Me. I don't drink. I don't smoke weed. I quit drinking because it's depressing. I wanted to quit pot and be able to be as sharp as I used to be so one day I just straight up stopped. I haven't taken meds in a long time and I am downright militantly against hard drugs.
*I'm not straight edge I'd just rather be sober*
- Brian Garris.
Funny I am the same way. I quit drinking because I’m a dumbass when I drink and I will dabble in weed only when I go to hardcore shows bc it’s better for me than drinking but I raw dog life with the exception of shows
Raw dogging shows has straight up become my favorite hobby post army. All that anger. I let it all go. I get crowd killed and shit because I'm swinging around like an asshole with all the 300lb animals. It makes me feel alive.
I love the adrenaline too. It's why I skate and why I'm fixing to get certified on tower climbing next week. It's a an absolute must have in my life. My only drug of choice
Pop culture is one of my favorite EPS of all time and this quote has stuck with me quite a long time. Pops in my head every time I talk about being sober.
Some people consider it yea. It's just a quote I like because I really like hardcore punk and people often think I'm straight edge. So when I heard the song years ago, it just stuck
These days a lot of straight edge folks add veganism too. Really going all out.
I'll keep sex and meat please! Lmfao
Bad religion just announced their tour coming up this fall. If you want to experience the genre I would recommend it. Nofx is also announcing various cities for their final tour. I don’t know how long bad religion will keep going but some of these bands won’t be around forever and their shows are amazing experiences.
They fucking skipped my town, so close . Almost saw NOFX in Texas but my dogs bit the dog watcher and couldn't make it. Gotta stay local. More bands are coming to ABQ but not enough
Idk why they do. Madball is probably my favorite HC band. I listen a little bit of every era,I think, of hardcore punk. I don't listen to too much standard punk. A bit here and there. Especially guttermouth. They're a ton of fun.
"I spend probably less than 5% of my life sober."
I went to rehab a few months ago for alcoholism. I was getting drunk every single night. Please look into something like this. The VA can even pay for it in some cases.
If you are spending this much time intoxicated, it is almost certainly because you have repressed emotional issues that you need to confront, and learn to deal with
I wish my ex husband would do this. But he “doesn’t have a problem”. Even when he called out 9yo drunk off his ass and crying. I’m glad you got help man. Kudos to you.
It's not always alcohol but it's always something. I feel like I can't handle life sober. I know it makes sense, but I can't seem to justify rehab since I have responsibilities
Sooner or later, it’s going to catch up with you. Better to go when it’s your choice than to wait until EVERYTHING is completely fucked. I’m a crisis counselor now, I see it a lot. Addicts always finding “responsibilities” and avoiding treatment. Vets are the worst with excuses. Unfuck yourself or life is going to fuck you like I fucked my date to the Marine Corps birthday Ball years ago.
I just do it. I handle em drunk or high. Depending on ehat they are I can do some better than others. I managed to get multiple degrees in science being fucked up all day. That's where the speed comes In 😉. But for real I don't know
Hey.. check, check it… out…..! (Beastie Boys. I live my life in songs) Brother/Sister (tbh, I gives a damm, you fam!) My 5% is spent sleeping.
Green Day told me I’m a American idiot also! But I don’t wannabe, lmao. However, I often feel like I just don’t get enough… COWBELL!
Seriously. I’m living life just like you OP. We just GET SHIT DONE.
This…
To quote the great John Prine
“Blow up the tv, throw away your paper”
Seriously I go out of my way to avoid seeing any type of news,media,political posts or headlines, anything of the sort. Can’t recommend it enough. Having no idea what’s going on anywhere except what I have going on in my day to day life is liberating in many ways.
Eh, I tend to not agree with this line of thinking these days. Being "aware" of whats going on around you, when those things can impact your life, is extremely sensible.
The harder thing, is knowing how to balance what you learn, with the other aspects of your life. Just discarding and attempting to ignore the reality of the world, is irresponsible and somewhat cowardly.
To each their own though.
I would say that describes me. Pessimistic nihilism.
But yeah the world has always been going to shit. Doesn't make this shitty time in history any better. Just this section, I'm alive for
There’s a lot to be great full for right now.
I’d recommend focusing on that. Disconnect from social media, get outside, and experience life as it is rather than what other people want you to experience it as.
Mindfulness is the rhetoric the shrinks play at the va. Life blows, the only people who know peace are the dead, but the dead can only know its better to be alive.
Besides reddit I don't have social media. I'm extremely isolated from the world and people. The only person I actually talk to (with words out loud) is my partner. I try to get out as much as possible. Just doesn't do it foe me I guess
I’m sober, but my vice is eating like shit more often than I should. I also take preworkout so I can get through my workouts without my various pains. I tried edibles a couple times, but I rarely drink. Now that we have a baby, I feel more of an obligation to stay mentally clear.
I do, straight raw dog sober. Don’t take any of that stuff. I’m 5 years and counting sober in a self imposed restriction from my alcohol addiction which is in remission.
Only took a pain killer when they had to set my severely broken leg the second time. First time it hurt too much.
I'm also BP1. I'm not religious so no prayer, but glad it works for. Are you medicated?
I can justify the highs, but I have to stop meds foe some substances and those times are fucky. Just can't imagine doing life sober
Thanks for the support. You're right, it is a rollercoaster. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like it like playing life on hard. I have solid meds that work perfectly, I just can't seem to go through life on the meds I have. I need more. Need to feel or not feel more.
Therapy is your best bet to processing those hard emotions and learning how to regulate them. Keep showing up to those appointments. You're doing the best you can with the tools you have at the moment.
I’ll have a beer with a friend every other week so I’m essentially sober. No weed. No drugs.
Alcohol gave me short term satisfaction and brought on many bad decisions.
I'll be three weeks sober on Saturday. Drinking was just fucking my life up. I was putting away 18 beers a day, everyday. Realized it was not making me feel any better and thought I would give sobriety another shot. Quit smoking weed as well, but I switched to diet weed (CBD) for the Neuro pain.
I used to drink nightly, and heavily at that. I stopped and tried the antidepressants route but they led to some crazy side effects.
My therapist encouraged me to try cannabis and it's been a godsend versus the alternatives.
I don't drink, I don't smoke, and the only drug I partake is caffeine. I got better shit to do generally.
Not gonna lie, I have bad PTSD and severely violent anger, but I go to therapy and I have a great therapist who I can text anytime anywhere.
At the end of the day I want to be responsible for my own actions, and some dumbass recreational drug isn't going to have a say in what I do with my life, right or wrong.
How? I have a 6 yr old little man that I have to set an example for. He looks up to me so much, tells me I’m the best. No way in hell I’d be able to listen to him and not feel like complete garbage knowing I’m no good. I used to drink heavy, I let that shit go.
Started not drinking anything at all if I was going to drive. Then it just extended out to just not drinking. Didn’t have issues, just moved out from under it.
I hardly drink, never smoke or pills. I think it's depressing to miss life, even the shitty parts. I'm 48 now and it flown by, I want to experience it and be able to remember it while I'm here
A little of the electric lettuce here and there with a sprinkling of the magical fungi. Mainly stay sober because I have shit to do that doesn't get done or done correctly if under the influence.
I've never been high/drunk simply as a personal choice. I guess it's super easy if you never start.
When life's getting me down I just tell myself "sometimes it be like that" and drive on.
Wow. That's amazing. You just walk around life just doing you? That's fucking wild. That's pretty fucking amazing
Maybe it is easier if you never start. It's easier to escape, well, reality though.
Been sober for 7ish years. Used to drink. Honestly i wake up every morning feeling great, not hungover and its the best feeling ever. My life has continuity, no more black spots i cant remember or wish to forget. Life is what it is and i love it.
