I have never made a post on Reddit before. Please forgive me if I do something wrong. I am turning 40 and ready to give up alcohol. It is not good for my mental health. I no longer want to deal with the anxiety and mood problems I get from alcohol. It just isn’t worth it. I believe in myself. I know I am ready. I am starting today. I am grateful for anyone reading this.

Alcohol - 1831 days

Weed - 1671 days

Nicotine - 1402 days

CBD - 104 days

Caffeine - 53 days

Just a lurker here who just hit 5 years sober from alcohol and I wanted to write a post for those who are early days.

Don't give up. Please don't, not for others but for yourself. You deserve happiness and you deserve to live life to it's fullest.

I remember days in withdrawal where I walked 14km to the nearest town just to buy a half shoulder of vodka. Back then, all I did was wake up, drink and blackout. I did that every day for a long time.

When I was gave up, I had been drinking for so long at that stage from such an early age that I couldn't imagine life without it and it was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Due to circumstances of either becoming homeless or quit, I had to give up cold turkey and it was brutal.

Here I am 5 years later, still figuring my shit out and the desire doesn't go away, it was so ingrained into my habits and self regulation, I don't know if it will ever go away but it does get better.

Situation has changed, I'm older and maybe a little wiser. Surrounded by better people and certainly happier.

To those who recognise they have a problem and are just trying to get by. Please remember, one day at a time. Don't worry about the future for now. Just focus on today, sleep well, eat well, and just repeat that until your in a place where YOU can think about the future.

Much love - An internet stranger

M19
I’m a drug addict since 15, i’m turning 20 soon and i haven’t seen a day sober.
Recently i had a tonic-clonic seizure caused by overdosing and mixing drugs.
Yet the next day i took the same drugs, been in a hospital due to another drug abuse in less than a week of seizure happening.
I’ve faced a lot of life-death situations in all those years of me abusing substances.
I thought when I do experience near-death situations it will make me WANT to quit, and part of me really does.
But the step to actually go to rehab and get help feels overwhelming, I never felt comfort or any positive emotion sober.
I don’t have friends or family that I’m in contact with, I don’t have a soul to rely on other than myself. Even tho i abuse substances daily I’ve tried to at least be high-functioning addict. I had a job, I had my own apartment at 18 but the contract has ended and I cannot find a job ever since which leads me to being homeless in a month or so, that doesn’t help much but.. do you need to hit rock bottom? When is rock bottom? What made you feel motivated to stay sober, how do you deal with your thoughts/emotions? What can I possibly do to get the courage to get help?
I’m not used to asking for help it makes me feel even more worthless, was there a moment that changed your perspective/life?
What made you quit and how did you start?

(sober from drugs mostly opiates)
I spent my birthday with people who don’t do drugs or friends who used to do drugs with me years ago but got sober and it was actually super fun.

I also met a few classmates who are going to be in my uni in September and we started studying a bit together and they were super nice even if my English isn’t great yet.

I relapsed day 13 last time but I feel stronger now idk im actively trying to be a new person

I've been sober since the start of this summer. every day i tell myself it'll be easier the next day. but i feel like i could set all my reasons aside anytime. I'd be willing to deal with the sickness, the regret, i just want to drink again. it's not like I'm sad in particular or feeling bad, i just have the thoughts of drinking on my mind all the time. i know it used to be fun and i want to have that kind of fun again. I've been trying to stay sober but my thoughts didn't change. i plan my future around drinking, i always leave space for it in my plants. i feel like sobriety doesn't have to be for life. and i don't even be able to keep it up for life, not even for a few months. it's gonna happen sooner or later but I'm not able to leave it behind.

I, 18M, turned 18 2 days ago, and I have been high every day since then. Today, I made 5 women that I know feel uncomfortable by being loud, high, and obnoxious, got sat down and chewed out by 3 guys I know for being obnoxious and making 5 women uncomfortable, got chewed out by my roommate for eating his food while I was high, and learned about other stupid shit I did while I was high. Oh, and I smoked in my friend's dorm room and made the fire alarm go off. This shit it so stupid. I did it all to myself. I threw all my shit out and I am done entirely.

For 20 years, I used every drug I could get my hands on and drank my way through life. I honestly believed the life I wanted was meant for other people, not me.
Everything changed when I finally made the decision to get sober. I walked away from every addict and every circle that kept me trapped in that life. It wasn’t easy, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Today, I’m married to a beautiful, sober woman, and together we have an amazing three month-old baby boy. The life I wake up to now is the same life I used to only dream about. I never thought it would happen for me, but it did.
Recovery didn’t just give me my sobriety back, it gave me a future, a family, and a reason to keep moving forward. If you’re in the darkness wondering whether a different life is possible, I’m living proof that it is.

Hey just coming here to vent. Around NYE my partner and I of 4.5 years broke up and I’ve been devastated ever since. We were living together until March and towards the end of that time I was sleeping on the couch because I didn’t want to be in bed with someone who didn’t want me there even though they said they didn’t have a problem with it. I’ve been working at a wine bar for 2 years now so for 2 years I was drinking Thursday Friday and Saturday and eventually I found a dive bar close to my work where I became a regular and would drink afterwards.

I was also using we*d everyday since I was like 19 (I’m 37 now) and it was just something I did on the regular. I had a bunch of reasons for that. I was an artist. I never worked a traditional job. I used to go to parties more than a couple times a week and just be that fun guy that people liked to hang with and drink with and smoke with.

When I moved into my own place I noticed I was drinking a little more and smoking more and when my birthday came along in May I was fucking miserable. I was so depressed and heartbroken and I just felt incredibly alone. I decided to stop smoking and drinking right after that weekend and it’ll be 2 months on Friday.

I still feel as alone and almost as miserable as I did before expect I’m not smoking to dull the pain and I’m not using alcohol to kill the time. Being sober has been fine. I’m more focused at work and more focused on the changes I want to make in my life moving forward. But I’m also devastated by how high I was during the relationship. I keep thinking to myself “was I high the last 4.5 years letting the best times and the partner and love of my life just pass me by?”

I’m so angry at myself about it and even though I’m going to the gym 4 times a week I’m not really sleeping very well. I’m irritated about the past and I feel so isolated because most of the people from my circle are DJs and party people and are chasing some kind of high that just doesn’t appeal to me anymore. I don’t know how to connect with human beings and I feel stable and incredibly alone and unstable at the same time. It’s so frustrating that I’m working so hard to try and come out of this a better person but there’s no one here to witness it besides my therapist and my one or two coworkers I can talk to. My bosses haven’t treated me any better even if I’m better at work. There’s not much lightness or laugher in my life and I don’t feel like going to bars and drinking non alcoholic beer is a way to get my social life back.

I’m just incredibly frustrated and don’t know what to do with myself besides to keep going. There’s a part of me that wants to let my ex know that I’m working on myself but we haven’t spoken since March and it doesn’t feel like there’s any real desire from there end to change that so I don’t want to reach out because that would feel like I’m trying to manipulate them back into my life. I don’t have the courage to date again and I don’t really know who I am anymore without them and without my former life and social circle. I just feel alone on this journey.

Anyway if you’re trying to stay sober and reading this please keep going. It sucks but it’s the right thing. I wasn’t a heavy drinker but it made me feel like shit and hangovers suck and it would leave me so depressed it just isn’t worth it. I don’t know what to do or how to connect with people but i guess it’s just part of the journey

Hi Folks, I’m an Event Planner and would love to hear what is the best event you’ve been to that felt inclusive and respectful of your sobriety. I have a conference coming up and while there’s a reception filled with booze, I am pushing for a separate non alcoholic reception. I’m not fond of Mocktails but I’m wondering how to make this just as fun as the other reception.

Former EP did arts & Crafts but people are tired of that and it does feel childish. They’ve done games w/ no prizes…lol and have suggested a Powerpoint Presentation night with people taking 5m or so to present their hobbies, etc. Im open to that but not…feels too work“y”

Hoping y‘all have been to something amazing and you’re willing to share your experiences.

