It Gets Better
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central America/Florida USA
Posts: 4,064
Hey there gang!
Yep, it gets better for sure. The first few months for me were really, really rough. I went to rehab, and when I got out I'd planned on drinking again...but I knew that I owed sobriety a real shot. I needed to give myself a chance to get my life back.
Then one day, magic happened: I didn't think about drinking at all. Amazing, right? The following day I couldn't believe that the yearning had slipped my mind. It happened again and again, until finally it's become odd to even think about alcohol at all. Four years later and I'm living my dream. And still building more sober memories.
I was a mess before quitting, and my life was one big depressing free-fall. Alcohol was my only joy. If I could pull myself out of it, you can too!
Yep, it gets better for sure. The first few months for me were really, really rough. I went to rehab, and when I got out I'd planned on drinking again...but I knew that I owed sobriety a real shot. I needed to give myself a chance to get my life back.
Then one day, magic happened: I didn't think about drinking at all. Amazing, right? The following day I couldn't believe that the yearning had slipped my mind. It happened again and again, until finally it's become odd to even think about alcohol at all. Four years later and I'm living my dream. And still building more sober memories.
I was a mess before quitting, and my life was one big depressing free-fall. Alcohol was my only joy. If I could pull myself out of it, you can too!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 4,860
Stillpooh, here's one thing I can tell you.
There are ups and downs to sobriety, just as non-addicts have there ups and downs. But the one thing that has been a constant for me since I stopped drinking is this: I have my self-respect back.
That's a good thing to remember.
It gets better.
There are ups and downs to sobriety, just as non-addicts have there ups and downs. But the one thing that has been a constant for me since I stopped drinking is this: I have my self-respect back.
That's a good thing to remember.
It gets better.
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
It gets better........
Today's problems I know will pass and not everything is a catastrophic end of the world event just because it's my problem.
It gets better because I get better - my perceptions of the world around me change. I find words like love, tolerance and kindness aren't simply lofty thoughts to ponder, but action words = verbs.
It get better because I learn to care about myself less and more about others - remarkable for a self centered alcoholic. Humility is not thinking less of oneself but thinking of oneself less.
Great (bump worthy) thread from a friend who demonstrates daily how and why it gets better.....
Thanks V
Today's problems I know will pass and not everything is a catastrophic end of the world event just because it's my problem.
It gets better because I get better - my perceptions of the world around me change. I find words like love, tolerance and kindness aren't simply lofty thoughts to ponder, but action words = verbs.
It get better because I learn to care about myself less and more about others - remarkable for a self centered alcoholic. Humility is not thinking less of oneself but thinking of oneself less.
Great (bump worthy) thread from a friend who demonstrates daily how and why it gets better.....
Thanks V
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 4,860
Thanks, Fly N Buy, for the bump and -- as always -- sharing your gift of insight in recovery with our community. It's been a while since this thread appeared here and there are many among us who are new to the journey.
It Gets Better.
It Gets Better.
Giving up is NOT an option.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 7,809
It gets better.
A year and a half in for me, and I was just thinking today that I cannot believe what a difference that time has made in my life. The actual circumstances of life have not changed that much, it's how I FEEL about things and how I DEAL with things that's different.
I don't hate myself anymore. I don't have as much fear or anxiety. I'm much less depressed. I smile more. I enjoy simple pleasures again. I can handle almost any situation calmly and logically. I am not as afraid to take chances on scary changes. I make better connections with people. I feel my feelings instead of stuffing them down.
It gets better.
A year and a half in for me, and I was just thinking today that I cannot believe what a difference that time has made in my life. The actual circumstances of life have not changed that much, it's how I FEEL about things and how I DEAL with things that's different.
I don't hate myself anymore. I don't have as much fear or anxiety. I'm much less depressed. I smile more. I enjoy simple pleasures again. I can handle almost any situation calmly and logically. I am not as afraid to take chances on scary changes. I make better connections with people. I feel my feelings instead of stuffing them down.
It gets better.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 4,860
Originally Posted by MLD51 
It gets better.
A year and a half in for me, and I was just thinking today that I cannot believe what a difference that time has made in my life. The actual circumstances of life have not changed that much, it's how I FEEL about things and how I DEAL with things that's different.
I don't hate myself anymore. I don't have as much fear or anxiety. I'm much less depressed. I smile more. I enjoy simple pleasures again. I can handle almost any situation calmly and logically. I am not as afraid to take chances on scary changes. I make better connections with people. I feel my feelings instead of stuffing them down.
It gets better.
A year and a half in for me, and I was just thinking today that I cannot believe what a difference that time has made in my life. The actual circumstances of life have not changed that much, it's how I FEEL about things and how I DEAL with things that's different.
I don't hate myself anymore. I don't have as much fear or anxiety. I'm much less depressed. I smile more. I enjoy simple pleasures again. I can handle almost any situation calmly and logically. I am not as afraid to take chances on scary changes. I make better connections with people. I feel my feelings instead of stuffing them down.
It gets better.
MLD's post strikes me as illustrative. It's not the world around us that changes, it is our place in it. I think it goes to the heart of a transition that takes hold as our sobriety deepens: We regain our self-respect.
It gets better.
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: "I'm not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost ..."
Posts: 5,273
It absolutely gets better!
The way I look at it is, everyone on the planet has hardships and pain and suffering. It's part of the human condition. When I was addicted, it was like I was adding a 500 pound weight that I was carrying around with me at all times. So trying to manage even the smallest challenges seemed insurmountable...never mind the serious challenges, I simply caved in to those...the weight was far too great.
When I quit drinking, the hard parts of life did not end, but I was able to deal with them head on without the impossible burden of my addiction weighing me down. I feel free...lighter...and even during some extremely difficult trials life has brought me, when I've had to ball up in a fetal position and cry, there is still a quiet satisfaction within because I'm doing it, I'm getting through. Everything will be ok even during deep grief.
Thankfully, being out from under addiction also let's me enjoy the beauty in life that I often failed to see because all I could focus on was trying to eek by. It's been almost 10 years since I quit drinking and I would never trade my old life for my new one.
All of you starting out...it truly gets better if you keep moving forward. That's a promise.
The way I look at it is, everyone on the planet has hardships and pain and suffering. It's part of the human condition. When I was addicted, it was like I was adding a 500 pound weight that I was carrying around with me at all times. So trying to manage even the smallest challenges seemed insurmountable...never mind the serious challenges, I simply caved in to those...the weight was far too great.
When I quit drinking, the hard parts of life did not end, but I was able to deal with them head on without the impossible burden of my addiction weighing me down. I feel free...lighter...and even during some extremely difficult trials life has brought me, when I've had to ball up in a fetal position and cry, there is still a quiet satisfaction within because I'm doing it, I'm getting through. Everything will be ok even during deep grief.
Thankfully, being out from under addiction also let's me enjoy the beauty in life that I often failed to see because all I could focus on was trying to eek by. It's been almost 10 years since I quit drinking and I would never trade my old life for my new one.
All of you starting out...it truly gets better if you keep moving forward. That's a promise.
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