94 days in, so far so good
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 259
94 days in, so far so good
Im a middle aged man whose binge drinking got longer and more intense, of course. I have no wife, ex or other otherwise and no children. My job requires a lot of travel as I work remotely. Living alone I began to drink heavily over the past couple of years. There are about a dozen bars within 4 blocks of my place. I dropped in from time to time and stayed until close. Eventually, I was staying up all night and drinking until the next evening. This progressed and when I was drinking vodka for 4 days in a row at least once a month, I knew it was time to reach for help.
Long story short, I moved, got into intensive outpatient and started attending daily meetings (both aa and secular)
So far I feel ok. I had gone for months with out drinking before so I never experienced the "Pink Cloud". In between binges, I would stay occupied with outdoor activities and my friends and social events were largely alcohol free. I wasn't trying to stay sober in between binges, I just didn't have cravings. However, whenever I started drinking I knew I wasn't going to stop until my body gave out.
Ive learned a lot in IOP and the meetings. My drinking friends were not a part of my non drinking life or social circles so I haven't seen any of them over the past 3 months. My family and friends don't drink so I've been spending more time with them like I used to before I began isolating myself and made the bar life and drinking partners my priority.
Im glad this forum exists and wish everyone well in their recovery.
Long story short, I moved, got into intensive outpatient and started attending daily meetings (both aa and secular)
So far I feel ok. I had gone for months with out drinking before so I never experienced the "Pink Cloud". In between binges, I would stay occupied with outdoor activities and my friends and social events were largely alcohol free. I wasn't trying to stay sober in between binges, I just didn't have cravings. However, whenever I started drinking I knew I wasn't going to stop until my body gave out.
Ive learned a lot in IOP and the meetings. My drinking friends were not a part of my non drinking life or social circles so I haven't seen any of them over the past 3 months. My family and friends don't drink so I've been spending more time with them like I used to before I began isolating myself and made the bar life and drinking partners my priority.
Im glad this forum exists and wish everyone well in their recovery.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,447
Welcome and congratulations on your 94 days of sobriety. Stepping away from your drinking friends is an important part of recovery and I'm glad you see that spending time with non-drinking family/friends is beneficial.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 2,872
Hello and welcome.
Sounds like you have a great grasp on your situation and know what needs to be done to maintain a sober lifestyle. So that's great. And congratulations on ninety four days. That is awesome.
I hope you feel free to post away and make yourself at home here.
Best to you.
Sounds like you have a great grasp on your situation and know what needs to be done to maintain a sober lifestyle. So that's great. And congratulations on ninety four days. That is awesome.
I hope you feel free to post away and make yourself at home here.
Best to you.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Los Angeles, Ca
Posts: 535
"My family and friends don't drink so I've been spending more time with them like I used to before I began isolating myself and made the bar life and drinking partners my priority."
Congrats on following your, "Values." Values are what we think are important to us and not what we feel are important.
When I think back on the decades I spent drinking to excess, I realize that I always drank to get drunk. I never considered other options. (not drink or moderate). I always went with my primitive limbic system that governed my emotions, my feelings. I drank to regain control over my emotions, my feeling helpless, trapped and out of control to specific circumstances in life that I felt were overwhelming. Those days are gone for me. Now I realize the quick fix or mood changer of alcohol is but an immature way to regain control of overwhelming issues! Like you, I have learned to replace my feelings with new thinking, new values and new friends. Life ain't so bad, in fact it is better, when your values trump your addiction.
Romans 12:2:"Don't be conformed to this world, instead be transformed with new thinking."
Congrats on following your, "Values." Values are what we think are important to us and not what we feel are important.
When I think back on the decades I spent drinking to excess, I realize that I always drank to get drunk. I never considered other options. (not drink or moderate). I always went with my primitive limbic system that governed my emotions, my feelings. I drank to regain control over my emotions, my feeling helpless, trapped and out of control to specific circumstances in life that I felt were overwhelming. Those days are gone for me. Now I realize the quick fix or mood changer of alcohol is but an immature way to regain control of overwhelming issues! Like you, I have learned to replace my feelings with new thinking, new values and new friends. Life ain't so bad, in fact it is better, when your values trump your addiction.
Romans 12:2:"Don't be conformed to this world, instead be transformed with new thinking."
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 259
Thanks everyone for the welcome.
Im glad I found this site as a lot of my work takes on the computer so I usually have access when Im traveling for work.
When I was drinking I really felt exhausted so much of the time and like there was never enough time to take care of everything. I actually carved out time in my life to accommodate drinking which seems crazy to me now. Now that I've stopped, I have time to read and exercise again. I also get to bed at a decent hour and get enough sleep.
Even during periods between binges my time was mostly spent catching up with the work I neglected when I was binging. As soon as I caught up, it seemed like I'd go on a bender and have to start all over with non stop activity as soon as I came to from the bender.
This time spent in recovery and reflection has allowed me to slow down and rejuvenate a bit. Im hoping to carry these lessons with me and not get caught up again in going and going.
Im glad I found this site as a lot of my work takes on the computer so I usually have access when Im traveling for work.
When I was drinking I really felt exhausted so much of the time and like there was never enough time to take care of everything. I actually carved out time in my life to accommodate drinking which seems crazy to me now. Now that I've stopped, I have time to read and exercise again. I also get to bed at a decent hour and get enough sleep.
Even during periods between binges my time was mostly spent catching up with the work I neglected when I was binging. As soon as I caught up, it seemed like I'd go on a bender and have to start all over with non stop activity as soon as I came to from the bender.
This time spent in recovery and reflection has allowed me to slow down and rejuvenate a bit. Im hoping to carry these lessons with me and not get caught up again in going and going.
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