by Vaya » Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:36 pm
"I agree about keeping busy, it's amazing when we were using how
>much time was spent on using when you look at one of your typical days.
> