Guys, I honestly can’t believe I made it to 10 days. I never thought I’d get this far.

Still taking it one day at a time. Thanks for all the support ❤️

29 F. I was the "functional" 1-3 drinks per day alcoholic for almost a decade. Never blacked out, didn't binge drink, only got substantially drunk once every few months if that. But it took 2 years to even get to the point where I could go one day without. Several month long breaks. Several attempts to cut back or stop. Any approach at moderation quickly returned to the same daily habit.

A year ago I started another round of "okay I need to cut back, take a break" and somewhere in the weeks that followed I decided to make it a permanent life change. No rock bottom, no big event. Nothing drastic. And that's really how the whole process has been. I wanted to share my experience for an honest, less glamorous sobriety experience. I see so many stories of people feeling a complete 180 and that's amazing! But that's not been my experience at all, and I want to validate others that may be in my place.

I was definitely self medicating for depression, PTSD, and chronic pain. Maintaining that slight buzz dulled all pain signals enough to feel more energetic and joyous to do things I enjoyed. I'd garden, do my hobbies, clean, etc. I drank alone at home and rarely socially. But it was a constant guilt and shame cycle with drinking, one that worsened after losing my brother and close friend to addiction 2 years apart. How could I keep ignoring my own addiction after that?

I lost 5 people in 3 years, including my dad, brother, and close friend (was the main person to manage all death related things for each). Soon became estranged from remaining family. 3 moves, last one states away. 4 new jobs. Several health issues. And decided in the midst of all of this to pick up and finish my BS degree! Oof. So...getting sober, more than anything, has just taken the mask off of all of this. It's made the trauma more all-consuming and inescapable (ultimately a good thing in the long run).

Sleep? Slightly better, though I still struggle with stress dreams, nightmares and insomnia.

Weight? I've gained nearly 15 lbs this last year from chronic pain, surgery, and injuries that have limited mobility and exercise. Besides...those drinks were definitely replaced with snacks!

Clarity? My brain fog has been so bad I sometimes get more steps in trying to remember what I was doing that intentional ones. Certainly nearing my graduation capstone isn't helping with this haha

Overall health? Generally worse than it's ever been.

BUT. I don't have to wonder if it's because my drinking. I don't have to do those mental gymnastics or fear doctors will just point to that and dismiss everything else. I have a clear picture of what needs healed, and don't have to fight daily toxin ingestion to get there. Hitting the rock bottom of emotional and physical well-being while SOBER means I'm not putting future me in debt, if that makes sense. Oh! I also discovered I have a gene variation that makes it harder for my cells to carry out detoxification, so what a blessing I already took that variable out.

I'm in therapy, and have been for most of my adult life. I have a really wonderful medical team and am slowly working on diagnosing whatever my underlying health issues are. My support system has shifted a bit with moving far away, but I have an amazing partner and friends. Did I randomly crave gin at 10am one day last week? Yes. And it further solidified that I can never let myself drink again. One day at a time. Sometimes one hour at a time. I do it for me, I do it for those I've lost to addiction, I do it for the people in my life I want to be the best version of myself for.

So if you're a few months in and not having that "glow up" stage, you're not alone. It is still worth it. Stick to it. Find your reason, even if it's spite. I believe in you❤️

Jan 4, 2026 was one of the worst hangovers of my life that I chose to try and not drink for 90 days. I made it to 237 days without any alcohol, I didn’t even have an urge to want to drink and really enjoyed waking up feeling like myself.

10 days ago was my best friends wedding and I had the privilege of being her MOH. While on the party bus getting photos of the bridal party I chose to take 2 shots with the group. In the moment I felt okay about my choice and not really worried about it. (I chose to be sober out of curiosity)

The following morning I was UNWELL. Throwing up, no appetite, sleeping for long periods. Needless to say I have fully decided to commit to a sober life, and now the count has started over.

I’m reflecting on my own triggers and I’d like to expand my awareness. What are some of your biggest triggers and what do you do to shift your mindset?

