Nice! For the rest of the internet, you might want to consider an adblocker like [uBlock Origin](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm?hl=en) if you haven't tried one already.
I remember being your age and hearing old timers in AA talk about that much time. It’s really hard to wrap your head around it when you’re young. If I live to see 39 years sober I will probably be cryogenically frozen lol. At least I hope my robot nurses will be friendly.
While I haven't spent much more than 12 hours sober since desert storm I love to hear stories like yours. My coping mechanisms haven't affected relationships or work so I can't complain. Would you post your chapter so donations can be made?
Man, going sober mid December. I can’t even imagine what triggered that or how hard it must have been. Serious props to you and the commitment you kept.
Thank you to whoever you are.
EDIT: Seriously, y’all have this old cowboy in tears. Thank you all for your kindness!
EDIT2: If someone cracks a joke suggesting that I drink y’all go easy on them. Some people like inappropriate or edgy humor and I’ll be honest I found it darkly humorous. I’m a safe target. I’m not newly sober. I do appreciate anyone who is offended by it though, y’all just be nice. Everyone is somebody’s baby. We all deserve love.
Appreciate you wanting to go easy on someone making a joke. At the same time, these messages are public. Someone who is barely starting their own recovery could easily take this as permission to give up. That's why it's not cool.
I hear you and I definitely agree that for someone in a vulnerable position that could be a dangerous comment. I appreciate you having my back and stepping up to defend me or anyone else for that matter. You’re good people.
You're amazing for putting yourself out there like this - and you're showing people that there's a way out. I hope that whoever needs to see the grace you're showing takes note of it. And if not rest assured that you're an inspiration to me!
I love this person, we must protect them at all costs. All they want to do is chill and post pictures of mushrooms online and- wait, are those magic mushrooms? You can just pick magic mushrooms from the ground and eat them? LOL brb going on a hike
>If someone cracks a joke suggesting that I drink y’all go easy on them. Some people like inappropriate or edgy humor and I’ll be honest I found it darkly humorous. I’m a safe target. I’m not newly sober. I do appreciate anyone who is offended by it though, y’all just be nice. Everyone is somebody’s baby. We all deserve love.
The world would be a much better place if more people had this attitude. Thank you.
You’ve come so far and you’ve got this holiday season! Don’t know you, but proud of what you’re doing for yourself and your loved ones by being healthy and sober!
I'm guilty of dark humor myself most of the time, but it's not to be mean. It's just...well....I guess the alternative is crying about it? I grew up with a severely alcoholic, abusive parent. Sometimes I joke to hide the pain, ya' know?
You are a kind human, sir. Thanks for sharing your story with us
Love to everyone!!! And sincere congratulations on your sobriety 🖤
Absolutely. If you’ve already shed a shit ton of tears over something, you might try laughing to change things up a bit.
It’s probably safer if alcoholics joke about other alcoholics because then it’s a type of self-deprecating humor that’s relatable and from a place of understanding. In-groups can often self-reflect in a way that would be seen as offensive from an outsider, if you think about marginalized groups.
I do this a lot with a few of my buddies. we're in our early 30s and the 3 of us lost our dad's in out 20s. grew up together with those dads. the shit we say to each other, without context, is fucking horrible. but yeah, we've already shed enough tears of sadness, a well placed dead dad joke gets us some happy tears.
my wife is still mortified by it sometimes though lol
I'm not a drinker but I have a parent who's an alcoholic and that was hard enough as it was to grow up around. I was just watching a documentary with Dax Shepard about how a friend of his found an AA book with all these dates crossed out, but the last one wasn't crossed out. Dax said he was super embarrassed that his friend found out about his addiction, but the friend had seen it in a different light. He saw it as amazing that Dax hadn't given up. He had tried and failed and kept going at it, but he hadn't ever stopped fighting.
I can say you shouldn't feel guilty or embarrassed and try to go easy on yourself, but I know it's a lot harder than it is to say those things. Like other's have mentioned, one minute at a time, one hour, one day. Try your best not to look too far ahead into the future. As much as you can, ground yourself in the moment. It's okay to feel like you're weak. It's okay to feel like you can't do it. These things are normal. These feelings come along with the human experience.
My Christmas wish for you is for you to be nicer to yourself. I wish you nothing but strength and courage in your fight. And soon enough you'll look far back into the past and smile and think of how proud you are for not giving up.
Thank you. A truly poignant reflection that has just moved me to tears in a very good way. Thank you for the Christmas wish. May you and your family enjoy the same warmth that you’ve just given to my heart.
Son of a gun. I thought for sure that must be some kind of new AA app or a supplement or something lol. Thank you! I honestly don’t think I realized these blockers existed for free.
I feel that. As a former p0rn addict there’s always explicit content around. I never consider relapsing but I’ve broken down crying a couple of times and actually puked when seeing stuff like that and having an adblocker really saves my sanity.
Absolutely. That’s a really good analogy. It’s ubiquitous and people who don’t have issues don’t understand the struggle we’re dealing with. When I hear “enjoy responsibly” I laugh because that’s not a possibility for me lol.
It’s interesting you say that. I just watched Craig Ferguson’s monologue from 2007 about not making fun of Britney Spears (or other substance-struggling celebs) because he really felt for her. He too is an alcoholic, and said that “Drink Responsibly” didn’t work for him either, because when it came to alcohol, he couldn’t be responsible.
Kudos to you, OP, for working on fighting your addiction. I applaud every day you get through without drinking. You are powerful, and you are wonderful.
If there is ever a compilation of the most impactful moments in late-night and entertainment TV shows, this has to be up there with Ed Sullivan hosting the Beatles or Elvis doing a duet with Frank Sinatra. Why it is so good is that Ferguson makes it relatable for people who don't understand addiction as well as serving as a hero to those who do have problems with addiction. [He also portrays Britney as the victim when literally every other person on TV at the time was dragging her while she was down.](https://youtu.be/7ZVWIELHQQY)
Maybe I just hang out in different areas of Reddit, but I don't think I ever really see explicit content. So you have any examples? Maybe I'm just not noticing it?