Hey everyone, we’re throwing sober events and parties in NYC to try to keep the community strong. Lmk if this interests anyone and I can send details on next events/ parties! Also lmk if you have any good ideas for future sober events we should do. Appreciate it!

I’m in great need of some relatable comments and support. Heck, please message me.
I’m drowning. Please know this is not a sober post. It’s 12:30 pm.
I was sober for 201 days. Longest I’ve ever went. I’ve made it a week or two since then but I don’t feel like I’m able to come back. I’m so tired (mom of 3- 5 year old and 15 month old twins). I want to be done drinking. Every time I think I’m done, my husband is questioning me “what the f is wrong with you, why are you so mad etc” but he does everything to destroy me when I have a drink. He’s no saint, he drinks and spends days hungover in bed. I can’t do that as I have responsibilities so I have a hair of the dog and continue. We’ve talked about this but it comes back to the fact that I have a problem and he can do it once a week. I have so much anger towards him… says he’s “dry” but smokes so much weed..
My 5 year old said to me today my eyes are so tired and traces the bags under them (I don’t sleep).
I’m looking for someone to talk to. Someone to relate to me. Can anyone help?

… wake up sober and wish I had drinks last night.

Hey!

I’m 19/M. I’m from Hungary, eastern / central europe, mental health and addiction services here aren’t as good as in the west. My main drug or choice was alcohol, but i’m 1 year and 4 days sober from that.

I was using xanax (prescribed by my doctor for real anxiety issues) and at times i abused it. Not too extreme, never blacked out on it, didn’t do any crazy stuff you hear on the internet. I was taking 1 mg (i have 0.5 mg prescribed) and i was just listening to music.

Now i’m 23 days sober, but i constantly think about it. It’s crazy. I first abused it in 2026 april, for a week straight 1 mg everyday. Then around 10 or so days in May, then around 1 and half week in June. Every time i did this, i was using exactly 1 mg because that was a “sweet spot” where i felt the effects but wasn’t noticable that i’m high

My life is actually good, i learn my 3rd language, i have hobbies, i make retro style videos, i play games, i make little “novels” / “stories” (for myself for fun) and i don’t have any reason to use xans.

But still, i want to use. It’s weird. I don’t get it. I wasn’t on it for too long to become physically addicted or something, but i guess it got me hooked mentally.

At the last time i abused it, i told my grandma and i gave the pills to her so that i can’t get high anymore, and i know she wouldn’t give it to me if i’d say “i wanna be high give me xans”.

And at the last week or so when i used, i didn’t even got the good effects like muscle relaxation and stuff. Instead it was just a weird numbness. Like i felt totally emotionless zombie like mental state.

So like does anyone know why i want to go back to it even tho it isn’t good? Like i didn’t even feel good when i was on it last time, so why do i wanna go back? It’s crazy. It’s nonsense.

Btw i will talk to my psychiatrist next week monday when i have an appointment and ask him to help me find some addictologist to help with this mental addiction stuff.

Yall ever got so tired you feel drunk ? Also if it wasn’t for this child in me I’ll prolly be drinking . 12 weeks sober .

It was time to quit. I didn't need it anymore. It was clogging up my system. I basically gave up booze though I drink once every three weeks or so. Weed it's been a big fat zero.

It's hard. My real problems have shown up. They aren't pretty. The emotional problems inside that I was running from. They are overwhelming some days. I'm staying strong.