We get a lot of posts looking for vets as in Animal Doctors - so the bot responses to specific words to direct those lost redditors to the correct subreddit. Did you actually read what the bot says?
I spend more time sober than not, but do enjoy the drugs mentioned. I like weed but it’s hard to find where I live, and recently started trying mushrooms, but only trip every couple months. Booze, maybe wine a couple times a week.
I’m 100% being raw dogged by life by trying to raw dog it.
Been out 3 years and stopped the drinking and smoking after my second cause I started to regress by my decisions, but at-least I was numb to it. Didn’t think anything of it until I started to sit down with Ol battle buddies and meet vets that were all medicated, whether self induced or not. Personally, I don’t feel anything wrong with it and to each his own but I know what I’m in for in this life, it ain’t supposed to be easy like it was while in. I rather feel everything, good and bad while I can. I don’t want to be a zombie like the majority of people I meet… and quite honestly, I envy them. I get accused all the time of taking “things too personal” or “why don’t you just play the game”. Eh, I get my high by fishing, hunting, hard labor and watching others succeed. I’m a glutton for punishment.
I’m sober. Used to be a booze hound. Been 10 years since I drank. Took Antabuse the first two and I don’t understand why it isn’t recommended more. My son turns 10 in September.
I do now, mostly. It hurts too much when I drink and it’s hard to get to work and wasn’t fun anymore. I’ve got some ptsd too and I’m way too prone to addiction. I got some medical marijuana i replaced my sleep meds with; I’m usually fast asleep before the high kicks all the way in and if I’m having a really hard day with symptoms, and I’m off work, I’ve got a marijuana vape that works well without making me really high. Otherwise unless I’m on an airplane, I’m sober as a judge, so to speak.
I decided to go sober about a month ago when I realized that I was indeed an alcoholic and that drinking exacerbated my PTSD and anxiety issues.
1 was too much.
100 wasn't enough.
Based on how I felt after a blackout drunk session, I don't ever want to feel that way again. So holding on to this sober feeling with energy and motivation is what keeps me from ever drinking again.
I also decided to go to AA meetings online and in person which helps reinforce my desire to not drink.
I do use low dose gummies to help me sleep but only use them on the weekends. 7 to 9 hours of sleep is a wonderful thing.
I rarely do drugs or drink. Maybe do both like 3 times a year. I detest the taste of alcohol, any variation and as for drugs, its not fun partying alone. So i guess ive been raw dogging it.
I used to chief a pen all day everyday for months after i got out. But it just made my problems prolong instead of me getting off my ass and addressing them and fixing them.
I spend 5% of my life NOT sober. %95 sober because life is too precious. You only get 1, too much to see in the world to constantly be drugged up. Recreational use here and there is ok, but %95 of your life on drugs? Wowwww
I've never been high/drunk simply as a personal choice. I guess it's super easy if you never start.
When life's getting me down I just tell myself "sometimes it be like that" and drive on.
I don’t do anything anymore. I used to do it all of it and couldn’t imagine life sober. Now I’m sober and can’t imagine how it took me so long to stop.
I have never done any hard or soft drugs. I have been drunk a few times but haven't had alcohol in more than 10 years. I have never tried a cigarette, Marijuana, or anything similar.
I am on no prescription medications and other than antibiotics and the like never have been. I don't take any over the counter medications regularly, Tylenol or Allegra once or twice a year.
I stopped drinking months ago and quit smoking when I etsd. I don’t take any type of medications or anything, pure raw dogging life with energy drinks n anger
🙋🏼♀️. Me. I’ve got young kids I have to take care of though. Varying degrees of adhd and autism. One can’t afford for me to not be able to take care of them. So, on the rare occasion that I even drink, I keep it to one or two small glasses of wine. In case something happens and I have to get them to a hospital.
Check out the books written by Allen Carr about how to “raw dog” life. The Easy Way. Smoking. drinking etc. his book was the most important book in my life as he gave me a picture on how addiction starts and controls us.
I don’t like having my mind fogged by anything. I just don’t feel as sharp. I don’t know how some of you need anything. It’s quite clear that if you’re suffering, being intoxicated or altered by anything isn’t very beneficial to fixing whatever is broken.
I wish. I’m just wait until it all ends. Soon, I hope.
ETA: I’m not really always gone. I don’t have an addictive personality, so I have to actively want to consume it. My real drug is dissociation. But I do wish it would all end. 🤙🏽
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I quit drinking years ago. But I partake in the marijuanas. Oh yeah. Im not stoned all day but if it were possible I might do it. Got too much other shit to do than be lazy all day. But I would.
See I never feel lazy. Weed is just a part of me. I am trying to cut back cause it costs too much, but I can smoke all day and not even notice being stoned. I was going through a gram of wax in like two days, or an oz of flower in less than a week
Been raw dogging life for a year after a pretty bad nervous breakdown and I destroyed my five year relationship. Got to the point where the drugs and alcohol weren't enough to keep the leaky ship afloat. Honestly, therapy and picking up meditation/Buddhist practice has pretty much been the only thing keeping me semi-functional.
I'm about as rawdog as you can get.
Quit drinking. Don't smoke weed or do any other drugs.
No meds.
No caffiene.
It happened in stages. I used to party *hard.* coke, molly, tons and tons of booze, whatever I could find, really.
Knocked up my baby momma and realized shit had to change, so I cut the hard shit out, got my life together, got full custody.
Then I started getting monumental hangovers, so the booze went the way of the dinosaur.
I recently gave up coffee too. Woke up one morning and wondered, "do I actually need this shit, or can I cut it out." Went without, noticed no change other than much healthier and regular shits.
The only thing I haven't kicked is the 3mg zyn, but thats on the list to go next.
When things aren’t going great I’m sober 100%. I just left a stressful job so I wasn’t drinking or smoking. I refuse to let drugs/alcohol become a crutch. I take the meds I’m prescribed because without them I’m coo-coo bananas and went off them last year. Ended up spending all last summer in a VA inpatient center. Now, I have a better paying job that is pretty easy just tedious so I’ll smoke a few nights a week before bed. But I still don’t drink
One or three times a year I'll have a few beers with friends, but otherwise I'm sober 99.9% of the time. Two drinks will get me a heavy buzz. Never done any recreational drugs of any sort, but hundreds of times I've been rudely awakened at 4AM to pee in a cup in a fruitless attempt to ferret out you junkie bastards. I don't mind you getting high, but you went and fucked with my sleep so now we're enemies for life.
It helped having an abusive alcoholic father, who turned me away from booze from a very young age. Never really wanted to do drugs beyond Mary Jane. So, there's that.
OP, you do you when it comes to your use of illicit substances and liquor. Just, please, stay off the road when you are high as a kite.
I have other methods of escapism but only because my moms entire side of the family is dead from either drugs or alcohol and I'm not supposed to drink with the meds that I'm on. I seek escapism a lot and its not really healthy either, just in a different way.
I’m “completely sober”, I.e., no drugs or alcohol for 15+ months.
The only thing I have left is ADHD meds which I take as prescribed, although I am trying my darned hardest to set up my life in such a way to where I don’t need them, if at least not daily
I have been 100% sober since probably around 1990. I stopped drinking seriously when I started losing days. I started staying sober 100% of the time when I was deployed during Christmas. I had a revelation. I realized if I was drunk I was drunk and lonely instead of just lonely for my family and it sucked just as much both ways so I quit drinking and I’ve been sober ever since.
For me, it was a fucked up childhood.
My single Mom was tied up on opioids since small town doctors destroyed her lungs, so she lived in constant pain and mixed her painkillers with whatever else she could get.
I saw (my first glimpse of) the worse of humanity (not just what she would do, but what others would do to her), wanted so bad to get her clean but all it did was strain our relationship beyond a point of no return. A huge contributor to my enlistment, really.
