vital to recovery- which is more than just sobriety. You don't have to white knuckle it or go it alone. At the meetings here, sometimes the leader asks for people to volunteer as a temporary sponsor - you can also introduce yourself to someone who, say, shares things that resonate with you. You can ask if someone can sponsor you - look for people who seem to have some time (generally, you can be a sponsor if you have a year or more of sobriety) - or just get to know people and ask who they might suggest. Lots of people will say to get a sponsor ASAP - I didn't until day 97. (I am 21+ mo sober now).

Regular contact with my sponsor is really important to me. I can make better and better decisions on my own and live a really strong program, but I definitely run things by her often. Note- a sponsor is supposed to be the same sex.

As far as things to do - over the time I have been sober here is some of what I have done.
Nap. I am not kidding - I used this a big time-passer at first, and it was also much needed as I was very sick when I quit.
Coloring books- the adult ones are pretty fun.
Movie or DVR or Netflix marathons. I found that I had only half-remembered shows I had watched months before, as I caught up over my first 6 mo sober -they were like new!
Read - I read a LOT of recovery books for months, bios and autobios and more (Anna has a good reading thread)- a few of my favorites were Blackout by Sarah Hepola (very similar story to mine...), both of Patrick Kennedy's books, Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp....

I also did about 82 mtgs in my first 90 days and now my sweet spot is 3-5 (this week will only be two so I gotta self correct next week!).

Now, I exercise a lot. Since I was coming back from a very scary place physically, I didn't start exercising til about 4 mo sober - and I started with a 1-mi run race series over months 5/6/7. Starting in Dec of last year then every month this year, I run a 5K with my now husband. I started yoga in May of this year with videos and for the last 2 1/2 mo have been going to hot yoga 6x a week and I LOVE it.

Since April of this year, I have led and am now on the Board of a recovery group for restaurant industry folks struggling with alcohol and substance abuse.

Since 6mo sober, I have had a blog I love that is "all about pink" - pink referring to my worldview, the promises coming true, pink clouds, life issues....

Like others said- there are so many things to do. It's fun to me to try all kinds!

You can do it, too.

andyh

since getting sober I have started doing some conservation volunteering. it's free, gets me out in the outdoors, helps me meet like-minded people, gets me some exercise (I'm not really the gym type) & does a little good in the world.

as much as I've found it necessary to work on myself as part of recovery, I've found getting out of myself (without alcohol!) through doing something for others very worthwhile & rewarding.

tomsteve

thats addressed in the big book:
.By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If anyone who is showing inability to control his drinking can do the right- about-face and drink like a gentleman, our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people!

for me those thoughts were untreated alcoholism,which is different from the mental obsession.
untreated alcoholism finds an excuse to drink.
the mental obsession is an extreme thought to drink yet knowing nothing good will come from taking a drink.
working the steps is much more than getting and keeping us sober. on the title page it says:
The Story of
How Many Thousands of Men and Women
Have Recovered from Alcoholism

we recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. life takes on new meaning. we are released from care,boredom, and worry.
and a whole lot more.

meeting makers make meetings- and many of them drink again.

meeting makers that work the steps recover

Grungehead

As someone who put off taking the 12 steps for 23 years in and out of AA and sobriety, I can say that finally getting a sponsor and taking the steps changed my life.

Another thing I found to help get myself out of my own head is to buy a bag of dog food and a box of milk-bones and head to the nearest SPCA shelter.

Fusion

I’ve recovered from alcoholism, and my life has been transformed after I left the self-deception and mental obsession behind, by treating my, previously, untreated alcoholism. First I put the drink down. Then after the drink was in the rear view mirror, I looked at the residual discomforts and irritability, and researched and concentrated on ways to bring ease and joy into my life. I succeeded, but everyones path is different. After stopping drinking, I found joy and happiness in excercise, eating well, meditating, voluntering, art, music, gratitude lists, praying to ‘whatever’.....but these are all independent of not drinking, because not drinking is non-negotiable.

Once I learnt about the addiction process and the AV: it’s sad, sorry game was over. I will never drink again and never change my mind. No white knuckle in sight. I’m now happy, joyous and free from addiction. Everything else that I do, is fantastic icing on the cake!

Lpg

Hey everyone thanks for the replys. A few people mentioned volunteering with animals aswell and this made me smile I love animals so maybe that's a good place to start that won't make me too emotional too start of. I would love to help homeless people but reflecting on that right now I'm prob not in the correct head space to help humans just yet, I have a bad habit of making other people's sadness my sadness too. But once I'm in a better place I can rethink this.

I went to the usual meeting I have been attending today and shared my thoughts and left feeling better. I told then about the voice and they explained alot to me which I found useful. They gave me the big book to take away with me to start reading so I have some reading for this evening. I feel super nervous before I go every week and then leave feeling better I always wonder why I get myself in such a tizz about going. People in this meeting are brilliant and very very helpful and offer loads of support. I should really start spreading myself out to other meetings which I can do over the weekend.

Thanks everyone for reading and replying.