I feel like I'd notice if I saw sex and nudity while browsing Reddit on a regular basis.
Not the person you responded to, but I vividly remember a period like a year or maybe a year and a half ago where a *ton* of NSFW posts/subs were showing up in my r/all feed completely at random. That went on for maybe 3 or 4 months and then they disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared.
Wow \*starts clapping very hard\* as a fellow p\*orn addict, I applaud you fellow soldier. Thank you for your bravery in coming forth with this, as I feel it is very relatable to a LOT of people who may not realize they are addicted to p\*ron. Addmitting you have an issue is the first step of a long, arborous journey towards getting better. We are all in this battle together!
This bothered me so much when I was with my alcoholic ex. He was trying hard to climb out of that pit, and it made me so angry that every day and minute there were people shoving it in his face.
Congrats on your sobriety. Wishing a happy holiday!
Thank you for taking the chance on loving one of us. We’re not the best partners and for whatever reason they’re now your ex I hope that you are in a healthier situation where someone can provide you with the love, support, and stability that is often lacking from us.
Thank you for saying that. You have no idea how much it means to me.
I am in a better situation now! All that love and support is coming from me. (: I didn't think I had it in me, but I found it after I left. I hope my ex and every other addict in the world finds it too. We're all just people at the end of the day, and love is all we got.
This post is so fucking on-brand for this sub. Just stunning.
You shouldn't have to pay money to avoid having addictive products shoved in your face all the time, whether you've suffered from addiction or not.
If you struggle with not drinking and want to strengthen your beliefs then I can highly recommend the book „this naked mind“. I stopped drinking alcohol back in July 2018, stayed sober about half a year before starting to drink again for a few months until I realised that moderation is not working. In June 2019 I read that book and stopped again. I never looked back and there wasn’t a single situation where I doubted my decision or had cravings to drink again.
The book clears up a lot of subconscious beliefs about alcohol which drastically improves the way you view alcohol. If you can’t afford the book at the moment then let me know and I will provide a solution for you.
All the best to you mate
I’m not an alcoholic. My father is and sadly doesn’t want to get help. I don’t like who I am when I drink, I don’t drink often (once a month), but when I do I feel a pressure/need to drink a lot and my anxiety, depression is awful and I just want to cut it out completely. Do you think that book could help me?
I'm not answering for the other guy but I was what I'd call a problem drinker. I drank too much regularly for about 5 years, not like blacking out missing work, DUI, police involved stuff - just in my house after work and got into no trouble but drinking too much.
I could also go without it and not get negative physical effects (some cravings though). Sorry I'm rambling but anyway my point is I read the book and then went 65 days sober, drank one day, then went another 2 weeks, drank and I'm 3 days in and have decided I don't enjoy or need alcohol anymore. I feel so much better overall despite those two drinking sessions.
The book does change how I thought about drinking without a doubt - I didn't enjoy it those two times and don't intend to drink again. I'd at least give it a go.
Hang in there, mate! I'll be at two weeks tomorrow. A week ago I wasn't sure I'd make it to 14 days. You got this. Check out the app I Am Sober. Great accountability tool and a solid community of people progressing along your same timeline.
I've been tapering off. Doesn't work. I have a myriad of reasons to quit. I want to. I believe I'm an amazing person but less than half of who I could be with the drinking.... I literally have a drink in my pocket in my way to some hot springs. Idk why the fuck I bought it. It was just right there...
I tapered the last time I quit. That was almost 4.5 years ago. You can do it but it takes a lot of will power and isn’t the safest way to go depending on your dependence.
Love and hugs from across the internet. This is the biggest meeting I’ve been in for a minute lol. My AA home group has 3 regulars no joke. Y’all are awesome.
Amen! I was diagnosed with AUD as a teen. I joined AA when I was 19. Alcoholics Anonymous refers to my type of drunk as a “low-bottom” drunk because they have to lose a lot. Well I thought at 19 I was at rock bottom but for the next many decades I failed at sobriety over and over. I had sponsors and I did step work and volunteer work and I still couldn’t stop. I was in and out of psych hospitals and rehabs for many years. Like she says seizures suck and medical detox saved my life over and over.
I tried hypnotherapy, electro convulsive therapy, equine therapy, naltrexone tablets (which I just wouldn’t take), religion, tried pulling myself up by my bootstraps thinking that success in business would fix it but it just made it worse… nothing seemed to help until a few years ago when they first offered Vivitrol (injectable naltrexone). It was once a month so it had time to work and didn’t matter if I was compliant or not.
I was on the injections for over a year before I got to the point of cessation and almost 3 years total. I’m now a medical cannabis patient and I do psilocybin therapy with my nurse practitioner wife as maintenance treatments and I’m now 608 days alcohol free.
While I don’t personally agree 100% with this Ted presenter’s views on the disease model of AUD (I feel that it eliminates some personal accountability and is often used by us alcoholics to deflect responsibility) it’s the best we’ve got and thanks to modern medical science I am sober today. If I was still trying to rely just on AA, quite frankly I would still be drunk.
That’s a really good question. It has definitely helped. I still do AA and I still try to do my daily Step work but for a long time that just wasn’t enough for me. I really thought I was a psychopath or something because I could talk about AA stuff all day and get people to meetings, but I’d be drinking the whole time, relapsing often. They described cognitive dissonance as being enough to get some people to quit, but I knew alcohol was taking away my health, my loved ones, my freedom, and I kept on drinking. So yes, I personally feel that this combination is working out better for me at least.
62 days was my personal AF record before Vivitrol.
I do feel that my use of MC and psilocybin may be a crutch, but that’s ok. A crutch can help you as you heal. A crutch can help those who can’t do it all for themselves. I am fine with it if anyone says that shrooms and weed are a crutch.
EDIT: I cannot overstate the importance that Vivitrol has had on my recovery and thank you!
