Call us today to learn more about our drug abuse treatment and to get started. Or click here to see more recovery stories. In the early days, I felt that it was my responsibility to answer the question, “How come you aren’t drinking? ” I didn’t understand I could decline to answer or that I didn’t have to make sense to everyone. For a period it was, “I’m an alcoholic,” and that tended to silence anyone (for clarification, I no longer identify as an alcoholic). These days, unless I’m feeling generous, I simply say, “I don’t drink,” and leave it at that.

• My first rehab was at 17, got kicked out of it after 10 days, then back in there 3 months later.
• Jules’ recovery has been as much about finding herself and living her truth but rather about reclaiming her life from alcoholism.
• For me that means letting go of the need for perfection, the need to please, the need to be a version of myself that is unrealistic and ultimately damaging.

I learned that my routine in my daily life only involved work and drinking for the most part. One of the crucial changes the counselors said needs to happen is my evenings. So now I can say I hardly ever come home and go to my desk to continue to work. I usually do most desk work now in 12 Group Activities For Addiction Recovery the early morning or take one day off through the week to get it done. Now my evenings are either working out, walking, Mountain biking, fishing, Dirt track races, or the pool. With age comes wisdom, at least in some things, and I’d known for a long time that drinking makes me feel ill.

The Awakening: Realizing the Need to Quit Drinking

And my relationship with myself has gotten so much deeper, there’s so much more to me. The fact that I’m still breathing, that I’m still here… It’s really easy to write off the big things and focus on the small things. And the more that I honor the value that I’m bringing to people’s lives, the easier it is for me to stop making bad decisions. It’s been very centering and very sobering — that’s the best word I can use.

• Actively working on repairing connections allows individuals in recovery to cultivate a strong support system.
• I can also be fully present for people which I didn’t realize until I was sober that I wasn’t always there.

All my early relationships started at parties or in bars or clubs. Soon I didn’t know how to be around people without drinking. I silenced the quiet, studious kid in me, drowning him in delicious red wine. Most of our champions went alcohol-free, but all of us can benefit from checking up on our drinking and making sure we’re happy and in control. Take a quiz to see how healthy your drinking is. For many, the biggest hurdle to mindful drinking can be fear of judgement.

Sober Story: Bell

There are a lot of things I love in this world and sobriety is one of them, so I like to talk about that very openly. I don’t think it’s for everybody and I totally respect that. But for me, I think it’s important as a sober person to share this experience and how good it can be.

At first I struggled to feel “drunk enough” to belong at AA. Not many people ride into those meetings on a scary genogram. The DUI-divorce-got-fired stories made me wonder if I was in the wrong place. As a rule-follower, I found a sponsor and asked her if I was in the right meetings.

USD women prep for top conference teams

Dealing with my feelings can still be very challenging. Am I bottling something up then raging at another driver on the road, or worse, losing my temper with my daughter or nagging my husband? Sometimes, I still act like a teenager, instead of like an adult.

I had 6 or 7 months sober, maybe even a little bit longer. Gina is an outgoing person, hence, her soul that shines through her eyes. Without hearing her story, you would never understand the trials and tribulations she endured to make it https://trading-market.org/boston-sober-homes/ to where she is today. So now I’m sober, and I have zero choice but to be me in all situations. I don’t have that much sex, and that’s more like me saying, I no longer lower my standards and sleep with just anyone because of beer goggles.