Getting Sober - Tumblr Posts

66 -

We’re back at day 4 of no booze. I caved at the two-week mark. Nothing wild but also as I sipped I realized a few things:

• I stopped after a few sips because it wasn’t the relief I was looking for. Short term feeling - but the long term impending doom sense switched on.

• Immediate gratification is great, obviously. But working at something, sitting with it - it’s not supposed to relieve the feeling per se, but show you how to manage it. How to live life while carrying it. The more we sit with our feelings, the stronger the resilience we build.

• There’s nothing wrong with me if my energy is low or my mood is off

• I will not genuinely be able to understand myself & my feelings/mood cycles if they are constantly warped through the use of substances.

• Everything goes back to the breath

• Not prioritizing my basic needs means that I’ll overcompensate in other areas

• It’s okay if I don’t buy into AA - I think, as with everything, you take what you need and leave what doesn’t resonate. Not everything will. But in my experience, there’s an underlying “pressure” to follow the way they tell you and make it your life. However, I think some of the principles they teach have been eye opening and have really helped me. It feels safe to wear my shame in those rooms.

• Every time I “fail”, I learn something from it. Leaning into failing = more knowledge.

• Sometimes all I need to do is get out of my head and into my body. I should really stretch more

• Remember the bigger picture of your life

That’s all. We keep going.

71 -

Sometimes I feel this urge to do something shady, to keep secrets. It’s always when my life is going good. I feel suffocated if I don’t have something for myself. I feel like I need to explode.

I fuck up then I spend all this time trying to repair it and come out stronger - and then I’m like “hmm things are going a little tooo well” and I light my life on fire with gasoline.

I don’t get it. Why?

What motivates people to continue choosing the same choices/decisions even though they KNOW that it’s not the right one?

Even though I know that my choices are keeping me on this little hamster wheel of alcoholism and doom.

Why do we make the same mistakes over and over when we know better? I say I’m not afraid of stepping into my fear, but why am I terrified of choosing different when it comes to substance abuse?

I have a husband who loves me deeply and is so devoted. Sometimes the weight of the love is daunting. I am afraid of myself sometimes. I am afraid of the way I think. I worry that he has me on a pedestal. I am terrified of deeply hurting him or ruining us. I feel suffocated by the pressure of trying to improve. I am not doing it as gracefully as I hoped and I am holding fault with myself for that.

So when I look at myself, I think of all of my mistakes. Of how far I still need to go. Of the lessons learned. Of whether or not I am defined by the choices I make.

But I think that when other people look at me, they don’t see that. I think they may see the good.

I just want to see it too. And I am, slowly.

I had myself convinced that I was manic and suffering from grandiose delusions because I stopped people pleasing and started agreeing with people when they complimented me and speaking my mind and thinking that “I actually am a really great person”…..LOL

No, I’m just developing a strong sense of self worth. I’m doing things from a genuine place and not just so I can feel like I’m earning people’s approval/liking of me.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m totally delusional and I’m actually a giant asshole who totally self-absorbed and unaware of reality.

Welp. Hopefully not! Just gonna keep trusting my intuition and hoping for the best hehe

72 -

Random brain dump:

I am not great at school. Mostly because I struggle with consistency. In like…every aspect of my life. I’m smart, I test quickly & well. But I have a hard time staying focused, I get distracted & my sense of time is so warped. I think I walk around half disassociated all the time.

Also like…school is such a TASK *yawn*

So yes, I have ADHD.

I have been on a stimulant medication now for a few months At first, it turned the 10 channels in my head down to 2. The noise got quiet. It was amazing.

Now I think I’ve adjusted. I’m struggling again. I feel like I’m going crazy and have dementia at 30.

•

I really wanted to impress my final teacher. And well, I don’t think I did. She’s tough.

Today though, she told me that I’ve really pulled it together the last few weeks with my focus and being present. She knows I care and is proud of me.

This is going to sound terrible but because I already feel insecure about her “liking” me, I don’t feel like this was genuine. I am having trouble accepting it.

^ there’s my bitchy little twit (BLT) of a trauma voice trying to convince me I suck.

•

The pendulum swings between extremes before it reaches equilibrium. I’ve swung from a severe people pleaser to speaking my mind completely, anyone be damned.

Erm….it’s made a couple of things awkward. So like let’s hurry up and find my new comfort level with this.

I realized lately that while I may be all like “let me look deep into myself and come to terms with/embrace all of my shame and wear it proudly because that takes away its power to control me blah blah”- not everyone is there yet.

Whether they want to get there or not, how they get there, etc….none of my business.

I try really hard to stay in my own lane and worry about myself mostly. But it’s hard because I still feel the claws of my BLT trying to pull me back into the land of insecure misery lol

Sometimes I pretend I’m actually just an actor in a lifelong biopic and actually, it does help. Because then I realize how ludicrous almost everything is.

•

My moral alignment is chaotic neutral and I feel like it really defines me and I’m not ashamed of it.

Having a solid sense of understanding and identity is my #1 priority right now.

Idk ya’ll. I think I may like myself. Uh oh…shit. I might get all healed and take over the world!!!!! Watch out

•

A friend told me recently how he could see how I could be extremely easy to love but incredibly hard to deal with.

I was dying to ask for him to explain exactly what they meant and how/why he thinks this. Hi, I’m insecure.

But I held my tongue. Unsure as to why. Sense of pride or protection? I find myself holding in my thoughts much more frequently these days.

I guess subconsciously, I am more selective now about who I share myself with.