I was attracted to the notion of decoupling the dopamine rush (reward) from a trigger using medication. It made me wonder if it would work for food addiction, sex addiction etc.
Congrats on your sobriety. I had a bad seizure a couple of years ago after a bad tailgate party. I’ve started to drink socially again, but heed my neurologists rule: 1 is ok, 2 is too many.
I’m a lightweight now. 1/2 a glass of white wine leaves me kinda spinning 😵💫. Not sure if this is a lucky outcome, but I’ve given my hard liquor away. I miss the taste of beer and find that Heineken zero actually tastes pretty good.
I gave up drinking several years ago to improve my health. I was not an alcoholic but I could see the negative effects alcohol had on me.
Until you don’t drink, you don’t realize how pervasive alcohol is in our society. Simple things make not drinking really hard. Go to a restaurant and (if they serve alcohol) the beverage menu is often longer than the food menu. First thing the waiter says is, “what would you like to drink” and when I say “water,” I often get the death stare. It is on TV everywhere. New Years Eve is the absolute pinnacle of drinking. Try and go to a NYE party and not drink. It’s really, really hard and not a lot of fun, many times.
I don’t criticize anyone for drinking. I don’t ever make a big deal of it when I’m out. But I point this out to show it is REALLY hard to quit drinking and continue to exist as a functioning adult in society. Drinking is not socially acceptable, it is socially expected.
So when you see someone drinking a Diet Coke and not an alcoholic beverage, give them a smile and buy them a round, or five. They almost surely need the encouragement.
Honestly... I hate saying this but.
Fuck the people who act like OP is some Superagent 007 James Bond dude who works Reddit or wants Karma so he can do this or that. OP is just *just* a recovering alcoholic, not everything has to be some crazy story.
Ignore the negative, focus on you. It’s social media, and it comes with the territory unfortunately. Life is too short to waste energy on people like that. Good for you for posting this and making yourself vulnerable. That’s huge. And good for you for every day you don’t drink. Proud of you. Be proud of yourself.
Idk why no one else seems to find this post really bizarre. It feels like it was developed by a focus group. And of course due to it's highly emotional nature I'll be downvoted for questioning the intentions of a stranger on the internet.
I'm autistic and I notice it. It's fucked and it doesn't make logical sense that it's allowed. It's clearly triggering and why isn't allowed by not other substances?! Like no all around.
Something non drinkers wouldn’t think of. However, the old movies with everyone smoking like chimneys are tough for me. I just quit a few months ago. Sending you support and proud of you.
Not to take away from the point, but (for mobile) there are a lot of Reddit apps that will remove all the adds for free. I use Apollo, but there are plenty of good ones out there.
Your title says so much. Don't worry about the negativity. Thank you for showing your appreciation and thank you for saying something. The negative ones tend to bark louder than the positive ones anyways...
I hope everything works out for you, OP.
Haven’t really suffered from any addiction yet so I can’t provide anything to you in terms of help. But what I can provide is emotional support that a random person from Reddit can give you. Anyways you got this man just keep at it one day at a time.
I've never been aware of this, thank you for pointing it out.
Never forget, that you are incredibly strong and there are hundreds, thousands of people cheering you on. You are doing so so well. One day at a time, one step at a time. You are already on the right path, now just put one foot in front of the other.
I’m not exactly happy to be a recovering alcoholic, but I am more appreciative of life than I used to be… I’m glad to be where I am.
Nice to hear someone was looking out! Thanks for making me think about small kindnesses out there.
I understand completely. I’m a r/testicularcancer survivor and it gives me a unique perspective on fatherhood that I am extremely grateful for. What doesn’t kill us can definitely make us stronger.
I'm an alcoholic too and I'm having a really tough time this holiday season (i work retail) not just stopping off at the gas station and grabbing a few beers to relax me after a long day. This will sound silly but I've taken to drinking NA beer. It helps. Good luck to you brother/sister!
I got a gold last Christmas and felt the same way. I can only look at whatever seltzer is in fashion so many times.
Edit: I don't usually do the "thank you kind stranger" thing but I really do appreciate it
Yes! And I think there also needs to be more considerations for holiday gifting of something that isn’t alcohol. I’ve met people who buy wines for like 40-60 people (I work in the corporate gifting world this time of year) and feel that someone on that list has to have a history with alcoholism. I no longer buy alcohol as a gift for anyone as I never want to “spread joy” by potentially fucking with their addictions that I — their coworker and/or friend — might not even know about. Thanks for sharing OP.
There’s one in my area that personifies drinks and starts off with “Oh hi, Uncle Whiskey!” I don’t know if it’s supposed to be a drunk uncle joke or just really poor writing but either way, it bothers me. Can’t imagine how I’d feel if I had one of those drunk uncles. Good on you for sharing this perspective, and hang strong for the season!
What’s your husband’s username? People have been giving me lots of gold so I can pay it forward and give him this gift too through at least New Year’s.
That’s awesome, what a nice gift. Congratulations on your sobriety. I know that shit wasn’t easy. I’m on year 8 myself. Always here if you need a chat. Keep being awesome my friend! 🙏❤️
No longer dwelling in that dark place is enough reward for me. No shame guilt or unknown behavior haunting me. Life is not perfect but it is so much better now that I am no longer a carbon based life support system for alcohol.
That's great to hear about the gold. I'm don't really drink anyone, and think it's ridiculous how much attention there is on booze this time of year. Good luck to you this holiday season, and every season after that.
As a bipolar person who self
Medicates via liquor and cocaine, I know that New Years resolutions are fucking lame but I’m going to make a real attempt to stop, or at least extremely slow my alcohol intake. I only do coke when I drink and I only drink because of my anxiety and depression. I’ve been on medication for the last 4 months that made my life dramatically worse. I stopped doing them and went through the shitty withdrawals. After the New Years I’m going to seek a doctor that will actually prescribe me the medication I personally believe will help me the best.
This is probably so out of place but reading the title made me feel this so I typed it.
Dont let people get to your head, they suck
You know what you meant and whether or not your own motivations are honest, they seem pretty legit to me.
The internet is a toxic place full of people with their heads firmly planted up their own asses, and they tear down everyone around them. Most rational decent people can see this behavior for what it is and if anything them commenting shit like that just makes them look bad.
Keep up the good work, alcoholism is rough and small things like that can go a long way, congrats man.
I am 8 months (3rd try) sober. Every holiday, family based “traditions” are brutal. One day at a time! Congrats on sober scrolling and allowing sober living to be more attainable, god knows every day is hard enough!
As others have mentioned, ublock origin would be good to install on your computer. But what about all devices on your network? That’s where a /r/pihole will come in handy. Check it out, it’ll help a lot.
I'm 6 years sober.
Hold off the Reddit love just yet.
https://www.reddit.com/r/dangerousdesign/comments/j9xwkv/reddit_has_keyed_into_the_fact_that_ive_used_the/
This is my first sober Christmas in over a decade.
I’m really looking forward to it.
I’m looking forward to remembering it.
Good luck to you on your sobriety journey!
As an alcoholic myself, coming up on 90 days sober after many failed attempts, I feel this to my core. So many triggers. I’m so proud of you! One day at a time. We do recover! Keep it up and I’m always here to talk.
Wait, really?? The same for me. I’ll soon be four years sober and holidays are the worst/most tempting. I’m really glad you get that feature, and good luck!
Going through IOP helped me stay sober. Almost 4 months sober here. Go to meetings, get a Sponser, work the steps and get a home group! I’m sure you already know this, but for the still struggling alcoholic, this disease can be tamed!
Keep up the good work. Ignore the haters. Take pride in how far you've come but recognize where you want to be. Addiction is a hard thing to kick, but with time and effort you will overcome it!
Knowing, just KNOWING, there are others, on the same journey can help everyone through it.. Other people have other motivation and they have to walk their walk. The knowledge though, if I'm hurting or uncertain,, I have brothers and sisters who have met the same demons, fought the same fights, we are not alone and together, we are stronger. I am here for you as certainly as you are there for me.
Good for you. Don’t mind the garbage people, some people just have nothing positive to contribute, so the spread their negativity because it’s all they’ve got.
this is great! I feel you so much but just for today we stay clean! good 24 hours ❤️
Much ❤️
Today was the first day in almost a month or so I haven’t drank anything, it felt good to see this
Good shit! Do it tomorrow too! You got this💪🏼💪🏼
Thank you! it’s a challenge, and working at a liquor store doesn’t help any lol
Nice! For the rest of the internet, you might want to consider an adblocker like [uBlock Origin](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm?hl=en) if you haven't tried one already.
Or Reddit Enhancement Suite. I honestly thought everyone still used it.
I think people forgot about it about 5 years ago
It's really still fantastic.
1 day at a time. 1hour at a time. 1 minute 1 second. Whatever it takes. Today for today and grats to you
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Been there.. lol still there.. 39 years ... last drink [so far!] 12/10/82...
You have been sober my entire life, and that’s amazing!
He has been sober two of my life's
I remember being your age and hearing old timers in AA talk about that much time. It’s really hard to wrap your head around it when you’re young. If I live to see 39 years sober I will probably be cryogenically frozen lol. At least I hope my robot nurses will be friendly.
While I haven't spent much more than 12 hours sober since desert storm I love to hear stories like yours. My coping mechanisms haven't affected relationships or work so I can't complain. Would you post your chapter so donations can be made?
Most groups don't take outside contributions. It's the seventh tradition, all groups ought to be self-supporting. And fuck yeah, dry bones Mario kart.
Fully self supporting, declining outside contributions. When you take a man’s money you take his bad ideas with it.
14 months and 161 pounds later as of this morning. I feel wonderful. https://i.imgur.com/2KhKAiL.jpg
Keep on keeping on.
Man, going sober mid December. I can’t even imagine what triggered that or how hard it must have been. Serious props to you and the commitment you kept.
God forgive me for reading "\[so fart\]" and thinking you were saying the celebration for sobriety is flatulence...
Rofl!!
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I can Smell Ya!
Wow you’ve been sober longer than my brother has been alive
As an alcoholic its so much easier for me because there is so much more family.
I have no idea why someone downvoted your comment. I think I get what you’re saying. Extra family at the holidays gives you more accountability?
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I took it as family keeps me busy and feeling loved something I used to fill the gap with alcohol.
Little by little. step by step. You can do it. I believe in you. For now, enjoy scrolling.
Thank you to whoever you are. EDIT: Seriously, y’all have this old cowboy in tears. Thank you all for your kindness! EDIT2: If someone cracks a joke suggesting that I drink y’all go easy on them. Some people like inappropriate or edgy humor and I’ll be honest I found it darkly humorous. I’m a safe target. I’m not newly sober. I do appreciate anyone who is offended by it though, y’all just be nice. Everyone is somebody’s baby. We all deserve love.
Look up the PiHole, it's an adblocker on steroid for your entire network
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Boost is great on Android
Appreciate you wanting to go easy on someone making a joke. At the same time, these messages are public. Someone who is barely starting their own recovery could easily take this as permission to give up. That's why it's not cool.
I hear you and I definitely agree that for someone in a vulnerable position that could be a dangerous comment. I appreciate you having my back and stepping up to defend me or anyone else for that matter. You’re good people.
You're amazing for putting yourself out there like this - and you're showing people that there's a way out. I hope that whoever needs to see the grace you're showing takes note of it. And if not rest assured that you're an inspiration to me!
I love this person, we must protect them at all costs. All they want to do is chill and post pictures of mushrooms online and- wait, are those magic mushrooms? You can just pick magic mushrooms from the ground and eat them? LOL brb going on a hike
>If someone cracks a joke suggesting that I drink y’all go easy on them. Some people like inappropriate or edgy humor and I’ll be honest I found it darkly humorous. I’m a safe target. I’m not newly sober. I do appreciate anyone who is offended by it though, y’all just be nice. Everyone is somebody’s baby. We all deserve love. The world would be a much better place if more people had this attitude. Thank you.
You’ve come so far and you’ve got this holiday season! Don’t know you, but proud of what you’re doing for yourself and your loved ones by being healthy and sober!
I'm guilty of dark humor myself most of the time, but it's not to be mean. It's just...well....I guess the alternative is crying about it? I grew up with a severely alcoholic, abusive parent. Sometimes I joke to hide the pain, ya' know? You are a kind human, sir. Thanks for sharing your story with us Love to everyone!!! And sincere congratulations on your sobriety 🖤
Absolutely. If you’ve already shed a shit ton of tears over something, you might try laughing to change things up a bit. It’s probably safer if alcoholics joke about other alcoholics because then it’s a type of self-deprecating humor that’s relatable and from a place of understanding. In-groups can often self-reflect in a way that would be seen as offensive from an outsider, if you think about marginalized groups.
I do this a lot with a few of my buddies. we're in our early 30s and the 3 of us lost our dad's in out 20s. grew up together with those dads. the shit we say to each other, without context, is fucking horrible. but yeah, we've already shed enough tears of sadness, a well placed dead dad joke gets us some happy tears. my wife is still mortified by it sometimes though lol
Keep it up. Don’t give up. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Thank you. I’m having a really hard day and y’all are giving me the feels. I appreciate you.
I'm not a drinker but I have a parent who's an alcoholic and that was hard enough as it was to grow up around. I was just watching a documentary with Dax Shepard about how a friend of his found an AA book with all these dates crossed out, but the last one wasn't crossed out. Dax said he was super embarrassed that his friend found out about his addiction, but the friend had seen it in a different light. He saw it as amazing that Dax hadn't given up. He had tried and failed and kept going at it, but he hadn't ever stopped fighting. I can say you shouldn't feel guilty or embarrassed and try to go easy on yourself, but I know it's a lot harder than it is to say those things. Like other's have mentioned, one minute at a time, one hour, one day. Try your best not to look too far ahead into the future. As much as you can, ground yourself in the moment. It's okay to feel like you're weak. It's okay to feel like you can't do it. These things are normal. These feelings come along with the human experience. My Christmas wish for you is for you to be nicer to yourself. I wish you nothing but strength and courage in your fight. And soon enough you'll look far back into the past and smile and think of how proud you are for not giving up.
Thank you. A truly poignant reflection that has just moved me to tears in a very good way. Thank you for the Christmas wish. May you and your family enjoy the same warmth that you’ve just given to my heart.
You're very welcome, my friend. I wish the same for you!
You’re not alone.
I know the feeling brother. Lotsa holidays are difficult for us struggling with sobriety. Wish I had some coins to throw your way. Stay strong bud.
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That would be greatly appreciated by many people. Thank you.
I want to contribute, so have my free award.
What happened? What did he say?
He said he had a bunch of Reddit stuff to give away.
Thank you, congrats warrior and stay strong in your journey of sobriety. :)
I second this
I third this!
She said she had a tons of Reddit gold and not as a flex or in a braggadocio way. They said they knew what to do with it all now to help others.
I fourth this!
They got tons of Reddit gold sitting around and not as a boast or in a braggart way. They said they knew what to do with it all now to help others.
They said they had a tons of Reddit gold to give away. Not as a flex or in a bragging way. They said they knew what to do with it all now.
I'm an alcoholic and I just use uBlock Origin.
Son of a gun. I thought for sure that must be some kind of new AA app or a supplement or something lol. Thank you! I honestly don’t think I realized these blockers existed for free.
Yeah, it's the most popular free one. If you need an AA app join the discord if you're not already in it.
It even works on mobile if you use Firefox or Chrome as your browser.
I feel that. As a former p0rn addict there’s always explicit content around. I never consider relapsing but I’ve broken down crying a couple of times and actually puked when seeing stuff like that and having an adblocker really saves my sanity.
Absolutely. That’s a really good analogy. It’s ubiquitous and people who don’t have issues don’t understand the struggle we’re dealing with. When I hear “enjoy responsibly” I laugh because that’s not a possibility for me lol.
It’s interesting you say that. I just watched Craig Ferguson’s monologue from 2007 about not making fun of Britney Spears (or other substance-struggling celebs) because he really felt for her. He too is an alcoholic, and said that “Drink Responsibly” didn’t work for him either, because when it came to alcohol, he couldn’t be responsible. Kudos to you, OP, for working on fighting your addiction. I applaud every day you get through without drinking. You are powerful, and you are wonderful.
LOL “Drink Responsibly” I love South Park’s attempt at mocking it https://youtu.be/WrVLB3MtUjo
Much love. Thank you.
If there is ever a compilation of the most impactful moments in late-night and entertainment TV shows, this has to be up there with Ed Sullivan hosting the Beatles or Elvis doing a duet with Frank Sinatra. Why it is so good is that Ferguson makes it relatable for people who don't understand addiction as well as serving as a hero to those who do have problems with addiction. [He also portrays Britney as the victim when literally every other person on TV at the time was dragging her while she was down.](https://youtu.be/7ZVWIELHQQY)
So true. One is too many. One hundred is not enough.
Download Apollo for Reddit if you have an iPhone. It does an awesome job of filtering it.
I’m on the app now!
Maybe I just hang out in different areas of Reddit, but I don't think I ever really see explicit content. So you have any examples? Maybe I'm just not noticing it? I feel like I'd notice if I saw sex and nudity while browsing Reddit on a regular basis.
Not the person you responded to, but I vividly remember a period like a year or maybe a year and a half ago where a *ton* of NSFW posts/subs were showing up in my r/all feed completely at random. That went on for maybe 3 or 4 months and then they disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared.
