Happy Valentines Day all! <3
We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we’re here together!
Welcome to the 24 hour pledge! I’m pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.
Maybe you’re new to c/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you’re like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you’ve been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.
It doesn’t matter if you’re still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, let’s not drink alcohol!
Oh man, yeah. Won’t go into it here either, but the thing about sex is spot on for me too. Totally makes sense considering alcohol floods your system with dopamine. Over time with continued use, that makes your brain basically dependent on alcohol for dopamine and your body seriously down regulates how much it makes normally for other things.
Dopamine isn’t just pleasure either, it’s a serious neurological regulator in a ton of different ways. Wanna know why you might have lost motivation for and get less enjoyment from doing things like going to the movies, mowing the lawn, working out, cleaning, working on that project that’s been sitting in the garage for months/years, etc? Used to be passionate about working on motorcycles, painting, hiking, meeting new people but now feel flat and uninterested? Your dopamine system is blown out, you’re desensitized and alcohol has subconsciously trained your brain to be its main and pretty much only source of it.
The… uh… intimates acts you’re referring to, whether alone or with someone is also a strong source (if not the strongest source) of natural dopamine and the nice buzz after knocking back a couple of drinks or shots real quick can almost feel similar. You’re just trying to not feel like shit and you’ve discovered one of the only ways you can do that right now is with those intimate acts.
Sleep will get better over the next couple days but as much as everything sucks right now, stick it out, cause the cool thing is that given some time your system will start to readjust itself to not having alcohol as an easy source of dopamine and it will come back to normal.
I bet it meant the world to your girl today the time you spent with her and the fact you did it clear headed. I’m glad to be here, and keep kicking ass man!
How the hell you know I’ve had a Subaru in my shop for a year…?? Just kidding, but you fuckin Nailed it! Yet another thing I hadn’t attributed to being hammered every day after work… Man, you’ve got a really good grasp on this shit, and a way with words that really helps.
About to kick off day 8. Sleep was soooo much better last night. Intimates really are the fucking secret weapon.
It meant more to her than any Valentine’s Day bullshit ever could.
Haha, yeah, that pile of wood in my garage still hasn’t assembled itself into a workbench for me for some reason… lol. Appreciate the kind words.
Glad to hear about the sleep, it can make a world of a difference!
And the new memories I’m making with my wife is a big part of why I’m doing this and what keeps me going. I absolutely hate being in pics myself, but if your girl is anything like mine, pull out your phone once in a while a snap a quick pic when you’re doing something fun together and send her the pic and she will love you a ton for that.
Damn, that’s good thinking…
I hate pictures, “I take memories, not pictures…” a million times I’ve said that. She takes a ton. I just never think to…
Been a good day at work today, I’m feeling better, definitely getting going earlier, not fighting a fuckin hangover the first couple hours at work, driving in hoping I don’t get pulled over on the way to work, trying to decide if I’m hungover, or still fuckin drunk from the night before… Damn, I hadn’t thought of so much shit that should’ve blatantly told me how far I’d gone down the rabbit hole… It’s much better to come in and grab my tools, rather than try to grab a hit or two off the fuckin torch oxygen to get my ass in gear…
She’s been a huge fucking blessing. I should surely do more thoughtful shit for and with her. Great suggestion. Keep hanging on, man. And thank you.
So fucking good to have a real night’s sleep finally. Still woke a couple times, but nothing at all like it’s been. We just wore ourselves the fuck out, curled up and crashed the fuck out. Best night in a long fuckin time.
Damn, that’s good thinking…
I hate pictures, “I take memories, not pictures…” a million times I’ve said that. She takes a ton. I just never think to…
Been a good day at work today, I’m feeling better, definitely getting going earlier, not fighting a fuckin hangover the first couple hours at work, driving in hoping I don’t get pulled over on the way to work, trying to decide if I’m hungover, or still fuckin drunk from the night before… Damn, I hadn’t thought of so much shit that should’ve blatantly told me how far I’d gone down the rabbit hole… It’s much better to come in and grab my tools, rather than try to grab a hit or two off the fuckin torch oxygen to get my ass in gear…
She’s been a huge fucking blessing. I should surely do more thoughtful shit for and with her. Great suggestion. Keep hanging on, man. And thank you.
So fucking good to have a real night’s sleep finally. Still woke a couple times, but nothing at all like it’s been. We just wore ourselves the fuck out, curled up and crashed the fuck out. Best night in a long fuckin time.