Day 8

Day 8 - what's been helping me through the early days

Hey all, day 8 sober here after 20+ years of smoking. It's been a rollercoaster and the anxiety has been tough to deal with. I'm determined to stay sober and this subreddit has been super instrumental in keeping me sane the first few days, so thanks to everyone who posts and comments!

Things that are helping me: -Reframing physical withdrawal symptoms as my body beginning to heal (vs the false thought that my body wants me to use weed).

-Exercise. It's ungodly cold where I am so instead of walking outside, I'm doing youtube workouts in my living room. It helps so, so much with the anxiety and helps me sleep well at night.

-Spending quality time with my kids and feeling more present than ever. Laughing with them and feeling like such a better mom and role model knowing I've taken my life into my own hands.

-Basking in the freedom of not constantly wishing I was high/counting down until the next time I could smoke. Again, I'm much more present in the moment and not just wishing my life away until I could get high again.

-Reading. I used to absolutely love reading, but as a stoner my attention span sucked and I could never get more than a page or 2 in a book when I was high, so I gave up reading. Now that I'm sober, my attention span gets better each day and I'm enjoying my book for long stretches at a time!

-Changing up my routine. Certain times of day or tasks are triggers for me as they were associated previously with smoking. Like the time right after work- I've made it a point to plan something else to do right after work rather than get onto the couch where I'd usually veg out high for most of the night. It doesn't have to be a big plan- even just going to my bedroom to read instead of getting comfy on the couch helps steer me clear of cravings.

-Treating myself a bit! My first sober night I got a pedicure. Tonight after work I got a chocolate malt from Dairy Queen. It tasted sooo good! My taste buds are definitely improving 😋

-Leaves Lounge. I love the Discord chat. It's a great place to check in and find support. I even made an accountability buddy!

Add your tips to the list - what helped you in the early days of sobriety?

Also I am always looking for new sober friends so feel free to DM me if you need support!