Does Life Get Any Easier While In Recovery

Many people that have had an addiction to alcohol/drugs and surrendered to their addiction ask themselves, "does life get any easier while in recovery?"

As for myself, I stopped drinking alcohol back in October of 2009.  Times were really tough, but I brought a lot of those bad times on my own with the addiction to alcohol I had.  I often wondered while I drank, "can life be better than this life I now lead being an alcoholic?"

To tell you the truth, yes it is so much better living a life of sobriety, but the problems I had back when I drank alcohol still exist.  Financial problems still are there, but the only difference is, now being sober, is that I can handle them much better than when I drank.

So many people in our world are struggling trying to just make ends meet, and living pay check to pay check.  I feel sorry for all those that have to live that sort of life.  I have always said, " if I had a choice of being financially set, or have my health, I would always choose my health, and that is exactly what I have.

I have no money even though I work full time and struggle each week trying to make ends meet just as millions of other people around the world do, but I have great health and that is so much more important than being financially secure.

Maybe one day my life and all those people that are struggling now will get a bit easier.  Recovery is a struggle each and everyday, not only for me, but all those struggling with me and trying to stay sober each and everyday.

One day at a time so they say, but when you and I struggle with life itself you tend to get that urge to drink to hopefully ease the pain of what you are going through,, but you and I know for a fact drinking alcohol will never ever solve a thing in life, in fact it will be worse than ever.

You and I just have to hang in there and live life one day at a time and never let your life's problems make you go back to that horrible life we once had while being addicted to alcohol or drugs.

Things will get better when we least expect it to happen.

Struggling With The Early Months Of Recovery

Back in October of 2009 I finally surrendered to the demons that ran my life. I was struggling with the early months of recovery, but knew I could never give in because, if I did, I felt it was only going to be harder to get to the point of surrendering again.

My mind was made up and I had to go through with it once and for all and not let anything or anyone stand in my way of my new life of sobriety.

In the very beginning I thought I was going to go nuts having no alcohol in my body.  As you may know when someone drinks alcohol everyday, year after year, it is very hard to just say goodbye to something that has been a huge part of the alcoholics life.

I started off changing my attitude in life and making it 100 percent positive, instead of being that negative person, continuing to say why me?  Why doesn't anything ever go right for me?

I had to get out of this horrible addiction to alcohol and start to live a normal life, and to have my family get back to normal as well, considering they all put up with my drinking for many years.

The first day of my sobriety was pure hell.  I had no idea what to do with myself, and to be perfectly honest, I didn't even know if I could get through these early days of recovery.  I was told by many of my friends that have been sober for some time that the beginning would be tough, but everyday that goes by would get easier.

The first day, and the weeks thereafter, I prayed for night time to come fast so that I could get in bed and fall a sleep.  I knew at least if I was sleeping I would be safe from the urges and temptation to drink alcohol.

My friends told me it would get easier, and they were right.  As long as I didn't cheat and sneak a drink, and stayed strong willed to make this sobriety in my life happen, I would make it through the toughest part of the early months of recovery.

For anyone that has an addiction to alcohol, I suggest you really should think about giving your addiction up and start a fresh life of sobriety.  I never thought I would be able to do it, and I did, and so can you!

If you have the willpower, the determination, and the willingness to change your life, sobriety will happen, and that goes for anything in life.

It has been over 5 years that I have been clean and sober and I praise myself each and everyday for being able to beat my demons once and for all.

Now I can go to bars, restaurants that serve alcohol, weddings, parties and really anywhere that alcohol is being served and it doesn't bother me one bit.

Just a short note,, I heard just today, which I never knew, that being an alcoholic cuts your life short by 26 years!!  Is drinking that poison really worth losing 26 years off your life?

Think about that.... and it just may change your mind, your families life, and save your own life as well.

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The Beauty Of Life Without Being Addicted To Alcohol

Do You Have a Beautiful Life?

Life is so precious to all of us living here on earth. The problem is with many of us is that we just don't appreciate life in general. Many people turn to alcohol and drugs thinking that life would be wonderful being drunk or high.

