False positive memories
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 138
False positive memories
Tomorrow I will be one month sober. I started thinking about the good times I had while drinking. Relaxing, feeling complete and connected. But then I caught myself because when I drank it made everything in my life less whole than it was before. It connected me only to myself and my narrow perspective. It relaxed me only to plunge me minutes later into despair. I used to list the pros and cons of not drinking. Now all my pros are crossed off my list.
Peace, Love, Sobriety
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wilmington, DE
Posts: 1,549
Originally Posted by effortjoy 
Tomorrow I will be one month sober. I started thinking about the good times I had while drinking. Relaxing, feeling complete and connected. But then I caught myself because when I drank it made everything in my life less whole than it was before. It connected me only to myself and my narrow perspective. It relaxed me only to plunge me minutes later into despair. I used to list the pros and cons of not drinking. Now all my pros are crossed off my list.
Don't worry, you'll make hundreds of true happy memories in sobriety.
I have only 6 months but I have about a dozen happy moments for each of them so far.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Good for you! Things really do start to look different from a sober point of view, don't they? It's amazing how persistent denial can be when we're drinking. I read something the other day that really sums it up:
An addict or alcoholic might process information on a night's events such as this:
• Pros: HAD A GREAT TIME LAUGHING WITH BUDDIES GOT A PHONE NUMBER FROM THAT CUTE/HANDSOME BARTENDER
• Cons: Vomited in the bar bathroom. Was asked to leave. Performed badly at work the next day, and was given a warning for being late and hung-over.
Alcoholic thinking=A good night's fun.
• Pros: HAD A GREAT TIME LAUGHING WITH BUDDIES GOT A PHONE NUMBER FROM THAT CUTE/HANDSOME BARTENDER
• Cons: Vomited in the bar bathroom. Was asked to leave. Performed badly at work the next day, and was given a warning for being late and hung-over.
Alcoholic thinking=A good night's fun.
Crazy Cat Lady
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,661
this is something they warned us about all the time in rehab. it was actually on a checklist we had to fill out every morning. whether or not we were having fond recollections of our drinking. it's a warning sign. for me, my drinking had become such a lonely thing for so long that the "good old times" have been long dead so no real trouble there. keep on guard for that. it's an excellent idea to list your pros and cons. obviously the cons outweigh the pros. i mean, you're here, right? people don't just trip on the internet and end up here. keep up the good work!
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