Short-term vs Long-term
Hears The Voice
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Unshackled
Posts: 7,901
Short-term vs Long-term
My sister posts daily motivational quotes on facebook and the one she posted today seemed salient to Newcomers.
For most people short-term pain has a greater impact than long-term benefits.
This was certainly true for me as I went through a looooooong phase of quit, drink, quit, drink, quit...
Not drinking and changing the things I did was uncomfortable. I had some very well-established patterns. Replacing those old routines was challenging. That voice in my head begging, threatening, bargaining, rationalizing for a drink seemed relentless. Listening to its constant stream of chatter would wear me down.
I knew there were benefits to long-term sobriety, but time and again the impact of the short-term pain would tip the scales and I would drink. (Such a difference between knowing and feeling.)
I can see now that this was foolish. Feeding that demon just invigorates it. To beat it you must starve it, and there's nothing for it but to just do it. Once you push through that short-term pain and feel those long-term benefits the dynamic can change dramatically. So to the Newcomers I say:
Believe it gets better, and push through. You'll be glad you did.
For most people short-term pain has a greater impact than long-term benefits.
This was certainly true for me as I went through a looooooong phase of quit, drink, quit, drink, quit...
Not drinking and changing the things I did was uncomfortable. I had some very well-established patterns. Replacing those old routines was challenging. That voice in my head begging, threatening, bargaining, rationalizing for a drink seemed relentless. Listening to its constant stream of chatter would wear me down.
I knew there were benefits to long-term sobriety, but time and again the impact of the short-term pain would tip the scales and I would drink. (Such a difference between knowing and feeling.)
I can see now that this was foolish. Feeding that demon just invigorates it. To beat it you must starve it, and there's nothing for it but to just do it. Once you push through that short-term pain and feel those long-term benefits the dynamic can change dramatically. So to the Newcomers I say:
Believe it gets better, and push through. You'll be glad you did.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 6,224
Originally Posted by Nonsensical 
So to the Newcomers I say:
Believe it gets better, and push through. You'll be glad you did.
Believe it gets better, and push through. You'll be glad you did.
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