We get into these addictions thinking, wow life is so great. Life seems so beautiful through the eyes of a drunk or a addict. They think things are brighter and better being drunk or high. They don't know that the beauty of life without being addicted to alcohol or drugs is a million times brighter and better than being addicted.

Many people think that being sober is a dull life, and how in the world can you have any fun in life being sober? I must say, that one point in my life I thought the same thing. I always wondered and looked at people that didn't drink alcohol and thought, "man their life must be dull and I am sure they don't have any fun being sober everyday of their life." Boy was I ever wrong thinking that. When I changed my life around and became clean and sober, I looked back at those words spoken so often and then said, "how can anyone enjoy this life we were given being drunk or high?"

How Things Changed

How things change in life and the thoughts of how life would be being drunk verses a clean and sober life.

Ask yourself sometime, are you living a quality life, and are you happy with your life or is there something you would like to change to make you life better.

If you are not content with the way your one and only life is, then how about doing something to change it. If you are one of those that has an addiction to drugs or alcohol stand your grounds and get sober. You will see how beautiful life is through the eyes of a sober person just as I did two years ago.

I have to tell you, surrendering to my addiction to alcohol was the best thing I could have ever done in my entire life and I truly mean that.

My life is so much calmer and things now go so much smoother then when I drank. I thought when I drank things went well, but that was the alcohol talking and not my mind. My life was a total mess thanks to my alcohol demons.

As I said in many hubs, you are the only one that can make your own life better. Your life is in your own hands and if you are not happy with the way you life is, then I would strongly suggest you make a move to change it, as I did.

I have no regrets of leaving my addiction to alcohol behind. Life is now beautiful and I can see the future being bigger and brighter.

Miracles do happen to those who believe in them.

What Is Stopping You From Achieving Sobriety ?

Too many people that are addicted to alcohol want a better life, but really have no idea where to start, or may be afraid of becoming clean and sober.  What is stopping you from achieving sobriety?  Do you have any idea what the problem may be, or are you living in denial and just don't want to admit you have a drinking problem?

If you are one of those people that are living in denial, you had better take a good hard look at your life and the lives surrounding you that love and care for you.

You are not only hurting your self by living in denial, but you are destroying other lives on the way to your self-destruction.  As you look into the eyes of your spouse, your children or even your parents, think to yourself what you love more.  A bottle of liquid that will sooner or later kill you, or the people looking in your eyes that love and care so much for you and want the best for you.  They want you to live a long and healthy life, in which you will not if you don't get out of the denial you are living in and get sobriety back into your life again.

So the huge question to you is, "what is stopping you from changing your life and achieving long term sobriety?"

• Is it that you are simply afraid of change?
• Is that you are afraid of what your drinking buddies will think of you if you stopped drinking alcohol?
• Are you afraid of how your body will react with the abstinence of alcohol?
• Are you in so much denial that you think you have no drinking problem whatsoever?
• Do you think you will be bored without drinking alcohol everyday?
• Do you think you would not be able to get along in life without your crutch?

So do any of the above ring a bell to you at all?  I bet they do as they did for me when I wanted to finally surrender to my addiction to alcohol back in October 2009.

I never thought in a million years I would be able to stop drinking alcohol, but I sure fooled myself, and the reason I was able to beat my addiction to alcohol was that I had a positive attitude and keep telling myself that I would conquer this addiction I had once and for all, and make sobriety a part of my life once again.

***You can do the same thing if you have it in your heart and soul, and have the willingness, desire and the determination to change you life and get clean and sober.***

Believe me, sure it was a hard road in the beginning, but as time passed by, each day got easier and easier to be able live without alcohol in my life and it will be the same for you.  Try sobriety, you might just love it as I have the last three years and going strong.

• Believe in yourself.
• Love yourself enough to make a change in your life, and in the lives of those that love and care about you.
• Be proud of your accomplishment.
• Don't be embarrassed of your addiction.
• Ask for the help you need in order to get clean and sober and have long term sobriety in your life.
• If you feel as if you can not get sober by yourself then get the Professional help you need to make sobriety happen.
• Keep a Positive Attitude at all times.
• Never stop believing in yourself.
• Don't let anyone or anything stop you from achieving your sobriety.
• If you wind up losing your drinking buddies, then so be it.
• Stay clear of all the places and people that may influence you about drinking alcohol.

