Susan80

I suppose this sounds like a bit of a silly question - but when you first decided to quit alcohol, how did you fill your time?

I exercise often and figured that this would be a good way to "combat" potential alcohol cravings. Plus, going to the gym instead of the pub is a good diversion. . . but I am a bit stuck for other ideas!

As I am a sociable person, I do like to go out with friends and will be around alcohol - is it best to be upfront and honest why I am not drinking or make up an excuse? I am afraid that if I say I have a "problem" I will be judged unfairly. . .

Thanks

Natom

I pretty much tried to fill my time with whatever I could. For a while I was unemployed and had all the time in the world. I would go on bike rides for a few hours, go and sit down the beach, my personal favourite was watching the complete series of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I pretty much just did whatever I could. I spent a lot of time doing step work, going to meetings. I had to change the majority of my friends. Once you quit drinking or using you find out who your true friends are.

Natom.

MycoolFitz

For me I am an introvert which can be could but I exercise and volunteer. Too much time on my hands not good. I spend lots of time on SR

Cleopatra1

im a housewife/mother, but i work from home,, and its very hard to get diswiplined and motivated,,
since being sober,, ive changed my career path,, same medium,, just a different client base,, purely for a new project to get stuck into,, so that fills a lot of my time,, i love planning and organising stuff, including my familys lives!! haha should listen to myself more!!lol
also ,, like fitz,, why not help by volunteering somewhere? it must be a great feeling?
good luck ,, and welcome to sr,,, xx
lv cleo xxx

Tiredman

Just say you are detoxing for a month or alcohol free month etc and that buys you time and gets people off your back....

Susan80

Thanks for your responses!! Good idea Tiredman!

S
x

doggonecarl

Say whatever makes you comfortable. Would "friends" really judge you unfairly? Maybe these arent the friends you think they are.

Maybe it's time for new friends, new activities. Things that don't revolve around drinking. I had to quit doing the things that the drinking doggonecarl did, quit hanging around the folks that I hung with if I wanted my recovery to succeed.

I have. And I don't miss anyone or anything I did.

nomis

I've been exercising and then cooking. I guess that's batting .500.

freshstart57

What do I do now that I don't drink? Anything I want to. I don't have the limitations that alcohol placed on me anymore. The entire day is mine now, no longer being a prisoner in my own home. I've resumed old hobbies and I am better now at them that I have ever been (I'm old, too). I learned to make really good artisan bread for example. A fresh baguette or a ciabatta anyone? The good folks at the local firehall are glad to see me on Saturday afternoons, let me tell ya.

Xune

I tell my hockey buddies;

' I stopped drinking to lose so me weight and didn't miss the alcohol, so I've decided to stop altogether.'

JJay

I'm a huge gym rat so that eats up 2-3 hours of my day. How about reading a book? Watching movies? Volunteering? I know there's a site called MeetUp.com that has a lot of activities.