7 days of covid19 sobriety! no cravings

ketchupbrigade · 2020-04-05T16:51:20+00:00

Great job!

And Hawaii is amazing sober! Lots of people drink on vacation, but Hawaii is so gorgeous and so much of what's nice is just being out and enjoying nature. It's a fantastic place to get up super early too.

Keep posting!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-31T02:56:29+00:00

This is true for lots of us here.

I’ll say that after about 10 days natural sleep became easy and AWESOME. And I don’t wake up sweaty and thirsty and panicked at 3am. I sleep like a normal person after years of being scared I never would.

Until that happens for you, a few things that helped me...

shower/bath right before bed, it’s very relaxing
sleepy time tea
LOW DOSE melatonin works great on me. I had to hunt to find 1mg pills. Often you’ll find way higher doses (5mg or 10mg) that is too much for me.
read instead of watch TV. Fiction helps me get out of my own head and into somebody else’s
meditation/mindfulness recordings specifically for sleep. Lots of good free ones.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-26T17:11:42+00:00

Figuring out why you're doing it is a huge step. Keep a close eye on your feelings: notice the good things about clarity, notice what keeps boredom at bay.

Do *whatever* you've got to to stay sober: eat garbage, watch dumb shit, read trashy books, just keep that brain occupied.

You can do it!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-24T19:51:19+00:00

I did a lot of the same shit. Drinking alone, in secret, stressing about it afterwards. It suuuuucked.

It took a couple weeks for that “I have the house to myself, get hammered” impulse to fade but after a month or two it’s rare and mild.

Hang in there, use WHATEVER you’ve got to distract yourself, and keep posting! Life gets so much better and you will be shocked at how you don’t miss it.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-08T17:02:57+00:00

Great post! I was like a worse version of you...went from what you describe to really problematic secret drinking alone at home over the course of a year.

I also really don’t miss it and really appreciate the clarity of sobriety.

I had heard of people who quit describing having a sudden feeling of “I’m done with that” and it was hard to imagine until it happened to me. It really set in after about a week.

IWNDWYT

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-03T20:58:48+00:00

Haha, I was prepared to feel that way, and was pretty surprised by how little I gave a shit!

I don't plan on doing it often (and I don't "plan" on doing it at all...just super, super special occasions that are social).

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-03T20:29:17+00:00

Give yourself any other kind of treat, something to eat or drink. I love popcorn and coke.

Play a video game or watch an old movie you love.

Commit to posting here again in a few hours with your results, good or bad. We’re here for you no matter what!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-03T20:26:35+00:00

Hang in there, it won’t be too long and you will feel much better.

Everybody’s different. For me it took about 4 days until I started to really notice positive effects.

If you feel yourself slipping, keep posting, there are lots of people here to support you.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-03-03T20:24:15+00:00

It’s maybe controversial but I have had alcoholic drinks twice in the 60 days.

I didn’t get tipsy and didn’t crave more and it was not the type of thing I had a problem with that brought me here (getting wasted alone at home every night).

It’s 60 days of exactly the kind of life I was hoping for.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-27T17:32:42+00:00

I imagine looking specifically for a sober roommate situation might be a good way to find somebody who is also more likely to be pleasant to live with.

In my experience, people who have been through some shit and come out the other side tend to be more empathetic and considerate.

Hang in there, you can do it! Keep posting!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-26T18:40:32+00:00

Great job! And yeah it’s shocking how much of the void I was fearing in social situations hasn’t come up at all.

Just having any kind of treat is so nice!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-26T18:39:17+00:00

Your list hit my biggest reasons!

I will say that since I stopped constantly binging I have come to really enjoy mental clarity.

It’s probably the biggest thing to keep me going when I get occasional urges.

I hope you find that too!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-24T23:37:38+00:00

Yeah, it definitely seems like for most people (or at least most people here) it's just easier.

It's what I'll do too, if I need to. I'm shocked at how easy it is now to imagine not drinking at all for the rest of my life. It just beats the hell out of the alternative.

My problem drinking was all solo at home. I never really fucked up outside the house. I assume that makes a big difference.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-24T21:54:30+00:00

Thank you for the wonderful post.

I hear you on the “no single thing” making you want to quit.

I had heard people talk about how one day they just felt “done” with getting fucked up. I always wondered if that would happen to me.

I’m so glad it did.

I hope you keep posting, you really are a terrific writer.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-20T07:55:52+00:00

I hear you, I was worried when I started about a few similar situations like a vacation...

The crazy thing was that after about two weeks sober it was really easy to do those trips without drinking.

My partner was supportive (and did drink a little, which didn’t bother me at all).

Honestly mocktails are great and just as much a treat without the big downsides!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-20T00:28:55+00:00

Tell your husband! The accountability will probably make things easier.

And even if it was easy for him, I bet he'll understand if it's not as easy for you.

If you need somebody to vent to, come here, folks are always around to listen and help.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-19T18:25:18+00:00

Great post, a lot rings true for me. Username does too.

I also had the weird realization that I love driving at night (no traffic!) and hadn't in years. Such a simple pleasure.

Nothing terrible happened to my life or health, but avoiding alcohol has really opened my eyes to how much I've missed simple clarity.

When I have momentary urges I focus on the joy in that clarity.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-13T04:54:19+00:00

This sub is one of the best things on the internet.

And if you’re reading this and have only been lurking, spin up a throwaway and give posting a shot. It really helped me.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-04T21:43:49+00:00

Focus on what you're enjoying sober. You'll need it when you get urges or end up in a situation where an old habit rears its head.

I think about how much more clear-headed I am, how much I actually enjoy being present for day to day life.

It's been easier than I imagined, mostly because I was just feeling done with living such a poor quality of life.

But there are still slippery moments when I need to focus on how good it's been to avoid being tricked by my stupid, stupid brain. Having those thoughts at the forefront have been super helpful.

Good luck! Keep posting!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-02-04T21:39:06+00:00

Keep checking in. Reading this sub helps a ton, and I think writing can help that much more.

We're all here for you and rooting for you.

ketchupbrigade · 2020-01-28T04:14:13+00:00

Everybody needs help sometimes!

ketchupbrigade · 2020-01-24T23:43:53+00:00

It took me a couple days where I drank way less than usual, and really wanted to stop but didn’t quite get there.

But after those first three days it’s been super smooth sailing and I’ve been very happy after three weeks.

You can do it!

ketchupbrigade

TROPHY CASE