What keeps you sober?
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by KailaeBlaze 
1. What keeps you sober?
2. What helps you to have the strength to not do your D.O.C?
3. What little "highs" do you find in life that keep sobriety worth it?
2. What helps you to have the strength to not do your D.O.C?
3. What little "highs" do you find in life that keep sobriety worth it?
2. I have zero strength to not drink. I never did learn how to not drink. Not drinking has nothing to do with why I am sober today.
3. The benefits of recovery are peace of mind, joy and sense of purpose. In fact, when I feel a sense of purpose, I don't need alcohol, drugs, entertainment, material stuff or companionship. I'm OK with myself - by myself.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 873
Originally Posted by lovingit
They tell me about six months until the alcoholic fog lifts. That's what's driving me now at 2 months sober. After that, I don't know. Perhaps a happy life.
I'm at a little after 6 months and things are starting to change for the better, in perhaps a more noticeable way than before. It's like my head is exploding (in a good way) with ideas, thoughts and observations.
Before I stayed sober because I wanted to get to the point where the detox process really started to end. And wow, now that I'm this far I think that if it keeps getting better I will never go back. Just feeling this good is incentive enough.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Overseas... on the shore of an uncharted desert isle.
Posts: 254
The anti-aging effect ...
I haven't drunk booze for about 2.5 years. The other day, I met up with a bunch of guys I used to hang out with ten years ago.
Many I hadn't seen in person for a good 3-4 years or so. With the exception of one or two guys, everyone else was sporting some kind of massive beer gut along with a large beer mug in hand - and it wasn't pretty. Fat jowly faces to boot. Almost everyone had played football back in high school and some in college. When the voices got too loud and drunk, I said my good-byes and headed home.
I reckon I was the only guy there who looked as he did back in 2000... pre-9/11. And, I know 100% that it was kicking the booze habit that made the difference.
I haven't drunk booze for about 2.5 years. The other day, I met up with a bunch of guys I used to hang out with ten years ago.
Many I hadn't seen in person for a good 3-4 years or so. With the exception of one or two guys, everyone else was sporting some kind of massive beer gut along with a large beer mug in hand - and it wasn't pretty. Fat jowly faces to boot. Almost everyone had played football back in high school and some in college. When the voices got too loud and drunk, I said my good-byes and headed home.
I reckon I was the only guy there who looked as he did back in 2000... pre-9/11. And, I know 100% that it was kicking the booze habit that made the difference.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 32
I am sober since 5th July 2011. ( 12 days )
What keeps me sober ? The taste of normal life ... I had forgotten what a normal life meant. Normal sleep, normal dinner and normal mornings ,feeling fresh .
I also get lots of time to myself to focus on my hobby, my personal finances and above all, I am thinking less of myself and my master alcohol. I am thinking more of others now. Alcohol , once my master is my enemy number one. As long as it is away from me, i would not do what I did under its influence. i. e,
What keeps me sober ? The taste of normal life ... I had forgotten what a normal life meant. Normal sleep, normal dinner and normal mornings ,feeling fresh .
I also get lots of time to myself to focus on my hobby, my personal finances and above all, I am thinking less of myself and my master alcohol. I am thinking more of others now. Alcohol , once my master is my enemy number one. As long as it is away from me, i would not do what I did under its influence. i. e,
I got nothin'
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: My house.
Posts: 4,890
At first it was because drinking wasn't making my life any better.
Two years into sobriety and I feel...ho hum. The ho hum (and worse) is depression. I drank to get relief from depression. Drinking created a different set of problems. Now I deal with my illness...whether or not the meds help. It sucks. It's tough.
Why am I still sober? Sometimes I don't know. I know that my life is mine to live how I see fit. I can and will do whatever I want.
I think I'm still sober because I want to get out of this hole that I'm in and the last thing I need to do is fill it up with booze. Or maybe it's because I'm too afraid to take a step back. I feel like I'm in the middle of something...stuck in the buttcrack of life. I'd like to get out. It stinks. Perhaps there is a better part? I won't know if I give up.
It's not what keeps me sober, but who. The who is me.
Two years into sobriety and I feel...ho hum. The ho hum (and worse) is depression. I drank to get relief from depression. Drinking created a different set of problems. Now I deal with my illness...whether or not the meds help. It sucks. It's tough.
Why am I still sober? Sometimes I don't know. I know that my life is mine to live how I see fit. I can and will do whatever I want.
I think I'm still sober because I want to get out of this hole that I'm in and the last thing I need to do is fill it up with booze. Or maybe it's because I'm too afraid to take a step back. I feel like I'm in the middle of something...stuck in the buttcrack of life. I'd like to get out. It stinks. Perhaps there is a better part? I won't know if I give up.
It's not what keeps me sober, but who. The who is me.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,826
For me, improved health, deliverance from anxiety, spiritual connection.....
Plus:
My younger sister is going through a divorce from an active addict.
Every day I'm sober is a day I am available to support her.
Two worthy goals that keep me going....
I never know when her calls are going to come with a request for help. If I'm sober all the time, I'm always ready to pick up the phone. This feels really good.
Every day I'm working on my own codie issues is a day I'm more grounded and clear to be of assistance.
Plus:
My younger sister is going through a divorce from an active addict.
Every day I'm sober is a day I am available to support her.
Two worthy goals that keep me going....
I never know when her calls are going to come with a request for help. If I'm sober all the time, I'm always ready to pick up the phone. This feels really good.
Every day I'm working on my own codie issues is a day I'm more grounded and clear to be of assistance.
Guest
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Sunny FL
Posts: 647
I am only on day 7 (again) but what keeps me sober is love of life, fear of death. Enjoyment in using my gift of compassion for others. The prospect of earning my daughters respect and admiration again. Knowing that life looks so much better through clean glasses and not a bottle of vodka.
Came to Believe
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Montgomery AL
Posts: 507
I'd love to be able to say that my wife and kids, family and friends keep me sober, but they were never enough to get me sober or keep me sober before. It's a benefit of my sobriety that I'm able to be a better person for them, but what keeps me sober is myself, with the help of AA, SR and my Higher Power. Breaking it down a little further than that, the happiness and motivation I have for life now keeps me sober. I don't want to give that up.
--Fenris.
--Fenris.
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
Knowing if I drink, my life won't progress... I'll stall myself wherever I'm at (physically, emotionally, spiritually) and have little chance of doing the things I want to do in life. And that my life will most likely get worse. Also, I'm ready to add people back into my life... it's lonely trying to do everything on my own.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: A Castle in MA
Posts: 52
I know this sounds terrible, but right now what keeps me sober is caffeine (especially Red Bull), and cigarettes. I am only 10 days dry. But WHILE I am outside smoking my cigarette, I do like to think about next year, and what little goals I hope to reach by then. Long-term, my kids and husband are what I pray will keep me permanently sober, because I don't want my husband and kids to end up without their wife/mom someday.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal CA
Posts: 1,319
Maturity, my health and my family keeps me sober. The "highs" or benefits are too many to mention, but waking up everyday feeling great is a big one. The realization that I could enjoy my life sober is probably the biggest high of them all.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
