Soberbrah in rehab
Not Alone
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: South East UK
Posts: 1,513
Sounds to me like you got a pesky bit of self sabotage in your head. When I first got clean my first reaction was like right I'm clean but what the hell do I do now. The problem is, as I see it, that unless we make stuff for us to do we just sit there wasting away in our own self pity. You say you don't have to go back to school until January so that gives you a few months to play with.
Why instead of going to Vegas you take yourself to a nice quiet place. Maybe hit up a few AA meetings, meet some new friends, do some new things and make the first couple of months of your recovery something special. I know you don't really wanna hear it but I am going to tell you anyway. The likelihood of you relapsing if you go to Vegas straight after you have left a rehab is incredibly high. You might not even come back from that one. Give yourself a break, focus on your recovery for a few months. You owe it to yourself.
This is a huge life changing thing. Rehab isn't just 30 days of taking it easy and getting better. Rehab is the first bit of cement in the foundation for your new life. You have been given another chance. It is up to you whether you take it or not but as I am sure you know the other side isn't always rosy.
Why instead of going to Vegas you take yourself to a nice quiet place. Maybe hit up a few AA meetings, meet some new friends, do some new things and make the first couple of months of your recovery something special. I know you don't really wanna hear it but I am going to tell you anyway. The likelihood of you relapsing if you go to Vegas straight after you have left a rehab is incredibly high. You might not even come back from that one. Give yourself a break, focus on your recovery for a few months. You owe it to yourself.
This is a huge life changing thing. Rehab isn't just 30 days of taking it easy and getting better. Rehab is the first bit of cement in the foundation for your new life. You have been given another chance. It is up to you whether you take it or not but as I am sure you know the other side isn't always rosy.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,126
This is what I would do. Go to Vegas, mood slide up and down with the winnings and losings, win a $5,000 hand and then the little lady with the free drink tray comes up....
I would avoid Vegas like the plague. If you can feed yourself, clothe yourself, make meetings, seems like that would be a much better plan until school starts.
I wouldn't fret the rehab bills, either. I wouldn't concentrate on one damned thing other than recovery.
I see a lot of alcoholic thinking here. I buy into the program so I am safe, I am immune to my addiction now.
Gambling is my trade and I know I can make money to pay for rehab. I don't see how you can know that for certain at all.
I don't mean to fit you into a neat little peg hole, but I see no rationale in Vegas. Yeah, there are meetings there, yeah gambling is your "trade,'' but I just wonder how much that whole scene plays into your addiction.
I suspect your schooling isn't poker school, so maybe you do see yourself having some other kind of future? Like a real job? I think it will take a whole lot of changing to do that, especially if you are sitting in rehab. Rehab isn't fun, it's hard work, but it's also a safe place and if I had the chance for rehab I would be taking advantage of every second.
I would avoid Vegas like the plague. If you can feed yourself, clothe yourself, make meetings, seems like that would be a much better plan until school starts.
I wouldn't fret the rehab bills, either. I wouldn't concentrate on one damned thing other than recovery.
I see a lot of alcoholic thinking here. I buy into the program so I am safe, I am immune to my addiction now.
Gambling is my trade and I know I can make money to pay for rehab. I don't see how you can know that for certain at all.
I don't mean to fit you into a neat little peg hole, but I see no rationale in Vegas. Yeah, there are meetings there, yeah gambling is your "trade,'' but I just wonder how much that whole scene plays into your addiction.
I suspect your schooling isn't poker school, so maybe you do see yourself having some other kind of future? Like a real job? I think it will take a whole lot of changing to do that, especially if you are sitting in rehab. Rehab isn't fun, it's hard work, but it's also a safe place and if I had the chance for rehab I would be taking advantage of every second.
Not Alone
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: South East UK
Posts: 1,513
Pretty much what Memphis has said. Just do your recovery. When I came around I had no job, no money to do anything with. I filled my time with meetings and stepwork. Give yourself a firm foundation for the future.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Cleveland, OH
Posts: 1,191
If you identify with what is in that Big Book and believe the 12 steps are your answer, then jump in with both feet. No need to hesitate. Find yourself some meetings and start attending. Find an individual who seems to be happy in sobriety and understands and has worked the 12 steps. Ask them to sponsor you. Do what they did. Getting recovered does not have to take a long time. If you get into the program and work at it with half the effort you worked at your drinking, you can be recovered in a matter of weeks and be put into a position where you will be able to help others to do the same.
A Day at a Time
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Posts: 6,435
Originally Posted by soberbrah 
What do you recommend I do after treatment?