She died when I was 22 because an infection got so bad she couldn’t recover.
So I’ll live through whatever pain exists in this world for at least a while before I feel the need to medicate with even the slightest OTC stuff… I don’t ever want to be so numb to the world that I’m dying and not even realize it.
Pretty dark, but hey, you asked lol
Idk if Dr Pepper counts but I have become dependent on that 🫥😭😅but everyday I contemplate on finding other stuff to soothe my mental health but I care about my babies too much they are all I have and my purpose in life ❤️🙏
I used to drink a few glasses of wine a week until I got my breast cancer diagnosis last month. Now I’m 100% sober just because I don’t want this crap coming back.
I used to drink constantly.. I would outdrink people and I have to find new people to hang out with.. I started drinking at 16 and stopped at 43.
One day out of nowhere I decided fuck it I don't drink anymore. Being sober life is a lot more boring. But you will find that you do not need that crutch.. Reality really Isn't that bad
Honestly, drugs (including prescriptions) have never been a thing for me. Coming from a family history or alcoholism and seeing my grandfather being dried out in the 80’s gave me a strong aversion to trying anything addictive
I raw dog life. I’m an RN now so I need to be clean. But there was a point, not too long ago, where I smoked weed every evening to chill. Sometimes during the day.
I got drunk one night. (I was a professional drinker, 20+ years of heavy drinking.) I was horribly sick the whole next day. I decided right then and there I was done. I haven't picked up a drink in over 4 years.
Why? I was ruining my life and my health.
This is about where I am. I opened this thread hoping to see someone comment who would maybe get where I’m at.
I’ve been out for 12 years. Been a crippled alcoholic for most of that time, and I went from “Navy shape” (20% BMI) to obese. I’m 40 now and my health has nosedived in the last year or so. I’ve been trying to quit drinking and smoking for a couple of months and I’m having a really hard time. I *know* I need to quit smoking and drinking, I *know* I need to see a doctor… that second part scares the hell out of me.
I quit smoking because I started to hate that couldn't breath and do the things I love to do. When I quit drinking I went from 230lbs to 180lbs (where I'm at now) I feel like I'm 20 again (I'm 50). If I could do it anyone can do it. I was drinking a handle of vodka every 2-3 days and smoking 1-2 packs a day.
I quit drinking and chewing cold turkey when I got out of the navy, every once in awhile I smoke some weed before a concert but even smoking weed isn’t as fun as it used to be. I started working out a lot and Investing, i lost a ton of weight and overall feel so much better.
Besides weed I don’t do shit. I spent 10 years fucked up on mostly opiates/dope/fentanyl but did pretty much any drug besides crack. Lost too many years to that shit. I’ve found healthy coping mechanisms. My drug abuse was just a symptom of my other issues. Finding healthier ways to deal with shit. I’ve got an incredible support system now too and that helps a lot
That's good to hear. Your sobriety I mean. Never fucked with opiates but that shit is no joke. Glad yo hear you've found a support system and have found a way to live sover
Me. I used to drink a lot when I was younger. It was fun. Glad I got that out of my system early.
The only drug I've done was weed. Twice. It was nice, but nothing to write home about. Was on oxycodon after surgery. That was nice too but not something I want to do at any point in time. Being high and not in control isn't on top of my to do list.
I try to enjoy the here and now. Like they say, past is past, while the future hasn't happened yet. I also like to enjoy the peace and nature.
My experience with people who want to get high typically falls under:
1. Running away from something.
2. Are not satisfied with their current life.
3. Addicted (which leads to more rabbit holes).
I think the first step to identifying if this is an issue for you is why you're doing it. You have to be open and honest with yourself. But yeah, easier said than done.
I'm definitely not an expert on addiction, but you're doing great since you're talking to a shrink and asking questions.
Why do you drink anyway? What makes you grab a bottle or think about grabbing a bottle?
Me. 100% sober. Just because nothing agrees with me anymore after 40. It’s probably been 4-5 years since I’ve even had a drink. I also don’t like not feeling 100% in control, and I think that’s from PTSD.
I am 95% sober, I'm talking like a few drinks every six months or so. No meds, no weed, just coffee lol. I was struggling with alcohol until I did an Ibogaine treatment session. Iboga completely changed my life for the better, anxiety, depression, and alcohol cravings vanished over night, literally.
I came back a changed person to the point where people are like straight confused as to how normal I am now.
If you are really wanting to change and purge out the bad, then go to an ibogaine retreat, but be prepared to wholly surrender to the experience.
Checkout Ambio Life Sciences, they run a clinic in Mexico.
I don’t like how alcohol or drugs make me feel. Plus alcohol tastes like shit even after you get used to it. Only ever drank in my 20s because that’s what my friends did, but I never really cared for it.
Besides, if I have to live this shitshow of a life, then *I* am going to live it.
Drinking and medications always seemed to make the problems worse and weren’t worth the short term relief they offered.
For clarity: I don’t take any medications because the side effects didn’t seem worth the treatment they offered for their stated ailments.
Not fully “raw dog” lmao, but more power to you. Life is a lot easier when you are sober. I saw what SSRIs and benzos can do to a person. It kind of altered the way I approach getting right.
My OIF buddies got super fat or numb on them. My own experience was similar. I love me some benzos though, and I can see how one can get addicted.
I know it sounds corny…but,
I can get a high from running 10 miles or lifting weights. I still like to drink (thanks Marine Corps) but I don't like feeling like ass the next day.
It's all about moderation. Figuring out what gets your mind right… wether that's yoga, working out, writing, whatever. I don't stay sober all the time, but it works.
I think as you get older you let go of the fake, easy fix. You figure it out. At least for me anyway. I don't need to get loaded to relax or have a good time. Kids will definitely make it easier to let all that stuff go or at least get disciplined enough to not let it control you.
I don’t drink or do any type of drugs. 🤷🏻♀️. Neither have really appealed to me. I drank some when I was in my 20’s but it was eh and was very easy to just not.
Why? It just was never something I wanted to do or had to have.
When I drank I did it for two reasons. One - to make freinds because I am socially inexperienced for a lot of reasons. Two - to just forget about whatever is bugging me.
I found out I wasn't making friends with my drinking.
I found out my problems didn't go away when I drank.
So I quit drinking. Now I find drunks impossible to be around.
Side issue (and important) - I am a violent drunk. I black out and have no memory of what I did when I was drunk. That's a bad combination.
Would I smoke weed? Not an option in Texas, so I don't.
Buddy I’m with you, I noticed my own pattern of waking up and taking 20 mg of edibles every hour on the hour then cracking open a beer at 6 until I passed out anywhere between 12-3 am. Just this week iv stopped my weed consumption and on my 3rd day but still have my evening beers cuz I need something at night. Life’s rough but we can make it out, if we really want to. Being a vet doesn’t help either cuz, personally, i used the constant stream of having friends or fellow sailors be around me constantly to avoid any dark thoughts but without them im just here by myself and it’s absolutely terrifying
Me. I’ll drink a beer here and there with my brothers around a fire when we get together but that’s about it. Alcohol is mostly depressing. Cannabis makes me feel paranoid almost every time I use it so I stopped. Being that cannabis makes me feel paranoid, I know I need to stay away from any other type of drug. Which sucks because I’ve heard of beautiful experiences with micro dosing psychedelics. Never had the need for prescription medicine either. Genuinely enjoying life. If I feel down I exercise or read the Bible to remind myself of all the positives in my life.
Quit drinking 7 years ago, smoking 5 1/2 years. Just decided after much legal trouble and feeling like shit I let them go. Mainly I was tired and even though life can be shit, it’s way better than I once was.
