What it Really Takes to Get Sober
Have you tried quitting drinking tons of times, only to start drinking again?
Me too.
I tried quitting thousands of times with no success, until finally. . .
I’ve been sober for over 8 years.
Yes, technically in AA terms I would only have been sober two years, because I had a 2 day relapse two years ago.
But, I’m not hard on myself and I believe that sometimes relapse can be part of recovery, if you’re sincerely trying to get sober.
So, Here’s What it Really Takes to Get Sober
The first step in becoming truly sober is to make a definitive decision that you are really done, that you are willing to do whatever it takes to get sober.
That means changing EVERYTHING.
From the friends you associate with to the places you go to.
It could mean not speaking to your parents, if they drink a lot as well.
It might mean moving to a new town to start over. . .
It might mean blocking old friends on social media, and attending a 12 step program.
Everything might and probably will change for you and you have to be okay with that.
Because drinking is basically a death sentence.
This is truly a life or death situation.
The 3 Most Important Steps from 12 Step Programs
I’m not suggesting you go to Alcoholic’s Anonymous, but I want to go over the first 3 steps because they are very powerful and are integral steps in getting sober in or out of 12 step programs.
One – “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.”
This is the biggest step.
This is when the party stops and you become real with yourself and admit that you’re powerless over your addiction.
There’s a powerful component of humility at play here and is the first step in cracking and breaking the ego apart, because essentially “your way” and the ego have gotten you to this dark place.
This is kind of like you turning the keys over to your car. (your body)
You admitted you can’t drive, which is actually very honorable.
Powerful people who love themselves ask for help all the time.
The ego has a way of blinding you from other people, like the blinders a horse wears during a race.
Two – “Came to Believe That a Power greater Than Ourselves Could restore us to Sanity.”
Again, this is another ego-crushing step that get’s us to look to another source other than ourselves and our destructive ego.
God can mean anything to you.
The point is to get you looking outside of your destructive ways, to turn your “will” or “way” over.
This again is like turning your keys over to a higher power.
You’ve been driving your vehicle down the wrong lane for some time, and it’s time to relinquish the wheel.
God is love.
God is omnipotent.
God is omniscient.
Your God has the right keys that can free you from your destructive path.
Get in a silent place and just ask humbly for help.
What do you want help with?
Be specific.
Don’t ask for millions of dollars, ask specifically for your past to be healed and to open your eyes to the nature of love and forgiveness.
You were probably hurt long time ago, and alcohol is just a bandaid for a deeper wound and trauma.
This step is just getting you to open your options to something greater outside of yourself.
Three – “Made a Decision to Turn Our Will and Our Lives Over to the Care of God as We Understood Him.”
This is where you are completely ready to turn over the keys.
This is actually a very powerful and liberating step.
This step could make you feel like tons of weight just came off your shoulders.
Most of us have been running and distracting ourselves for years with our drinking and other addictions.
This step can bring you peace.
You might sleep for days after doing this step, because most of us are so tired, and alcohol greatly disturbs restful sleep.
Once you get to this step and remain on this step every day, you will be safe.
Demon alcohol can’t touch you if you continually hand over the burden to God.
This is truly liberating.
It’s important though to continually hand your will over to God on a daily basis.
There will be “triggers” or types of stress that could make you spin out and want to drink, so this step is an action step and we need to remind ourselves that “thy will be done, not mine.”
This is roughly the beginning of your recovery.
Again, I’m not saying you have to go to AA, but the steps are very powerful and will be taught in some variation no matter what self development path you take.
There will also be dietary changes you should take as well.
In the beginning of my sobriety, I craved sugar (because alcohol is mainly sugar) so I would buy peanut M&Ms after work each night.
Eventually, I began working out, because exercise triggers those “feel good” endorphins that we crave.
I also take CBD oil which helps my social anxiety and other issues caused by years of alcohol abuse.
I hope this helps!
Thanks for reading. Please share this post to help others out in getting sober and living with sobriety.
