Working With Stress
Brother of the Wolf
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Walking With Giants
Posts: 436
Working With Stress
Greetings all. It's been a while since I've posted on here. I'm coming up on nine months of sobriety after my relapse last winter. As I continue working at my recovery, I am reminded each day how much more is demanded of this process than simply "not drinking." Willpower is a great thing, and an invaluable tool, but white-knuckling through my life is not how I want to spend my days. I have been doing some very serious work examining and changing how I react to stress. The decades of taking the easy "cure" of drinking and drugging to push away stress and discomfort have atrophied my normal, healthy stress responses. But, there is hope! Through hard work in therapy, my meditation practice, and direct experience in the "real world," I have been learning to lean in to my discomfort, and live the experience of not reaching for the instant gratification of chemical numbness. And through this process, I have learned two important things: Stress and discomfort are temporary feelings; and, it's ok to admit that sometimes things are more than I can handle by myself. Being uncomfortable and asking for help are not signs of failure. They are steps on the path of personal growth.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
right on!! good to hear from you and great reminders.
Sobriety and effective stress-processing go hand-in-hand. We definitely need to learn and build new ways of coping and remaining in balance when we choose sobriety and turn away from the false 'coping' mechanisms of drugs and alcohol.
Glad to hear you're doing well!
Sobriety and effective stress-processing go hand-in-hand. We definitely need to learn and build new ways of coping and remaining in balance when we choose sobriety and turn away from the false 'coping' mechanisms of drugs and alcohol.
Glad to hear you're doing well!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,380
If you've not seen this before SH there are some good ideas here:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...44-stress.html
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...44-stress.html
Sober-T- Dragon
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 8,756
Originally Posted by SweatyHands 
... it's ok to admit that sometimes things are more than I can handle by myself. Being uncomfortable and asking for help are not signs of failure.....
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,476
Originally Posted by SweatyHands
through this process, I have learned two important things: Stress and discomfort are temporary feelings; and, it's ok to admit that sometimes things are more than I can handle by myself. Being uncomfortable and asking for help are not signs of failure. They are steps on the path of personal growth.
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