Cinderblock18

So, here I am, 4 weeks sober and going strong. Have not "worked" much on recovery yet, to understand the underlying problems of why I drink. But I want to. But, I've found that I'm turning to other things for a "high" like food and energy drinks. It's like I need "something" to give me a buzz. And just like alcohol, I get "high" and then I feel like crap for overindulging, or feeling shameful for having, perhaps, another addiction. And the heartburn I'm experiencing is downright painful, and has been persistant for a couple weeks now. I just wanted to share, since nobody else in my life understands, and I think I'm going crazy. I wish I had a healhty obsession, like drinking water, or praying or something. Has anyone else experienced something similar?
Thanks for listening virtual friends.

Hunter101

Hey,
The longest I have been sober has been about 2 months. What I remember is I started drinking a lot of soda and I got addicted to excersizing! The soda was crazy, thats all I would drink. The excersize was cool. Im guessing here, but maybee u need to eat healthier?? They say that eating the right foods gives your body rushes also. just a thought
Good luck and congrats on being sober!

jennikate

Yeah, I have definitely been eating more sugars and carbs. Someone mentioned that my body is trying to replace some of the sugar that I was consuming in wine. Also it's hard to compare because I wasn't really eating much in the end.

jennikate

Oh yeah, a huge increase in the amount of coffee that I am drinking. But judging by the coffee intake at AA meetings, I am not alone in that one.

onlythetruth

Yes, I experienced this and I'll venture a guess that most of us have, in one form or another. I read somewhere that the trick (at least at first) is to "trade up" to a "better" addiction. In other words, if you've got to obsess over something, or get an adrenaline rush from somewhere, make it something that won't kill you. For me, exercise, chocolate and roller coasters fit the bill and I overdid on them for a while. Even that didn't last forever though; once I learned healthy coping skills (mostly through therapy) my obsessive tendencies abated quite a bit.

aeo1313

I would suggest to start doing something towards recovery besides not drinking. I have a history of eating disorders and was afraid that those would pop back up when I became sober. I am in AA and I look at it as recovery from all negative coping mechanisms.

Congrats on staying sober. I have gained weight since sobriety and although I have started exercising I figure sobriety comes first and then I will deal with weight.

soberbrooke

I wish I had the exercise bug in me!!!!

I just immerse myself in AA, that has become my addiction. I have lost 13 lbs, because I am not craving sugar anymore. I still have lbs to go, I just keep doing what everyone says to do. I am going to a meeting everyday when possible, I am working with my sponsor, I am working the steps -on 4 about to do 5 - and I am not taking that first drink. I have made it 6 months doing it this way.

Live2Run25

I am drinking way more coffee than I ever did before! It's quite strange!

DisplacedGRITS

My sugar craves went up like mad the first couple of months after i quit drinking. They've tapered off considerably sin the past two months but for the first two i was a lollipops and gummie snacks. I keep fresh and frozen fruits on hand at all times so i have a healthy snack at all times so that helps. My ED is about as unmanageable as it had been when i was drinking. It's just moved to the forefront now that i'm not drinking. I guess too when we stop drinking, we get to look at all our other problems because we no longer have the drink to hide behind. Our nasty little shield is gone and all of our issues are laid out before us.

Cinderblock18

Thank you guys! I will just keep plugging along, and making healthier choices in both food and exercise. And staying sober as my #1 priority.

duane1

I find running as a great way to curve alcohol cravings. The high you get from it is very similar to a drinking high. If you are in no shape to run, try walking. It clears the mind, takes weight off, reduces stress.....

bbthumper

My belief...
I am an alcoholic. Therefore, my problem is not alcohol. Strange sounding isnt it? If alcohol were my problem, you could take it away and Id be fine. My real problem was that without alcohol I was restless, irritable, discontent, bored, anxious, fearful, depressed etc. I put alcohol in me and those feelings went away. Alcohol was a great solution, but it was killing me and those around me. So I needed another solution. Personally, I found mine in the 12 steps of AA. I had a spiritual awakening and recovered. I no longer find it necessary to use anything artificial to fill that hole in my gut that I used to shove full of alcohol and other drugs.

We alcoholics need something to be our solution when we put down the only one we know. for me and countless others the 12 steps have been the perfect, healthy and beneficial solution we could find. Until we treat the real problem, we are going to keep trying to fill that hole artificially.

God bless ya!

Zee

I'm just a 'holic

Coffee (Double cup 6 sugars)
Chocolate
Jelly Sweets

I get jittery and I 'need' something.
It was ok to start with 'cause I really needed to put on weight.
I'm now turning into a chubster.

Tomorrow I'm going to get healthy snacks (foreign concept)
Any suggestions (available in the UK) would be a good addition to this thread I guess.

gordano

I agree with bbthumber. Alcohol isn't my problem. It was my solution for my OCD, anxiety, and boredom. Now that I am not drinking I have to figure out which healthy activities I can involve myself in to alleviate those problems. I have to be careful not to trade one unhealthy addiction for another one.

Stevie1

Congrats on your four weeks!

Like others, I started craving sugary things more often but haven't gained weight, probably because I'm not eating enough sweet food to offset what I used to drink. Plus without feeling like crap in the mornings, I'm doing more frequent morning walks with my dogs.

I do find myself drinking coffee sometimes in late afternoon/early evening, about the time I used to start drinking after work. I've never drunk coffee in the daytime past my morning cuppa, except when I'm not drinking alcohol. I'm quite physically tired being sober! Hopefully that will pass.

oinobares

I just noticed today that in the past month of my sobriety I have become a *raging* caffeine addict. I mean I am drinking espressos on ice literally all day long, as well as diet colas. Then I go to daily AA and get a few cuppas there too. I've always loved coffee and tea (except when hungover) and now I feel like I have really crossed over into a true addiction. I clearly have done the "replacement" thing.