#alcoholism support

[tryingsobriety]

People who support your sobriety are the most important.

[tryingsobriety]

Sober on Thanksgiving

I know that for me, and a lot of other people in recovery, Thanksgiving is a really hard day of the year. I wanted to share some things that are helping me get through my day without causing me setbacks or relapse. It’s by no means exhaustive of what you can do to take care of yourself and I hope at least some of it is helpful for you.

1) I’m staying off social media. All it took for me this morning was to get on and see tons of posts of people stocking up on their favorite drinks to give me a craving. For me, photos are especially triggering. I know when we’re around family/friends who drink it’s a bit harder than just shutting off Insta/Facebook/Twitter/Snapchat but it’s one less thing making it harder to keep your sobriety.

2) I’m keeping active in sober communities. This is my exception to my first strategy. I don’t really have sober friends so it’s hard for me to share what I feel about this holiday. But I’m keeping up with this blog (feel free to DM or ask to give or get support!) as well as my sobriety support apps (I’m particularly partial to Sober Grid). If you’re an AA person there’s also lots of meetings/celebrations going on today you can hit up. The point is to keep myself in a space that supports and encourages my sobriety.

3) Journaling. I’m a big believer in introspection and just getting all my fucked up feelings out on a page and not letting them stew for too long. That’s when I become vulnerable to picking up. This also helps not just with cravings but with all the other shit this holiday brings up for me like feelings of isolation & self-hate. I try to journal regularly anyway, but days like this I try to be purposeful about it. One thing I’ve found to be especially helpful (thank you CBT-based outpatient) is to start every entry with a short list of how I’m feeling (just a few adjectives) and then write some about why I think I’m feeling that way. Mind dumps are wonderful too, but I like to start with something a little more structured.

4) Self-care. I’m thinking about all the little things I can do for me today to keep me sober, away from self harming, and mentally safe. For me, I’m letting myself sleep in a bit but then I’m going to make myself get up. Just staying in bed all day, despite how much I want to crawl under the covers and forget I exist, just makes me feel worse in the long run. I’m going to do a bit of exercise (it’s a cold day so staying inside and doing a short yoga video seems like my best bet). I have a lot of body issues but I’m going to remind myself that it is okay to eat today and that even though this holiday can be really hard with food/body issues eating a little too much is a hell of a lot better than drinking.

I hope something here was helpful! I know this day can suck sometimes but you’re not alone and you can make it through this day.

[tryingsobriety]

hey, hang in there! sending you strength 💜

@l-asers thank you so much! I’m posting this for everyone else who’s needing it tonight. 

[tryingsobriety]

[tryingsobriety]

A great piece by My Sober Ashes. Good advice for anyone (like me) with less than a year of sobriety behind them.

[tryingsobriety]

Days Sober: 55

Today I went to my weekly mental health/substance abuse group treatment meeting. My group leader suggests I start to go to AA meetings to support me socially during the holidays after I told her how hard Thanksgiving was for me. I’ve never actually been to one and the thought of going to one makes me nervous, but I am actually interested. Does anyone here go to them? Thoughts?

[tryingsobriety]

Days Sober: 16

I'm truly proud of myself for making it through the weekend sober. From going out with my friends on Friday to spending some time alone time working. I got very depressed over the weekend and was craving a drink but I didn't and, in the end, I'm so happy I made it to Monday sober. I still don't have that many days clean but it's a positive way to start my week and I'm trying hard to keep it up. Even being able to come here and see everything people on their own blogs are doing to stay clean has been so helpful and a great resource so thank you all. Have a great week and wish me luck!! As usual- if you have any advice on staying sober, pass it along my way. It's always welcome. 💚

[aameetingsdirectory]

Connecticut AA Meeting Guide: Big Book Wisdom in Action Today

YOUR FIRST SAFE HARBOR Looking for AA meetings in Connecticut can feel like drifting the Thames River at night. The state directory condenses hundreds of gatherings into a clear map and filter set—open or closed, women-focused, LGBTQ+ friendly, wheelchair-accessible. One glance shows which church basement or campus room is within a bus ride. WHY THE BIG BOOK STILL WORKS • Step One chats in Hartford focus on raw honesty. • Step Four workshops in New Haven pair inventory writing with trauma-informed tips. • Short sidebars translate “One Day at a Time” into phone reminders and micro-goals. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU WALK IN – Sharing is always voluntary. – A seventh-tradition basket may pass; give only if you can. – Most meetings end with a moment of silence or the Serenity Prayer. Print-friendly checklists cover parking near shoreline towns and winter coat etiquette for icy January nights. NEXT RIGHT STEP Each click, each handshake, each page of the Big Book is another steady plank on the bridge from surviving to living free.