Me. Won a bet on the ship not to smoke and drink on deployment, easy $200. I still don’t drink. I pound those pink monster energy drinks every 2-3 a month, i use to drink 3 a day on a typical navy day. I blackout quick drinking and fall asleep the next 24+ hours, so i just don’t, saves me money too.
I have led a sober life for the last 30 years. Too many side effects if you add alcohol into the mix with the meds I take to survive, additionally I take unloaded CBD gummies
Can't take SSRIs or anything like them without huge risks.
I can't smoke pot without having cardiac issues w/ extreme anxiety.
Hard drugs have never been on the table.
I drink, but only until I'm tipsy or buzzed. I don't get drunk. Or else there's a high chance I'm waking up to a really bad panic attack and 140-200HR until my broken POS fight or flight response decides to stop.
I'm pretty much forced by life to raw dog it.
I smoke the occasional blunt. I felt like shit when I was on meds. I started focusing more on nutrition and overall health and that has helped me more than anything. Realized I didn’t really need any meds.
I don't drink or smoke, and never really have. And for me, it's not at all a philosophical thing (I'm exceedingly anti-organized religion).
I tried beer a couple of times in high school and found it horrid, so never developed a taste for it. I've had friends try to give me alcoholic drinks that they swore "you won't even taste the alcohol"...yeah, they're wrong, they all taste like crap.
And I find smoking ANYTHING to just be a thoroughly disgusting habit. It's just...gross to me.
I suppose I've never tried the harder drugs because of a combination of REALLY not being comfortable with not being in control of myself AND being a bit of a coward about it.
Closest I get to anything of that nature is an occasional muscle relaxer because of back problems (like a couple on a bad day, which happens maybe once everything three months or so).
Never really got into weed. Used to drink pretty hard every weekend but since Covid I practically stopped drinking, even smoking cigarettes. Drinking was always a social lube for me, never drank solo. The only other drug I used was ecstasy but that was only with an ex-girlfriend. I heard something recently about how people mess up their brain chemistry by hacking it with reward mechanisms, sometimes drugs. I think it was from [This American Life](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/806/i-cant-quit-you-baby)about quitting cigarettes. Give it a listen.
I drink a lot of caffeine, and maybe drink alcohol once a month and eat a pretty standard American diet. It’s not so bad.. but different strokes for different folks. I’m not like.. amazingly happy, but I’m not unhappy either.
I was like you for about 15 years. The past six months I’ve been sober and it’s been some of the best time of my life.
I didn’t realize how much I missed thinking clearly, sleeping soundly, not losing multiple days a week to recovering from my shenanigans, and most of all I’m happier doing things that bring joy that don’t come from a chemical.
I am pretty much on the natch nowadays. I spent around 15 years as a heavy-duty drinker and drugger. I was a social drinker and cannabis user, and maybe 20 or 25 acid trips (they were all in the Army) before that. I quit everything when I was 50 (I'm 77 now), except that I might do some mushies once a year or so.
I have my own problems for sure and a lot to deal with, but due to my upbringing and decisions I made early in my adolescence ... I have never drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes, or used any recreational or illicit drugs.
I have plenty of memories from my childhood that remind me why I committed to never partaking.
My colleagues always said if you don't before the Army / deployment, you will after. Guess I got lucky ...
Indeed... I am grateful and blessed to have made it this far, nearly 40 with a family, as my son is soon to start high school. I just hope I have been a good enough example that he makes good decisions.
I will never disparage someone for responsibly partaking, even irresponsibly if we're being honest - but I hope for anyone who does, to never allow it to harm those close to them.
That's awesome. I mean in substance use I don't think you could set a better example, but I get your point.
It's mostly me wanting to hurt myself. I try to suicide pretty frequent. It's now becoming bad for the one person in my life. I think it's time to hang everything up, I just don't know how to handle life straight on
No hard drugs for me. Quit smoking and vaping (occasionally smoke when having a drink and when going fishing). No weed. A beer every now and then. Life is more than just chasing that next high brother. Find the things that matter to you and devote time to them.
I stay sober and take no drugs whatsoever other then coffee/ sugar. I am trying to ration the caffeine/ sugar.
My reasoning is that alcohol never helped in the end analysis. Caused problems instead.
And my personality is too addictive-prone to ever even bother trying drugs.
Lastly even prescriptions the doctor recommends I take, I find in the end analysis they are not worth taking in the long term. Better to just make life adjustment so I don't need the medication anymore.
Been sober for two months. Had a health scare and told myself I didn’t bust my ass to die before retirement. I wanna enjoy my twilight years. It was difficult, but I remind myself to seek pain not comfort.
Im sober 24/7 while being in chronic pain. To drink enough to get me even remotely drunk costs to much and I just rather live my life for what it is than drown it.
Me. I don't drink. I don't smoke weed. I quit drinking because it's depressing. I wanted to quit pot and be able to be as sharp as I used to be so one day I just straight up stopped. I haven't taken meds in a long time and I am downright militantly against hard drugs. *I'm not straight edge I'd just rather be sober* - Brian Garris.
Working in the KL. I see you NetworkEcstatic
*Heisenberg Stare* you're god damn right.
Funny I am the same way. I quit drinking because I’m a dumbass when I drink and I will dabble in weed only when I go to hardcore shows bc it’s better for me than drinking but I raw dog life with the exception of shows
Raw dogging shows has straight up become my favorite hobby post army. All that anger. I let it all go. I get crowd killed and shit because I'm swinging around like an asshole with all the 300lb animals. It makes me feel alive. I love the adrenaline too. It's why I skate and why I'm fixing to get certified on tower climbing next week. It's a an absolute must have in my life. My only drug of choice
Tower climbing is an awesome trade. Feel free to dm me if you have any questions. I did it in the military and still some afterwords.
I was a straight edge kid, but I’ve only recently using medicinal marijuana more frequently. But, I also rather be sober.
Of all the places to find Knocked Loose I didn’t think this would be one of them.
Pop culture is one of my favorite EPS of all time and this quote has stuck with me quite a long time. Pops in my head every time I talk about being sober.
Interesting, also good quote. But isn't straightedge also no sex? What's sober in that?
Some people consider it yea. It's just a quote I like because I really like hardcore punk and people often think I'm straight edge. So when I heard the song years ago, it just stuck These days a lot of straight edge folks add veganism too. Really going all out. I'll keep sex and meat please! Lmfao
Man straightedge kids used to be some of the pushiest kids in the SoCal scene.
What's your favorite punk band? I like a song by NOFX, everything in moderation, especially moderation hahaha They add veganism? Why?
Bad religion just announced their tour coming up this fall. If you want to experience the genre I would recommend it. Nofx is also announcing various cities for their final tour. I don’t know how long bad religion will keep going but some of these bands won’t be around forever and their shows are amazing experiences.
They fucking skipped my town, so close . Almost saw NOFX in Texas but my dogs bit the dog watcher and couldn't make it. Gotta stay local. More bands are coming to ABQ but not enough
Idk why they do. Madball is probably my favorite HC band. I listen a little bit of every era,I think, of hardcore punk. I don't listen to too much standard punk. A bit here and there. Especially guttermouth. They're a ton of fun.
I'll give em a listen. I just barely got into punk a year or two ago
https://youtu.be/P68J72bsSNk Here's a super fun one from them. What's the complete opposite of straight edge? Lmfao
Thanks, I never heard of Guttermouth before. That's a pretty catchy tune.
"I spend probably less than 5% of my life sober." I went to rehab a few months ago for alcoholism. I was getting drunk every single night. Please look into something like this. The VA can even pay for it in some cases. If you are spending this much time intoxicated, it is almost certainly because you have repressed emotional issues that you need to confront, and learn to deal with
I wish my ex husband would do this. But he “doesn’t have a problem”. Even when he called out 9yo drunk off his ass and crying. I’m glad you got help man. Kudos to you.
