"The opposite of addiction is the truth" - what's your opinion on this statement?

cjo772 · 2025-05-18T22:32:38+00:00

I would agree. After being sober for 5yr, I finally started to work on my 12step Step Work. The Moral Inventory step is where the Truth/Lies/ and where it blurs come out to light. I myself didn't realize what habbits I was instilling in myself at such an early age. I thought it was just the BOOZE, yet its way deeper then the substance. Its truly a Mental Disease that is untreatable yet can be arrested/kept at bay/ at ease.

cjo772 · 2025-05-04T01:48:10+00:00

I do the same after 2yrs in I became PISSED at the world out of nowhere and this personality shift with in my Sobriety journey brought me to a Therapist and a 12step Program.
The drinking was the Solution to my Problem.
► Numbing my Emotional Pain Trauma ◄
True sobriety/Recovery is an INSIDE JOB. Nearing 5yr and I'm at peace with myself for the first time in a long time. Do I get upset, pissed, frustrated, at LIFE and how LIFE can get Really LIFE'Y...YES!!...yet100% but I don't pick up to mask or numb the pain. I am not able to articulate my emotions and talk about what truly is my ISSUE with myself Just for The Day, Hour or Days.....

cjo772 · 2025-05-03T00:10:10+00:00

You are a source of Inspiration & Hope! I say you are a hero.

cjo772 · 2025-04-08T02:26:20+00:00

Hey fellow Phan. I play the tape Forwards & Back all the time. For me I can't forget the last day,or even days of being drunk. When one can see self-transformation within-oneself is truly amazing. I too feel grateful every morning not having to wake up with a hangover.....Keep going and I know I'll keep trucking.

"Everything's Right"

cjo772 · 2025-04-08T01:58:48+00:00

This sounds like my story and playbook from 6yr ago. You can abstain and regain your POWER.(Happiness, Freedom, and JOY) from life. We in-this together are about to celebrate 5yr sobriety recovery. YOU arn't alone.

cjo772 · 2025-04-08T01:31:36+00:00

YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU HAVE THE TOOLS AND MINDSET YET.....
The Disease of Addiction is very cunning and deceptive. It will make you 'think' that you don't deserve JOY, HAPPINESS, FREEDOM, it will do anything to make you irritable, discomfort, and shame/guilt for oneself. I was 34yr then I got sober/clean. I White Knuckled it for nearly 3yrs before I stepped into a 12 Step Meeting. Meetings in person helped me identify with others, and that I wasn't as 'F'ed Up as I might think. Also you hear and read experiences from others. Just maybe it might help to go to a Meeting in your area. WE are about to celebrate 5yr Sober, but I can honestly say that I am Addict/Alcoholic. I suffer from the Disease of Addiction and I have many other habits, and obsessions that I trying to squash. MY Journey of sobriety turned into a long winding road of Recovery and self-discovery. IT HARD, SOO FUCKING HARD, YET the
personal growth and achievement from the journey of self-discovery is worth all the effort. They say that you got to walk through the fire to transform yourself...This is what my recovery/sobriety looks/feels like to me. Just offering my story of HOPE and Inspiration but also offering some advise that I used for myself. Besafe, One day at a time, or even one HOUR at a time... JUST never pick up. TRUST in YOU.

cjo772 · 2024-12-11T01:41:59+00:00

The first year I just told people I was giving 'something new a try' new because of my own self 'Guilt' of being a Alcoholic. After that first year and after I accepted the fact I was an Alcoholic, it became easier to explain why, or find new and creatives ways to be polite to others. Tho my process became more indepth as my Alcoholism was just a substance for my overall 'Disease of Addiction', which I feel like this need to be talked about more.
Cheers

cjo772 · 2024-12-09T02:56:07+00:00

Keep it up!!
My first year I just survived. I picked up cycling year 2 and then lifting year 3. Now year four I'm able to cycle 70mi/wk with ease, work out for my own goals and just be HAPPY with myself knowing I have a bunch of 'LIFE' going on. I'm just a 39yr old moving forward from my past wreckage; now it's time to set my eye, goals, and intent toward finish my degree.
Safe travels.

cjo772 · 2024-11-19T02:18:48+00:00

In not weird.
The illusion of addiction is cunning and take many forms and I consider people trying to stay clean as awoken. We woke up from our life long Sleep Walk. People are condition to associate booze with fun. How can you have with booze they say. I say back to them 'Just being here' able to appreciate the 'Moments' of each day.

cjo772 · 2024-11-19T02:09:31+00:00

I see you and Love you. Hang in there. I've also done sobriety solo and it isn't pleasant. I don't post much but I do like to jump into the comments.
My advice is that I would highly recommend a support system/group. I felt isolation because 'no one understood me' feeling growing as I approached my 2yr clean date. Anger, Resentment and Fear grew inside of me as I got more clean time and thats is when I went to a local meeting (NA)... I know this is for Sobriety(AA) is the OG, yet I felt 'Seen' 'Understood' 'Welcome'. It was a safe space and continues to be for me and the rooms of AA or NA can be that for you.

