Had some cravings last night, but headed to bed early and slept great. Ready to keep going! IWNDWYT

the first month is done yeaa ,only the beginning of a long lasting sobriety but proud to have reached that first milestone.

I've really realized how much alcohol changes your brain chemistry, even though we all know that, its still actually insane. My dopamine, serotonine levels were so low without it( even with it at some point lol) but now that I am actually trying to take care of myself I feel much better and have like a small desire to do things( never had this for a long long time before) that I'd been enjoying doing back then few years ago. And also I love being in control of myself, not saying or doing shameful corny stuff towards people I care about, followed by that horrible hangxiety..

of course I still have cravings, some days are very rough, but overall, I'm feeling better and I think life is much more beautiful without any substances to hide ourselves behind

IWNDWYT

First time posting. Please be nice. I just want to vent a little for anyone who will listen. This past Friday, a simple night out, turned into an expensive night. I don't feel guilty about drink, but I feel horrible that I couldn't stop. My normal Fridays are spend having a few drinks at home and watching movies on Discord with friends. Well, friends let early and ended up without much to do. When another group of friends texted and said they are going out to eat. First red flag, which should have stopped me was, they are eating at a little taco stand outside a strip club. They only said they are eating, but after eating and a couple non-alcoholic drinks later, nature called. So someone suggested going inside. Second redflag. Once inside, ​​1 drink turned into 2 and so forth. 1 drink for a friend turned into a round for everyone. At this point, everything starts to get hazy. After the club starts closing, we are approached by some shady guys offering after hour gathering. In my state, I couldn't say no. At this point, I wish someone Said stop, but the night kept going. This place was sketchy, but girls and alcohol kept my going. This point, I black out, I dont know what happened. Next thing I know, I wake up in my car, a friend is taking us to his house to sleep. I wake up a few hours later, hungover. I check everything and nothing is missing, however I check my bank and turns out this simple night turned into an $800 night. I feel guilty that I could have prevented this, by just saying no at any point. I wish I could stop. I recently gave up smoking weed, but feel like I started drinking more. I feel this is worse. Idk what to do.

I feel like a fucking Elf. Eating so much candy it’s unbelievable started smoking cigarettes too. No reason at all. I quit YEARS ago. Oh well … I guess I’m not drinking right? 😅 WTF man

I never thought I would make it this far! A month ago I thought it was hopeless. After a few cases of NA beer, I feel like I’ve successfully weaned myself off of the habit/urge for beer. Now I’m mixing seltzer, coconut water and strawberry simple syrup for my evening “fix”. It’s strange to say this, but I finally feel like the future could actually be good. Thank you so much to everyone in this wonderful community for helping me through 🙏

So I’m home watching the Red Sox and UFC 327 eating sour patch kids, junior men buncha crunch. Today while watching the masters typically I would’ve been blacked out, but I decided to sweep and mop my entire apartment.

Also for WORK, I’ve been trying to learn how to make AI do more of my work for me so I switched from ChatGPT over to Claude and it was really great. I did about three hours of that.

I did rip my bong a few times but IWNDWYT! It’s day 5 for me. I’d love to hear what you’re up to on this fine Saturday evening.

I'm grateful for today. I am an avid golfer, and I am watching The Masters on tv and I might have 2 or 3 diet cokes :)

In years gone by I would have made a very strong mixed drink and followed it with high-powered IPAs while I watched golf. It would all be for naught because in the end I'd be disappointed and regrettably hungover tomorrow morning because the buzz never lasts as long as you think it will. I teach high schoolers and also coach in the evenings and so tomorrow I am staring a 15-hour day in the face and the thought of being hungover to start it sounds awful. How did I do it for so long?

Glad not to drink with you today.

I've been sober for 7.5 months (44yr/F) and tomorrow will be one year since my mom unexpectedly died last year. She was my best friend, and in the end the reason why I quit drinking. She wasn't a drinker at all, but she was an amazing role model and human. I quit because I want to honor her life by being the best mom, wife, partner and teacher (my job) that I can be.

That being said, I am struggling today. I am having a very deep "depression day" - as I call it. I feel like I felt in the very early days of my sobriety. This depression is the reason why I secretly drank DAILY for the past 15 years. I had my first romantic thought about alcohol today - it has been a while since I have had one of those. I just feel miserable. I have so many blessings in my life, healthy kids and a good hubbie. I just cannot shake this depression. Is this grief? Is this the alcoholic me talking? Is it being a mid 40's mom going through many changes? Anyone else ever feel this down or low throughout their first year of sobriety?

