Struggling to find a sense of humor in all this
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Kennesaw, GA
Posts: 193
Philly I know what article youre talking about it was funny lol. And I agree I like embracing the humorous parts of myself that were buried underneath alcohol. I find that alcohol made me way more serious, dramatic, and unable to see the joy in life. Even in early sobriety I feel my humor coming back about the small things. Laughter is great medicine!
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 6,666
I agree Simplex, and same here. I was reading lately how in some tribal settings, if somebody is going off the rails the elders conspire to make a joke of him and with him for a time, with the aim of getting the disturbed member back around to laughing with them - how cool is that? Another one is if a person does wrong, as a punishment the community sits him down for however length it takes and they all in turn recount all of the good things he has done, the idea is to make him remember that he is good which is freaking awesome IMO 
Saying that Philly, I've had a couple of posts removed from the Recovery Follies forum also. One was pretty inane, "Streetfighter: Cats Edition" though it technically violated the forum rules. The other was a song by mainstream comedians here, "Rubberbandits: Hipster or Hobo?". I realize its gritty but I was kinda poking fun at myself as I very nearly became that guy, I was halfway there. It's a genius song lol. I know loads of comedy about addiction tbh, I won't be posting it though as its mostly risqué stuff (isn't all good comedy? that and truth) Peace
Saying that Philly, I've had a couple of posts removed from the Recovery Follies forum also. One was pretty inane, "Streetfighter: Cats Edition" though it technically violated the forum rules. The other was a song by mainstream comedians here, "Rubberbandits: Hipster or Hobo?". I realize its gritty but I was kinda poking fun at myself as I very nearly became that guy, I was halfway there. It's a genius song lol. I know loads of comedy about addiction tbh, I won't be posting it though as its mostly risqué stuff (isn't all good comedy? that and truth) Peace
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: South
Posts: 226
I don't mean to rehash this topic, especially after I already said my piece. But it has continued to linger in my mind. This thread reminds me of two movies: Footloose and Patch Adams. In Footloose the entire town bans music and dancing, because of the deaths of some kids after some loud partying and an accident which leads to death. They of course fight to reinstate music and dancing, as the kids try to prove its societal benefits. The crux of it - music and dance is chicken soup of the soul, way back since biblical times .... in fact as a remedy to death and destruction. In Patch Adams, Robin Williams opens up a hospital, where the medicine administered is laughter. Cancer, lupus, whatever, your prescription is laughter.
I think the point I'm making is clear, sorry to rehash.
I think the point I'm making is clear, sorry to rehash.
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 167
Originally Posted by philly76 
Okay, the title sums it up. I grew up in the 80s/90s and I guess I try to look at my life in a Seinfeld kind of way: nothing is free from parody.
Being a drunk was fun, it had a lot of funny moments, and there is a lot to poke fun at. I want to be done with it, but what it was is what it is.
Being sober, on the other hand, I'm struggling to find the silly lining. I can not drink when I really try. But when I talk to other people in recovery, it tends to be pretty heavy. I mean in some respects, it should be serious. It is a problem.
But if we're trying to recover, shouldn't we also embrace the entertaining aspects of ourselves that are devoid of alcohol? Getting sober isn't just about losing friends and giving up booze.
I posted an article from a recovering alcoholic who wrote for Cracked.com and it got removed. That article gets me through my day, but it upset some people.
I have a very hard time maintaining sobriety in a community that can't laugh. In fact, the seriousness of it all makes me want to drink.
I want to be able to laugh about the disgusting BO emanating from my body when I detox, as well as the endless array of things my body does to get rid of this ****. If I can't laugh about myself, I see no reason to bother getting sober.
Is anyone else in the same place? Just curious.
Being a drunk was fun, it had a lot of funny moments, and there is a lot to poke fun at. I want to be done with it, but what it was is what it is.
Being sober, on the other hand, I'm struggling to find the silly lining. I can not drink when I really try. But when I talk to other people in recovery, it tends to be pretty heavy. I mean in some respects, it should be serious. It is a problem.
But if we're trying to recover, shouldn't we also embrace the entertaining aspects of ourselves that are devoid of alcohol? Getting sober isn't just about losing friends and giving up booze.
I posted an article from a recovering alcoholic who wrote for Cracked.com and it got removed. That article gets me through my day, but it upset some people.
I have a very hard time maintaining sobriety in a community that can't laugh. In fact, the seriousness of it all makes me want to drink.
I want to be able to laugh about the disgusting BO emanating from my body when I detox, as well as the endless array of things my body does to get rid of this ****. If I can't laugh about myself, I see no reason to bother getting sober.
Is anyone else in the same place? Just curious.
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 3,550
I'm not a card carrying AA enthusiast (although an agnostics group literally saved my life) but I was impressed with how much laughter and good will was in even the most conservative and dogmatic AA group. For the most part these folks were conspicuously happy.
W
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 179
Originally Posted by simplex
Philly I know what article youre talking about it was funny lol. And I agree I like embracing the humorous parts of myself that were buried underneath alcohol. I find that alcohol made me way more serious, dramatic, and unable to see the joy in life. Even in early sobriety I feel my humor coming back about the small things. Laughter is great medicine!
I think a lot of people attack alcoholism in different ways, and the more I read posts on this forum, it seems geared towards one tactic. These snarky Cracked and BuzzFeed articles get me through my sober evenings and offer me an opportunity to laugh at myself. I understand that they upset some people, maybe even make some people want to drink. But I'm attacking alcoholism too.