Best of luck to all those that want to change their lives and get clean and sober.

Here are a few links of other sites I write on regarding my experiences with alcohol and way I have found that helped me get and stay sober.

• The Clean Life on HubPages
• The Clean Life Blog
• Living Life Sober
• Ezine Articles
• My Ebook
• 
  

Never Give Up Hope

Never give up hope refers to anything in life, especially if you are having a tough time in your life right now.  This also goes for trying to stop drinking alcohol as well.

I know how hard it is to stop drinking, because I went through this in October 2009 when I finally decided I had enough and I needed to get help, or simply stop drinking on my own.  I was fortunate that I could stop drinking on my own, but many people that are addicted to alcohol may just need some professional help so that they can detox in a safe and healthy manner.

I took a huge chance when I went cold turkey, and believe me I was afraid that something horrible would happen to me, but I never gave up on myself and never gave up hope, "meaning, can I get through these days, weeks and months with out relapsing?"

Each day that passed by and I woke up in the morning, I said to myself, "I made it one more day sober."  I was so proud of myself and all those that spoke of my addiction to alcohol felt just as proud of what I was doing to change my life and live that life clean and sober.

With that said, others that may not have an addiction to alcohol or any type of addiction at all, such as drugs, but may have other problems in their lives, such as financial problems, losing a job or having no job at all. Marriage problems sometimes can be associated with the last few things I mentioned above.

Whatever problem you have in your life, never give up hope and always think with a positive attitude, because thinking with a negative attitude will not help, and will not solve a thing.

For the people with that addiction to alcohol, having a positive attitude will indeed help you get and stay sober.  It did for me, but the first time I tried to get sober it didn't work for the fact that I simply wasn't ready to give up alcohol and change my life.

Getting out of denial was the hardest thing for me, because I thought I had NO problem at all with my drinking, although many people in my life thought different, and in the long run, they were the ones that were right, and I was dead wrong.

I guess the ticket here is, to have sobriety back into your life is just to admit that you are an alcoholic and need help.  Once you have admitted that, and got out of denial you have been living in for so long, you will have taken that first step towards having a new life, and living that life clean and sober.

Without having hope in life, I don't know what would make things better in your life and mine as well.  So please don't give up on anything in life including getting and staying sober.

I you have an addiction to alcohol, or know someone that does, here are a couple of great sites that may help you if you want to give up alcohol. and start living the life that you were put on this earth to live and that is a sober life.

Here is an Ebook I published regarding my addiction to alcohol.

Will Sobriety Make Me A Happier Person ?

When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, sobriety is the last thing on their mind because the addiction they have and live with over runs their body and minds.  They even often ask themselves, "will sobriety make me a happier person?" Since I got clean and sober over three years ago I couldn't be happier.

Believe it or not, finding sobriety will be the first day of the rest of your sober life, and anyone that wants a better life for them selves and their family should really consider getting clean and sober and try sobriety out.  You will never regret this huge life change, I am proof of it.

You will be surprised of how many good things come out of being sober.  Life is a beautiful thing and so many people abuse alcohol and drugs and miss out on some of the best years of their lives all because of an avoidable addiction.

Finding sobriety in ones life is really right in front of them.  The only problem is that many people with an addiction don't really care to be sober.  They are so used to being drunk or high and forget about what life is really about.

If you want to know ways to stop drinking alcohol there are so many websites that you can go to that will help you get on that road to recovery.  That is exactly what I did over three years ago.  You can read comments on those sites from people just like you that are struggling to get sober just as you are.

As far as being a happier person if you were sober that answer is yes, at least it is for myself.  You will feel so great about yourself and proud that you have beat the demons that have been running your life for so long.

Your family will also be so proud of the decision that you made to get clean and sober.  You will wake up each morning feeling great with no hangovers and ready to take on the day with a clear head, instead of feeling like crap the entire day until you get that first drink of the day. and that cycle will go on and on day after day if you continue to drink alcohol.

Don't let alcohol control your life and those that love and care for you anymore.  Take that first step towards sobriety and stop drinking alcohol and live the life you should be living, being happy and healthy.

Do You Think You Are An Alcoholic ?

So what do you think?  Do you think you are an alcoholic, or do you think you don't have any problem whatsoever regarding your alcohol intake?

What questions should you ask yourself regarding being an alcoholic or just a social drinker?

• Do you need to have alcohol in your system each and everyday of the week?
• Are you a miserable person if you don't have alcohol for just one day?
• Do you stay away from places you are invited to if they are not providing alcohol and make any excuse not to go?
• Do you feel like crap each and everyday you wake up?
• Do you live with a negative attitude?
• Have you lost your self esteem?
• Do you drink alone?
• Do you get nasty and say things you wouldn't normally say when you are drunk?
• Do you make excuses of why you are feeling bad, when you know for a fact you are hungover?
• Is alcohol the first on your mind when you wake up in the morning?
• Have you ever said to yourself that you wanted to stop drinking alcohol, but thought you wouldn't be able to?
• Are you afraid to stop drinking for the fear of getting sick?
• Are you afraid to stop drinking because of what your drinking buddies would think of you?
• Is alcohol getting in the way of your marriage and family?
• Can you see the difference in your family's reactions when you walk into a room?
• Do you notice people may stay distant from you when you are drinking?

Well, how do you think you did? Did you answer YES to any questions, and if so, you just may have a problem alcohol.  So own up to it as I did, and I might add, those questions when from my own experience with alcohol addiction.  I have been sober for over three (3) years and darn proud of it.

Yes, I lost lots of friends when I stopped drinking alcohol, but my family and my life were far more important than any drinking buddy.  I did it and so can you if you have the right frame of mind, a positive attitude and the strong will and desire to stop drinking alcohol forever.

Don't get me wrong.  I have nothing against drinking alcohol if it is done in a responsible way and not abuse it each and everyday of the year.

If you believe in yourself, and tell yourself you can and will get and stay sober, it will happen!

BELIEVE AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE !!

Tips On How I Stopped Drinking Alcohol

Here are some tips on how I stopped drinking alcohol and have been clean and sober for over 3 years now. 

First and foremost you need to want to get clean and sober and have to honest with yourself.  You can not cheat and say, "I will only drink on Holidays and weekends, like I did in the beginning of my partial sobriety.

If you know you have an addiction to alcohol and want to get sober, then it has to be all the way or nothing.  I thought that I could drink on weekends and Holidays, but it didn't work for too long.  The weekend drinking then went into one more day of the week and then no drinking for the rest of the week.  I was only kidding myself, but thought I was bringing peace to the household by not drinking alcohol for half of the week.

If you are like me and always needed alcohol in your life each and everyday of the week, then there is no happy medium for us.  There has to be a commitment to yourself that if you were to stop drinking alcohol, it has to be totally and not drink a couple days a week.  It didn't work for me and more than likely it will not work for you if you have an addiction to alcohol like I did.

So, the first thing you need to do is to want sobriety back into your life.  You need to change your outlook in life and stop feeling sorry for yourself and saying, "poor me, why is nothing going right in my life."  You need to change your attitude and make it a positive attitude and stop being so negative in your life.  Trust me, if you have a positive attitude and have a very strong desire to get sober and stay sober, than you have made a great decision and you will get sober with that attitude.

You can not think to yourself, Oh it will be too hard to get sober so why ever try to stop drinking alcohol.  That is one shitty attitude, and with that kind of attitude, you will continue to drink alcohol until the day you day from it.

Nothing great in life is easy, and that goes for getting and staying sober forever.  Everyday you will face alcohol somewhere in your day, but you must stay strong and not let the demons come back into your life and start taking full control over the one and only life you have.

This is the cover of my Ebook titled "My Life With Alcohol Addiction."

It simply explains when and why I started to drink.  It was to hide from my problems and as I continued to drink I became more addicted and that lasted for 33 years of my life.

My Ebook

****You can find many other articles I have written in my other blog called The Clean Life.****

Are You A Social Drinker Or An Abuser Of Alcohol

Where is that fine line between are you a social drinker or an abuser of alcohol?  

