aurelia

I'm just over a week straight of sobriety, and the experience so has been fascinating.

I never thought I had any kind of substance problem until a therapist I recently started seeing challenged me to go a week without mind-altering substances. The first time I tried to do this I lasted 3 or 4 days, and was blown away by how omnipresent substance use is in my household, in my habits, and in my group of friends. I was also amazed by how much more conscious and in my body I was with even just a couple of days at a time of sobriety. It has been illuminating to interact with non-sober friends in my thus far short and staggering course through sobriety.

I've gone through several days-long spurts of sobriety, and now I'm at my longest yet-- 8 days.

At this point, I'm starting to feel the desire to run to any substance to cope with the layers of emotions I'm starting to feel unfold and the everyday stressors I just... feel. I'm finding myself coping with this by eating junk food, drinking diet coke, and smoking cigarettes. Usually I avoid the junk food and the aspartame.

How do those of you who have been sober longer than I have deal with this?

looking forward to participating in this community

artsoul

Hi aurelia! Congratulations on a week of sobriety! You didn't say if you drank or used drugs, but it doesn't really matter that much as it's all mind-altering.

Sounds like you've had some great insights already. I can relate to alot of what you said (been sober 47 days now). For the first week, I ate like crazy, but that's gotten back to near normal now. I'm smoking more, though. It's not something I'm proud of, but my sobriety is numero uno for now. First things first.....

I'm glad you're here and know you'll find as much support (and great information) as I have!

aurelia

Thanks so much for your kind words, artsoul! Congratulations on 47 days!!!

I drank and used drugs. Mostly pot, but occasionally pills and other things.

Good to know that the eating will probably calm down.. The smoking thing is hard, but you've got to pick your battles, right? First things first...

This place seems very full of good things and good people. I haven't yet braved an actual in-person sobriety group.... something about the intimacy and the stereotypes I associate with that scare me a bit, but we'll see what the future brings.

warm wishes!