Fought off the Urge!
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,195
Fought off the Urge!
Was watching the Raptors Basketball team losing the playoff game tonight. Currently behind by 24 points. I wanted to go out to a local bar to watch it and get out of the house, but the team is losing too badly.
It's hard to watch sports because I always associate whatever sport I'm watching with cold beer. I have to turn off the TV or just put on the news. I get massive cravings anytime I watch an important game.
Staying home tonight. I reasoned with myself to go to bed early because I can't handle a terrible hangover....
It's hard to watch sports because I always associate whatever sport I'm watching with cold beer. I have to turn off the TV or just put on the news. I get massive cravings anytime I watch an important game.
Staying home tonight. I reasoned with myself to go to bed early because I can't handle a terrible hangover....
Not a native English speaker
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Latin Europe
Posts: 152
Nicely done, WL!
There are many small habits that we had over the years that now need to be adapted.
For example, after a day at the office, the first thing I did when I got home was put my briefcase down, open the fridge and drink a beer to "unwind".
Stay focus and keep those urges away.
And good luck with the Raptors!
There are many small habits that we had over the years that now need to be adapted.
For example, after a day at the office, the first thing I did when I got home was put my briefcase down, open the fridge and drink a beer to "unwind".
Stay focus and keep those urges away.
And good luck with the Raptors!
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: South Africa
Posts: 1,536
That’s great WL! I’ve been following your posts for a long time. I remember when you still had the avatar that looks like a television tower. Your posts now that you have some sobriety under your belt sound so much more composed and at ease. I hope this is the one that you are going to nail down for good!
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 8
Great work. We've all got our trigger moments. Some of them we simply avoid forever, others we have to re-learn.
My hobby is music. I play saxophone at dive bars with blues bands. I love it. But, a part of that pattern for me was alcohol. I never drank too heavily while playing, I couldn't play well if I overindulged. But, some drinks were routine.
For the first few months, I avoided playing. Turned down gigs. Focused on hitting too many meetings, reading more, etc. After a few months, I accepted my first gig. My sponsor said that going to events with alcohol is normal, but we have to do it only if we're in the right head space, and only for a good purpose. Once that purpose is done, he told me, I'm supposed to leave.
My purpose was playing music. The cravings were less by that time, and I felt like I was in a good head space. So I went. Played. Kept a diet coke in my hand. When my sets were done, I packed up my horn and walked straight out of the bar. I didn't stick around to chat with the other musicians or crowd -- I just disappeared.
After some more times, it got more and more natural. Now I'm comfortable in those spaces, don't find them triggering, and can even stay and socialize a little while (social connections are another good purpose, when in the right head space). I don't push it. When I'm done playing and done socializing, I leave. But it's become normalized with practice.
Just my experience, for whatever its worth. Some activities I had to totally give up. But if there's a good reason to watch sports (you like it) and you're in the right head space (once cravings come down a bit) you may be able to build some of that back in. But I needed to put in the early work and make sacrifices at the start to get to where I could process that with a sober mind.
Good luck! Good choice! Keep going.
My hobby is music. I play saxophone at dive bars with blues bands. I love it. But, a part of that pattern for me was alcohol. I never drank too heavily while playing, I couldn't play well if I overindulged. But, some drinks were routine.
For the first few months, I avoided playing. Turned down gigs. Focused on hitting too many meetings, reading more, etc. After a few months, I accepted my first gig. My sponsor said that going to events with alcohol is normal, but we have to do it only if we're in the right head space, and only for a good purpose. Once that purpose is done, he told me, I'm supposed to leave.
My purpose was playing music. The cravings were less by that time, and I felt like I was in a good head space. So I went. Played. Kept a diet coke in my hand. When my sets were done, I packed up my horn and walked straight out of the bar. I didn't stick around to chat with the other musicians or crowd -- I just disappeared.
After some more times, it got more and more natural. Now I'm comfortable in those spaces, don't find them triggering, and can even stay and socialize a little while (social connections are another good purpose, when in the right head space). I don't push it. When I'm done playing and done socializing, I leave. But it's become normalized with practice.
Just my experience, for whatever its worth. Some activities I had to totally give up. But if there's a good reason to watch sports (you like it) and you're in the right head space (once cravings come down a bit) you may be able to build some of that back in. But I needed to put in the early work and make sacrifices at the start to get to where I could process that with a sober mind.
Good luck! Good choice! Keep going.
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