[We_do_recover]

after a nasty and almost violent altercation with my wife last week, i decided i needed to spend some time by myself out of the home in the evenings. probably not the smartest thing for someone like me to do. even less smart, the location where i decided to hang out for a couple of evenings: a local live rock venue

recovery has been good to me and i can see this when i am practicing gratitude and take the time to pay attention to how good my life is compared to "the old days". yet when i am overwhelmed by emotions, especially anger and fear, i find it very difficult to focus on the many, many blessings and good things in my life

i must honestly say, the desire to use drugs has left me a very long time ago. yet, there were some moments during the evenings last week that the old thought was there: "just one". "just one" (drink, hit, rock, shot, puff, etc… all the same, really) 'cos i don't particularly like the way i'm feeling right now

thank God… i know where that leads. and thank God… i realised what a dangerous game i was playing

there's a reason i don't hang out in places like that anymore: i don't belong there anymore

oh, side note: i was also reminded how much drunk people really, really, really, really, (like really!!!!) irritate me these days, now that i'm sober

[madisgram]

glad it turned out ok, brendan. u're right those places, etc don't have a place in our sober life. as an alcoholic i can recall the feelings that i wanted to run from and "fixed" with alcohol. now that i've learned coping skills for painful feelings that has helped. for me a drink won't fix anything, only make it worse.
i'm sure your post will help someone at this forum. we can always learn from other ppl's experiences.

[We_do_recover]

thanks Madisgram

dunno so much about having learned coping skills yet, that's still a work in progress for me

but i don't have to use to escape the feelings anymore and that's certainly a miracle

[gma45]

Maybe a meeting would be a better hang-out? Just sayin! At least you know now that a rock venue with a bunch of drunks is not where you want to be!

[Leed]

Brendan ~ you are SO right in that we just don't "belong" in places like that. Years ago I never thought I'd say anything like that. LOL But even now, if we go into a pub for a pizza, I cannot WAIT to get out of there, because of the local drunks in there. They drive me insane, and to think I used to be one of them. OHHH the shame of it!

Today I'm so grateful that I DO have the coping skills to deal with stuff like that. While I SELDOM EVER go into those places, the very few times I do, I can at least handle it for the short time I'm there. I haven't had cravings in years, thank God and THOSE places surely don't trigger me. Perhaps it's good to go in there occasionally to remind me how blessed I am to be sober!

Thanks for the post Brendan! God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee