Clean from drugs and alcohol for 7 years today!
I just have to share that today I am clean from all mood and mind altering substances for 7 years.
It has been an amazing (and very often hard journey) and worth every bit of effort.
My life is now what I would previously have considered "boring"! And it is perfect. I work, have my 2 beautiful children and a lovely husband. I couldn't ask for more.
I wrote a blog today about the gifts of recovery to celebrate this milestone.
http://lynnelivingwithaddiction.com/clean-from-add...
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!
Recent Comments
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"I have my 2 beautiful children and my lovely husband"......... Proud of you, happy birthday :)
Please, keep coming back :)
Hi Lynne, congratulations well done I know it was not easy at times and I would like to wish you all the very best for the future.
Awesome Lynne! Congratulations :)
I've just entered my 9th year clean and sober. I like how you say you would have called your life "boring" previously - and actually it's amazing, and insightful and empowering and wonderful!
I was the dame. my life would be like watching paint dry to me 15 years ago - but it's actually pretty damn amazing :)
LOL exactly! I am a boring old married mom, and I am loving it :) Congrats on your clean time!
Congrats to you too! That is the funny, (odd) thing about addictions-we don't know our real feelings when we are using the substance so in essence it is like the substance is lying to us by altering our thoughts and/or feelings. Bizarre!
I would have given you more Likes if it were possible!!!
Congrats on your continued success and I will check out your post!
Addiction is really funny . . . not humorous just odd. The more you do the addictive thing the more you get addicted. Once you start stopping you begin to want "it" less and less as time goes on.
I used to drink every day and stopped that.
I smoked for 20 years, quit 3 times and the third time "took". Haven't smoked for 24 years and don't miss it.
NOW losing weight and going very well. I don't get as hungry and cravings have ceased.
About addiction-for most people it takes more than one time to get it stopped so anyone struggling with it . . . just keep trying. Seems for me that each time got easier and each "stop" lasted longer so it seems that we get better at kicking addictions the more we practice stopping whatever "it" is.
Glo
LOL only one like each unfortunately :)
Congrats on quitting smoking, I haven't managed that yet but plan on quitting end of this month so if you have any tips or great advice please please share with me. I have smoked for 21 years now and I have never attempted to quit. The thought terrifies me.
LOL and I thought I was bad starting at 14! Heehee
Yeah I know it is just the same as any addiction and I have conquered drugs and alcohol so I must just do the same with cigarettes. Hold thumbs for me, hopefully I will be sharing a great success post in a few months :)
Hey Lynne,
It takes most people more than one try, so when I was younger and more naive, I thought I was "failing". Not so. I know it is cliche but "just do it". Just start. Just like any addiction that is the first step in beating it.
I did not do or take anything special. Just said no every minute . . . which turned into every hour . . . which turned into every day.
I did gain weight but then I did not know anything about metabolism or how to really eat "right" and make good choices but there is a lot more great info out there now so you have even a better chance of it going smoothly.
God I started smoking when I was 9- can you believe it? We, (kids my age) could just write a note or not even have one and go buy a pack of cigarettes-unreal. They were 45 cents a pack when I started and like $1.50 when I quit. A carton was $10.
Advice? I think sucking on a straw, chewing sugar free gum and eating sugar free candies can help with the oral gratification which will be "missing". For the nicotine withdrawal I would go with the patches or gum and not too much e-cigs. The jury is still out on what they do to our lungs so maybe as a treat it would be ok.
Good for you! I will be honest. When people do drugs and alcohol it is a lot of times cause of some psychological/emotional pain. It was for me and I just fixed whatever thing made me sad or angry, with knowledge and forgiveness and it all fell into place. You might have experienced the same epiphany. So my point is that with cigarettes, it is not usually started or "liked" because it alters feelings so much. For this reason I believe it is easier to stop than any substance that is mind or feeling altering.
Also think about how you are doing it for the kids and hubbie too and your followers and people you are helping. All the reasons in the world to do it and not one good reason to keep it up. I know it sort of feels good now, but the feeling is actually robbing oxygen and that is the "high". When I started thinking of it that way it got a little less appealing.
When you stop you might still want it, but you will begin to hate it. The actual smell of the smoke and the actual taste is a lot different once you don't do it for a few days so that helps deter going backwards.
Don't be like me though and eat cookies-eat celery and hummus or something else healthy when that food appetite increases and comes back fierce! The last thing I can say for sure is the every day really does get easier.
Good luck hun and will watch for your posts. ; )
Glo
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Beautifully written blog on your website! I hope you are proud of everything you have achieved. And your family is wonderful...! :)
Thank you!