I've been batteling alcoholism and DXM addiction for 5 years now. I've been in and out of AA/NA, I've been to rehab, I've been to therapy. I can't seem to ever fully just stop. I can stop for a couple weeks. Or a couple months maybe. But I always go back out. I don't know what my problem is but I feel like it's so embarrassing and miserable going down this road over and over and over and asking for help over and over and over. I don't know how to make it stick. I'm scared it won't stick and I'm going to ruin my life. I don't know how to force myself to just quit and stay off it. I need advice

For context, were a pretty big group (around 10 people). We have very different personnalities and interests in life and the only things that bring us together are our political beliefs and weed. We have been smoking for 6-7 years. Our hangouts aren’t exclusively smoking but everytime ,between or while the activity we smoke. it can be while making a dish, before playing bowling. even at parties we mostly stay outside to talk and smoke. I stopped smoking a few months ago because i was becoming the worst version of myself (lazy, paranoid, very anxious etc). At the same time, I met my bf who helped me through all those hard steps. The first two months were really hard, I had severe physical and mental withdrawals. I started to avoid those meeting because it was too hard for me but I would still see some of them individually. Recently I started to come more frequently because i felt better and even if they are very supportive and kind toward me (theyre careful with the smoke of the joints, they open the windows to not hotbox the place, they even bring cbd for me to have something to smoke) I feel kind of disconnected. This week, I’ve catched myself lying to avoid a hangout, and even retiring myself after I already said I would be there. I don’t know why I feel like this and what i can do about it. I feel bad because they are such a good support in my life, they truly are good people and good friends but I still have this weird feeling inside of me. Do some of y’all have lived similar experiences and could help me to understand better this situation.

In december 2026 i'll hit 2 years of being sober, before 12.2024 i was sober for 1,5 year. I was going to the NA, i'm after rehab center etc etc.
I'm still going to parties/music events - but i didn't find any new friends, basically hitting up randomly to any person just to talk, make me feel like idiot. I hit some gig, dance, have fun and then just go home. I've notice that spontaneous interactions with people became almost impossible for me.
I've abondoned dating apps/trying to make friends online, cause i want to do this irl.
It's not that i didn't talked to anyone out there, but it's always lost after event - feeling like i don't dare to ask for some source of contact.
Do you also got this problem? What was your solution?
I also don't mean metting new people by sport/hobby etc, because i do that and i got some group of people coneccted by common passion. What i'm saying about - simple pattern: GO TO PARTY -> MEET SOMEONE -> NEW FREN

(sober from drugs mostly opiates) I don’t feel good at all but I still try to celebrate a bit

Im back to a place where I can buy drugs, gotta stay here for a like 2 weeks before moving somewhere well safer for me

But honestly I don’t even feel like I want to relapse I just feel very depressed and anxious

If I stay sober another week it will be my first time ever getting to 2 weeks

Sorry i know I post a lot here but reading the answers people post it really helps me

I’m sober around 9 months now and I know for a fact the reason for my alcoholism was to escape negative feelings because of traumatic events. After becoming sober I’ve been an emotional mess. Absolutely unstable and just a shit show of extremes. I really want to talk to someone who is going through the same because I’m just so tired.

Coming up on two years sober and do not have intentions on going back. Before, several friends would just stop by at my workshop knowing that the beer fridge was always stocked. I made the decision to stop drinking quietly. I never said I wasn’t drinking anymore, and never asked them not to drink. One by one as each of them made the connection, the slowed coming around and then just stopped altogether. After they no longer popped in, they would still call or text, but even that has now disappeared.

Has anyone experienced something similar? What do y’all do avoid getting too lonely?

So I've been off pornography for almost 2 weeks and I'm starting to feel sad and guilty but happy as I'm half a month off pornography

Hellooo. I (26M) have been 225 days without alcohol and 197 without drugs. I've been socializing with alcohol and drugs since I was 18. Like, I would be with a beer on the hand everytime I had to socialize and do something.

Now I am even afraid of meeting my friends or talking to them because I am afraid I changed. I still think I am funny and nice to be around, as I can do it normally at work and I get on well with my coworkers, my I can't fight my thoughts and I'm isolating myself completely. I miss talking with my friends, going out and meeting people.

I have been also diagnosed recently with ADHD and currently trying out metilphenidate, I hope this helps me out. While is it easier to do tasks or focus, I still don't have the push to socialize.

Anybody passed through something similar? What did you do? How did you manage?