My Honeymoon With Sobriety is Over

Right. So at 38 days I'm kind of at that point I always get to when I stop drinking again: The novelty of being sober has worn off, all my personality flaws and moral failings have reasserted themselves, and that sense of relief and empowerment I felt in the first few days are now but a distant memory. I'm staring at the days and weeks ahead and realizing I'm going to have to chart a course forward that doesn't involve getting shit-faced drunk. Alas, my honeymoon with sobriety is over.  

This is not to say I'm going back to being a drunk. I am not. I knew this moment was coming, because eventually it always does when I quit. In the past I've always white-knuckled it until the urges stopped or, more likely, I gave in and started the whole shit-show again. This time, I have a plan:

Going to Meetings

Yeah, I know I do a lot of bitching on this shitty blog about AA, and that will no doubt continue. But here's the thing: It actually helps a little to be around other people who are going through it. If I find other groups (i.e. SMART Recovery, etc) in my area I'll explore those, but for right now AA is the only game in town. 

Excercise

I've been walking. Briskly. Shut up, it's a start. And I do feel stronger afterwards. 

Visualization

I know what you're thinking: Does that squishy new-age shit work? The answer is yes. It takes practice and an open mind (two things I'm not particularly good at) but spending a few minutes a day pondering how shitty you're going to feel AFTER the party, and then swapping that vision for how empowered you feel when you choose NOT to dig yourself back into that miserable shit-hole, it can carry you through a tough moment. 

Just be careful not to spend time visualizing that nice, frosty beer you don't drink anymore... 

Inspirational reading

Yes, it does exist, and I'm not talking about the dreaded Big Book. There are a lot of web sites and books out there that aren't over-heavy on the preaching. I'm too lazy to post them, but that's why we have the Google Machine. 

Inspirational Writing

If you're the introverted writerly type like me, it can be helpful to write down your thoughts & feelings and refer back to them later. Keep a journal or, hell, start a pathetic, whiny-ass blog like this one. I find it at least as helpful as the average AA meeting, though your results may vary. 

Eat Something

Ever tried to get drunk on a full stomach? Big fat waste of time. I rarely ate when I was drunk, because it interfered with my buzz. Food is the ultimate buzz-kill. Plus, if you eat something you're less likely to have a lag in energy which erodes your resolve. Eat something. 

Escape

I'm a big fan of escapism. Escapism is underrated, IMO. Do something you enjoy. Read a novel, get up, get out, go shopping, do something fun.  Whatever gets you out of that moment. 

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll think of others later.