First Day Sober
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Rocky Mountains, USA
Posts: 344
Or just do something you enjoy or "might" enjoy (besides drinking, of course).
My first couple of days, I was amazed at how LONG the day was. That's because I'd spent years where about half my day (at least) was lost in drunken oblivion. It was like fast-forwarding through my life, and missing so much.
Now I try to spend all that precious time on fun stuff.
My first couple of days, I was amazed at how LONG the day was. That's because I'd spent years where about half my day (at least) was lost in drunken oblivion. It was like fast-forwarding through my life, and missing so much.
Now I try to spend all that precious time on fun stuff.
Non-Zoroastrian
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Great State of Mitten
Posts: 183
I turned into a perpetual slob over the last 15 years of being drunk. In the last 18 days of sobriety, I'm almost OC with cleaning now but it definitely took my mind off of the "thinking" while getting sober!
Guest
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 328
During the first two weeks of my sobriety, I was lost as well. I bought a bunch of books, met with my Dr. to let her know what was going on, got in touch with a therapist and a nutrionist. I've been to a couple of AA meetings, which I found was not for me, but many people on this site swear by it. Today is 30 days for me, and I was drunk for the past 16 years. Have you thought of any ideas to help you stay with the program? Many people here told me I needed a plan, and I found that they were right.
Congratulations on deciding to get and stay sober! Stay with it! Stay strong, and welcome to SR!!! We are all happy to have you here!!!
Congratulations on deciding to get and stay sober! Stay with it! Stay strong, and welcome to SR!!! We are all happy to have you here!!!
LIVING SOBER
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cent MD
Posts: 104
Originally Posted by pikkle69 
I turned into a perpetual slob over the last 15 years of being drunk. In the last 18 days of sobriety, I'm almost OC with cleaning now but it definitely took my mind off of the "thinking" while getting sober!
Originally Posted by hope2change
Thanks for the support! Today already feels like the longest day on Earth! Thinking about cleaning the house, but that always involved Vodka. Not sure how to do anything without it. 
Perhaps an area near your computer where you have removed all of the paraphernalia related to your drinking , and have fortified yourself with books & literature that will help in your recovery.
It helps to have a place where you're comfortable, a place to go temporarily when you say to yourself I can't take this anymore!
I find it's amazing that these small accomplishment inspire so much confidence.
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
AA does have one good thing about it. It is someplace safe to go when the days and evenings get long. I took what I could use from AA and left the rest. I stopped going after 3 months and just visit my old home group now and again.
In my drinking I made a mess of my workshop, my tools, and had realized I wasn't just a lazy drunk, I was just lazy!
I also was a bit overwhelmed. I would do one thing and then get sidetracked by something else that caught my eye and even though my first project, to completely organize my tools and shop was going to take months, I was freaking out my first week of sobriety because I seemed to be flaky and losing my focus. Instead of finishing one thing I was leaving a trail of half finished things behind. I was terrified that I had permanently damaged myself and would never again be able to remember what I was doing long enough to do it.
Well that turned out to be the problem with being overwhelmed. So I decided that since I was leaving a bunch of things half finished that I would come round to them again and do a little more and then more in circles until I started to see some real progress.
I am retired! I don't have to rush and don't have Alzheimer's. Man have I made progress! I enjoy going out and picking up the last part I left off.
I agree with the OC part too. It seems I had become a bit less quality oriented in my just getting things done drinking. So I had to redo a bunch of things as well.
I am just now learning to apply that to the rest of my life. I could die between one breath and the next, or before I finish this post. (NO don't worry I am fine, just saying) But I can also do something with my time productive no matter how long each day and week and month seem to take.
Now my problem isn't how long the days are, it is how fast they zip by.
Imagine your life if you make a go of ten percent of the time you don't know what to do with, and learn to be excellent in each thing for the joy of it.
In my drinking I made a mess of my workshop, my tools, and had realized I wasn't just a lazy drunk, I was just lazy!
I also was a bit overwhelmed. I would do one thing and then get sidetracked by something else that caught my eye and even though my first project, to completely organize my tools and shop was going to take months, I was freaking out my first week of sobriety because I seemed to be flaky and losing my focus. Instead of finishing one thing I was leaving a trail of half finished things behind. I was terrified that I had permanently damaged myself and would never again be able to remember what I was doing long enough to do it.