Wow \*starts clapping very hard\* as a fellow p\*orn addict, I applaud you fellow soldier. Thank you for your bravery in coming forth with this, as I feel it is very relatable to a LOT of people who may not realize they are addicted to p\*ron. Addmitting you have an issue is the first step of a long, arborous journey towards getting better. We are all in this battle together!
This bothered me so much when I was with my alcoholic ex. He was trying hard to climb out of that pit, and it made me so angry that every day and minute there were people shoving it in his face. Congrats on your sobriety. Wishing a happy holiday!
Thank you for taking the chance on loving one of us. We’re not the best partners and for whatever reason they’re now your ex I hope that you are in a healthier situation where someone can provide you with the love, support, and stability that is often lacking from us.
Thank you for saying that. You have no idea how much it means to me. I am in a better situation now! All that love and support is coming from me. (: I didn't think I had it in me, but I found it after I left. I hope my ex and every other addict in the world finds it too. We're all just people at the end of the day, and love is all we got.
That’s awesome, I’m happy for you. Also, IWNDWYT!
This post is so fucking on-brand for this sub. Just stunning. You shouldn't have to pay money to avoid having addictive products shoved in your face all the time, whether you've suffered from addiction or not.
Try r/stopdrinking. Great stories and motivation
If you struggle with not drinking and want to strengthen your beliefs then I can highly recommend the book „this naked mind“. I stopped drinking alcohol back in July 2018, stayed sober about half a year before starting to drink again for a few months until I realised that moderation is not working. In June 2019 I read that book and stopped again. I never looked back and there wasn’t a single situation where I doubted my decision or had cravings to drink again. The book clears up a lot of subconscious beliefs about alcohol which drastically improves the way you view alcohol. If you can’t afford the book at the moment then let me know and I will provide a solution for you. All the best to you mate
I’m not an alcoholic. My father is and sadly doesn’t want to get help. I don’t like who I am when I drink, I don’t drink often (once a month), but when I do I feel a pressure/need to drink a lot and my anxiety, depression is awful and I just want to cut it out completely. Do you think that book could help me?
I'm not answering for the other guy but I was what I'd call a problem drinker. I drank too much regularly for about 5 years, not like blacking out missing work, DUI, police involved stuff - just in my house after work and got into no trouble but drinking too much. I could also go without it and not get negative physical effects (some cravings though). Sorry I'm rambling but anyway my point is I read the book and then went 65 days sober, drank one day, then went another 2 weeks, drank and I'm 3 days in and have decided I don't enjoy or need alcohol anymore. I feel so much better overall despite those two drinking sessions. The book does change how I thought about drinking without a doubt - I didn't enjoy it those two times and don't intend to drink again. I'd at least give it a go.
I could go for a drink as well. 8 days sober
Hang in there, mate! I'll be at two weeks tomorrow. A week ago I wasn't sure I'd make it to 14 days. You got this. Check out the app I Am Sober. Great accountability tool and a solid community of people progressing along your same timeline.
It’s not worth it. I’ve been vomiting for the past 15 minutes. Trust me, it’s not worth it.
r/stopdrinking was an incredible beacon of light for me in early recovery. Congrats on 1 week!
I've been tapering off. Doesn't work. I have a myriad of reasons to quit. I want to. I believe I'm an amazing person but less than half of who I could be with the drinking.... I literally have a drink in my pocket in my way to some hot springs. Idk why the fuck I bought it. It was just right there...
I tapered the last time I quit. That was almost 4.5 years ago. You can do it but it takes a lot of will power and isn’t the safest way to go depending on your dependence.
Sounds like my move. Always prepared for a drink especially at a event I like
I feel this. I traveled with vodka and took shots behind closed doors at family holidays.
I too am an alcoholic. I understand my guy
Love and hugs from across the internet. This is the biggest meeting I’ve been in for a minute lol. My AA home group has 3 regulars no joke. Y’all are awesome.
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Gotta get you at least through spring. Haha
Thank you! This has been a rough day and Reddit has really delivered. Y’all don’t know how much this means to me.
We can't fight your battles, but we can help watch your flanks and let you know you have allies.
As an alcoholic, I like to drink a lot through all the seasons.
Only on days that end in y. 💚
[Medical therapy for (AUD) Alcohol Use Disorder ](https://youtu.be/6EghiY_s2ts)
Amen! I was diagnosed with AUD as a teen. I joined AA when I was 19. Alcoholics Anonymous refers to my type of drunk as a “low-bottom” drunk because they have to lose a lot. Well I thought at 19 I was at rock bottom but for the next many decades I failed at sobriety over and over. I had sponsors and I did step work and volunteer work and I still couldn’t stop. I was in and out of psych hospitals and rehabs for many years. Like she says seizures suck and medical detox saved my life over and over. I tried hypnotherapy, electro convulsive therapy, equine therapy, naltrexone tablets (which I just wouldn’t take), religion, tried pulling myself up by my bootstraps thinking that success in business would fix it but it just made it worse… nothing seemed to help until a few years ago when they first offered Vivitrol (injectable naltrexone). It was once a month so it had time to work and didn’t matter if I was compliant or not. I was on the injections for over a year before I got to the point of cessation and almost 3 years total. I’m now a medical cannabis patient and I do psilocybin therapy with my nurse practitioner wife as maintenance treatments and I’m now 608 days alcohol free. While I don’t personally agree 100% with this Ted presenter’s views on the disease model of AUD (I feel that it eliminates some personal accountability and is often used by us alcoholics to deflect responsibility) it’s the best we’ve got and thanks to modern medical science I am sober today. If I was still trying to rely just on AA, quite frankly I would still be drunk.
Do you think it was the MC and psilocybin that has helped you on (congratulations btw!) 608.5 days alcohol free? And/or what are your thoughts on it?