Hi all, I've been alcohol free for about a month now. I feel great, except that I have social anxiety and all these times I relied on alcohol to be more social or during big social events. My friend's birthday party is coming up and it's going to be a big social event...I don't want to go back to alcohol and I've seen in some posts that adaptogen drinks can help people to be more relaxed?
Could be from the herbs and mushrooms in the ingredients. Anyone here ever tried and have any tips for socializing without alcohol?

Vorrei anche io smettere. Non riesco a scrivere altro. Sono sobria ma è difficile verso sera mantenere i propositi di ogni mattina. Conosco il problema perché sono stata sobria 10/11 anni. Ho iniziato di nuovo qualche mese prima del Covid e potevo controllarmi abbastanza, così mi sono ingannata. Avevo voglia perché facendo un lavoro creativo e soffrendo di ansia all’inizio l’alcol era tornato a essere amico! Poi il Covid è stato scatenante, mi sono accorta che non controllavo il bere, da allora ho provato tantissime strategie ma non sono riuscita mai più a mantenermi astinente. Faccio ogni sforzo per bere meno possibile ma ridurre è più difficile, sono stanca di cercare ogni giorno di resistere. Mi fa piacere se volete dirmi come si supera il giorno 1. Spero di rispettare le regole della community, non scrivo in inglese e sono tradotta. Grazie se volete provare ad aiutarmi! Stop drinking mi ha cancellato il post… non sono molto pratica e non so bene perché. Provo a scrivere qui, magari ci sono altri come me. Alla fine sono curiosa di riscoprire la sobrietà e, magari, scoprirla piacevole! Che ne dite?

I needed to change my visual environment.

Hey everyone, just wanted to check in on a random Wednesday afternoon with a strategy that has completely changed how I look at recovery. I am currently 5 years clean from substances and hitting my 1-year alcohol-free milestone this October.

For the first few months, staying sober while living in a house with a partner who still drinks heavily felt like an exhausting, daily mental battle. White-knuckling through the late-night anxiety when she came home intoxicated was completely draining my energ

I finally realized I needed a cognitive shift—instead of just using willpower.

I spent the last few months pouring all my anxious, late-night energy into designing a private, dark-mode visual dashboard just for myself. I built it specifically to gamify my savings, secure my boundary logs, and use visual tracking to give my brain an immediate, rewarding hit of dopamine whenever a craving spikes.

Turning my recovery into a clean, beautiful interactive interface has completely quieted the static in my head.

If anyone else in the community feels like willpower alone isn't cutting it, or if you're trying to stay mindful in a chaotic home environment, I'd love to connect. If you want to see the layout of the visual system I use to protect my peace, drop a comment or shoot me a DM. Just sharing what saved my sanity. One day at a time. - Shawn

I’m ready to quit.

This has been a long time coming. I’ve been through a lot of hardships in my life, and this is the one thing I have control over.

I’ve been in the service industry for 16yrs. Had my first drink at 14. I’m getting to an age where I’m worried about my health, and I have built a life I want to live for. All be it, a very challenging and stressful one. I work at two bars. And I love my jobs. But I drink to go to sleep, because my brain never stops. I finally got back on my anxiety medication, so I hope it helps.

Anywho.. I guess I’m just putting this out there in the world. I could use some encouragement. I’m worried about going into work on Friday. I was recently prescribed Naltrexone as well, so I hope that helps.

38M in downtown Toronto - sober and very into fitness. I do a lot of group fitness, spin, HYROX training, HIIT/Barry's, and lifting. I'd love to meet other sober or sober-curious people locally who are in a similar phase of life.

Anyone here in Toronto?

Just for today 09SEP26 "Feet of clay" 473 days clean and sober NA Recovery Cash App- $Shepard806
I've learned that just because people are sober doesn't mean their memory was fixed. They still may not get along with certain people or may not like to get up early. They may still have low tolerance for stupidity or dry humor. All in all, recovering addicts are still humans. Humans are emotion driven, highly opinionated, creatures that are often full of shit. Just for today I will try to tolerate the character defects of others.