People are exhausting and honestly? I have worked/am working really hard to improve myself.

I will no longer give away pieces of myself with no regard or care.

Not sure what to make of it. I mean, he’s probably right. I can be a lot. Sometimes I swear I disassociate and I watch a version of me running full speed until my batteries run out

And all the while I’m banging on the glass like “Stop!!!!!!”

My brain hurts often.

•

I will try to stay positive and breathe through the tough moments.

Made it through Day 1. Again.

73 -

I am afraid I will never kick my issues. Right when I think I’ve got a grip, I slip. Again, and again, and again.

I’m so sick of this.

How many more mistakes do I need to make? What is it going to take for me to stop?

I don’t know what to do or think anymore. Ugh.

77 -

Today, I am grateful. I had plans with some new friends and I’ll be honest - I get nervous.

Especially doing it sober? I’ve always counted on alcohol or something to reduce the insecurity. To relax my social barometer.

These days, I usually hide out on the weekends trying to muster myself up to survive the week.

Kind of sad to live life this way but I’ve got a lot going on so this is how it is right now.

So I hung out with these two friends and made myself not drink. And it was not bad. I was nervous and felt a little uncomfortable in my own skin, but I did it.

And what was really special, is I was able to vocalize this feeling ^ and share it safely without fear.

I feel like a baby deer learning how to walk, all awkward and gangly - but kind of cute, right?

Baby steps.

78 -

I feel stuck, between who I used to be and who I want to be.

It’s funny, I thought that I was better than the substance - I didn’t think I would get addicted in complete honesty. I thought I had full control.

I did. At first.. But somewhere along the ride, it was easier to jump in the passenger seat and let things unfold.

I feel very alone in my struggle. In the sense that it’s like I’m slowly waking up to my life as it has become in the last few years of full blown mindless addiction.

Addiction is lonely, but it’ll trick you into thinking you have all the friends in the world.

People don’t wait around for you to fix all your problems and finally start realizing your potential. They’ve got lives to live and shit to do!

The ones that do wait around, hold them so so close.

I’ve got a few irrational and unhelpful ruminating thoughts in my head. I’m actually trying to tell them “no”. It feels stupid, but in my head I literally have to go “This is not productive. I need more evidence for this thought. I will just worry about tangible problems in front of me and not be anxious until I need to be”

You know how lame I feel doing that? I just want to roll my eyes at myself. *rolls eyes*

But it’s also working. LIKE I AM DOING IT PEOPLE, I am rewiring the brain!! You’re seeing it live! Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show because I am about to evolve into someone really fucking great!!!

Feeling like I’m failing at everything or that I’m delusional or that I am going about this (life) all wrong. Worried constantly about what others think about me. Trying to be ~zen~ and trust in what I am doing.

Holding space for these feelings and carrying them with me while still living my life. Embracing that I won’t feel this way forever and that it’s normal to go through periods of doubt & insecurity.

What a concept!!!

Friendly reminder to myself - if you are spending all this time worrying about your life & yourself, imagine that everyone is probably doing the same about their lives and selves. They don’t have time to be thinking about that cringe comment I made!

An affirmation for me lately: I welcome however my life unfolds because I trust in my ability to be resilient, kind, and persevere.

Not everyone is going to like me and that’s okay too!!!! I am not less than!

Here’s a thought.. Maybe they’re the asshole?

Blah blah BLAH BLAH.

Each day is a new day. Some days are better and brighter. Some days, not so much. But each day is just one little piece of it all. And I want to live these days. At least for a little longer.

79 -

I can feel myself shifting internally while the world is simultaneously trying to stop it.

—

I can feel myself:

• growing less attached to the opinions of others

• growing in confidence (maybe some borderline arrogance but it’s new and I’m gleeful)

• more & more able to talk myself out of ruminating

• “testing” my intrusive thoughts for evidence - turns out they’re wrong a lot!

• feeling optimistic about the future - setting goals, making plans

• less *needing* to escape; instead, making a conscious choice to if so

• follow up ^ wanting to escape less often

• more comfortable letting things/people/situations go (not needing to control)

• embracing the freedom in realizing that I don’t matter to anyone else as much as I do to myself

• acknowledging the other side of the coin - the painful loneliness of realizing I don’t matter to anyone else as much as I do to myself

• defining my reality on my own terms

• feeling happy & confident, yet feeling like I’m doing something wrong

• tested by old thought patterns and behaviors

• trying to make a home for the scared little girl/old me while shifting into a newer mature new me

• heightened awareness of others’ need to be accepted, probably because I find myself growing less so - like a living juxtaposition

• acknowledging my weaknesses while, starting to accept my whole self in her entirety

• questioning myself often, worrying if I am turning into a selfish asshole

• feeling a loss of identity - Who am I? What do I like? What do I want? ….How do I decide?

• feeling like there isn’t enough time anymore

• being a human

••• holding all of these feelings separately, together •••

not. quitting.

maybe, stumbling

but then. getting. up. again.

—

Oh, I was tested today on my no drinking and I prevailed. YAY me. It’s the little wins. Few and far between but they add up over time - experience > confidence > resilience

Addiction is all simple math really.

Drinks, dollars, grams, ounces, pills, dosage, days, hours - constantly counting; constantly surviving, dependent on a roulette of endless numbers.

And recovery? Getting sober is saying “fuck your math, I’m bored, let’s do some science”

81 -

Feels like I’m losing my mind every other day.

Questioning my sense of reality more often than I ever have. Am I crazy?

I’m exhausted.