I’m currently trying AA classes and taking an Intensive Outpatient Program, but still struggle to stay sober. Any suggestions to help me steer away from drinking?
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Keep working the steps in AA, find things to occupy your mind, especially during your witching hours. Get more involved with the local sober clubs… if you have any where you are. The IOP and AA will give you the tools needed, you just have to use them.
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Find the AA where there's a ton of people and then get their phone list, start texting or calling whoever you want on there. Go out for coffee or go out to their group lunches, if you want. Ninety meetings ninety days thing worked for me too. Sometimes multiple meetings in a day. YouTube search "AA speakers" and listen to them. Watch movies about sobriety. Get down on knees and pray for God help. Eat healthy, oh and if you can afford small home gym, do it. Or join a big local gym and join some classes there. Remember there are different areas to maintain in sobriety: physical, mental, spiritual. If the spiritualities breaks down, then the cravings might come which will break down the mental then the body will give in. You have to take care of your spiritual side or nothing will stay in place. But going to meetings that have a ton of people and getting their phone list, getting close to one of them, might get you closer to joining the overall bigger circle of the group. (If you're intimidated after meetings) remember people are still people in meetings so you'll have personalities. Find a personality you get along with and maybe you can be friends.
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In addition to the above suggestions, there is anti craving meds you can take to take the edge off strong cravings if they are high. Naltrexone I think it’s called. Talk to your IOP about it
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Keep it simple go to meetings, and stay away from people, places and things, oh and don’t drink
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Try finding a hobby that you enjoy doing. The gym, cooking, hiking, etc. keeping your fundamental mind busy will help get through the early days. Always remain a moving target relapse can not hit.
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Occupy your time with a healthy hobby! Early on I worked a part time job on top of my full time job, went to ALOT of meetings. Get out of self by helping others. Call your sponser… get phone numbers
It’s one hour at a time, I get it. Try to stay in the moment, not think too far into the future. And definitely hit meeting. Leads have always been huge for me, someone tells a story that you can relate to, then they usually tell about how they got sober and then how their life is now in Sobriety. It gives us hope and belief when we see others that have made the journey before us.
Good Luck.
Where do you live Peter?
Another good place to start that also occupies your gym is the Phoenix gym and the app is of great support as well.
It is free to all in recovery…the only requirement is you have at least 48 hours sobriety….I meant time not gym.. check it out
Phoenix gym is good, but I also recommend Annie Grace!! She is great & so is her team! She has free videos on YouTube & also 2 books that you should read by her “This Naked Mind” & “The 30 Day Alcohol Experiment
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I’m going to smart recovery and I feel it’s
helping me a lot!
If you haven’t you should check it out too. ! I now mediate
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The first year I change the People around me, stopped going to places that trigger and removed things around that would trigger me. After I had 90/90 under my belt I worked on another 90/90 till I reach a year. I have just reached my 3 year anniversary and every more I knee and ask for strength
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My biggest help was changing People, Places, and Things. Also, I had to open up and listen. I put a lot on my shoulders, refusing any help, even when working the program, until my sponsor saw me declining help when I clearly needed it. He told me something I will never forget. "Joe, when someone asks you if they can help you, they're not asking because they think you can't do it. They're asking because they need someone to help. You're helping them, by allowing them to help you." That changed a lot in my mindset.
Changing People, Places, and Things is also huge in my recovery. Take a good look at what your triggers are and actively correct your behavior. Good luck, and keep hitting meetings.
I learned at the beginning to change my routines. From the time get off work to the time for meetings. Stay away from old friends with old habits. And most important is the desire for sobriety. Sobririty comes from relationship with your higher power. Get a sponsor read the book, don't drink go to meetings. Good luck on this new life.
Keep going to meetings, ask for help, get a sponsor. Get numbers of other sober men and start introducing yourself. Make connections. You can do this.
Using other things to cope and trigger a dopamine response can help. Ice cream and gummy bears helps me.
Helped me to just stay sober for the day. Think no further forward just today. I was also fortunate enough to have super late night meetings in my area.
Currently on Naltrexone. 10 months sober for me today. For me, it really pushed cravings out of my mind.