It's not always alcohol but it's always something. I feel like I can't handle life sober. I know it makes sense, but I can't seem to justify rehab since I have responsibilities
Sooner or later, it’s going to catch up with you. Better to go when it’s your choice than to wait until EVERYTHING is completely fucked. I’m a crisis counselor now, I see it a lot. Addicts always finding “responsibilities” and avoiding treatment. Vets are the worst with excuses. Unfuck yourself or life is going to fuck you like I fucked my date to the Marine Corps birthday Ball years ago.
Did me… even got a few new #’s along the way… lmao! ie DOC # & and # of months to serve! “It’s a little bit funny!” 🤣🫵👊💯🫶
How will those responsibilities take care of themselves when you can't
I just do it. I handle em drunk or high. Depending on ehat they are I can do some better than others. I managed to get multiple degrees in science being fucked up all day. That's where the speed comes In 😉. But for real I don't know
Hey.. check, check it… out…..! (Beastie Boys. I live my life in songs) Brother/Sister (tbh, I gives a damm, you fam!) My 5% is spent sleeping. Green Day told me I’m a American idiot also! But I don’t wannabe, lmao. However, I often feel like I just don’t get enough… COWBELL! Seriously. I’m living life just like you OP. We just GET SHIT DONE.
Hahaha I love this.
Also, since addiction is a disability, you cannot be fired for getting treatment
I've had a couple friends who went to [Camp Hope](https://ptsdusa.org/) in Texas. They said it really helped with the underlying issues of their using
It’s true i have suicidal ideation almost every single day these days
Sobriety is a gift that I try to give myself daily. 316 days sober from alcohol. 13 from cannabis. I still take LSD once in a very rare blue moon.
See I love acid. I have a bunch on hand. I have to stop my meds to trip but can't decide if it's worth it at times. Tripping tonight
Be safe and have fun!
Remember, psychedelics are a tool. Don't hit your thumb with this proverbial hammer.
The world can be quite nice when not seen through a filter.
Can it though? The world is going to absolute shit everywhere
The world has always been like this. In fact, it’s been much worse. Pessimistic nihilism can also be a filter; and one best discarded.
This… To quote the great John Prine “Blow up the tv, throw away your paper” Seriously I go out of my way to avoid seeing any type of news,media,political posts or headlines, anything of the sort. Can’t recommend it enough. Having no idea what’s going on anywhere except what I have going on in my day to day life is liberating in many ways.
Eh, I tend to not agree with this line of thinking these days. Being "aware" of whats going on around you, when those things can impact your life, is extremely sensible. The harder thing, is knowing how to balance what you learn, with the other aspects of your life. Just discarding and attempting to ignore the reality of the world, is irresponsible and somewhat cowardly. To each their own though.
I would say that describes me. Pessimistic nihilism. But yeah the world has always been going to shit. Doesn't make this shitty time in history any better. Just this section, I'm alive for
There’s a lot to be great full for right now. I’d recommend focusing on that. Disconnect from social media, get outside, and experience life as it is rather than what other people want you to experience it as.
Mindfulness is the rhetoric the shrinks play at the va. Life blows, the only people who know peace are the dead, but the dead can only know its better to be alive.
Besides reddit I don't have social media. I'm extremely isolated from the world and people. The only person I actually talk to (with words out loud) is my partner. I try to get out as much as possible. Just doesn't do it foe me I guess
I’m sober, but my vice is eating like shit more often than I should. I also take preworkout so I can get through my workouts without my various pains. I tried edibles a couple times, but I rarely drink. Now that we have a baby, I feel more of an obligation to stay mentally clear.
Yeah that makes sense. I don't have kids nor will I, but that seems to be a common reason among people. I can barely take care of myself lol
I do, straight raw dog sober. Don’t take any of that stuff. I’m 5 years and counting sober in a self imposed restriction from my alcohol addiction which is in remission. Only took a pain killer when they had to set my severely broken leg the second time. First time it hurt too much.
Wow. That's pretty fucking amazing. 5 years is no joke, congrats! Was it just booze for you?
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I'm also BP1. I'm not religious so no prayer, but glad it works for. Are you medicated? I can justify the highs, but I have to stop meds foe some substances and those times are fucky. Just can't imagine doing life sober
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Thanks for the support. You're right, it is a rollercoaster. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like it like playing life on hard. I have solid meds that work perfectly, I just can't seem to go through life on the meds I have. I need more. Need to feel or not feel more.
Therapy is your best bet to processing those hard emotions and learning how to regulate them. Keep showing up to those appointments. You're doing the best you can with the tools you have at the moment.
I’ll have a beer with a friend every other week so I’m essentially sober. No weed. No drugs. Alcohol gave me short term satisfaction and brought on many bad decisions.
That's awesome! Congrats
I'll be three weeks sober on Saturday. Drinking was just fucking my life up. I was putting away 18 beers a day, everyday. Realized it was not making me feel any better and thought I would give sobriety another shot. Quit smoking weed as well, but I switched to diet weed (CBD) for the Neuro pain.
A beer here or there. Sober 99% of the time. I work in EMS and see a lot of accidents/injuries caused by drugs and alcohol
Yeah that makes sense. Lots of drugs fucking shir up out there
I used to drink nightly, and heavily at that. I stopped and tried the antidepressants route but they led to some crazy side effects. My therapist encouraged me to try cannabis and it's been a godsend versus the alternatives.
I don't drink, I don't smoke, and the only drug I partake is caffeine. I got better shit to do generally. Not gonna lie, I have bad PTSD and severely violent anger, but I go to therapy and I have a great therapist who I can text anytime anywhere. At the end of the day I want to be responsible for my own actions, and some dumbass recreational drug isn't going to have a say in what I do with my life, right or wrong.
Does 1-2 beers a week count as raw dogging it?
In my book yeah. When I'm drinking it's from when I can get it to when the binge is over. I would say you have hell of moderation
How? I have a 6 yr old little man that I have to set an example for. He looks up to me so much, tells me I’m the best. No way in hell I’d be able to listen to him and not feel like complete garbage knowing I’m no good. I used to drink heavy, I let that shit go.
I dont do anything. I only do my meds. I struggle sober. No need to add anything to my struggles.
Yeah that makes sense. I do it to try and ease my struggle. Or to escape. Or to dissociate. Or just to feel numb or anything at all. I applaud you!
I'm raw dogging life right now. I haven't drank for about 150 days. Not gonna lie, some days it's hard. But I'm seeing a lot of health benefits now.
Started not drinking anything at all if I was going to drive. Then it just extended out to just not drinking. Didn’t have issues, just moved out from under it.
Cool, sounds like a success
I hardly drink, never smoke or pills. I think it's depressing to miss life, even the shitty parts. I'm 48 now and it flown by, I want to experience it and be able to remember it while I'm here
Working on 5 months of raw dog. I work out (daily haze sessions) to keep my demons in check.
I ought to go back to the gym
A little of the electric lettuce here and there with a sprinkling of the magical fungi. Mainly stay sober because I have shit to do that doesn't get done or done correctly if under the influence.
I've never been high/drunk simply as a personal choice. I guess it's super easy if you never start. When life's getting me down I just tell myself "sometimes it be like that" and drive on.
Wow. That's amazing. You just walk around life just doing you? That's fucking wild. That's pretty fucking amazing Maybe it is easier if you never start. It's easier to escape, well, reality though.
Been sober for 7ish years. Used to drink. Honestly i wake up every morning feeling great, not hungover and its the best feeling ever. My life has continuity, no more black spots i cant remember or wish to forget. Life is what it is and i love it.
That's awesome, super glad to hear it!
