SunnyFlower

Just curious...At AA meetings we are advised "not to take ourselves too seriously".

Right now, I am so serious about my sobriety that I am obsessed with my recovery. In the beginning, 19 days ago, on my first day sober, I warned my husband that for a while I would be obsessed with it to help me not drink.

He said that's fine do what you gotta do, he's supporting me still.

My question to you all...Am I setting myself up for a fall once things slow down? Or is this normal for early sobriety?

(I have to admit that keeping so busy has kept me from having the urge to drink, it seems to be working)

Thanks All!

Dee74

It was normal for me - I'm pretty obsessional

I gradually let go a little tho - recovery is still important - it's like the axle for everything else in the wheel of my life - but I know now I need to attend to other things too.

I think you'll find you'll naturally find more of a balance as time goes on - unless you're worried your recovery focus is actually negatively affecting other things, try not to worry about it too much for now, I reckon

D

blackstar

I think that it's normal. I tend to obsess about all things in life that I am very serious about. Once you are sober for a while and are comfortable with your sobriety it won't feel so serious. You'll be able to let up and joke about it even. Right now you need to focus on fulfilling your goal which is a very serious thing.

Good luck and stick with it! You'll be more than happy you did.

Sapling

This is me....I took it very serious...Life and death serious...And like you I was busy enough that I didn't have time for cravings either. Between studying the first 103 pages of the Big Book.....2 to 3 meetings a day...Working the steps with my sponsor...Doing things with friends from AA (That were serious about sobriety also.).....I had 4 months under my belt....I had worked the steps......And I could enjoy living again....Something I hadn't done in a lot of years. If you like what you are getting....Keep doing what you are doing. There will be plenty of time to have fun....When I was new....That was my job.

IndaMiricale

Sapling hit the nail on the head..

After some time you have all the time to have fun. And join in the things of "we are not a glum lot " . And Bill W. did write we absolutely instist on enjoying life in sobriety..

All that comes in the promises. Just stay the coarse stay focused and STAY ON THE BEAM.....

congrats on 19 days also..

SunnyFlower

Thanks All!

I tend to be an extremist, have been most of my life. Once I set my mind on something I go all out.

I know there is a fun loving person deep inside my soul and she is dying to come out. I've seen glimpses of the person I know I truly am when my humor begins to resurface.

I used to LOVE people! (deep down I still do), but I got so caught up in them that I forgot about me. I discovered that you can't "love your neighbor if you don't love yourself".

I was at one time a "social butterfly" (extreme), that I wound up being a Hermit, an Isolationist (extreme). It seems for me, I have to go from one extreme to another in order to find my balance. That's where i'm at now...trying to find that balance.

Thank you all so much for your input, it helps knowing that there are others, that understand this side of me and that it is a normal part of recovery.

Luv to all!

Threshold

obsessing at 19 days sounds perfectly normal to me. Obsessing about obsessing at 19 days, also sounds perfectly normal.

Holding onto the lifesaver ring until we can touch bottom ourselves is not a bad idea! There is no magical date when it's time to stop obsessing, but I do think it's important to be working towards recovery and feeling some progress and some letting go over time.

Since you are so wrapped up in recovery work, take that energy and obsession to find and work a program that is taking you where you want to be. For most of us the obsession does start to lift as we stay in the atmosphere of recovery and gather hope in the stories of success and growth of those around us. We begin to apply the things they did to gain recovery and see some success in our own lives...then our white knuckling begins to let up.

I do think it's best to keep it simple at the beginning. We can drive ourselves crazy and get discouraged if we try to force ourselves to recover in 30 days or less, read 45 books on recovery and wonder why we aren't "getting it" immediately.

I DID that too myself. ugh.

Patience grasshopper...

It's a process.

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction

Mark75

Jump in with both feet, immerse yourself in the work of getting recovered... Remember, this is a one day at a time thing... and the day will come when you will find another balance point.