View Poll Results: Which Healthy Habit Change helps you most with Sobriety Maintenance?
Regular Sleep
86
27.04%
Eating Better
57
17.92%
Exercise
145
45.60%
Prayer/ Meditation
61
19.18%
Support from others and/ or helping others
116
36.48%
Other
32
10.06%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 318. You may not vote on this poll
Poll: Which healthy habit change helps you the most with sobriety maintenance?
Getting Healthy
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Neverland
Posts: 539
Lots of things. The thing I missed when drunk and appreciate more now is sleep. This site kept me sane in early sobriety and helps me with reminders as time goes on. I also sought help for depression, so I'm doing much better now. There's more to the equation...these are the main parts.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 2,126
Well, let's see..................:
1) Regular sleep? Uh, nope. Even to this day (more than a few 24's later) I don't get regular sleep.
2) Eating better? Again no. As in #1 above, I've never eaten good (healthy), 'n doubt I ever will.
3) Exercise? Oh good heavens no; not done exercise since high school.
4) Prayer/Meditation? I got sober in an Atheist group; no prayer or meditation involved.
5) Support from others and/or helping others? I didn't think much of most of the others in the rooms at first, and quite frankly neither wanted nor needed their support........regarding helping others, I like what the BB says..........:
"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail." [AA BB; Chapter 7 (Working Woth Others); pg 89]
Well, since other activities didn't fail, this was not necessary.
Since I've gone into what hasn't been necessary, here's what I've found has worked..............I don't pick up. AA's steps are great, but with the exception of Step 1 (which is the only step that has to do with alcohol), the rest of the steps (2-12) are a design for living; a wonerful design for living, but not a design for living w/o alcohol [I know many folks (non-AAer's) who live by AA's steps/principles, and many of them drink; not alcoholically, but the steps don't prevent them from drinking; they don't prevent anyone from drinking]; they're just a design for living (a good life).
So, although I may incorporate AA's 12-Steps into my daily life, the one healthy habit change that helps me the most with sobriety maintenance is (drum roll please)...........: I DON'T PICK UP (so, I guess that would fall under 'Other' right?). It's as simple as that, and as difficult as i want to make it.
(o:
NoelleR
1) Regular sleep? Uh, nope. Even to this day (more than a few 24's later) I don't get regular sleep.
2) Eating better? Again no. As in #1 above, I've never eaten good (healthy), 'n doubt I ever will.
3) Exercise? Oh good heavens no; not done exercise since high school.
4) Prayer/Meditation? I got sober in an Atheist group; no prayer or meditation involved.
5) Support from others and/or helping others? I didn't think much of most of the others in the rooms at first, and quite frankly neither wanted nor needed their support........regarding helping others, I like what the BB says..........:
"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail." [AA BB; Chapter 7 (Working Woth Others); pg 89]
Well, since other activities didn't fail, this was not necessary.
Since I've gone into what hasn't been necessary, here's what I've found has worked..............I don't pick up. AA's steps are great, but with the exception of Step 1 (which is the only step that has to do with alcohol), the rest of the steps (2-12) are a design for living; a wonerful design for living, but not a design for living w/o alcohol [I know many folks (non-AAer's) who live by AA's steps/principles, and many of them drink; not alcoholically, but the steps don't prevent them from drinking; they don't prevent anyone from drinking]; they're just a design for living (a good life).
So, although I may incorporate AA's 12-Steps into my daily life, the one healthy habit change that helps me the most with sobriety maintenance is (drum roll please)...........: I DON'T PICK UP (so, I guess that would fall under 'Other' right?). It's as simple as that, and as difficult as i want to make it.
(o:
NoelleR
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Westcoast
Posts: 26
Exercise! Running, biking, hiking... It really helps for when I get that restless feeling. When I put all my focus on what I am doing, I feel so free. When I am running and when I finish I feel incredible and it usually helps set things in perspective - eating, relationships, not drinking...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: East Coast, The States
Posts: 12,162
These results surprise me. Or maybe they embarress me as, except for long walks with the dog and being on the run at work, I do not exercise.
And apparently it is sobriety's secret weapon!!
