Any sober/recovery members here?

[roguester]

I've been sober 17 months now from alcohol and getting back into hobbies was tough. This includes coming on here and talking about Apple stuff. It took me a while to regain interest in things, even the joy of buying a new Apple product. My purchases lately have been the 15 Pro, AW Ultra, and a wireless charging stand.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I've been sober 17 months now from alcohol and getting back into hobbies was tough. This includes coming on here and talking about Apple stuff. It took me a while to regain interest in things, even the joy of buying a new Apple product. My purchases lately have been the 15 Pro, AW Ultra, and a wireless charging stand.

Well done. Keep going one day at a time. I rarely drink these days. I used to in my teens and early 20’s.
Good luck with it.

 

[turbineseaplane]

@roguester

Yep -- finally quit at the start of 2024 and it's been the best decision of my life, with no close 2nd place

Glad to hear you're getting interests back -- it's an adjustment for sure

 

[Expos of 1969]

Well done. Keep going one day at a time. I rarely drink these days. I used to in my teens and early 20’s.
Good luck with it.

However, since cutting back I find I often repeat myself

 

[roguester]

@roguester

Yep -- finally quit at the start of 2024 and it's been the best decision of my life, with no close 2nd place

Glad to hear you're getting interests back -- it's an adjustment for sure

Video games and sports were the toughest

 

[turbineseaplane]

Video games and sports were the toughest

I can relate -- I honestly do much less of both (in terms of viewing sports that is) now.

Life is different on the other side, but for me the important part was to find new avenues.

That was getting back in shape for me ... I'm now a 4-6 days per week gym person and I run 10-14 miles per week and literally never been happier.

Finding "new things" is as important, if not more, as adapting older things to a new way of being.

Be open to new things ... say "yes" a lot ... you sort of have to learn who "you" are as someone who doesn't drink.

It's amazing all the simple joys in life that are there but suppressed by alcohol

 

[roguester]

I can relate -- I honestly do much less of both (in terms of viewing sports that is) now.

Life is different on the other side, but for me the important part was to find new avenues.

That was getting back in shape for me ... I'm now a 4-6 days per week gym person and I run 10-14 miles per week and literally never been happier.

Finding "new things" is as important, if not more, as adapting older things to a new way of being.

Be open to new things ... say "yes" a lot ... you sort of have to learn who "you" are as someone who doesn't drink.

It's amazing all the simple joys in life that are there but suppressed by alcohol

The toughest part for me was convincing myself that doing the same things sober isn't that much different than when I was drinking like going to restaurants, sporting events, shopping, or just plain hanging out.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The toughest part for me was convincing myself that doing the same things sober isn't that much different than when I was drinking like going to restaurants, sporting events, shopping, or just plain hanging out.

What do you mean? Where are you at on that now? How do you view those things?

 

[roguester]

What do you mean? Where are you at on that now? How do you view those things?

Much easier now. I walk into any restaurant or even a bar and get food without the thought of drinking. Eagles winning the super bowl was nuts too, went out to celebrate in public with tons of drinking around, no biggie.

 

[monokakata]

Sober since June, 1986. Pretty sure I'd be dead by now if I hadn't quit.

Keep up the good work, @roguester.

 

[monokakata]

Much easier now. I walk into any restaurant or even a bar and get food without the thought of drinking. Eagles winning the super bowl was nuts too, went out to celebrate in public with tons of drinking around, no biggie.

Can we arrange to have the 2026 Super Bowl be Bills vs Eagles? I lived in Bflo for years, including those four terrible awful very bad Super Bowl years.

Also, it's good that you can go where you want without worrying. It does make a difference. I don't care whether people drink around me -- well, when they get stupid I don't like it, but the fact that they're drinking doesn't bother me.

And another thing that sometimes people worry about -- all these years, I've never had even one person be rude, or tease me or anything at all when I decline a drink. I just say "Thanks, no, I don't drink," and that's that. If they do look a little surprised, I just say "I used to," and that shuts them right up.

 

[roguester]

Can we arrange to have the 2026 Super Bowl be Bills vs Eagles? I lived in Bflo for years, including those four terrible awful very bad Super Bowl years.

Also, it's good that you can go where you want without worrying. It does make a difference. I don't care whether people drink around me -- well, when they get stupid I don't like it, but the fact that they're drinking doesn't bother me.

And another thing that sometimes people worry about -- all these years, I've never had even one person be rude, or tease me or anything at all when I decline a drink. I just say "Thanks, no, I don't drink," and that's that. If they do look a little surprised, I just say "I used to," and that shuts them right up.

I used to think people cared a lot about why I don't drink. To this day, I just tell people that I don't do well with alcohol and it turns me into a bad person and that's pretty much the end of it.

A Bills Eagles SB would be nuts. That would be one hell of a tailgate.

 

[turbineseaplane]

"Thanks, no, I don't drink," and that's that. If they do look a little surprised, I just say "I used to," and that shuts them right up.

Amazing how effective the "I used to" part is -- totally agree

 

[Huntn]

I grew up traumatized at times by an alcoholic father, who never physically abused us, but it ended in my parents divorce. I remember being close to tears when he came home from work one day and parked the truck in the neighbor’s front yard. I had to relocate it to our driveway. Happily he broke his addiction to alcohol during the seperation. That was his turning point, when he recognized it was not worth it, and was motivated to make a change.He took another 20 years to quit smoking until a doctor found a growth on his bladder. This month he’s about to turn 97.

@roguester hang in there and make the best of your life. Yes, easy for me to say. 🤔

 

[roguester]

I grew up traumatized at times by an alcoholic father, who never physically abused us, but it ended in my parents divorce. I remember being close to tears when he came home from work one day and parked the truck in the neighbor’s front yard. I had to relocate it to our driveway. Happily he broke his addiction to alcohol during the seperation. That was his turning point, when he recognized it was not worth it, and was motivated to make a change.He took another 20 years to quit smoking until a doctor found a growth on his bladder. This month he’s about to turn 97.

@roguester hang in there and make the best of your life. Yes, easy for me to say. 🤔

Thank you for the support. It definitely is easier now looking back on it. But in the beginning, I was cursing people out like you with what I thought were dumb stories.