Thanks, how have you been doing FDM?

All is good, looking forward to some spring weather.

Just an update. Over 3 months off and have been doing very well. Started my new job and really enjoying it. Having a bit of an anxiety setback over the last few days. A lot less severe because I haven’t been smoking. Hope everyone is doing well

Day 14 today.... I've gone a bit longer than that in the past 6 months, but never while also being sober from booze....

14 days of both today.....

Feeling very good about it and life is seeing some definite progress as a result.

Here's to keeping it goin!

I hold all of you in my prayers to HP for continued strength and insight to your purpose and path.

Thanks Free Owl. Glad you’re back here and sober again.

thanks, Ronantian….. and great work on 3 months!

let’s keep this going.

Had a counselling session today with a different counsellor and she suggested I go to addiction services rather than counselling. I rang addiction services and they said because I have been sober since March and mostly sober for the past two years, I should stick to counselling.

It upset and confused me because I feel like I’ve done really well in staying sober. Have been very up and down with anxiety over the past few months but have stayed sober and no intention of using again. Seeing my regular counsellor on Thursday and will talk it out with them.

I can kinda relate to that.... my 'regular' therapist(s) haven't truly understood addiction from a first-hand perspective in many instances. I've been using a lot of podcasts, AA meetings and SR as my "addiction support" and then using 'regular' therapy for the things that underlie my addictive response.

Keep at it, spend more time here, and what I've found really helpful in stepwork is getting to the ROOT causes of my emotional disregulation. In my evolving view (backed by a TON of trauma-informed science) - Addiction isn't the disease, it's the response.... the actual root is in our inability to regulate ourselves, cope with life and apply alternative means of comforting ourselves against life's stressors and rigors..... so, dealing with the CORE issues really has nothing to do with addiction at all. If we can be clear with our therapists / counselors / medical providers about our core issues, we can work on those and they have the effect of 'treating' our addiction.

It’s always hard when you see a new counsellor and they want to switch things up, Ronantian.
See what your regular counsellor says :)

D

Had a very productive session with my regular counsellor.

She validated all the work I’ve put into my recovery over the past two years, and echoed what Free Owl said about substance abuse being a symptom of underlying issues, in my case anxiety, rather than the key issue itself.

Thanks for all the support. It feels good to know that I am taking the right course of action, and can just park the bad advice.

great to hear, Ronantian!

I’ve been consuming every video offered by an addiction counselor and former weed addict who really has some great content and I’ve found very helpful and very reinforcing. Check out the channel ‘Addiction Mindset’ on YouTube. If you go to his videos and start with ‘How to quit smoking weed’ parts 1 & 2 I think you’ll find it a fantastic resource.

I’m glad you’re back with your regular counsellor Ronantian - sounds like it’s a good match.

D

Hey Ronantian, if my calculations are correct you should be around the nine month mark now. Are you still going strong and doing what I should have been doing for the last nine months but didn't.