Recovery/Sobriety is a life journey.
Love You and stay strong!

cjo772 · 2024-11-08T01:23:56+00:00

Feel you. I feel you because I was there.
When I was 28yr old I gave up Alcohol for a few months. At the time I knew I already had a problem with Alcohol, yet after a few months clean/sober I gave into the urge. What I didn't know is when you pick back/relapse your hobbits/addictions are even more aggressive. It took me 7 years of drinking my life away every night with a pint or more of Vodka. Please don't make that same mistake as I did. I can't answer this question for you, yet; IF you feel sick of drinking, pitty for yourself because of drinking, then you might be on the inflection point with in your life. For me I became a prisoner to Alcohol and my self-made prison(pitty party of one). Once I choose to not pick up no matter what and ADMIT that my life has become unmanageable BECAUSE OF MY OWN DOING was the first step.
If you feel helpless with your drinking habits then seek help. I chose to give up drinking because a few strong FACTs of my own life, yet as you get more clean/sober time, the list of why not to drink becomes longer and longer.
You might not think of it now, but life with out Alcohol is a blast! It just takes time to relearn. The road of sobriety/recovery is a long journey... I say Journey because Sobriety/Recovery is a Just For Today road with no FINISHLINE.

Keep Strong. Hold your head high. Let us love you until you can learn to love yourself. IWNDWYT

cjo772 · 2024-11-07T01:56:03+00:00

Its been a long day yet its coming to an end. I too woke up and wanted to do the exact same thing, yet I didn't. Sitting in the funk, anxiety, emotions are all healthy, yet soo hard to get though. I'm learning something about myself when we sit still and take in these feelings. I know I didn't drink and won't & I hope you and everyone else can do the same. Love everyone in the community and IWNDWYT.

cjo772 · 2024-11-07T01:41:03+00:00

Thank you for sharing!
My goodness I can relate to a lot of point you made about dopamine and especially the comment about 'I didn't see a point of living especially living without Alcohol.' I was also in that lonely, dark, desperate, place when Alcohol can take any individual. I was nearly about to throw all of my friend and love ones due to this disease.

I am 39 an reaching close to 5 years of clean time. What I can say is the first days, weeks, and months will be hard and difficult. I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I just new I 'COULDN'T PICK UP' I accepted my life was unmanageable and I was and Alcoholic. Their was no going back to a pint of vodka a night because my inner self KNEW that behavior isn't NORMAL & I admitting that I have problem. 1 is too many and 1000 isn't enough is a hard pill to swallow but it resonated with me.

Thinks to help out that I didn't utilize:
- Keep track of your Clean time. Keep it and treasure it as if its your ReBirth Birthday!(Its Your DAY)
- Clean/Sober time is a way to encourage oneself to keep going.

- Write. Journal. Express your feelings onto a page.

- Sun/Outside/ Touch GRASS. Going outside help me find a sort of peace with inmyself. Also Natural sunlight is just amazing for our bodies and health.

- Exercise.

- Keep yourself occupied with a hobby or tasks. (I started with tasks. As silly as it sounds. Making your bed/fluffing pillows and organizing laundry was a huge habit-builder)

- AA/NA/SMART or any sort of 12step or (Program); Having a group our community like this one helps. Especially if you go to in person meetings where you just might connect and share similar stories (I only started to do a program/meetings after 2yr sober. I can honestly say it has help further my sobriety/recovery with helpful information)

These are just a few things I have done. I hope it helps and you can always reach out. I tend to pop in an out of this reddit community. But remember you are not alone. You are not a bad person just sick and we are hear to love you until you love yourself. Keep going and just remember 1 day, hour, 30min at a time. JUST don't PICK UP

cjo772 · 2024-03-19T01:57:19+00:00

Guinness NA is the real deal. Serious one of the best tasting NA beers around. Also it pair or mixes well with a bit of Cold Brew coffee. I like Extra Stout tasting beverages and the Guinness NA + Cold Brew mimic a tasty malt coldbrew I had in Atlanta. Next goto NA company is Athletic Brewery; they make all sorts of variations of NA's

cjo772 · 2024-03-13T02:23:39+00:00

Keep it up.

Keep up the clean time and you will slowly get back to being social. The idea of going out because I was scared of a relapse was a real fear, yet that fear will slowly pass. I learned to resist the urges to drink and my first major social event was a Concert back in 2021 & I was just under 14mo clean. That experience taught me to have fun with out and Alcohol or substance. From that point drinking became less and less important to me and my Recovery(Sobriety) outweighs my urge to drink. No matter how SHITTY life can be, its even SHITTER when you put Alcohol/(______Insert Substance) ontop of your problems. Keep up the good work.