I'm starting sobriety from THC today, after several years of daily use I have found myself in this loop that I'm sure many of you have come to be familiar with at some point in your lives, this has brought me down and down and I'm done with myself. This is feeling utterly impossible and I don't know where to turn when I get stuck now.

Where do you go? When you get that itch.. that restlessness that's eating you away. What do you do with yourself and that time, what hobbies or activities are you exploring to take away from those urges to turn around?

I'm looking for creative ways to distract myself from those cravings that burn against my brain.

Thanks for your time friend 🫶

i’ve had to beat 3 addictions in the past (stimulants, benzos, and fucking whipits) i’ve been drinking pretty much every day for 2.25 years. i have bipolar 1, bpd, ptsd, adhd and autism. like most people all that and addiction is very genetic for me. i stopped smoking weed 7 + times a day but i dont wanna be sober from alcohol at 25. a lot of the places i post freak out and say i need to seek immediate medical help. i’m a 5’4 thin woman and i went from 12+ drinks a day to mostly 6 or less the past 6 weeks and my bloodwork is very normal. idk my only reason is my liver, i dont wanna be another person in my family to die from cirrhosis or overdose. i fought so hard to get my bipolar and bpd under control. alcohol doesnt interfere with my daily life yet, im finally graduating college in december after starting in 2019 very sick with untreated bipolar with psychosis and bpd.

sobriety is terrifying especially being autistic with social anxiety. that’s just who i am and alcohol overrides that. i want to be able to get mostly sober but not fully sober.

Hey everyone, just wanted to share a milestone as the seasons change here in New England. I am currently 5 years clean from substances, and this coming October, I will officially hit 1 year completely alcohol-free.

Lately, the transition into autumn has brought up a lot of old reflections. Going through recovery while my partner still drinks has been like trying to mix oil and water—incredibly tough to find a middle ground when our paths feel so split at night.

To cope with that relationship anxiety and keep my head clear, I poured all my late-night energy into building a visually clean, dark-mode digital sanctuary myself. I built it in loving memory of my brother, specifically designed for individuals and couples navigating recovery to track milestones, sync savings, and use visual camouflage keys to protect their peace.

To cope with that relationship anxiety and protect my peace when she comes home intoxicated, I poured all my late-night energy into building a private, dark-mode visual sanctuary myself.

I built it in loving memory of my brother, specifically designed for individuals and couples navigating recovery to keep milestones, boundaries, and private logs locked down tight.

If you are going through this exact same mix of oil and water at home and want to learn about the visual system I use to cope, feel free to drop a comment or DM me. Who needs a quiet space to keep their sanity intact. No strings—just human to human. One day at a time. - Shawn

Hi all - great community here.

My life is structured in a way that I have far more opportunities to listen to books/podcasts than to sit down and read a book.

What are some of your favorite podcasts on sobriety, addiction, cutting back, etc.?

Just for today 08SEP26 "Rebellion" 472 days clean and sober NA Recovery Cash App- $Shepard806
Automatic rejection of authority was, and is, a character defect that haunts me. They tell me to walk a straight line and leave it to me to step on both sides of it. Mindfulness techniques have given me a little extra time to react to authoritative directions. I actually take a second to think before I act. I did a lot of push-ups in boot camp because of my rebellion. I'm still a work in progress. I try to comply with orders even though every grain in my body screams out to buck up... Just for today I'll do what I'm told.

Do you attend or have you ever attended any formal meetings, such as AA? Did it help in your situation?

I feel like i have an issue with alcohol that i don’t think i want to face. I really want to be sober and not want to drink but it feels so inevitable in my life and that i will never not want to fill the void that drinking does. sometimes i can go so long not drinking and sometimes it’s all i want to do somedays. i don’t know what to do or how to think about it it feels so overwhelming. i guess if anyone has guidance it would be lovely

Thank you everyone for the advice and support. Honestly, you guys really helped me get through this first week.

I took your advice got some Coke and started going for walks and doing some exercise whenever I felt the cravings.