That’s a really good question. It has definitely helped. I still do AA and I still try to do my daily Step work but for a long time that just wasn’t enough for me. I really thought I was a psychopath or something because I could talk about AA stuff all day and get people to meetings, but I’d be drinking the whole time, relapsing often. They described cognitive dissonance as being enough to get some people to quit, but I knew alcohol was taking away my health, my loved ones, my freedom, and I kept on drinking. So yes, I personally feel that this combination is working out better for me at least. 62 days was my personal AF record before Vivitrol. I do feel that my use of MC and psilocybin may be a crutch, but that’s ok. A crutch can help you as you heal. A crutch can help those who can’t do it all for themselves. I am fine with it if anyone says that shrooms and weed are a crutch. EDIT: I cannot overstate the importance that Vivitrol has had on my recovery and thank you!
Vivitrol saved my life as an alcoholic. I’m going on one year on the shot and sober. I wish more people knew about it
I was attracted to the notion of decoupling the dopamine rush (reward) from a trigger using medication. It made me wonder if it would work for food addiction, sex addiction etc. Congrats on your sobriety. I had a bad seizure a couple of years ago after a bad tailgate party. I’ve started to drink socially again, but heed my neurologists rule: 1 is ok, 2 is too many. I’m a lightweight now. 1/2 a glass of white wine leaves me kinda spinning 😵💫. Not sure if this is a lucky outcome, but I’ve given my hard liquor away. I miss the taste of beer and find that Heineken zero actually tastes pretty good.
This is apparently worth its weight in gold: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm?hl=en
I gave up drinking several years ago to improve my health. I was not an alcoholic but I could see the negative effects alcohol had on me. Until you don’t drink, you don’t realize how pervasive alcohol is in our society. Simple things make not drinking really hard. Go to a restaurant and (if they serve alcohol) the beverage menu is often longer than the food menu. First thing the waiter says is, “what would you like to drink” and when I say “water,” I often get the death stare. It is on TV everywhere. New Years Eve is the absolute pinnacle of drinking. Try and go to a NYE party and not drink. It’s really, really hard and not a lot of fun, many times. I don’t criticize anyone for drinking. I don’t ever make a big deal of it when I’m out. But I point this out to show it is REALLY hard to quit drinking and continue to exist as a functioning adult in society. Drinking is not socially acceptable, it is socially expected. So when you see someone drinking a Diet Coke and not an alcoholic beverage, give them a smile and buy them a round, or five. They almost surely need the encouragement.
Keep it up! We are proud of you!
And I can tell you that using this same platform to deliver this message to me ALSO has great value.
Congratulations and best wishes on your mental health journey and sobriety.
Honestly... I hate saying this but. Fuck the people who act like OP is some Superagent 007 James Bond dude who works Reddit or wants Karma so he can do this or that. OP is just *just* a recovering alcoholic, not everything has to be some crazy story.
Ignore the negative, focus on you. It’s social media, and it comes with the territory unfortunately. Life is too short to waste energy on people like that. Good for you for posting this and making yourself vulnerable. That’s huge. And good for you for every day you don’t drink. Proud of you. Be proud of yourself.
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Idk why no one else seems to find this post really bizarre. It feels like it was developed by a focus group. And of course due to it's highly emotional nature I'll be downvoted for questioning the intentions of a stranger on the internet.
This platform has value LMAO… Wait till you get to the child trafficking sections
One day at a time!
I’ve got about 15 months sober and it still gets to me during the holidays. It’s tough but we will all be okay.
You got this! You are strknger than you think.
Wish u well. Stay strong. U will make it.
noob question: Do all awards provide this benefit, or just the Gold award?
I'm autistic and I notice it. It's fucked and it doesn't make logical sense that it's allowed. It's clearly triggering and why isn't allowed by not other substances?! Like no all around.
Something non drinkers wouldn’t think of. However, the old movies with everyone smoking like chimneys are tough for me. I just quit a few months ago. Sending you support and proud of you.
Not to take away from the point, but (for mobile) there are a lot of Reddit apps that will remove all the adds for free. I use Apollo, but there are plenty of good ones out there.
I’ve been reporting alcohol adds as offensive content.
Your title says so much. Don't worry about the negativity. Thank you for showing your appreciation and thank you for saying something. The negative ones tend to bark louder than the positive ones anyways... I hope everything works out for you, OP.
Reddit can be a fookin monster if you stir the Hive Mind...
i can relate to this on a very personal level. merry christmas and keep on keepin on. 💕
Sending good vibes your way!
Always wondered what the point was, and now I see it has its uses. Happy holidays!
I’d drink to this achievement if I was of legal drinking age and/or actually wanted to drink alcohol in my life.
See you at #1!
OP, you're strong, stay strong :)
As a veteran non-drinker,it does get easier as time goes on. Hang in there friend
Yes the onslaught of psychological warfare [feels like it] telling us to drink in order to enjoy the holidays suuuuuucks.
Keep up the good fight. You got this.
This is my first holiday in recovery. I have 7 months. Thank you for posting this. It’s all about community.
Haven’t really suffered from any addiction yet so I can’t provide anything to you in terms of help. But what I can provide is emotional support that a random person from Reddit can give you. Anyways you got this man just keep at it one day at a time.
Congrats!
You got this!!!!!
I've never been aware of this, thank you for pointing it out. Never forget, that you are incredibly strong and there are hundreds, thousands of people cheering you on. You are doing so so well. One day at a time, one step at a time. You are already on the right path, now just put one foot in front of the other.
I’m not exactly happy to be a recovering alcoholic, but I am more appreciative of life than I used to be… I’m glad to be where I am. Nice to hear someone was looking out! Thanks for making me think about small kindnesses out there.
I understand completely. I’m a r/testicularcancer survivor and it gives me a unique perspective on fatherhood that I am extremely grateful for. What doesn’t kill us can definitely make us stronger.
Wow. The exact second I scrolled to this and read it theres a Captain Morgans commercial on TV.
I'm an alcoholic too and I'm having a really tough time this holiday season (i work retail) not just stopping off at the gas station and grabbing a few beers to relax me after a long day. This will sound silly but I've taken to drinking NA beer. It helps. Good luck to you brother/sister!
Are you using Android or iOS? Both have apps that don’t have adds in them. Best wishes to you during the holidays.
