macknacat

Yep- obsession is obsession for me... sometimes its 'cause i haven't planned a 'productive' time.. sometimes its because i am too lazy and just want "entertainment" and sometimes its 'cause i am uncomfortable in my own skin [filling the void] .

So , when i did step work [4th-7th] my sponsor helped me see that all i really needed to do was to re-apply this personality characteristic to other, healthy areas in my life . The results: wrote a novel, finished building 2 boats, ran a business, installed a large solar power and heating system on my home, went for 5 week camping and fishing trips , started meetings, worked out , sponsored a few guys, much much more.....

do i still drink too much coffee? yes!

jobei

Yea unfortunately booze isn't the only thing out there that is bad for us. I feel that it's smart to "try" to avoid EVERYTHING that is bad for you. Seems like basic logic to me. I stress the word "try" because it's an impossible task but there's nothing wrong with making the effort. For me justifying eating/drinking things that I KNOW are not good for me is a step right back to drinking. Is one red bull once in a while bad? A cup of coffee bad? I don't feel that they are but 4-5 redbulls or 3 pots of coffee a day might have some messy effects on your body. I will agree for sure that it's better than drinking though... especially for a drunk like me.

BethS

It is so difficult when you're an addict - well, NOT to get addicted to things. i went down the same road as you with both sugar and then Red Bull after finding sobriety. I realised what I lack is a comfort mechanism. I am practising Mindfulness meditation whenever I get the chance to try to build myself my own 'Comfort tool'. I WISH I had got addcited to marathon running, lol

jocata

I'm that way with the coffee. Drink tons of it. Having some as I type.

Cheers.

God bless.

CaiHong

Hi Tendencies,

Good that you are recognizing these patterns.
I am glad you brought this topic up.
I have been bingeing on baked goods, sweets, chocolates and coffee.
I was starting to have the same relationship with sweet food as I had with alcohol. As with alcohol I can't moderate, so for the last week I went cold turkey only eating raw food, fruit and vegetables. I had more physical withdrawals than I did from alcohol, headaches and inexplicable pain in my legs at night that kept me awake. Yesterday I started to feel vey good and was operating better than ever, my moods are becoming a lot more stable I was observing myself yesterday at work, things that would send me into a rage I was making a joke of.

I like these changes enough to give up sugar and coffee permanently.

I used what I have learnt in AA to help kick the sugar habit.

To me the sober life is overhauling yourself and making the adjustments you need. I think we all know what is bad for us. it's a matter of finding the strength and purpose to make those changes.

Next on the agenda is to stop taking the iPad to bed and watching crap TV shows.

CaiHong

Tendencies

It's funny. I thought quitting drinking was going to be enough. But I knew I had to quit smoking too. I did both.

I did these things so I could lose weight of course and start to exercise too. I've done that as well and lost 20 Lbs.

But I'm starting to think real sobriety is not just defined as quitting alcohol. It might be more than that. It could be an entirely new way of looking at the world and my place in it.

Once you embrace change in order to stick with it you have to keep changing it seems. Its not just quit drinking. It's everything. Everything changes.

It's like I'm needing to get to a pure place with as little outside stimulants as possible.

My life has improved immeasurably since I quit drinking and took a lot of other steps.

You know what I still don' thave though.

Serenity.

Pigtails

I agree we are obsessive and likely to get addicted to just about anything. :-/ I am trying to channel the addictions into a healthy area... running, working out, even working, in my opinion, are much better than drinking or other negative outlets. I'm also trying hard to learn balance, moderation and discipline, things that do not come easily for most alcoholics/addicts. I'm in AA and find that the principles I learn there can be easily used in all areas of my life... for me it's about changing my character and attitude/thinking so that I don't get trapped in the same habits and methods. I used to take the easy way out, I feel I was immature and impulsive. Now I try to do the "next right thing" and stay focused on the overall picture and other people besides myself. I try first and foremost to do what I know is right for me, even if it's not the easiest or most pleasurable thing to do. I hope this helps. It's hard for me too and I'm learning as I go. Good luck.

macknacat

But I'm starting to think real sobriety is not just defined as quitting alcohol. It might be more than that. It could be an entirely new way of looking at the world and my place in it.


well said- and although that is Indeed what has happened to me, , i sure would not have been able to express it like you have. Eventually i did hear the words" becoming right sized" and that phrase stuck with me.

serenity snuck up on me- i went to tons of AA and NA , did what the 'winners' had done, became open to an idea of spirituality and .... sure nuff- nowadays i meditate most mornings and ... sure nuff- get a pretty big hit of serenity . Which usually i can re-access during the rest of my day...