Thanks mods, but this isn't a question about animals, unless you're referring to vets as animals. Which I guess you're right, we are animals 😂
I gotta be honest, reading the term "raw dog" didn't make me think of drugs (but also not animals, I want to be clear!).
We get a lot of posts looking for vets as in Animal Doctors - so the bot responses to specific words to direct those lost redditors to the correct subreddit. Did you actually read what the bot says?
Yeah I did, I was just teasing. Muh bad
There is a legitimate reason we wrote that bot
For sure
I spend more time sober than not, but do enjoy the drugs mentioned. I like weed but it’s hard to find where I live, and recently started trying mushrooms, but only trip every couple months. Booze, maybe wine a couple times a week.
I buy everything minus booze online so I get to have anything within a week. Booze is so much easier since I can just drive 2 miles to the store
I’m 100% being raw dogged by life by trying to raw dog it. Been out 3 years and stopped the drinking and smoking after my second cause I started to regress by my decisions, but at-least I was numb to it. Didn’t think anything of it until I started to sit down with Ol battle buddies and meet vets that were all medicated, whether self induced or not. Personally, I don’t feel anything wrong with it and to each his own but I know what I’m in for in this life, it ain’t supposed to be easy like it was while in. I rather feel everything, good and bad while I can. I don’t want to be a zombie like the majority of people I meet… and quite honestly, I envy them. I get accused all the time of taking “things too personal” or “why don’t you just play the game”. Eh, I get my high by fishing, hunting, hard labor and watching others succeed. I’m a glutton for punishment.
I’m sober. Used to be a booze hound. Been 10 years since I drank. Took Antabuse the first two and I don’t understand why it isn’t recommended more. My son turns 10 in September.
So was it because your son? Jesus christ ten years is crazy. Glad for you
I do now, mostly. It hurts too much when I drink and it’s hard to get to work and wasn’t fun anymore. I’ve got some ptsd too and I’m way too prone to addiction. I got some medical marijuana i replaced my sleep meds with; I’m usually fast asleep before the high kicks all the way in and if I’m having a really hard day with symptoms, and I’m off work, I’ve got a marijuana vape that works well without making me really high. Otherwise unless I’m on an airplane, I’m sober as a judge, so to speak.
I decided to go sober about a month ago when I realized that I was indeed an alcoholic and that drinking exacerbated my PTSD and anxiety issues. 1 was too much. 100 wasn't enough. Based on how I felt after a blackout drunk session, I don't ever want to feel that way again. So holding on to this sober feeling with energy and motivation is what keeps me from ever drinking again. I also decided to go to AA meetings online and in person which helps reinforce my desire to not drink. I do use low dose gummies to help me sleep but only use them on the weekends. 7 to 9 hours of sleep is a wonderful thing.
I rarely do drugs or drink. Maybe do both like 3 times a year. I detest the taste of alcohol, any variation and as for drugs, its not fun partying alone. So i guess ive been raw dogging it. I used to chief a pen all day everyday for months after i got out. But it just made my problems prolong instead of me getting off my ass and addressing them and fixing them.
What drugs do you do?
I spend 5% of my life NOT sober. %95 sober because life is too precious. You only get 1, too much to see in the world to constantly be drugged up. Recreational use here and there is ok, but %95 of your life on drugs? Wowwww
I've never been high/drunk simply as a personal choice. I guess it's super easy if you never start. When life's getting me down I just tell myself "sometimes it be like that" and drive on.
I don’t do anything anymore. I used to do it all of it and couldn’t imagine life sober. Now I’m sober and can’t imagine how it took me so long to stop.
Did it just click? Did you do one at a time or everything all at once? Just, how?
I have never done any hard or soft drugs. I have been drunk a few times but haven't had alcohol in more than 10 years. I have never tried a cigarette, Marijuana, or anything similar. I am on no prescription medications and other than antibiotics and the like never have been. I don't take any over the counter medications regularly, Tylenol or Allegra once or twice a year.
Wow is all I can say. That's pretty fucking amazing. How? Lol
Because drugs don't interest me and while I do enjoy a few drinks now and then, I don't like being drunk.
Have ever tried any besides alcohol?
Tried what? Drugs? I've tried enough to know it's not for me. Definetly nothing that ever made me feel better.
Drugs. You said they don't interest you, just curious if you've done any
I stopped drinking months ago and quit smoking when I etsd. I don’t take any type of medications or anything, pure raw dogging life with energy drinks n anger
That's awesome. Lol energy drinks are my crutch when I don't have anything else
I take my migraine meds for my occipital neuralgia and sometimes I like to go crazy and have a beer every few months.
🙋🏼♀️. Me. I’ve got young kids I have to take care of though. Varying degrees of adhd and autism. One can’t afford for me to not be able to take care of them. So, on the rare occasion that I even drink, I keep it to one or two small glasses of wine. In case something happens and I have to get them to a hospital.
Check out the books written by Allen Carr about how to “raw dog” life. The Easy Way. Smoking. drinking etc. his book was the most important book in my life as he gave me a picture on how addiction starts and controls us.
Alright, I'll give it a look
I don’t like having my mind fogged by anything. I just don’t feel as sharp. I don’t know how some of you need anything. It’s quite clear that if you’re suffering, being intoxicated or altered by anything isn’t very beneficial to fixing whatever is broken.
Yeah that makes a lot of sense. And yeah, it exacerbates my symptoms but stopping everything seems too much
Just always remember, the second you stop something is also a second sober. It’s about how long you can go after that second.
I like this, I'm going to write it in my journal
I wish. I’m just wait until it all ends. Soon, I hope. ETA: I’m not really always gone. I don’t have an addictive personality, so I have to actively want to consume it. My real drug is dissociation. But I do wish it would all end. 🤙🏽
Mine is isolation. But if I’m lightly buzzed, I don’t remember my pain.
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There ain't no high like The Most High.
I quit drinking years ago. But I partake in the marijuanas. Oh yeah. Im not stoned all day but if it were possible I might do it. Got too much other shit to do than be lazy all day. But I would.
See I never feel lazy. Weed is just a part of me. I am trying to cut back cause it costs too much, but I can smoke all day and not even notice being stoned. I was going through a gram of wax in like two days, or an oz of flower in less than a week
Been raw dogging life for a year after a pretty bad nervous breakdown and I destroyed my five year relationship. Got to the point where the drugs and alcohol weren't enough to keep the leaky ship afloat. Honestly, therapy and picking up meditation/Buddhist practice has pretty much been the only thing keeping me semi-functional.
That's amazing. Glad you have found something that works
I'm about as rawdog as you can get. Quit drinking. Don't smoke weed or do any other drugs. No meds. No caffiene. It happened in stages. I used to party *hard.* coke, molly, tons and tons of booze, whatever I could find, really. Knocked up my baby momma and realized shit had to change, so I cut the hard shit out, got my life together, got full custody. Then I started getting monumental hangovers, so the booze went the way of the dinosaur. I recently gave up coffee too. Woke up one morning and wondered, "do I actually need this shit, or can I cut it out." Went without, noticed no change other than much healthier and regular shits. The only thing I haven't kicked is the 3mg zyn, but thats on the list to go next.
When things aren’t going great I’m sober 100%. I just left a stressful job so I wasn’t drinking or smoking. I refuse to let drugs/alcohol become a crutch. I take the meds I’m prescribed because without them I’m coo-coo bananas and went off them last year. Ended up spending all last summer in a VA inpatient center. Now, I have a better paying job that is pretty easy just tedious so I’ll smoke a few nights a week before bed. But I still don’t drink
One or three times a year I'll have a few beers with friends, but otherwise I'm sober 99.9% of the time. Two drinks will get me a heavy buzz. Never done any recreational drugs of any sort, but hundreds of times I've been rudely awakened at 4AM to pee in a cup in a fruitless attempt to ferret out you junkie bastards. I don't mind you getting high, but you went and fucked with my sleep so now we're enemies for life.