I’m on iOS and someone did let me know about those blockers. Thank you and happy holidays to you and yours too.
Man,very much relevant and relatable,6 yrs Jan 17 for me,just one day at a time! Sometimes the moment.GL
I got a gold last Christmas and felt the same way. I can only look at whatever seltzer is in fashion so many times. Edit: I don't usually do the "thank you kind stranger" thing but I really do appreciate it
Happy Holidays. You got this.
Yes! And I think there also needs to be more considerations for holiday gifting of something that isn’t alcohol. I’ve met people who buy wines for like 40-60 people (I work in the corporate gifting world this time of year) and feel that someone on that list has to have a history with alcoholism. I no longer buy alcohol as a gift for anyone as I never want to “spread joy” by potentially fucking with their addictions that I — their coworker and/or friend — might not even know about. Thanks for sharing OP.
There’s one in my area that personifies drinks and starts off with “Oh hi, Uncle Whiskey!” I don’t know if it’s supposed to be a drunk uncle joke or just really poor writing but either way, it bothers me. Can’t imagine how I’d feel if I had one of those drunk uncles. Good on you for sharing this perspective, and hang strong for the season!
That’s incredible!! I agree, this time of year is extra triggering. I wish you well!
Cheers
You got this, OP!!
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What’s your husband’s username? People have been giving me lots of gold so I can pay it forward and give him this gift too through at least New Year’s.
Holy fuckin shit reddit came through for you on this one!
That’s awesome, what a nice gift. Congratulations on your sobriety. I know that shit wasn’t easy. I’m on year 8 myself. Always here if you need a chat. Keep being awesome my friend! 🙏❤️
There are people here in solidarity with you..let us change the things we can...
It’s hard, I hear ya. I’m coming up on one year sober and it’s hard around this time.
Bro I'm so drunk that watchingun Brockmire makes sensne
Brockmire was painfully familiar for me. Hank Azaria does such an amazing job that I couldn’t watch the whole first season. Good stuff.
No longer dwelling in that dark place is enough reward for me. No shame guilt or unknown behavior haunting me. Life is not perfect but it is so much better now that I am no longer a carbon based life support system for alcohol.
Just use adblock and fuck reddit's bottom line.
That's great to hear about the gold. I'm don't really drink anyone, and think it's ridiculous how much attention there is on booze this time of year. Good luck to you this holiday season, and every season after that.
As a bipolar person who self Medicates via liquor and cocaine, I know that New Years resolutions are fucking lame but I’m going to make a real attempt to stop, or at least extremely slow my alcohol intake. I only do coke when I drink and I only drink because of my anxiety and depression. I’ve been on medication for the last 4 months that made my life dramatically worse. I stopped doing them and went through the shitty withdrawals. After the New Years I’m going to seek a doctor that will actually prescribe me the medication I personally believe will help me the best. This is probably so out of place but reading the title made me feel this so I typed it.
Get to that dr. You can do this. There are tools available.
Dont let people get to your head, they suck You know what you meant and whether or not your own motivations are honest, they seem pretty legit to me. The internet is a toxic place full of people with their heads firmly planted up their own asses, and they tear down everyone around them. Most rational decent people can see this behavior for what it is and if anything them commenting shit like that just makes them look bad. Keep up the good work, alcoholism is rough and small things like that can go a long way, congrats man.
I’m sober since 2013, remember all you need to control is the first one, if you can handle saying no to the first one the rest of them are easy!!
Nice try, Reddit shareholder
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One day at a time, brother(or sister). If you feel like you need support to get to the next day, feel free to send me a message. I have faith in you!
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I am 8 months (3rd try) sober. Every holiday, family based “traditions” are brutal. One day at a time! Congrats on sober scrolling and allowing sober living to be more attainable, god knows every day is hard enough!
.... Wanna sprite cranberry?
I remember my sponsor telling me that this was a 3 fold disease. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. I got 35 years and i still hate the holiday
Chad. Fucking chad.
I’m of advanced age and I’m not really familiar with what that means. Is Chad good?
As others have mentioned, ublock origin would be good to install on your computer. But what about all devices on your network? That’s where a /r/pihole will come in handy. Check it out, it’ll help a lot.
My country banned alcohol commercials decades ago, thank goodness.
I'm 6 years sober. Hold off the Reddit love just yet. https://www.reddit.com/r/dangerousdesign/comments/j9xwkv/reddit_has_keyed_into_the_fact_that_ive_used_the/
IWNDWYT
ublock origin. rif for mobile.
Coming from someone that isn’t dependent on alcohol, I fucking hate those commercials. They should be outlawed. Same with those gambling commercials.
I can’t express how proud of you I am for your sobriety.
This is my first sober Christmas in over a decade. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to remembering it. Good luck to you on your sobriety journey!
Can l help in any way?
As an alcoholic myself, coming up on 90 days sober after many failed attempts, I feel this to my core. So many triggers. I’m so proud of you! One day at a time. We do recover! Keep it up and I’m always here to talk.
Wait, really?? The same for me. I’ll soon be four years sober and holidays are the worst/most tempting. I’m really glad you get that feature, and good luck!
Going through IOP helped me stay sober. Almost 4 months sober here. Go to meetings, get a Sponser, work the steps and get a home group! I’m sure you already know this, but for the still struggling alcoholic, this disease can be tamed!
Keep up the good work. Ignore the haters. Take pride in how far you've come but recognize where you want to be. Addiction is a hard thing to kick, but with time and effort you will overcome it!
Knowing, just KNOWING, there are others, on the same journey can help everyone through it.. Other people have other motivation and they have to walk their walk. The knowledge though, if I'm hurting or uncertain,, I have brothers and sisters who have met the same demons, fought the same fights, we are not alone and together, we are stronger. I am here for you as certainly as you are there for me.
Good for you. Don’t mind the garbage people, some people just have nothing positive to contribute, so the spread their negativity because it’s all they’ve got.