offal wrote:Salut, on that post, Boombats. Solid advice.One pretty simple thing I've found that helps is to recognize how much I enjoyed the "ritual" of drinking sometimes more than the drinking itself. Things like having drinks while cooking, or after band practice, meals with friends -- you'll have no problem finding your own examples. Anyway, I indulge the "ritual" with fizzy water, near beer (I know some folks here might disagree with me on this one, and I absolutely respect that), coffee, tea, whatever -- and for me it goes a long way.The ritual is pretty much half the battle with me too. I've had to employ the perrier and O'douls "hack" on a few early occasions: concerts, PPV's, baseball games, my bands gigs. That was like the first 6 months of sobriety, but since then I haven't had to do that. I think some people on here disagreed with me about that, but I honestly don't think it's a big deal to do some "substitution" when you're really feeling weak. I mean that's pretty much what everyone is doing every minute of the day right? Half the people I knew at AA were smoking pot, so if I'm using exercise and meditation as a "crutch" then so be it. As an addict I can totally get addicted to anything, even super positive productive things. I say whatever it takes to keep from falling off the wagon as long as you keep your eye on the long term goal of a balanced and honest approach to your life.

jbar wrote:Two really rough weeks. Another death in the family, drama with my shithead of a roommate, lot of disappointment at work. I don't remember being this uncomfortable every second of the day.Well you may not have been numbing all those feelings with alcohol, I don't know your personal habits. But just not having it as a fallback, coping mechanism can itself lead to more intense and raw feelings. You will eventually develop greater tolerance for emotional pain, but you have to give it a lot of time and go easy on yourself in the meantime, especially since life is clearly not going easy on you. Good luck and take care

Two really rough weeks. Another death in the family, drama with my shithead of a roommate, lot of disappointment at work. I don't remember being this uncomfortable every second of the day.

Thanks 'Bats. I'm trying!

Someone in my wife's direct family who had many years of sobriety (or had the whole family completely fooled, which is entirely possible) has recently fallen on very hard times, and no longer seems to want to stay clean. This has sucked hard for my wife and her family, and she's handled it like a fucking champ. It's also been a constant reminder that my own sobriety (and probably everyone's) is more fragile than I realize, and should not be taken for granted. On that note, I went to an annual social / alumni gathering tonight which I have not done since 2004, I think. On that occasion I got so trashed that my then girlfriend / now wife gave me a bit of an ultimatum, and I mostly stopped drinking (took a few more years 'til I really decided on my own that it was not for me, and I haven't had a drink since 2011.)I sometimes take for granted how much better my life has gotten since I've stopped drinking. Tonight was a nice reminder that things are good, and could be really shitty.

What up, Day 7. Moderation just always accelerates into a rolling trash can fire without me noticing it. Raccoons are hanging off of it, screeching, while wildebeest charge away from it in terror. Some of the research I've read says dopamine just keeps wanting and wanting its reward, regardless of receiving it or not. Which makes sense to me.Psychopharmacology of Tobacco and Alcohol Comorbidity: a Review of Current EvidenceNeurobiologic processes in drug reward and addictionThis Naked Mind for a summary.I gave up caffeinated coffee a few months ago and my stress is a lot better. Though it may seem odd, I feel like coffee and alcohol go hand in hand with my weirdo spaz brain.Also, I just got into a very challenging Master's program (oh shiiiiiit) and need to set myself up for success.Okay!

First week was hard for me Bumble. Glad you made it. You ever need to talk, GAMYF.I'm at something like 5 weeks now. I'm sort of an emotional wreck for a lot of reasons, but it's nice to have a clear head through all of it. I find myself chugging La Croix like there is no tomorrow. Seriously, it completely replaces the mouth feel of beer for me. My last beer was a Montucky Cold Snack. I feel like the transition to La Croix was facilitated by this.Big, big fuckin THANKS to those of you who have stepped in to lend a hand or ear.

You might hate hearing this, but exercise is the only way I know of to wipe stress without drinking... Apart from eating a kilogram of chocolate, of course.

Yesterday, I was feeling anxious, as though a dense fog was inhabiting my chest. All day.Shocker, I know, that spazzy me is anxious and weird. QUIET.I'm supposed to be drafting this Big Deal Paper for my boss and I feel inadequate and/or intimidated or something. Avoidant? All of the above? Beats me.Then The Orange Child was being herself (reincarnated Bette Davis) and I felt really overwhelmed.Anyway, this is the exact sort of moment a glass of wine or three would have been my usual. Alcohol affects GABA just as Xanax does, reducing anxiety. So instead I handed off Ms. Diva Thing to her dad, listened to a really stupid spy book, and fell asleep at like 8 god damn pee emm while listening to a guided meditation on the Calm app.I'm *really* going to need some better options, especially when March rolls around and my new Master's program starts. And I'm going to a conference for a week. March is going to suck.

Hey Bumble, I'll second the exercise recommendation - after I stopped drinking my anxiety went off the deep end and it took me a few months to get things under control. I found that yoga helped a lot as it was both physically exhausting and meditative. I've not been doing that for a while but I still feel much better when I'm active, I've been doing more swimming recently.My other coping mechanism was to keep the freezer well stocked with large quantities of ice cream.