I have absolutely nothing to go back to
Nothing to do other than finish school which i can't do til January
I have absolutely nothing to go back to
Nothing to do other than finish school which i can't do til January
- Go to an AA meeting everyday and do not drink in between
- Come to meetings early and stay late. Doing this will help you to get to know others in recovery and form a support network and new friends
- Get a sponsor
This would be a great start in early recovery
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 181
I have nothing though
No place to go, no location I can attach myself to, I'm from back east, I'm never going home again, I am in Utah for rehab, I have zero ties out here, poker is the only means to supporting myself
How do I know this btw? Hundreds and hundreds of hours playing it
No place to go, no location I can attach myself to, I'm from back east, I'm never going home again, I am in Utah for rehab, I have zero ties out here, poker is the only means to supporting myself
How do I know this btw? Hundreds and hundreds of hours playing it
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Eastern Us
Posts: 1,366
You do have options. Look forsober housing in your area. Talk to someone on staff at your rehab. If you can get a place, it generally is very cheap. They will help you get a job and you can save up some money. The job will probably be something entry level, but it will be work. You will be expected to go to meeting and not to drink. Do that for a while and see what happens. Stay sober, help other people stay sober. That should keep you busy for a while.
I think you are very lucky that you got the chance to go to rehab. Many people die before they get a shot. Don't waste it.
I think you are very lucky that you got the chance to go to rehab. Many people die before they get a shot. Don't waste it.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,947
Well, hmmm... I am not a pro, way not a pro, but I do love to play low stakes blackjack... And playing it sober is a pleasure and allows me to use all my facilities, and God knows I need 'em, when playing blackjack. I went to casino not too long after I got sober and ordered black coffee when the cocktail waitress came 'round.
But I went in with the idea that I could lose my stake, and it wasn't a big one, and walk out and have a good time... And I did!
My self image, who I am, has nothing to do with cards... And I have no expectations one way or another when I play, except I'd like to be able to play an hour or two and walk out with about the same amount of money I walked in with.
I simply cannot imagine playing high stakes for money I needed to support myself on, just out of rehab, and doing so in Las Vegas... But that's just me... Can you seriously do this thing without drinking... All that pressure, all that dopamine and testosterone, all those free drinks??
If so, my hat's off to you. I would urge you to get real connected, real fast, to AA and the recovery community there and get a sponsor and find a sober buddy to go with you... And even then, I have my concerns...
Stay in Utah, it is probably the driest state in the union, maybe volunteer at the rehab, or some other thing to keep you engaged and sober until school starts.
But I went in with the idea that I could lose my stake, and it wasn't a big one, and walk out and have a good time... And I did!
My self image, who I am, has nothing to do with cards... And I have no expectations one way or another when I play, except I'd like to be able to play an hour or two and walk out with about the same amount of money I walked in with.
I simply cannot imagine playing high stakes for money I needed to support myself on, just out of rehab, and doing so in Las Vegas... But that's just me... Can you seriously do this thing without drinking... All that pressure, all that dopamine and testosterone, all those free drinks??
If so, my hat's off to you. I would urge you to get real connected, real fast, to AA and the recovery community there and get a sponsor and find a sober buddy to go with you... And even then, I have my concerns...
Stay in Utah, it is probably the driest state in the union, maybe volunteer at the rehab, or some other thing to keep you engaged and sober until school starts.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 325
Soberbrah,
Congrats on getting into rehab. Regarding poker, what I can tell you after playing for almost 10 years now, is that poker can be really unfair and the swings day to day can be crazy. I've played my fair share of live poker, and luck plays a huge factor in tournaments where you aren't getting dealt many hands and the blinds go up quick.
The only time I've noticed skill involved is where I played thousands of hands online and could take advantage of weaker players quicker. When you play poker in Vegas, you see maybe 30 hands an hour, so basically it would probably take you atleast a month for any skill to pay off.
If you are gonna go play in Vegas, good luck. I hope you are one of the few who hit a hot streak and never look back.
Congrats on getting into rehab. Regarding poker, what I can tell you after playing for almost 10 years now, is that poker can be really unfair and the swings day to day can be crazy. I've played my fair share of live poker, and luck plays a huge factor in tournaments where you aren't getting dealt many hands and the blinds go up quick.
The only time I've noticed skill involved is where I played thousands of hands online and could take advantage of weaker players quicker. When you play poker in Vegas, you see maybe 30 hands an hour, so basically it would probably take you atleast a month for any skill to pay off.
If you are gonna go play in Vegas, good luck. I hope you are one of the few who hit a hot streak and never look back.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 453
Originally Posted by soberbrah
I'll hit a meeting and go to the gym everyday, I know I can resist, if not for my higher power for the 10k I spent on rehab
Day 9 of rehab, I've lost 12 lbs since coming here, that can't be healthy?
Day 9 of rehab, I've lost 12 lbs since coming here, that can't be healthy?
Have you asked the Counselors for help in finding a job in Utah for after release from Rehab?
What did they say?
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