My experience of drinking, taking drugs, etc is based on my lack of care for myself caused by not thinking and feeling that I can do anything on this planet. I.e. After drinking and taking drugs since I was 15 years old I suddenly felt my inner self screaming at me to “care for me”. I realized that I thought…we’ll everyone drugs and takes drugs so I can to cause it makes me feel better. I had zero self esteem and when I realized this i stopped and took care of myself. My self talked to me and I became and felt stronger in my esteem … more than I ever did.
Learning to tell myself the right things has been life changing. I used to tell myself I was many negative things that I wasnt. I'm now 15 steps away from being an anonymous kidney donor through Mayo. I feel like I'm about to jump from an airplane with a parachute. I've never done that. I'm not a thrill seeker by all means. But I'm doing this as much for myself as for the donor I may never meet. I am afraid. But I will face this fear on my own terms. My life is in my hands now. And I will risk it in order to save another.
Keep it going for another 7+ years, and every 7 years go for the next 7 years. After 44 years I too still need support. This disease patiently waits....
The harder you convince yourself it's going to be, the harder it will be for you. The sooner you convince yourself you have it beat, the sooner you will have beaten it. Annie Grace wrote a book called "This Naked Mind" Well worth reading!! So don't take my word for it. Read her book.
My sobriety date is 6/28/06. The most important thing (for me) for success is a support system. It’s also important to recognize your symptoms of post acute withdrawal syndrome. (PAWS)
They are completely normal, and can last a year or more as your brain normalizes. They include mood swings, vivid dreams (using dreams), depression, anxiety, fatigue, memory problems, difficulty focusing or thinking clearly, cravings, difficulty feeling pleasure, chronic pain and lack of libido.
Again, NORMAL, but if not acknowledged or recognized, can lead to relapse. TALK ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS! Learn as much as you can about them to help yourself and those around you aware. Celebrate your milestones, get a fun hobby to distract you, mental health therapy is vital too. Most importantly, a power greater than yourself. This can be God, or a Group of Drunks (God again) in the form of a support group! The universe, nature, whatever it takes.
Remember, we do this one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time. You CAN do this. Millions of others have shown us it can be done. Get an AA Big Book and read the first 164 pages. Then read it again. And again. You will find yourself in those pages, and you will find the solution.
God Speed, and I hope you join us on the road to happy destiny.
Other suggested reading:
“Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” (AA), “Living Sober” (AA), and Terence Gorski’s “Staying Sober”.
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Learning to tell myself the right things has been life changing. I used to tell myself I was many negative things that I wasnt. I'm now 15 steps away from being an anonymous kidney donor through Mayo. I feel like I'm about to jump from an airplane with a parachute. I've never done that. I'm not a thrill seeker by all means. But I'm doing this as much for myself as for the donor I may never meet. I am afraid. But I will face this fear on my own terms. My life is in my hands now. And I will risk it in order to save another.
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1 ReactionI made it without drinking...
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2 ReactionsKeep it going for another 7+ years, and every 7 years go for the next 7 years. After 44 years I too still need support. This disease patiently waits....
The harder you convince yourself it's going to be, the harder it will be for you. The sooner you convince yourself you have it beat, the sooner you will have beaten it. Annie Grace wrote a book called "This Naked Mind" Well worth reading!! So don't take my word for it. Read her book.
My sobriety date is 6/28/06. The most important thing (for me) for success is a support system. It’s also important to recognize your symptoms of post acute withdrawal syndrome. (PAWS)
They are completely normal, and can last a year or more as your brain normalizes. They include mood swings, vivid dreams (using dreams), depression, anxiety, fatigue, memory problems, difficulty focusing or thinking clearly, cravings, difficulty feeling pleasure, chronic pain and lack of libido.
Again, NORMAL, but if not acknowledged or recognized, can lead to relapse. TALK ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS! Learn as much as you can about them to help yourself and those around you aware. Celebrate your milestones, get a fun hobby to distract you, mental health therapy is vital too. Most importantly, a power greater than yourself. This can be God, or a Group of Drunks (God again) in the form of a support group! The universe, nature, whatever it takes.
Remember, we do this one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time. You CAN do this. Millions of others have shown us it can be done. Get an AA Big Book and read the first 164 pages. Then read it again. And again. You will find yourself in those pages, and you will find the solution.
God Speed, and I hope you join us on the road to happy destiny.
Other suggested reading:
“Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” (AA), “Living Sober” (AA), and Terence Gorski’s “Staying Sober”.