NightmaresOnWax

So this weekend at the beach hiuse was a success. I managed to have fun and stay sober.

Today is my ninth day sober and I had a very stressful day at work. I had a harsh realization that I have no clue how to deal with stress. For all of my adult life I have either smoked pot, drank, or both as a way to relax and unwind at work. Mid day during a bad day, I could just tell myself "just a few more hours, then I can go home and get drunk/high".
Now it seems like I have nothing to fall back on. Nothing to comfort me or make me forget about all my problems at work.

I'm having a real hard time convincing myself that I can stay sober long term at this point. I came REAL close to having "just one drink"...I even toyed around with the idea od buying some weed, even though recently I've had more of a problem with alcohol. I justified it to myself by saying "at least it's not as bad as alcohol. You need SOMETHING"

The only thing that stopped me was reading my original post from nine days ago and reminding myself that I will end up back in that same place eventually if i give in to one drink/smokong weed. today it's just weed, tomorrow I'll have a drink with it, two the next day and so on until I'm blacking out within a few hours of getting off work...and I don't want to go to that place again.

At the same time, I need to find other ways to manage a bad day\week\month at work and I have no clue where to start.

Nonsensical

Good job thinking it through. The more you do it, the easier it gets. To relieve stress, I build stuff.

ScottFromWI

Sometimes it can be something as simple as going for a walk, or reading a book. I find that it's good to take short breaks during a stressful work day even for just a few minutes and walk around the building. It helps me concentrate better too just to unwind for a bit.

VantagePoint

Hi there and congrats on 9 days! Have been reading SR for a while to get support, but finally decided to register and post since I think we might be in the same boat. I am on day 9 as well and I completely understand where you're coming from - hasn't been the 9 easy days for me either. Personally, I am in an IT management position, and like you, think that work stress contributed to my drinking problem, or more accurately my inability to deal with it. Being pulled in every direction is a normal Tuesday. Having said that, I also realize that there are a lot of folks with the same level of stress at work who do not drink - so it's possible!

I've read somewhere on SR that making a list of tasks (at the end of the day) that you can start working on the next morning helps. I tried it, and it seems to be really working for me! This way I can really focus on what I need to be working on. Not sure if you're in the office setting, but if you are, I also find it helpful to keep my email inbox completely closed for a couple of hours. When I am in this mode, most calls go to voice mail. I figure if there is an emergency, someone will walk over in person. This way I can control my anxiety, which has been substantially better and better every day.
Overall, while I take my job pretty seriously, I stopped taking it close to heart. Since I feel like this approach helps me to stay sober, and if this is not OK with my employer, there are always other jobs. Call it selfish, but I am kind of making it about me first and job second when it comes to staying on the right track.

Hope this helps and my apologies if I misunderstood your question.

DoubleDragons

Yoga, reading, going to bed early, hanging on SR, organizing my closet/home office, grocery shopping, treating myself to coffee or tea with a small sweet, taking an unusual class or seminar, offering to be the driver for my kids activities . . . in short, distraction from the problem and the temptation of the "quick fix."

Dee74

Exercise works well for me

D

happyandfree

Go for a walk or run, journaling, meditation, breathing excercise s to relax, saying the serenity prayer, taking a bubble bath, talking to a friend, playing with my dogs. Dealing with stress is major for me, and difficult. It was easy to come home and dri k stress away....but the consequences of drinking only made matters worse.

queenofheartz09

Eat cookies and watch tv/movies

lilgolden73

I handle stress very poorly, especially lately. I do find that exercise and eating a clean diet helps alot, but I don't always stick to it.

PurpleKnight

Long walks in the fresh air is my new stress buster!!

chickippo

i'm 100 days today and having major stress. i feel panicky and a bit lost.

going to a lunchtime meeting - the most important thing is not to isolate. this is my first major stressor in sobriety and i WILL NOT drink on it. i need to be around people who care - human connection is so important.

ugh.

Meraviglioso

I am in a constant state of stress. I am a big worrier and also have a lot of stuff going on in my life- good things, like work and giving English lessons- but still things to deal with. I also have 2 small children and while they are a source of joy they are also a source of stress! When I have had success at stopping drinking I have found that taking my obsession with alcohol and placing it into an obsession with caring for my body. I take vitamins and exercise. I make smoothies packed with fruit or even juice vegetables. I do at home hair and face treatments, I take a bath with salts to purify my skin. I do extra exercises in the evening after I have already been to the gym. I figure I have been abusing my body for so long I need to care for it with as much enthusiasm as I put into my drinking.

trachemys

Stressed?

DisplacedGRITS

When I get squirrelly, I talk to other sober alcoholics. Sometimes, I just listen. I get out of my own head. I reconnect with humanity. I am reminded that I am but a small person in a big world. My problems, while huge to me, are inconsequential to the universe. I say the Serenity Prayer. I say it often and I meditate on it an my problems. I accept what I cannot change, I change what I can and I ask for the wisdom to know the difference. I look for opportunities in my difficult times, I give thanks for the good times and I remember to keep gratitude in my heart and at the forefront of my mind. If something is troubling me and I cannot change it, I talk to another sober alcoholic and I turn it over to my Higher Power. I accept and let go and move forward. Opportunities will come and if I am distracted by things I cannot do anything about, I may miss those opportunities. Move on, flow forward into a future that is mine to influence and live in.

FusterCluck

Taking the dog for long walks does me the world of good. Fresh air, light-exercise and space to think and unwind.

doggonecarl

For me, just leaving work at the end of the day relieves work stress. Part of recovery was learning to leave the problems of work at work. Home is for relaxing.

NightmaresOnWax

I appreciate all the help guys. I do have some old hobbies I could get back into. perhaps it will help.

I have a gym membership too, just need to get into the habit of going. yesterday I was exhausted, so that was out of the question. I normally work in an office, but we have been moving warehouses and I am in production. So, I have been out in the warehouse.

I like the idea of making a list for the following day before I leave. I tend to fixate on things that need to to be done since we are always on a tight deadline. Doing that would help me relax when I get home. Excellent first post! I'm glad you decided to sign up. that will definitely help. I'm gonna try it today.

I've already been doing the junk food and TV thing...today is going a lot better. I'm glad I didn't give in and blow my sobriety yesterday.