Well that turned out to be the problem with being overwhelmed. So I decided that since I was leaving a bunch of things half finished that I would come round to them again and do a little more and then more in circles until I started to see some real progress.
I am retired! I don't have to rush and don't have Alzheimer's. Man have I made progress! I enjoy going out and picking up the last part I left off.
I agree with the OC part too. It seems I had become a bit less quality oriented in my just getting things done drinking. So I had to redo a bunch of things as well.
I am just now learning to apply that to the rest of my life. I could die between one breath and the next, or before I finish this post. (NO don't worry I am fine, just saying) But I can also do something with my time productive no matter how long each day and week and month seem to take.
Now my problem isn't how long the days are, it is how fast they zip by.
Imagine your life if you make a go of ten percent of the time you don't know what to do with, and learn to be excellent in each thing for the joy of it.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,780
When I was early in recovery I was often bored/angry/frustrated and I'd burn off the energy by walking my dogs. (they got a lot of walks for a while there...) It was good for all of us to get the sunshine, fresh air and exercise. Also exercise releases endorphins that are relaxing and calming.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 6
Thanks to all for the support and great advice! I'm going to take some of that advice and get out of the house for awhile...taking my son to run errands and get him something with the money I would've spent on alcohol.
Non-Zoroastrian
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Great State of Mitten
Posts: 183
Oh yeah, funny ironic that the pocket book doesn't empty so fast when you're not getting drunk!
I always thought I was smart because I quit going to the bars and drank at home... much cheaper! Then I can buy even more alcohol with the same amount of money, how clever is that??? Then I can stay even more drunk, all day instead of just in the evenings, 6 nights a week instead of just 3! My goodness, I had this thing nailed. And guess what? My pocket book emptied more quickly than ever before...
I always thought I was smart because I quit going to the bars and drank at home... much cheaper! Then I can buy even more alcohol with the same amount of money, how clever is that??? Then I can stay even more drunk, all day instead of just in the evenings, 6 nights a week instead of just 3! My goodness, I had this thing nailed. And guess what? My pocket book emptied more quickly than ever before...
Non-Zoroastrian
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Great State of Mitten
Posts: 183
I would also try to start revisiting memories, mementos, etc., from a good time before you started drinking... I've been doing this and started realizing that I really wasn't a bad person, I did have a life that involved more than being drunk at one point and I could be that way again. Now that truly gives me some hope and optimism!
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
Good for you Hope!
It just occurred to me that:
Boredom is wanting to do something, anything, as long as you don’t have to actually do something, to do it.
The perfect description of drinking, and how boring it is can only be seen by the sober.
Has it ever occurred to anybody that if drinking was so exciting why aren't there more sober people hanging around drunks see something exciting?
It just occurred to me that:
Boredom is wanting to do something, anything, as long as you don’t have to actually do something, to do it.
The perfect description of drinking, and how boring it is can only be seen by the sober.
Has it ever occurred to anybody that if drinking was so exciting why aren't there more sober people hanging around drunks see something exciting?
Non-Zoroastrian
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Great State of Mitten
Posts: 183
Originally Posted by Itchy
Has it ever occurred to anybody that if drinking was so exciting why aren't there more sober people hanging around drunks see something exciting?
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,569
"Not sure how to do anything without it" - oh, how I remember feeling that way. It was part of everything. Grocery shopping, housework, never made a move without it by my side - but why? I can't honestly say I was always happy and in a good mood. So, what did I keep pouring the stuff down my throat for? Still not sure, but since I almost lost my life drinking 'round the clock, it had to go.
Hope, You should be proud for making this decision. It takes courage to change. I hope you've made it through the day ok. It'll get easier as you come out of the fog and begin to heal. You're doing great.
Hope, You should be proud for making this decision. It takes courage to change. I hope you've made it through the day ok. It'll get easier as you come out of the fog and begin to heal. You're doing great.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,510
Hope, I read a lot of books on spirituality and I started exercising daily, mostly long walks. It will be a learning process as you figure out how to live your life without alcohol.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Welcome, hope2change!
It really does get better, a little bit each day. Everything felt strange to me at first, but it helped to just take it one day at a time or even one hour at a time. I spent a lot of time reading here and just tried to keep things pretty simple.
You're going to love the mornings!........
It really does get better, a little bit each day. Everything felt strange to me at first, but it helped to just take it one day at a time or even one hour at a time. I spent a lot of time reading here and just tried to keep things pretty simple.
You're going to love the mornings!........
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