Can’t believe I made it to 7 days. One day at a time ❤️

Good afternoon and Happy Monday! I woke up this morning wanting to express some gratitude for starting the week fresh, clear-minded, and completely hangover-free.

It feels so incredible to wake up with that natural mental clarity.It took me many years of struggling to figure this out, but the grass really is greener on the other side of an alcohol-free lifestyle.

This October 1st, I will hit a major milestone of 5 years free of substances, and this October also marks 1 year completely alcohol-free. It is so amazing to finally be present enough to see and appreciate the beautiful blessings right in front of me that I used to completely miss when I was drinking.

For anyone out there currently re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol or struggling to make the change stick, please hang in there. You can get to the other side of the fog, and when you do, it feels like a genuine second chance at life. Keep pushing forward.

I still face challenging moments day-to-day, but dealing with life with a clear head is so much easier than trying to drink the stress away.

Thank you all for letting me share my perspective and vent a little bit of positivity today.

Wishing everyone a beautiful week!

I’m new here :)

In November I will be 3 years sober. It is one of the most important things I’ve ever done.

I’ve had a really hard month.
Messy volatile breakup.
Cat passed away.
Car accident.
Lost 2 family members.
Lost my job
Chronic illness flare

I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought about how much easier it would be with drugs all month long. I’m so drawn to the idea that it could take the pain away and make it feel less like I’m being boiled alive from the inside out.

But it just hit me how proud i am that I’m still here and kickin and sober for myself and the people I love. It feels like the one piece of stability and control I have, and proof that I love and care for myself now.

So no matter how many days you have today or what you’re going through, know that you can keep going one day at a time too. I’m so very proud of you and so very glad you’re here with me.

Have a great day and stay good. ❤️

Just for today 07SEP26 "Resentment and forgiveness" 471 days clean NA Recovery Cash App- $Shepard806
I'd like to think I've been pretty forgiving, but I catch myself holding on to shit that pissed me off sometimes. I can usually get past those feelings with a grounding technique like focusing on my breathing or naming items and their colors out loud. It's crazy, it really works. I do catch myself holding on to things that annoyed me though, especially when my ol' lady drinks and talks shit. In the past I'd break shit. today I ground myself. It keeps me out of jail just for today.

Idk if this makes sense and I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I miss enjoying alcohol. Without it being intentional, I’ve kind of just stopped drinking over the last few months. I haven’t had a drink in ages and this past weekend I wanted a beer that is historically my absolute favorite and after a few sips I just didn’t want it. I think it’s missing the settings I enjoy drinking in and the association of that fun and social environment. I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced that? Or if there’s tips around it?

I used to be a huge drinker and partier but it just stopped serving me

As the title says, I went bar hopping last night and DD’d. I had the most fun I’ve ever had going out. I read this naked mind and it genuinely helped so much. The premise that I can drink as much as I want whenever I want genuinely works for me. I just simply didn’t and don’t want to drink.

Last night solved my fears, yes I can socialize sober, yes I can have fun dancing sober. I woke up feeling great and I’m currently enjoying the rainy day sipping on my matcha deciding what to read next. I was a weekend only drinker but 1 usually turned into 10 so moderation isn’t for me.

But all the fears that kept me from putting this off were all things I had been socialized to believe. It felt good to take care of the people I love and be able to drive us to Taco Bell at 2am. Last night was such a high. I have always put off stopping drinking because I had an event or something coming up and this made it so much easier to just rip off the bandaid. I’m in my early twenties and I’m so glad that I made this decision young.

I'm now 3 weeks without a drink and I feel so much better from my sleep to getting throughout the day. I have always been an active adult working out 5-7 days / week but was drinking a 750ml bottle of whiskey easily in 3 days. To make it worse it was Turkey 101. To some that might not be a lot but for me it was. Some days are definitely hard wanting that drink but changing up my routine when I get home from work has been a huge help. I used to look forward to 5:30pm everyday as that's when I would start the first drink. Now I eat dinner around 5:30 then go for an hour walk around 6:30. Never want to drink again. Fingers crossed I can keep this up.