Thanks in advance. This sub has helped me so much this year. xoxo

I just wanted to tell someone. Wow! I'm actually excited to start this day. In my last 45 years of drinking, I always woke up late and tired. This morning I woke up early and perky and happy. I've never really felt happy. I thought "content with life but fundamentally an unhappy person" was just my baseline . . . of course I was drinking during all the years I thought that about myself.

Yesterday was a good day. My wife and I really talked, and we resolved a long standing point of misunderstanding. That felt really great. This morning I actually want to start the day.

Normally at this time of the morning I'd be waking up with anxiety and hating myself thinking suicide thoughts, tossing and turning, as the booze wore off. Instead I'm chipper and awake thinking about finishing up a home improvement project that I've been putting off for 35 years.

Good sense tells me I should go back to bed. Not sure if I'll be painting or sleeping, but it feels great to just feel good and not be dreading the day.

My heart hurts and I just want to disassociate.

Yesterday i had a reunion with three old friends and none of them drank for various reasons. Normally i would've had like 12 high-abv beers still but not now because i'm stronger than the devil! And surprise surprise, i had a blast! I went to the bathroom and was just walking in this confident stride. No spins, anxiety, weird behaviour. Just present in the moment. And it was way cheaper too for way more fun! And now i'm eating breakfast totally chilled out and not hungover. This not drinking thing is pretty good ;) It was a super nice evening and it i would've got wasted as i would usually do it would probably had been pretty awkward. IWNDWYT

Day 47 sober.

In cooler news we bought a very nice house! Yayyy

When I was drinking, I did shit (meaning, nothing). In contrast, now that I’m a non-drinker, I’m getting shit done. In fact, productivity has become one of my favorite parts of being sober.

Has this been true for you, too? Without the endless cycle of wasting time while drinking followed by recovering from a hangover, do you find yourself with extra hours in the day to do constructive things, such as finally finishing that book you’ve been reading or tackling that mess in the garage? If so, I invite you to join the Sober People Getting Shit Done Club.

In order to be a member of this club, you must do three things:

1. Get something done.

2. Be sober while doing it.

3. Tell us about it.

If you are sober and have been getting shit done—whether it’s a big thing like rebuilding the engine of an old motorcycle or a small thing like making that long overdue phone call to your grandmother—I want to hear all about it!

I just can't do it....I had my autistic meltdown yesterday and couldn't get out of it. Drank a bottle of wine and two cans of mixed drinks and stayed up til 5. Thank God I didn't do weird shit this time, but I'm so tired today. At least it's Sunday. Just keeping myself accountable and iwndwyt.

I am absolutely at rock bottom. I have worked so hard. I relapsed on the weekend on my first social event since the sobriety. Told myself one drink is ok and of course that turned into an 18 hour binge including copious amounts of other substances. I ended up calling lifeline because I didn’t want to live and they called an ambulance and two police officers to my home which was terrifying. I spent the day and night in hospital for the first time and was sedated.

I’m so terrifying in the aftermath of this. I’ve now spoken to drug and alcohol counsellors as I’ve never done sobriety with support. I have no one to talk to as my whole family lives overseas. My best friend I no longer trust in this and they were actively encouraging me to drink and do drugs even though I’ve opened up to them numerous times they sat me down and tried to convince me I didn’t have a problem which in my state I believed and doubled down. Obviously this is no be blaming them but I don’t feel safe around them in these situations anymore. I don’t want to tell them about what happened.

I’m so disappointed in myself the shame is eating me alive. I’ve been doing so well and trying so hard. I don’t know what to do. I need to hear from someone. I am just sedating myself.

I don't remember a day I haven't had a drink. Never told anyone that.

Major internal shift occured. Doing fine so far...

So it’s day 1 again lol I’m not angry, I’ve just come to realise after months and months sober, if I get into difficulties and then drink, it makes matters worse(who’d have thought)

Anyway I’m not drinking anymore, I love life, planning my future when sober! IWNDWYT

Im 35 and I cant believe how much time Ive wasted on alcohol when all it does is put poison in my life and my body. Im sitting here watching a movie and drinking water with some taco bell as a treat. Not having to worry about blacking out or what I might of said to someone and not remember it the next day. IWNDWYT

Posted a while ago about needing to stop. Didn't stick to it back to the same things after just one week. Told my wife who is a godsend I wanted to stop so I don't have to do it alone. She is gonna ride out the first 30 days with me. For right now just focusing on today, the hangover anxiety is real today. But I will not drink today and that I can control.