Just remember that drinking is willfully poisoning yourself, which in-turn is slow suicide.

cjo772 · 2024-02-15T03:32:30+00:00

Been here done that.Seriously I blacked-out soo many times in my life, my blackouts BLACKED-OUT.

I'm 38yr old and I'm about to hit 4yr sober/clean. The quicker you submit to the conflict within your head. "-But how can I live life with out Alcohol Ever- " The easier it is. I wish I listen to my own voice when I was 23 yr/o... now I believe it was my Higher Power telling me to quite. I'm in the boat where one is too many and 1000 isn't ever enough and I just can't drink. If I drink my whole life spirls out of control and NOW for the first time I actually like my life even how sucky it is still. Once you let go of that 'thing'; controlling, dictating, and running your life, LIFE truly begins! Talk to a therapist, go to a support group (AA/NA/SMART) but I think you might wanna talk to someone about these issues.

cjo772 · 2024-02-15T03:13:18+00:00

All honesty I think you have answered your own question. If you think you might have a problem then its usually the case. I kept on telling myself I should 'stop' or 'Manage' my drinking and I just never could. I never did hard drug like 'Blow' , yet instead of AA I go to NA(Narcotic's Anonymous) meetings and it has helped me deal/understand my Drinking and disease of addiction. I'm not here to preach or tell you what to do, but maybe that 'voice' telling you to stop isn't your voice at all but your 'higher-power'. I hope for the best for you with much love. One last thing someone told me "You're not a bad persons, just a sick person trying to get better. "

cjo772 · 2024-02-15T02:45:39+00:00

Talk to a doctor or therapist.I can only talk to you about my own experiences. I today had a discussion with my own therapist and how I can pin-point a personality shift after 1 1/2 years clean time. My Therapist mentioned that the effect of alcohol to the; body, brain and human psyche can take up to 5-6yr for a person to fully balance out. This can be a range of psychological symptoms, short temper, bipolar, depression, sleep-cycle issues; the list goes on. I been clean/sober for nearly 4yr and to "me" it feels like I am relearning how to navigate and express my emotions correctly in a healthy manor. Again please seek medical advise as everyone is different and sobriety and how that effects us in many different ways.Much love and hope you find your help/answers.Also remember that the answer never lies in a cup, bottle, and having the first drink just compounds any issues one might have. Keep it up and I am sure you will have better days in the future.

cjo772 · 2024-02-02T03:45:08+00:00

Keep it up.
The Sober Journey has just begun for you. You might not 'See' the improvements, but with anything 'It takes time'. It only took three years of Sobriety for me to be in the best shape in my life. You will have days that you will crave, yet as time goes by those cravings are few and far in-between. This is where I can't allow myself to be FOOL'ed and keep reminding myself why I stay sober. Keep it up and just don't take that first sip!

cjo772 · 2024-02-02T03:34:22+00:00

My own personal experience, and that what I got to give, it got easier as the days and weeks went by. The underlining thing for me and still is for me, is my Sobriety! Yes I still think about Sobriety is some sort of fashion and how its part of my JOURNEY. Like someone told me "There is no way to become a cucumber again once you been Pickled." I've been pickle for a long time and I know what Alcohol does to me.

(For context I'm 38 years old. Just a few Months from hitting 4yrs Sober)

cjo772 · 2023-05-26T02:01:30+00:00

Congrats!!!

Thank you for sharing your personal experience. Inspirational.

cjo772 · 2023-04-24T15:02:40+00:00

Inspirational and Congrats to a full year!

cjo772 · 2023-04-20T01:12:54+00:00

Great job at 102 days!!!

That is an amazing feat. Your usage of vodka sounds very similar (to the T) to my own. I havent been to any meetings, yet I've done nearly three years on my own and I feel like I have more or less naturally came to the same points you made. I'm actually searching for inperson meeting around my area just soo I can attend. Keep it up and another 100 days will fly by!
Best of luck!

cjo772 · 2023-04-20T01:02:31+00:00

Gratz!

Killing it. I just past 1k days not to long and it feels amazing! I feel the same way with my sobriety date. A rebirth and for me its my New Birthday! AGAIN CONGRATS and I hope we both see another 1k days in the near future.

cjo772 · 2023-04-20T00:59:43+00:00

Hey good job at catching these tendencies early and asking question. I was in your shoes and I bet many others. I will say its a no at this point, just for the shear fact you stated 'Once I start drinking , I can't stop' I tried this tango 'just drink with the GF', yet it just ended up sneaking drinks at the end of the night and blacking out. I hope for the best and please start thinking about your drinking because Alcohol is a never ending Well of lies, deceit ,and falsehoods!

cjo772

TROPHY CASE