4 Years!

[NotToday]

Hey QA friends!

Its been awhile since I last checked in, though I still browse the forums often. It makes me so happy to see the next generation of quitters reaching milestones and supporting each other in this crazy journey. 

Thursday will be 4 years since the day I checked myself into rehab. I’ve been feeling super emotional all week, just thinking back on where I was   then and what it’s taken to get to where I am now. I still believe that my descent into addiction and the struggle to find a way out is the single most defining experience of my life.  I never thought I’d see the day where I would feel comfortable with who I am and to be unashamed of my past, but I will freely talk about it to anyone who cares to hear the story. It is just a part of who I am, take it or leave it. 

Any advice worth giving has been given 100x over in the forums, but for what it’s worth, I still credit my ability to quit for good to the following:

1) cutting off the supply at the source

2) telling family, friends, coworkers and asking them to keep me accountable. Sharing my struggles and being honest about where I’m at

3) accepting that things will get worse before they get better, being willing to sacrifice whatever it takes knowing that it is the only way to secure a future worth living, including but not limited to job loss, weight gain, etc. Committing to staying quit NO MATTER WHAT

4) allowing myself to do the bare minimum, with the only goal being to get through the day ahead. Being kind to myself in the process 

5) not projecting out into the future

 

To all of you just starting out or in the depths of year 1/2, you’ve got this! It gets better, so so much better, you just have to give it time and know that what you’re going through is normal. It’s a painful process, but you can make it out the other side!  

 

 

[Ready4Change]

49 minutes ago, NotToday said:

Hey QA friends!

Its been awhile since I last checked in, though I still browse the forums often. It makes me so happy to see the next generation of quitters reaching milestones and supporting each other in this crazy journey. 

Thursday will be 4 years since the day I checked myself into rehab. I’ve been feeling super emotional all week, just thinking back on where I was   then and what it’s taken to get to where I am now. I still believe that my descent into addiction and the struggle to find a way out is the single most defining experience of my life.  I never thought I’d see the day where I would feel comfortable with who I am and to be unashamed of my past, but I will freely talk about it to anyone who cares to hear the story. It is just a part of who I am, take it or leave it. 

Any advice worth giving has been given 100x over in the forums, but for what it’s worth, I still credit my ability to quit for good to the following:

1) cutting off the supply at the source

2) telling family, friends, coworkers and asking them to keep me accountable. Sharing my struggles and being honest about where I’m at

3) accepting that things will get worse before they get better, being willing to sacrifice whatever it takes knowing that it is the only way to secure a future worth living, including but not limited to job loss, weight gain, etc. Committing to staying quit NO MATTER WHAT

4) allowing myself to do the bare minimum, with the only goal being to get through the day ahead. Being kind to myself in the process 

5) not projecting out into the future

 

To all of you just starting out or in the depths of year 1/2, you’ve got this! It gets better, so so much better, you just have to give it time and know that what you’re going through is normal. It’s a painful process, but you can make it out the other side!  

 

 

Thanks so much for coming back and sharing. It is people like you who provide hope that things will get better and all of the challenges and suffering will be worth it. This process can be incredibly lonely and coming here have made some of my darkest days bearable.