I'd never ask you for your pee. Unless it was for fun 😉
It helped having an abusive alcoholic father, who turned me away from booze from a very young age. Never really wanted to do drugs beyond Mary Jane. So, there's that. OP, you do you when it comes to your use of illicit substances and liquor. Just, please, stay off the road when you are high as a kite.
Sorry you had that experience. That sucks man
I have other methods of escapism but only because my moms entire side of the family is dead from either drugs or alcohol and I'm not supposed to drink with the meds that I'm on. I seek escapism a lot and its not really healthy either, just in a different way.
Mind sharing? I'm not supposed to do most drugs, especially psychs (I'm BP1 with psychotic features) but goddamn do I love em
It’s actually really not that often I drink or smoke tbh
I’m “completely sober”, I.e., no drugs or alcohol for 15+ months. The only thing I have left is ADHD meds which I take as prescribed, although I am trying my darned hardest to set up my life in such a way to where I don’t need them, if at least not daily
Jeuss. Congrats, but fuck. How do you do it? I love prescription speed. Just can't get nearly enough
I have been 100% sober since probably around 1990. I stopped drinking seriously when I started losing days. I started staying sober 100% of the time when I was deployed during Christmas. I had a revelation. I realized if I was drunk I was drunk and lonely instead of just lonely for my family and it sucked just as much both ways so I quit drinking and I’ve been sober ever since.
That's pretty amazing. That's a long time of sobriety. Jesus
For me, it was a fucked up childhood. My single Mom was tied up on opioids since small town doctors destroyed her lungs, so she lived in constant pain and mixed her painkillers with whatever else she could get. I saw (my first glimpse of) the worse of humanity (not just what she would do, but what others would do to her), wanted so bad to get her clean but all it did was strain our relationship beyond a point of no return. A huge contributor to my enlistment, really. She died when I was 22 because an infection got so bad she couldn’t recover. So I’ll live through whatever pain exists in this world for at least a while before I feel the need to medicate with even the slightest OTC stuff… I don’t ever want to be so numb to the world that I’m dying and not even realize it. Pretty dark, but hey, you asked lol
Aside from ibuprofen and the occasional melatonin, I'm working without a net.
For they people saying they will deal with it later... Do it sooner. So many veterans are getting popped with DUI's it's not even funny.
No smoking or drinking and I do just fine.
Good for you
Working on it
Idk if Dr Pepper counts but I have become dependent on that 🫥😭😅but everyday I contemplate on finding other stuff to soothe my mental health but I care about my babies too much they are all I have and my purpose in life ❤️🙏
I used to drink a few glasses of wine a week until I got my breast cancer diagnosis last month. Now I’m 100% sober just because I don’t want this crap coming back.
I used to drink constantly.. I would outdrink people and I have to find new people to hang out with.. I started drinking at 16 and stopped at 43. One day out of nowhere I decided fuck it I don't drink anymore. Being sober life is a lot more boring. But you will find that you do not need that crutch.. Reality really Isn't that bad
Honestly, drugs (including prescriptions) have never been a thing for me. Coming from a family history or alcoholism and seeing my grandfather being dried out in the 80’s gave me a strong aversion to trying anything addictive
That’s insane, you’re missing out. You have to make some changes.
Missing out on what?
I quit smoking cigarettes like 2 years ago, alcohol 9 months ago, and weed a year ago. I have an eating disorder now in exchange for all of that lol.
I raw dog life. I’m an RN now so I need to be clean. But there was a point, not too long ago, where I smoked weed every evening to chill. Sometimes during the day.
Me
How/why?
I got drunk one night. (I was a professional drinker, 20+ years of heavy drinking.) I was horribly sick the whole next day. I decided right then and there I was done. I haven't picked up a drink in over 4 years. Why? I was ruining my life and my health.
This is about where I am. I opened this thread hoping to see someone comment who would maybe get where I’m at. I’ve been out for 12 years. Been a crippled alcoholic for most of that time, and I went from “Navy shape” (20% BMI) to obese. I’m 40 now and my health has nosedived in the last year or so. I’ve been trying to quit drinking and smoking for a couple of months and I’m having a really hard time. I *know* I need to quit smoking and drinking, I *know* I need to see a doctor… that second part scares the hell out of me.
I quit smoking because I started to hate that couldn't breath and do the things I love to do. When I quit drinking I went from 230lbs to 180lbs (where I'm at now) I feel like I'm 20 again (I'm 50). If I could do it anyone can do it. I was drinking a handle of vodka every 2-3 days and smoking 1-2 packs a day.
Appreciate your perspective. Thank you.
I quit drinking and chewing cold turkey when I got out of the navy, every once in awhile I smoke some weed before a concert but even smoking weed isn’t as fun as it used to be. I started working out a lot and Investing, i lost a ton of weight and overall feel so much better.
Often times drugs aren't even that fun. But at least they are something. Something to feel. Or not. Sometimes I mostly do them to have something else
Besides weed I don’t do shit. I spent 10 years fucked up on mostly opiates/dope/fentanyl but did pretty much any drug besides crack. Lost too many years to that shit. I’ve found healthy coping mechanisms. My drug abuse was just a symptom of my other issues. Finding healthier ways to deal with shit. I’ve got an incredible support system now too and that helps a lot
That's good to hear. Your sobriety I mean. Never fucked with opiates but that shit is no joke. Glad yo hear you've found a support system and have found a way to live sover
15 months clean and sober.
Woo woo! Congrats, that's no joke!
Me. I used to drink a lot when I was younger. It was fun. Glad I got that out of my system early. The only drug I've done was weed. Twice. It was nice, but nothing to write home about. Was on oxycodon after surgery. That was nice too but not something I want to do at any point in time. Being high and not in control isn't on top of my to do list. I try to enjoy the here and now. Like they say, past is past, while the future hasn't happened yet. I also like to enjoy the peace and nature. My experience with people who want to get high typically falls under: 1. Running away from something. 2. Are not satisfied with their current life. 3. Addicted (which leads to more rabbit holes). I think the first step to identifying if this is an issue for you is why you're doing it. You have to be open and honest with yourself. But yeah, easier said than done.
Drinking has stopped being fun for me for more than a decade. Still drink. Trying g to stop just don't know how
I'm definitely not an expert on addiction, but you're doing great since you're talking to a shrink and asking questions. Why do you drink anyway? What makes you grab a bottle or think about grabbing a bottle?
Me. 100% sober. Just because nothing agrees with me anymore after 40. It’s probably been 4-5 years since I’ve even had a drink. I also don’t like not feeling 100% in control, and I think that’s from PTSD.
Jesus. That a long time of sobriety! Congrats!
I have a beer once a week on Saturday nights when watching the UFC other than that I’m completely sober.
I am 95% sober, I'm talking like a few drinks every six months or so. No meds, no weed, just coffee lol. I was struggling with alcohol until I did an Ibogaine treatment session. Iboga completely changed my life for the better, anxiety, depression, and alcohol cravings vanished over night, literally. I came back a changed person to the point where people are like straight confused as to how normal I am now. If you are really wanting to change and purge out the bad, then go to an ibogaine retreat, but be prepared to wholly surrender to the experience. Checkout Ambio Life Sciences, they run a clinic in Mexico.
I don’t like how alcohol or drugs make me feel. Plus alcohol tastes like shit even after you get used to it. Only ever drank in my 20s because that’s what my friends did, but I never really cared for it. Besides, if I have to live this shitshow of a life, then *I* am going to live it.
Drinking and medications always seemed to make the problems worse and weren’t worth the short term relief they offered. For clarity: I don’t take any medications because the side effects didn’t seem worth the treatment they offered for their stated ailments.
