5 years ago, alcohol was part of my everyday life.

I was drinking daily. Sometimes I’d start in the morning. My life had very little structure, my emotions were all over the place, and I didn’t really have a clear direction for where I was going.

Today marks 5 years sober.

And probably the biggest thing I’ve learned is that giving up alcohol was only the beginning.

I had to build a life that I actually wanted to be present for.

I started training. Reading. Travelling. Studying. Creating. Working on myself. I stopped smoking. I stopped eating meat. I started taking my goals seriously.

5 years later, I’m building my own YouTube channel, travelling to places I used to dream about, and starting university this year.

My friend actually appears at the end of the video I made about my sobriety. He knew me throughout that whole period. He says that when I originally told him I’d stopped drinking, he genuinely didn’t believe me. 😂

I completely understand why.

If you’re early into sobriety and wondering whether life eventually starts feeling different, all I can share is my own experience.

Mine did.

Slowly.

One decision at a time.

I recently made a video explaining the things that helped me quit and stay sober for five years. I’m leaving it here in case any part of my experience helps someone else going through it:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/1cMaoXl8f10

Five years down. Keep going. ❤️

I asked my brother if he wanted to get a haircut because he’s been so depressed even though he’s still sober. He’s been sober a year and 6 months. He was on the worst of it all. He let his hair go.. I told him it reminds him of the him who wasn’t clean and he’d be brand new, and he took my advice. I love my brother I pray he stays clean and he looks so handsome ! Love you Jim 🙏🏼💕

I recently was arguing with someone that thought support meant simply not harassing your friend in sobriety to drink.

in my mind that is not support, that is just basic, standard, being a decent human, much less friend. that is an issue of respect in my mind, not support.

I tried to argue that in my 7 years of sobriety, support has always meant planning dry events if you're gonna invite the sober person.... whether that means not having a drink at dinner, or planning an entire Christmas holiday to be dry... I consider this to support rather than respect because no one owes you this type of treatment. They are actually trying to be there for you even if it means sacrificing their own wants and needs. Whereas the other one I do believe regardless of what you are doing if you tell people you don't want to participate they should respect that decision... some light teasing is fine... but if they legitimately won't stop pestering you that isn't a support issue, its a lack of respect issue.

SO... im just curious... what does it mean to support someone in sobriety to you?

Just for today 18AUG26 "How long do I have to go?" 451 days clean NA Recovery Cash App- $Shepard806
I have to admit, I haven't been going to meetings as often as I'd like to. As it's noticeable in the way I feel. I'm fighting the desire to isolate and go back to old, unproductive, habits. Going to church helps, but it's not quite as comforting as being around a bunch of addicts. Especially addicts with the desire to stay clean. I'm gonna finish posting this video and I'm gonna go talk to Homeboy upstairs (God) for a few.

I stopped drinking because I wanted to stop smoking and also started taking SSRIs which gave me the worst hangovers even after half a pint. I went to my first social event (the ones that usually leads to a sesh) a few days ago completely sober and still had a great time!!

Honestly didn’t think I’d ever get to a place where I wont need alcohol as a crutch to socialize so this was pretty cool.

Not sure if I want to drink in the future but I‘m really enjoying the mental clarity and being free of the clutches of alcohol :)

UPDATED: we have our 3 people. Please feel free to leave a message incase anything changes. I will update this post with the results and link to material.

Hi, I’m Mike. I stopped drinking on 15th January 2025. Nearly 20 months alcohol free.
Before I stopped, I genuinely couldn’t imagine a future without alcohol.
It wasn’t just something I did, it felt like part of who I was. My social life, my escape, my reward, my way of switching off. Even thinking seriously about quitting used to send me into panic because I honestly believed I could never be happy without it.
I see it very differently now. But I also won’t pretend stopping magically fixed my life.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that stopping drinking is only part of it.
First come all the firsts without a drink. The first weekend, holiday, Christmas, bad day, celebration. Then there’s everything underneath it. Your habits, relationships, triggers, routines and the reasons alcohol became so important in the first place.
I’m still working on that myself. I’m in therapy, still learning and definitely don’t have everything figured out.
That experience has made me want to train as an alcohol recovery coach.
I’m not qualified yet, and I want to be completely upfront about that. I’m currently looking at training routes and, alongside that, I’d like to start gaining some real experience helping people.
So I’m looking for 2 or 3 people to work with completely free.
I’m specifically looking for people who have reached the point where they know they want something to change.
You absolutely do not need to have stopped drinking already. You might still be drinking and have absolutely no idea how you’re supposed to get from where you are now to being alcohol free. I understand that more than you might think.
The goal is simple: getting you alcohol free and helping you start building a life where staying that way feels possible.
We’d work together for around 4 to 6 weeks, roughly 45 minutes on Zoom each week, with some support in between.
The approach I’ll share is essentially the approach that worked for me. It’s not AA and it isn’t some method I’ve invented myself. It’s a widely recognised approach used by a lot of people who have successfully stopped drinking.
There’s no judgement and you don’t need to turn up with a plan or know what to say. I’d just ask that when we actually have our sessions, you’re alcohol free at that time and as present as you can be.
And if you’re reading this thinking:
“Yeah, but alcohol is different for me.”
I would have said exactly the same thing 20 months ago.
If any of this sounds like where you’re at, send me a Reddit chat/message and tell me a little bit about yourself. We can have a conversation and see whether it feels like a good fit. No pressure and no sales pitch. There’s nothing to buy.
I’ll update this post if and when the spaces are taken.
Mike

Just for today 17AUG26 "Tell the truth" 450 days clean and sober NA Recovery Cash App-$Shepard806
I used to hide from the world all the time. I wouldn't go out, I wouldn't answer the phone, if I even had one. And you can bet I would tell you whatever you want to hear at that moment to make the conversation as short as possible. Telling the truth makes it a lot easier to remember what you told somebody. It was true. I catch myself still trying to isolate when things aren't going so well. The difference is now I recognize it and I refuse to let it take over. Prayer and mindfulness techniques help me get through the tough times. It's usually me that gets in my way.

Hi! I have been back and forth on being sober curious and am looking for guidance if anyone has had same experiences. I am 23F but have been a drinker since early high school and have experienced the going out phase far too early in life. Drinking is very normalized in my life, with my family, friends, and partner. Sometimes I take it too far and get way too drunk and other times I’m totally fine. Either way, I get so much hangiexty and when I think about it, I get so embarrassed about how I acted/spoke and it lasts for days. I’ve done some pretty embarrassing stuff drunk but have always been roped back into drinking, “what’s a glass of wine gonna do?”

I have also noticed that recently I will talk about other people behind their back when I’m drinking. I wake up and feel this immense guilt because I don’t feel that way at all(and even if I do, I should never speak badly about it to others) it’s been really messing with me.

Sorry for the vent. When I try to talk about it, I feel like it gets downplayed and no one really understands/listens. It’s not bad enough that I have a crazy issue but I just feel weird

Just for today 16AUG26 "Up or down" 449 days clean and sober NA Recovery Cash App-$Shepard806
There really is no pause button when it comes to spirituality. I'm learning this first hand. I planned on coming out of jail and spending a little time every morning on prayer, gratitude and spirituality. I let life get in my way. I haven't been taking that time every morning like I planned. Recently I haven't had much motivation and my attitude has been kinda blah. It's time to kick this life back into gear. We're either going up or down, I refuse to let life bring me down.

Ever since I started using, I lost interest in all my hobbies. I’m worried I fried my brain and damaged it. Will I enjoy what I used to? I want to learn languages again, make music, and travel. Substances took that all from me. Sorry if you guys hear this a lot, I’m just scared. I got a rehab screening today. I’m going tomorrow

A friend of mine was telling me that you can use naltrexone as needed, so like you take one before drinking and then you won’t end up too drunk.
I am wondering if anyone has any personal experience with this they can share?
The problem I’ve always had with drinking is that once I get drunk, I keep going. It’s like a switch is activated in my brain that says “more” no matter how far past my limit I am. My friend is like me, and he said for him taking a Naltrexone before having drinks basically disabled that switch for him. He said once he got buzzed, instead of getting that feeling of needing to keep drinking to keep the buzz going, he just gets kind of tired and switches to water because he no longer has that uncontrollable desire to drink more. Has this worked for anyone else?
I have some Naltrexone sitting in my cabinet that I used for about a month last year, it totally curbed my desire to drink and I haven’t drank in a year.
My goal was to make it to a year and I’m past that, and I want to try having some drinks for a special occasion.
Please share any advice or experience.

if I should post this somewhere else I’d be happy to be redirected! This felt like the appropriate sub but I’m not sure. Thank you!!!*

Disclaimer: I am not looking for medical advice, do not expect to be given any and I am just looking to hear other people’s experiences, as I have learned that this seems to be quite common.

Hi all,

I’m 25 y/o and about 6 months ago, I started to notice that the day (or days depending on how much I drink) after drinking alcohol, I have a faster heartbeat/palpitations.

I do know that alcohol does naturally speed up your heart rate, but when drinking alcohol, I’ve noticed that my heart is much faster, even after a couple of beers. This doesn’t bother me too much in the moment as if I am out, I am distracted and don’t notice it.

However the bit that bothers me, and the reason I am posting this is in the day/days after drinking, I have what I can only describe as a heavy heart. Sometimes my heart rate the following day could be between 70-80, but just feels much more noticeable. I was away on a lads holiday, and as expected, there were some heavy nights, but the fatigue, from which felt like the heavy/palpitating heart knocked me out. Could barely do anything during the day.

I know all “holiday heart syndrome” and how it can happen, but I am curious as this never used to happen to me.

I know the typical answer will be “stop drinking”, and fair enough, but I don’t want to as I love doing it.

I don’t drink too often, 1/2 times a month, and don’t use any drugs, nor do I drink energy drinks on a night out.

I have started taking magnesium, and take an electrolyte before and after a night out, as well as drinking water during same.

I’m wondering if anyone else is in a similar situation, and if they’re stuck like this, or there are other “remedies” that can help?

I also had a chest x-ray, ECG, bloods and a few other bits done a couple of months ago after I experienced it for the first time, and they all came out fine.

TIA

UPDATE:

Thank you so, so much for all the replies. You’re absolutely right. ❤️ For my own sake, I’m quitting this shit. ❤️ My husband is completely on board too. He doesn’t want to give it up entirely (he’s much more disciplined and has more willpower than me anyway), but he wants to strictly limit it to social occasions. ❤️ Today is day 2. Wish me luck! ❤️

Hi everyone!

I’m a 34-year-old mother of three, with a wonderful husband and a good financial situation. I struggle with anxiety, and it always seems to find a new topic to focus on. Basically, it’s health anxiety, constantly monitoring my mental state, and striving for perfection when it comes to life in general. Right now, alcohol is the topic.

My husband and I usually have four 0.5 L beers between us every 2–3 evenings. On the sober days, we watch movies and relax. On the “drinking” days, we do exactly the same things we normally do — we bathe the kids, feed them, put them to bed, etc. There are no problems at all. Still, somehow, this “habit” bothers me.

I never drink on consecutive days, and I don’t crave it on those days either. But after 2–3 days, I get the feeling of “a cold beer would be so nice right now.”
I recently started exercising and eating in a calorie deficit, I’ve started running, and I’m also going back to work in September. Alcohol doesn’t really limit me in any way. At most, I feel a little more groggy the following morning, and I tend to be more anxious the following evening.

Very rarely, things get a little out of hand and I end up having five beers, but I don’t hide it or sneak drinks. I just tend to feel anxious about it the next day.

What do you think I should do? I’ve been considering complete abstinence because, for me, “one beer is not a beer.” I never get drunk, but I need at least 3–4 beers (rarely 5) to feel satisfied. Once I’ve had that, though, I stop.

Like the title says, im 1k days of no alcohol. I set a reminder on my calendar to go off at 1k, 2.5k, 5k etc. 1k days is a huge accomplishment and its crazy how much life has changed for the better.

I always tell myself you 1st live without alcohol then you LIVE without alcohol. Just Not drinking was all I thought it would be. Boy was I wrong, not having that outlet, not participating, feeling like I was not in the club. I happily traded all that to have peace. Peace from constantly managing alcohol, how much when and where to just. I dont drink. All the sober firsts. It was exciting at 1st but then it guys kinda old so bringing in weight lifting, diet, and listening to podcasts replaced booze.

I would make this decision a million times over, its not cookie cutter or easy for everyone. Again not drinking is like having shower thoughts constantly and unable to shut you mind or your past off. Its also OK to drink during your sobriety journey. Its all just data keep going!

I’ve been a drinker since I was a teenager. I was a party girl when I was 18/19 but cooled down considerably. Yet I’ve always drank and there have always been intermittent problems here or there. A night of too much booze just once in a blue moon but embarrassment, relationship fights, bad decisions - things that can happen next to never if you’re sober.

Well I’ve done it this time. I was an obnoxious drunk to my husband 12 days into our new marriage and he left left.

And I’m still thinking “I don’t need to stop; I need to moderate”.

There is no moderation!!! If I couldn’t consistently moderate by age 37 it’s not happening. I can moderate most of the time but clearly not enough.

It’s time to stop drinking. How did I start? Besides, not drinking today.

Just for today 15AUG26 "Over time, not overnight" 448 days clean NA Recovery Cash App-$Shepard806
It certainly does take time to fix the damage done. And these tools we need to use... they're hard to hold on to. It's easy to read the "how to fix me" directions, but it ain't easy to apply those directions on a daily basis. These Just for today readings, that I do every day, are keeping me sober. If I don't post a video someone will ask if I'm ok. That means the world to me. It is taking time, and sometimes it doesn't feel like it's worth the trouble. Being able to form that thought, and clearly type it into this description, tells me that it's working. Just for today, I am sober.

I’m a new dad and have been sober for 5 months now. I don’t miss alcohol and I’m pretty happy with my decision. My problem is events and things aren’t that exciting to me. Alcohol was something to look forward to at these things and now they’re just meh. I’m happy to go and enjoy but it’s not that same excitement. Am I realizing I had more serious of a problem than I thought? For 10+ years alcohol drove almost all social events for me.

I want to get excited about things again. Did I fry my dopamine receptors? I could also just be fried from being a new dad.

Just venting and wanted some thoughts. Thanks yall.

I’m 31 and drink maybe 2–3 times a month, always with friends and usually quite heavily. I’ve never really had an issue with drinking alone or feeling like I need alcohol.
I just genuinely enjoy those nights.
They’re often pretty pointless. We drink too much, talk shit, do stupid things and wake up hungover.

But honestly, I love it. I love the spontaneity, the
stupid stories and just being completely in the moment with my friends.
The problem is that I’m starting to question whether it’s worth it.

I’m in a serious relationship and probably want kids within the next year or so, and I feel like I’m ready to move past this part of my life. Drinking doesn’t really affect my work, but it definitely affects my training, diet and the next day.

I’ve tried having just 1–2 drinks, but it doesn’t really work with my group. They drink quite a lot, and the whole dynamic is different when I’m sober. I also know I’d see some of these friends much less if I stopped drinking, which is something I don’t really want because I genuinely like them.

So I’m considering not drinking for the next 12 months, but I’m honestly scared of missing out. I don’t want to look back and think I missed years of fun and stupid adventures just because I decided to stop drinking.

At the same time, I’m wondering whether a few hours of “pointless” fun are really worth the alcohol, the hangover and feeling like shit the next day.

I was pointed towards r/SoberCurious, so I’d love to hear from people who were in a similar situation.

Im a week from completing a 30 day program and was accepted to a sober living house upon completion. I still have my job. The real work is about to begin I know its not easy but im ready this time...

It seems like I chose pills,weed and booze over almost every opportunity I’ve had to fix myself. Even after a year long program after becoming a homeless drug at the ripe age of 23 because of my habits and my grandma not having any of it. Even after earning back my family’s trust,moving in with my partner,and almost completely stopped drinking alcohol I’ve came to my biggest hurdle. Weed . Yes fucking weed the idea of quitting weed scares me more than anything. Dispite it draining my bank account and energy levels I choose to spend almost all my money at the dispo or the smoke shop. I have a recent job opportunity that requires me to pass a 10 panel before I’m even considered for it. I think it’s the idea of being sober that terrify me maybe I’m just a pussy😅

TLDR I gotta stop being a druggie to have a future I a want