joinedintime

I'm speechless

shanman422

Thank you to all the great feedback!

ROC66 I relate to this comment!!! "My friends are still my friends but they don't understand that addiction is real and tangible. They are supportive in voice but can't appreciate the day-to-day physical and mental BS because they aren't addicts. Insanity is just a word to them."

Jen has actually been very suportive in the past (although she told me when she was blasted drunk on new years eve, how proud she was of me) but maybe it's me, I do feel that they thought this 'sober time' for shannon would have been over by now. haha... so now that it's a life decision and goal of mine it just is what it is... it's my day, my feeling, and i'm going to continue to be proud of myself.

UGLYEYES - i too feel that they may be afraid I will start preaching at them. That's why I don't bring it up. This was/is my choice and I love who I am today, and that's all that really matters to me now.

Thanks all... much appreciated!

Shannon

Anna

Yes, I definitely found that very quickly.

I wanted my husband and children to understand my point of view, my story, and they did not want to spend one minute dealing with it. Yes, they wanted me to get better, they just did not feel involved with that.

I tell almost no one that I don't drink. To me, it's a deeply personal choice and it's not something I choose to bring up in discussion with people who are not alcoholics. That's why I come here.

Lindsay

I completely can relate to this. My roommate and I have been "drinking buddies" for the past 6 years. Two years ago we moved to a different state together, so despite having made SOME new friends, we mostly only ever hung out with each other. So imagine her dissapointment when I make the decision to get sober...it doesn't really go over well. I've had a couple false starts along the way, and they're mostly due to the fact that I allow my mind, AND HER, to convince myself that I "don't really have a problem."

It's difficult, but I can also say that family members are really the only ones that are honestly supportive with the decision.

Isaiah

Sobriety should be boring. All that time you spent passed out or catatonically stupid... guess what? You've got to do something else during those hours now!

Let your boredom be inspiration to do something new. I HIGHLY recommend developing a reading addiction. I love books. I love books more than Charles Bukowski loved jug wine. Ask me if you need any recommendations; that's part of my job!

Isaiah

Or volunteer. Trust me, nothing will keep you sober better than volunteering at a homeless shelter, a grief support group or anything such.

Not even AA is as effective as giving to your community. It's so wonderful you'll wish you didn't have to work an ordinary job.

SoberforME

LMAO

So so true!!!!!

Normies also don't think WOW I haven't drank in 40/60/120 days. AMAZING!!

I had a friend at a party tell me it was his first beer in 4 months because he was training for a triathlon. I was like WOW! (ps. he only had ONE beer)

I've also thought how hard it would be to be pregnant because I couldn't go 9 months without drinking.

I have people that ask me how I'm doing. I have a few friends that I would LOVE to see stop drinking. They were my drinking buddies, and I worry that now that I am not drinking that they will drift away. Those folks ask me if I am still not drinking and constantly assert that it;s so hard to not drink.

One of my close friends actually said "I'm afraid of losing you now that you are not drinking". It hurt my heart that drinking was such a bond in our relationship although I am so happy she was honest with me and we could acknowledge that so we can (hopefully) build on a different foundation.

CAPTAINZING2000

o yeah

been bored to death not waking up in orange jump suits and standing in front of a judge and saying not guilty your honor!!!:wtf2

Horselover

Hi Shannon - I finally was able to read your post here and I wouldn't say it was a boring subject for people, but more an uncomfortable subject.

I have a girlfriend out here and she asked how my doctor's appointment went and I said, "Well you know it was awesome. I was so comfortable with her I told her about my past drinking." Silence and then nothing. It was her deal not mine. BTW, we're still great friends and always will be. She doesn't drink herself at all and so therefore, doesn't understand how it could be a problem.

I was able to recently fill out a questionnaire on Facebook which said to post 25 random things about yourself and now the people that have reconnected with me haven't seen me in over 20 some years. One of my randoms was "I no longer drink and am enjoying life to its fullest." Not one comment on it not that I expected there would be, but they know that about me now and I won't be asked to go get a drink if I encounter one of them. I tell you I say it more for my own safety then the other person's benefit. I'm kind of selfish that way.