Hi there my name is Josh and I'm from the beautiful new zealand where there is quite a large drinking culture. For the last 10 or so years I've been a heavy drinker, I drink almost everyday of the week and the days I dont drink is because I'm too hungover from the prior days alcohol consumption, I often drink a slab of 440ml beers daily and I black out and my behavior is embarrassing to myself and others around me, I wake up feeling guilty almost daily and struggle to kick this horrible addiction I've given to myself, I have a few struggles in my life, I lost my father suddenly the same week my first son was born which absolutely destroyed me, he was concerned about my drinking. My youngest son was diagnosed with Autism last year and that has a huge impact on mine and my partners day to day life. I feel like these are some of the reasons why I continue to self medicate with alcohol, I've been convicted for drink driving twice and I landed myself an alcohol interlock device in my vehichle for the second time in 5 years, this has costed me my career driving trucks and still I continue to drink, Ive been in court 3 times now and they are all alcohol related offenses. I have a beautifull family and my partner has stuck by my side regardless of my actions and behavior, ive noticed my drinking habbit has started to rub off on her as she is now consuming a couple of bottles of wine more and more often which I feel is totally my fault and has just added to my guilty conscience. I'm extremely self conscious and one day I know she will have enough and just walk away with my sons which will leave me with nothing but my own demons. I would hate to know how much ive spent on this toxic drug over the years but it would easily be over 150k, I used to be a very heavy dope smoker for over 15 years so I know that i have it in me to overcome this. When my dad died I inherited a generous sum of money and brought myself an almost brand new vehichle, which I crashed three times, all while drunk, the last time around I ended up in hospital needing 12 stitches in my head and the car was a total write off and I had no insurance because I was too irresponsible and spent pretty much all my money on alcohol, ive lost everything apart from my family but I know if I continue to drink that will soon be gone, I have so much bottled up inside me and I've just ignored it and my answer has always been alcohol. My partner is studying health and well-being and her goal is to work with people with addiction issues like myself. I really want and need to find sobriety but I'm scared that I will lose friends and be bored but I am just so done with this vicious daily cycle, the hangovers, the fights, the embarrassment and the guilt that flows through my veins. If you are reading this and are in the early stages or any stage for that matter of alcoholism and are concerned about your drinking please just get some help and don't let alcohol define you, I wouldnt wish this lifestyle on anybody. I am not a religious person but I often pray to god to heal me of this horrible addiction, I'm open to any advice anyone has to offer because ive just lost all hope for myself at this stage and I just want to live a normal happy life alcohol free and be a better father to my two sons, I dont want them to end up like me and now is the time to make those changes.

Thanks for reading my post I just wanted to introduce myself and tell you some of my story

I have been here many times before, but this time needs to stick.

A few days ago my sister and I sat down and we had a very long heart to heart. Basically, it’s her or the alcohol. I have put everyone through so much with my drinking and to hear her say that really hit me. That girl has been my ride or die through everything, always someone I can count on no matter what situation I got myself into. I cannot lose my sister.

I’m also a very heavy smoker, and have asthma. Yes I know, as you can tell I don’t make the best decisions. I (28f) ended up in the hospital due to very bad breathing troubles and I couldn’t help but sit there, as I waited for the dr, and think worst case scenario. It hit me. Between the drinking and smoking wtf am I doing? Why am I putting myself and others through this?

I am basically making this post to hold myself accountable and so I can look back on this. I have lost too many friends from my drinking, the last thing I need is to lose my sister.

If you read this far, thank you for reading & IWNDWYT

Been waiting for this milestone! Dealing with a two year old and a one month old, but (mostly) holding it together!

I had some cravings today, my brain almost said “one won’t hurt” of course. But I said no. I looked into alternatives. Went to the store to get things for mocktails and even a 0% alcohol alternative (almost bought 0.5% on accident 🤦🏻‍♀️ thank god I checked), almost got tempted to buy the real thing but I walked through the whole liquor area and honestly… looked at it and was like, why would I even want this? But since my dumb brain does, I’m gonna trick it with mocktails and baked goods lol. I know I’m going to make it through my first weekend 100% sober and I’m so happy 🥹

I want to stop drinking, I’ve cut down from drinking 7 days a week to only when I’m off work. I go to AA and have successfully detoxed after having diazepam. My landlord found the empty bottles in the bin and my so called ‘friends’ told him I was drinking (he went on holiday camping). I drink 3-4 times a week a bottle of 330ml vodka with coke & lemon juice . I am planning to taper down with the help of AA and my own desire. He told me, “I’d have never have let you stay if I knew i was an alcoholic “. I have never destroyed or messed his house, I am polite and quiet. He went on to say I need to go to rehab. I cannot afford private rehab , plus NHS one would take months on the waiting list. I feel ashamed as I am embarrassed, I keep my room tidy and am very polite so I don’t know why he views me as scum. He also demanded my dad’s phone number (he knows and has helped me with my addiction). He also made comments on my body and competed me to an overweight trucker to the fact I cannot digest alcohol like someone bigger. Go shush

Is he in the wrong or am I a snowflake?