8th September 2020

Celebrating 6 years SOBER ?
This year I’m particularly grateful to all of my friends that have supported my alcohol free lifestyle.

CHEERS! to the friends that still invite me out for a ‘drink’ and don’t exclude me socially for being different.

** <One of the scariest things when making the decision to become SOBER is you think you’ll loose your friends and social life, if your friends tell you they’re thinking about this, ENCOURAGE them and reassure them that they can still come along to all the FUN stuff and you’ll even help them by ordering them alcohol free drinks so that everyone doesn’t make it an issue in social settings>

Cheers to those who don’t feel the need to bar-rate me in social settings about why I’m not drinking instead allowing me to act drunk and silly with them and make me feel included.

CHEERS to everyone that accepts me being a Christian and don’t try to debate with me or generalise me with religious discrimination. My sobriety has nothing to do with my religion. ??

I have always shared my journey as an alcoholic openly as a way to normalise my new lifestyle. I don’t judge anyone when they are drunk I actually love it because we become more care free and happy. Except alcohol doesn’t do that for me it makes me want to fight people and be obnoxious that’s why I don’t drink

A few memories that stand out to me when I think about why I don’t drink
1. Mathew in the car going through a bottle shop drive through and he said ‘mummy you drink champagne every day’
2. Avoiding booking things in for my children at night knowing it would disrupt my drinking having to drive somewhere
3. Getting into arguments that could have been avoided if I was sober
4. Remembering my mum telling me one night that I was one of the types of people that shouldn’t drink because it doesn’t agree with my mental Illness

Every year after I share these types of posts my inbox blows up with people wanting to become sober. I would encourage you to take the questionnaire honestly and if you’re an alcoholic go to an AA meeting I am not a trained professional I can only offer encouragement.
https://aa.org.au

If you’re using alcohol to self medicate for a mental illness or trauma I would encourage you to seek professional help from a Psycologist and psychiatrist. You might find with the correct council and medication your want for alcohol will dissipate. this lady specialises in addiction and has helped me
https://greenroadpsychology.com.au/index.php/therapists/annabel-hales/