You’ll start to transform your identity into someone who shows up, does the hard work, and looks smoking hot in a swimsuit. Those were the days I’d make it to the gym and think that things would turn out okay after all. If you’re starting from zero and struggling to find something positive about yourself to genuinely believe, I recommend forgetting about yourself for a minute and think of others. Sobriety can’t vanquish all shameful memories from your brain, but it can teach you how to handle them.
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Nobody told me this side effect of long-term sobriety. I believe that being a woman in recovery can be tougher than people realize. Society wants me to be successful, but not too successful. I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.
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I would go on walks a few times a week because getting high and walking is super fun. I socialized with people more because people are more fun and entertaining and easy to talk to after a few glasses of wine. I’ve been waiting for the clarity of sobriety to wash over me sobriety sucks and improve my life, but I think I might be someone who’s better off lost in the sauce. Yes I should feel happy I’m “in control” of life and I won’t have health issues.
The guy white-knuckling it at the Life Ring nooner who just wants to see his kids again.
- Or perhaps you had a bad day and managed to handle it in a healthier way, and now you feel really good about that.
- If you feel like sobriety sucks, you need more support.
- You can always improve how you fare in sobriety by looking at where you can improve your quality of life.
- Understandably, I was disappointed and more than a little depressed.
When you were using a substance, maybe it was because you felt anger or jealousy towards others. They didn’t appreciate their luck—their health or ability to have one drink and stop. You felt your substance use was justified because you deserved to feel good, numb your feelings, or escape your life. Unfortunately, your reliance on substances pushed away your chances of achieving what you wanted. Addiction treatment is where you come face to face with your addiction and begin to heal. This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking.
But the result of that work is miraculous. I have amazing relationships, I have a life with meaning, I have an active spiritual life. The juice is completely worth the squeeze. Yes, I no longer have the option of using a substance to escape my feelings or problems. But because of that, I have learned to actually DEAL with them instead.
You set a goal (sobriety), made a change, and invested in yourself (treatment). Life after addiction isn’t all rainbows, butterflies, and puppies, but it is pretty good if you keep doing the work to maintain your sobriety. Maybe the only thing great about life before recovery was not facing your feelings. Alcohol or drugs numbed your thoughts and emotions. Substances gave you numbness, an illusion of freedom, or false self-confidence.
And yes, sometimes I get jealous of my friends that can drink normally. But now, I get to be the person who makes sure they get home safe from the bar. And I’m also the one who doesn’t wake up with a hangover. You’ll reach a point where you accept that there are some difficulties ahead of you, but you’re not afraid of them. You don’t feel defined by your past as strongly.
To get better, you have to change.
As with most problems, the solution is as difficult or as simple as we make it. Sometimes you must put your needs first. Sometimes, consider how your behavior marijuana addiction has affected others. Or maybe those crotchety old-timers like to complain about life.
When Sobriety Sucks
I understand why some people in recovery don’t mess with non-alcoholic beer. But for me, that’s just where I am in my recovery. Knowing that I have something to mimic “taking the edge” off helps me right now. Some may argue that needing to escape is not truly living a life sobriety. We are all on different, difficult paths.
- Ask yourself why you want to enter treatment.
- And at nearly 5 years sober, sometimes I still do.
- I am very happy and grateful to be two years sober, but I wish I’d known then, what I know now.
- It makes me feel like I am just an out-of-control person.
- Alcohol or drugs numbed your thoughts and emotions.
- Finding yourself in recovery is essential to healing yourself.
No matter what happened yesterday or even five minutes ago, you can choose to be patient with yourself, reassess, and pivot as needed. You have already accomplished so much by choosing to stop using drugs and committing to sobriety. Staying sober every day is an incredible feat. Every minute that you avoid relapse, you are proving to yourself that you have the power and capability to make your life what you want it to be. Knowing what you should do isn’t enough. You have to motivate yourself, schedule it in, and consistently do the things that will help you improve your life in recovery.