Laughter is my medicine, not a defense mechanism. Life is too short to be serious. I have to look ahead. I've had my battles, the least of which is alcohol, and I laughed my way through all of them. I get that some people don't approach alcoholism in this way, but fostering a safe space for them does nothing for the rest of us. I'm dealing with the same ****. I just deal with it in a different way.
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Wales
Posts: 497
It's weird I used to laugh at the crazy **** I did when drunk...now I find it hard to laugh at it. I just feel really embarrassed and ashamed of it. Sober life just doesn't seem as funny really but personally I'd love to be able to laugh at it to lighten it up but nothing funny has really happened since I got sober. Nothing to do with sobriety anyway. I think sometimes it's healthy to be able to laugh at the worst of situations (I'm a nurse and sometimes you have to laugh at things that aren't really funny to stay sane) and I'd def take the same take on this but so far it's been pretty boring if I'm honest :-/ xx
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Wales
Posts: 497
Actually thinking of it I have had a few laughs about my completely irrational anger lol muttering to people in tesco to F off cz I've spotted wine in their trolley or because they get in my way when I'm trying desperately to manoeuvre away from the alcohol aisle lol... Xx
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: California
Posts: 87
there are funny aspects that will seem funny after I have enough sober time. Stuff that's funny after you decide to quit, but things that don't seem funny when you are still close to it. "Too soon". I have a few stories I chuckle at my stupidity or the irony, and a lot of meetings have stories like that, but it's udualky funny because it's coming from someone with a lot of sobriety.
A simple guy making his way
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maine
Posts: 7,867
I find my funny bone tickled in the most oddest of places or in the midst of circumstances that would otherwise make me want to cry.
Serious folks need to know it’s not about making fun of alcoholism.
Funny folks need to know it’s not a good laugh at the expense of others.
Sobriety, for me, is not about dragging my addiction from one miserable location to another.
It's about living life to my fullest. And I happen to find the absurdity of what I did painfully funny most of the time.
Serious folks need to know it’s not about making fun of alcoholism.
Funny folks need to know it’s not a good laugh at the expense of others.
Sobriety, for me, is not about dragging my addiction from one miserable location to another.
It's about living life to my fullest. And I happen to find the absurdity of what I did painfully funny most of the time.
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 25
If it helps ( and this is a true story that should only ever be seen in cartoons ) I was walking to the tram stop from an AA meeting last Thursday and I slipped on a banana peel and broke my big toe. Recovery is serious but I think some humour is essential. 
voices ca**y
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: St. Paul Minnesota
Posts: 4,359
I love John Chese! There has been some fun threads on here in the past. Maybe you can add to this one. http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...oholic-if.html
There was also a Ben and Jerry's Alcoholism Ice Cream flavors one and an SR bumper sticker one that was good.
There was also a Ben and Jerry's Alcoholism Ice Cream flavors one and an SR bumper sticker one that was good.
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
Originally Posted by saoutchik
I take issue with LBrain - about some people liking Adam Sandler.
Surely that's not possible?
Surely that's not possible?
aka Nesty
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Northern Vt.
Posts: 1,554
Originally Posted by philly76
It's funny, I wasn't even thinking of it that way, but I had some tediously annoying pseudo-intellectual conversations when I was drunk. And I look back and think of what an *** hole I sounded like. I'm slowly starting to find my old-school sense of humor, and I like it. It's just in forums like this, it's lost on a lot of people. Or worse, it offends them.
I think a lot of people attack alcoholism in different ways, and the more I read posts on this forum, it seems geared towards one tactic. These snarky Cracked and BuzzFeed articles get me through my sober evenings and offer me an opportunity to laugh at myself. I understand that they upset some people, maybe even make some people want to drink. But I'm attacking alcoholism too.
Laughter is my medicine, not a defense mechanism. Life is too short to be serious. I have to look ahead. I've had my battles, the least of which is alcohol, and I laughed my way through all of them. I get that some people don't approach alcoholism in this way, but fostering a safe space for them does nothing for the rest of us. I'm dealing with the same ****. I just deal with it in a different way.
I think a lot of people attack alcoholism in different ways, and the more I read posts on this forum, it seems geared towards one tactic. These snarky Cracked and BuzzFeed articles get me through my sober evenings and offer me an opportunity to laugh at myself. I understand that they upset some people, maybe even make some people want to drink. But I'm attacking alcoholism too.
Laughter is my medicine, not a defense mechanism. Life is too short to be serious. I have to look ahead. I've had my battles, the least of which is alcohol, and I laughed my way through all of them. I get that some people don't approach alcoholism in this way, but fostering a safe space for them does nothing for the rest of us. I'm dealing with the same ****. I just deal with it in a different way.
Actually I have said this a few times in my life . Yes I laughed a lot before , during & after becoming Sober . I need to keep that laughter in my life .
Just about a week ago a month ago my hot water heater Petered out , old saying for quit heating . Called my landlord with the news , he said " Please be patient whilst I get someone to see what the matter is , then in the same breath says Sorry that you won't have any hot water till it's fixed . For some reason that tickled me & I broke out laughing . I said " I won't be without hot water , I have a stove to heat water for anything I want . He says " I like your great funny attitude , wish my other tenant's were like you .
So yes laughter when Sober feels Wonderful for some .
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