Where is that line drawn in your life?  Can you honestly say you don't abuse alcohol?  Do you overdue your drinking when you go out?  How can you tell which person you are?

Here is my answers to these most important questions, and may mean if you are a social drinker or an alcoholic and a abuser to alcohol.
For one, I was the type of person that loved to drink alcohol and not a shamed to say so. I didn't make any excuses of why I drank alcohol, I just drank with really no reason.  Many people that drink alcohol drink just to be social and never overdue the alcohol.  Those people know when to stop drinking alcohol and then there are those like myself, that never know when to quit.

I always wished that I could have a beer or two in an evening and call it quits for the night, but I could not do that.  I needed to continue to drink until I got the buzz I was looking for.  How about yourself, are you this way too or do you know when enough is enough?

How about this:  Are you the type of person that can only drink alcohol and not eat until you are through drinking, or can you drink alcohol and eat together?  For myself, it was either drinking alcohol or eating.  I never wanted to drink and eat at the same time, because if I drank and ate food it would fill me and my buzz would just go away, and then it was time to sleep.  Is that you?  Can you drink and eat or do you do one or another?

While I am writing this it really makes me sick to hear myself and how pitiful I was.  How in the world can any of us let alcohol control our lives?  It truly is sad isn't it?

more » HubPages

CRUSHING ALCOHOLISM

Crushing alcohol addiction is a new blog I have started and to be added to the blog I have already have called "The Clean Life." I started The Clean Life blog about three years ago after I surrendered to my own addiction to alcohol. I had been drinking alcohol for many of years and starting at the age of 19 years old. Something that started out as a experiment and having a good ole time with the guys turned out to be an addiction to alcohol in the end.

 Anyone that has an addiction to alcohol knows that it is a tough addiction to break, especially if your heart and soul is not into getting clean and sober. You need to have to want sobriety so bad that you will do anything in the world to get sober and stay sober for the rest of your life. I am sure that many alcoholics may think, as I did, what is the sense of stopping drinking when the damage is already done. We are only making excuses to not surrendering to our addiction. I thought the same way, and lived in denial for all those years thinking, " I don't have an addiction to alcohol and anyone that thinks I have are totally crazy.

 We are only lying to ourselves. You need to have a positive attitude when you have decided to stop drinking alcohol and with having the right frame of mind and wanting sobriety so bad it will not work. Sure it may work for a week or possibly a month until something has gone wrong in your life and you go back to alcohol to fix the problem. You need to be strong and have the determination to stay sober in order for you to have long term sobriety.

Once you have taken that first step towards sobriety there will be a few things you may have to give up besides your addiction to alcohol, and they are as follows:

First of all, you have to make a promise to yourself that once you have got out of the lived in for so long and what to change your life you need to promise yourself that you will never be able to pick up another alcoholic drink again.  Once you have made that promise to yourself you then will see other things that you may have to give up.

For myself, I had to give up and stay clear of all my past drinking buddies and I would imagine you will have to do the same.  I realize that the so called good friends only were my friend because we all had something in common and that was drinking alcohol.  They will look at you like you have two heads when you tell them you have stopped drinking alcohol.  Believe me, they will try everything in their power to stop you from quitting drinking.

You will have to stay clear of passing your favorite bars and night clubs.

You will need to keep yourself very busy, mentally and physically in order for you not to have time to think of the addiction you have just stopped.

For me, and I am only talking about me here.  I can now go to bars and I have been to weddings and none of the people that are drinking alcohol and the so called fun they are having drinking there life away bothers me whatsoever.  I order my root beer and black coffee and I am happy.  Many people ask me "why are you not bothered by people drinking alcohol in front of you?"  My answer is that I made my mind up, and made a promise to myself that I will never drink alcohol again, and I am a man of my word and do not break promises especially to myself.

Here is a link to my eBook called, My Life Of Alcohol Addiction.  It is about when and why I started to drink alcohol and how I stopped my addiction going cold turkey.

Any person that has an addiction can do this.  It is all in your mind and having the strength to say the word NO!  It really is as simple as that!