And apparently it is sobriety's secret weapon!!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 2,126
Psssssst EternalQ, there no 'secret weapon' when it comes to sobriety 'n recovery. I did notice that, with the exception of those who don't post their DOS, most (if not all) of those advocating exercise have less than one year of sobriety/recovery (perhaps a couple with a bit over a year, but less thn two). Be careful with exercise; don't overdo; addiction to exercise, especially in folks in recovery, is very common (at least this has been my exprience with those I've known who exercised for their sobrieth/recovery).
It is known that in humans, vigorous exercise triggers the release of endorphins in the brain. Remember that endorphins are the body's natural opiates and they serve to relieve pain and act as a natural tranquilizer, both of which are powerful reinforcers for exercise. Ahhhhh yes, gotta luv them endorphins..........
(o:
NoelleR
It is known that in humans, vigorous exercise triggers the release of endorphins in the brain. Remember that endorphins are the body's natural opiates and they serve to relieve pain and act as a natural tranquilizer, both of which are powerful reinforcers for exercise. Ahhhhh yes, gotta luv them endorphins..........
(o:
NoelleR
...not falling down them
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
For me all of them are important.
The sleeping and eating were a huge deal in the beginning but have now settled down and are regularly good.
The prayer and meditation was at first begging and exhaustion but has become more mindful and specific now.
So my biggest help now is support and helping others as I can: here at SR and from my participation in NA, and my partner here at home.
Exercise, I don't really do. I'm working my way up to that.
Great thread!
The sleeping and eating were a huge deal in the beginning but have now settled down and are regularly good.
The prayer and meditation was at first begging and exhaustion but has become more mindful and specific now.
So my biggest help now is support and helping others as I can: here at SR and from my participation in NA, and my partner here at home.
Exercise, I don't really do. I'm working my way up to that.
Great thread!
2 detoxes down, 0 to go
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 284
I had to go with "support from others / helping others".
I'm only on day 9 of sobriety, but I never would've gotten here without the help of the A.A. groups that I started going to months before I was ready to finally cross the bridge to sobriety.
I just started exercising again and I'm sure that will help. And I'm eating better and finally getting some decent sleep after detoxing for several days and I'm sure that will help as well. And I'm meditating (I'm a Buddhist in fact, and had been completely ignoring this part of Buddhist practice since I was too drunk/hungover to meditate) and I'm sure that will help keep me sober as well.
But the bottom line is that without the help of the A.A. groups I attend and the small group that I'm required to attend three times a week as part of the outpatient detox program I enrolled in, there is absolutely no way that I wouldn't be deep into a half gallon of vodka right now.
I'm only on day 9 of sobriety, but I never would've gotten here without the help of the A.A. groups that I started going to months before I was ready to finally cross the bridge to sobriety.
I just started exercising again and I'm sure that will help. And I'm eating better and finally getting some decent sleep after detoxing for several days and I'm sure that will help as well. And I'm meditating (I'm a Buddhist in fact, and had been completely ignoring this part of Buddhist practice since I was too drunk/hungover to meditate) and I'm sure that will help keep me sober as well.
But the bottom line is that without the help of the A.A. groups I attend and the small group that I'm required to attend three times a week as part of the outpatient detox program I enrolled in, there is absolutely no way that I wouldn't be deep into a half gallon of vodka right now.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: California
Posts: 2
I'm also with the majority. Exercise helps me the most. I have to stay sober if I want to reach my fitness goals and reaching the small goals everyday is really satisfying. Also, making myself physically tired helps me sleep and working out with others keeps me social.
Thanks for the poll- it would be pretty smart to round out my life with every single poll choice
Thanks for the poll- it would be pretty smart to round out my life with every single poll choice
Still I rise.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Oh Canada!
Posts: 1,121
If I come home from work and exercise (I have a treadmill...usually forty minutes of fast walking) right away, the craving disappears. For me, the trick is NOT stopping after work to visit a pub (and then picking up more for home)...getting home and immediately changing right into workout clothes.
It also helps with anxiety and sleep.
Exercise all the way.
It also helps with anxiety and sleep.
Exercise all the way.
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