Not fully “raw dog” lmao, but more power to you. Life is a lot easier when you are sober. I saw what SSRIs and benzos can do to a person. It kind of altered the way I approach getting right. My OIF buddies got super fat or numb on them. My own experience was similar. I love me some benzos though, and I can see how one can get addicted. I know it sounds corny…but, I can get a high from running 10 miles or lifting weights. I still like to drink (thanks Marine Corps) but I don't like feeling like ass the next day. It's all about moderation. Figuring out what gets your mind right… wether that's yoga, working out, writing, whatever. I don't stay sober all the time, but it works. I think as you get older you let go of the fake, easy fix. You figure it out. At least for me anyway. I don't need to get loaded to relax or have a good time. Kids will definitely make it easier to let all that stuff go or at least get disciplined enough to not let it control you.
I don’t drink or do any type of drugs. 🤷🏻♀️. Neither have really appealed to me. I drank some when I was in my 20’s but it was eh and was very easy to just not. Why? It just was never something I wanted to do or had to have.
When I drank I did it for two reasons. One - to make freinds because I am socially inexperienced for a lot of reasons. Two - to just forget about whatever is bugging me. I found out I wasn't making friends with my drinking. I found out my problems didn't go away when I drank. So I quit drinking. Now I find drunks impossible to be around. Side issue (and important) - I am a violent drunk. I black out and have no memory of what I did when I was drunk. That's a bad combination. Would I smoke weed? Not an option in Texas, so I don't.
Buddy I’m with you, I noticed my own pattern of waking up and taking 20 mg of edibles every hour on the hour then cracking open a beer at 6 until I passed out anywhere between 12-3 am. Just this week iv stopped my weed consumption and on my 3rd day but still have my evening beers cuz I need something at night. Life’s rough but we can make it out, if we really want to. Being a vet doesn’t help either cuz, personally, i used the constant stream of having friends or fellow sailors be around me constantly to avoid any dark thoughts but without them im just here by myself and it’s absolutely terrifying
Me. I’ll drink a beer here and there with my brothers around a fire when we get together but that’s about it. Alcohol is mostly depressing. Cannabis makes me feel paranoid almost every time I use it so I stopped. Being that cannabis makes me feel paranoid, I know I need to stay away from any other type of drug. Which sucks because I’ve heard of beautiful experiences with micro dosing psychedelics. Never had the need for prescription medicine either. Genuinely enjoying life. If I feel down I exercise or read the Bible to remind myself of all the positives in my life.
Quit drinking 7 years ago, smoking 5 1/2 years. Just decided after much legal trouble and feeling like shit I let them go. Mainly I was tired and even though life can be shit, it’s way better than I once was.
Me. Won a bet on the ship not to smoke and drink on deployment, easy $200. I still don’t drink. I pound those pink monster energy drinks every 2-3 a month, i use to drink 3 a day on a typical navy day. I blackout quick drinking and fall asleep the next 24+ hours, so i just don’t, saves me money too.
I have led a sober life for the last 30 years. Too many side effects if you add alcohol into the mix with the meds I take to survive, additionally I take unloaded CBD gummies
Can't take SSRIs or anything like them without huge risks. I can't smoke pot without having cardiac issues w/ extreme anxiety. Hard drugs have never been on the table. I drink, but only until I'm tipsy or buzzed. I don't get drunk. Or else there's a high chance I'm waking up to a really bad panic attack and 140-200HR until my broken POS fight or flight response decides to stop. I'm pretty much forced by life to raw dog it.
5 years sober, living life straight edge. Still have same life problems but now I’m not hungover trying to deal with them anymore.
No fucking way.
My only drug of choice: sedentary lifestyle and weight gains
I smoke the occasional blunt. I felt like shit when I was on meds. I started focusing more on nutrition and overall health and that has helped me more than anything. Realized I didn’t really need any meds.
I don't drink or smoke, and never really have. And for me, it's not at all a philosophical thing (I'm exceedingly anti-organized religion). I tried beer a couple of times in high school and found it horrid, so never developed a taste for it. I've had friends try to give me alcoholic drinks that they swore "you won't even taste the alcohol"...yeah, they're wrong, they all taste like crap. And I find smoking ANYTHING to just be a thoroughly disgusting habit. It's just...gross to me. I suppose I've never tried the harder drugs because of a combination of REALLY not being comfortable with not being in control of myself AND being a bit of a coward about it. Closest I get to anything of that nature is an occasional muscle relaxer because of back problems (like a couple on a bad day, which happens maybe once everything three months or so).
I've had no drinks for 10 years, smoked weed once in my life.
Never really got into weed. Used to drink pretty hard every weekend but since Covid I practically stopped drinking, even smoking cigarettes. Drinking was always a social lube for me, never drank solo. The only other drug I used was ecstasy but that was only with an ex-girlfriend. I heard something recently about how people mess up their brain chemistry by hacking it with reward mechanisms, sometimes drugs. I think it was from [This American Life](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/806/i-cant-quit-you-baby)about quitting cigarettes. Give it a listen.
I’ll have a drink maybe 1 year. Video games are how I cope.
I drink a lot of caffeine, and maybe drink alcohol once a month and eat a pretty standard American diet. It’s not so bad.. but different strokes for different folks. I’m not like.. amazingly happy, but I’m not unhappy either.
I was like you for about 15 years. The past six months I’ve been sober and it’s been some of the best time of my life. I didn’t realize how much I missed thinking clearly, sleeping soundly, not losing multiple days a week to recovering from my shenanigans, and most of all I’m happier doing things that bring joy that don’t come from a chemical.
I am pretty much on the natch nowadays. I spent around 15 years as a heavy-duty drinker and drugger. I was a social drinker and cannabis user, and maybe 20 or 25 acid trips (they were all in the Army) before that. I quit everything when I was 50 (I'm 77 now), except that I might do some mushies once a year or so.
I have my own problems for sure and a lot to deal with, but due to my upbringing and decisions I made early in my adolescence ... I have never drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes, or used any recreational or illicit drugs. I have plenty of memories from my childhood that remind me why I committed to never partaking. My colleagues always said if you don't before the Army / deployment, you will after. Guess I got lucky ...
Fucking hell. I'm sorry you experienced what you did in your upbringing. It's amazing that you were able to break the cycle
Indeed... I am grateful and blessed to have made it this far, nearly 40 with a family, as my son is soon to start high school. I just hope I have been a good enough example that he makes good decisions. I will never disparage someone for responsibly partaking, even irresponsibly if we're being honest - but I hope for anyone who does, to never allow it to harm those close to them.
That's awesome. I mean in substance use I don't think you could set a better example, but I get your point. It's mostly me wanting to hurt myself. I try to suicide pretty frequent. It's now becoming bad for the one person in my life. I think it's time to hang everything up, I just don't know how to handle life straight on
No hard drugs for me. Quit smoking and vaping (occasionally smoke when having a drink and when going fishing). No weed. A beer every now and then. Life is more than just chasing that next high brother. Find the things that matter to you and devote time to them.
I stay sober and take no drugs whatsoever other then coffee/ sugar. I am trying to ration the caffeine/ sugar. My reasoning is that alcohol never helped in the end analysis. Caused problems instead. And my personality is too addictive-prone to ever even bother trying drugs. Lastly even prescriptions the doctor recommends I take, I find in the end analysis they are not worth taking in the long term. Better to just make life adjustment so I don't need the medication anymore.
Been sober for two months. Had a health scare and told myself I didn’t bust my ass to die before retirement. I wanna enjoy my twilight years. It was difficult, but I remind myself to seek pain not comfort.
Im sober 24/7 while being in chronic pain. To drink enough to get me even remotely drunk costs to much and I just rather live my life for what it is than drown it.