QDogg

Hey everyone hope all of you out there are doing well. So i guess i'll start with my story. I'm 26 and starting drinking at about 14. My dad was an extreme alcoholic which was the ultimate cause of his death at 40something. I starting smoking pot at 17 and have been using booze and pot regularly since. I got into coke for a little bit less than a year i think but quit that. cigarettes come into play here and there, but also find it relatively easy to quit that also. i guess the main one i have issues quitting is pot. been trying to quit for years now. at least 4 or 5.

As far as i can identify i use cause i'm bored. or i quit pot, then drink, then want to use pot since i used them simultaneously when i did use.
this brought me to the conclusion that i must quit everything :/

so this time i changed up my quitting order. i quit drinking first, then pot, then cigs.. it seemed to go well.

initially pot was the one i aimed to quit, but the more i pay attention, alcohol seems to be my 'gateway' to everything else.

I'm not too worried, well i guess i am, which is what brought me on here.
I know what i need to do. I need to drop my acquaintances because up until now all my people are party people. literally all of them. I still live in a college town (just graduated) just to give you an idea.
The good thing is i'm moving out of state in august and i see that as my start over fresh point. thats my opportunity to choose my friends wisely.

anyway i guess what brought me here through random 'sobriety' google searches was i was feeling stressed out not because i had the urge to get high or drink, but because i had the urge to not sit at home alone. basically the urge to have a social life.. but the only social life i know and people i have to call are my party people.
my friend called and invited me to 'chill' but i know how thats gonna end. i'm strong enough to stay away from it, but if its in my presence.. not so much. so i told her i was not up for it, point for me, but neverthe less i would rather be in the company of people than here alone cause i'm afraid to go out and party. sigh

at this point the problem is i just dont know how to live a sober life.
its not too much of a struggle to stay away from the substance, but the struggle is to stay away from boredom.

anyway, i guess thats all for now. just ramblin basically.
finding this site has distracted me which is good. i dont feel that anxiety as i did deciding to hang out with my friend or not. but hopefully i can make some new friends... quick.

Have a great evening people.

Namaste

cpatty08

Get yourself to AA or NA meeting like NOW. I have found in my experience...goin to meetings and listening to others share helps me out 10 fold. I have tried to quit pot several times also...but always started smoking again because my best friend sold it. It was always so easy to go get high at his house. I started going to meetings 8 days ago when I had to finally admit I needed HELP. I couldnt do it on my own. Thats the powerlessness and my life had become unmanageable. My friend tried to get me to smoke after my first meeting but I told him I was/am serious I WANT TO STOP. He respected my wishes and right now, in the last 8 days(that Ive been clean) we have only communicated through facebook and texting. I KNOW if I go to his house Im gonna smoke. I have been taking this very seriously. Get phone numbers of other NA members so you wont be alone. I know its hard to call people you dont know but the more you go to meetings the more you get to know those people. More will be revealed to you QDogg with time. Just keep coming back! HUGS AND PRAYERS TO YOU my Friend!!!

Dee74

Hi QDogg

At the end my life was almost entirely taken up with drinking - when that went, I was left with a massive hole in my life...everything I did I used to do with a drink in my hand.

I think being active helps...if sitting around makes you bored, don't sit around. Reestablish some old hobbies or find new ones...vary your routine...even getting out and walking can be helpful...

I found volunteer work useful too - it was meaningful and it helped me feel productive and helpful.

Posting here also help me feel useful, I learned a lot, and I focused on my recovery.

Some people also use face to face support like AA or SMART for similar reasons - to not only focus on their recovery but to meet new people and establish new social networks.

The world's your oyster really QD - the only limit is your imagination

Welcome aboard!

D

nandm

to SR

instant

Hi Namaste
I think amongst it all - this sentence summed it up

at this point the problem is i just dont know how to live a sober life.

You have a plan of sorts but geographical cures do not work (ask around). The problem is you take yourself with you. we end up back in our comfort zone - in your case with party people. Which takes me back to your excellent assessment of your issues- You need a plan