uberjess

This is a first for me. Never posted on a forum before. So here it goes. I've been the party girl for years now. Istarted binge drinking at the age of 19. It's only gotten worse in the last couple years. Im 25 now. I am just tired of blacking out most my nights. Not experiencing anything but being drunk. I havent had a drop of alcohol in 11 days. I feel better everyday. I had major anxiety right when I stopped but that seems to going away now. The only thing I am stressed about is how to start a sober life. I am lost of how to begin. My life has always consisted of drinking to fill my time. Now am i going to be house ridden? I dont want to resent being sober bc I dont know how to fill my time. I know my choice to stop drinking will make me lose some of my friends...they are mostly drinking buddies.

Dont get me wrong. I really do feel great right now. Actually happy to be home and relaxing. Feels great. I'm just curious if there is any advice to make this transition easy.

Impurrfect

((uberjess)) - Welcome to SR and congratulations on 11 days! I think most of us felt like "what do I do NOW that I'm not drinking/using" but life can actually be pretty cool in sobriety. It's just a change, takes a bit of time to remember what we like without being wasted, but you're making a great start

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

nogard

Awesome

uberjess

Thanks for the words of encouragement. You are the first to do so. Its uplifting.

Hevyn

Welcome uberjess! This is the perfect place for you as you start your journey. We all understand how you feel. I drank all my life and it was strange to be without it at first.

Congratulations on your 11 days - be proud of this achievement! Life will keep getting better for you.

guulan

So life does really go on and goes on quite well!!!!!!!
Here is how I filled my time. I started an exercie regimen. Combo
of P90x and running. Started reading again which I missed,
since I used to be an avid reader. Got back into music as well.
Made sure I went to church to feed the inner person.
And the list goes on and on. Look around you , there is a world
to discover and a person post A. Good Luck !!!!!

JungleGirl

Hi uberjess, well done on 11 days and posting your story here. Your story actually sounds similar to mine. I am 25 also and started binge drinking around 17, I would have blackouts and hideous hang overs to go with it. I began just taking one day at a time, every weekend I didn't drink was a win but I wouldn't look too far into the future, I have a "journal" of sorts I write in each week to note how I felt during the weekend and how I dealt with any issues I had regarding alcohol, how amazing it was to enjoy a whole weekend! I read a lot of books, I watch a lot of movies and tv series, I exercise every day, and in my experience I haven't so much lost friends as gravitated towards other friends that don't drink so much and enjoy doing other things. I organise to do other things with friends like playing squash or going for a walk together, that way you can still spend time with them and in fact build stronger relationships. Being sober will sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to friendships. The real ones will stick around and support you.

Good luck with your journey

uberjess

Thank you! Im excited to experience new things. I think I just have to build my confidence to try.

JungleGirl

Fake it till you make it I lacked a lot of confidence and found just pretending I was confident helped sometimes!

Dee74

Hi Jess - welcome

look around - there's hundreds of happy fulfilled sober people here living great lives...we need to make some changes for sure, but the opposite to the lives we used to lead need not be a nuns or a hermits existence...

D

Liv2011

When you get bored and want to fill the time that you used to drink, come here and read posts, it helps. I'm bored now, end of the day, would love a drink but I will just read some posts and go to sleep soon. I love the way I sleep and wake up when I don't drink. I hate the way I sleep and wake up when I drink. If you come here it will remind you of what you are not missing!

uberjess

I'm currently a hermit. Seriously :p but this is all new to me still. I will find new interests as I relearn myself. Who knows what I can be into!

uberjess

Liv2001-this is my first night on here and i love it already. I dont even hear this much encouragement from my family. Thanks guys!!

InspiredAnew

Hey friend, I'm also completely new to this, and only a few days in without any drinking. Just wanted to let you know that your familiar concerns are already a relief for me to read. I feel so great and more lively after only a few days with quality sleep, and a cleaner body. But I have such anxiety that I'll give in to boredom and feeling left out. Or that I'll be overconfident after a couple weeks, deciding I deserve a casual beer or two... and seriously disappoint myself. Hope I can find the encouragement to stay focused and better myself!
Best of hopes for you, and good job so far!

Sazzle

Good job on 11 days JungleGirl. I'm on 17 and I've even managed a social fri & sat this week with a group of friends which has given me confidence for Christmas. I've a mix of friends. Some drink loads (I see them less), some hardly drink (they are my main go-to friends for sober activities) and one is sober too. She introduced me to AA and I see it speak to her each day and go walking with her.

You will get there with going out. I'm hoping to hermit a bit for the next few weeks until I get over 1 month.

Thanks for finding us & keep posting.

S x

Cleopatra1

hi ubejess,, well done you,, im too on 11 day,,, and i feel great!!!
its so exciting to wake evry morning feeling great and knowing all the things you can do in this new and bright day,,,
keep it up ,,, we can do this,,,
xx
lv
cleo xxxxxxxxxxxxx YAY GO YOU XXX

uberjess

Day 12. Almost two weeks! Back to work. This is the stressful part. Im a server at a bar restaurant where management encourages drinking. Yes even this early. My coworkers are hungover drinking oj and vodka shots now. I may feel left out. But I know its ok and I feel great still...

Sazzle

Good lick at work. I wouldn't feel left out if I were you. Keep hat feeling of waking up refreshed at the forefront if your mind. Take your OJ plain and stay sane 😜

S x

Splasho

uberjess-- I work around alcohol too, pouring and serving it and my co workers drink often... going back to work was a big test for me as well. I am on day 9 of sobriety myself, and if the thought even crosses my mind I visualize the pro/con list of drinking in my head, the good/bad list that has happened in the past because of drinking, and knowing how extremely lopsided those lists are makes me push further on and continue this journey sober, to continue to add to the list of all the great things I am experiencing and have to look forward to in life because of my choice to be free of alcohol. It's like, when we really put it all out on the table, why in hell would we wanna drink again?!?!?! Congrats to you and keep on it!!

scamp6

Great job on making it to your 12th day! Good luck at work, you can do it. Just look at how miserable your hungover coworkers feel and remember you never want to feel like that again! I am only on day 7 and reading other's posts only encourage me more. Thanks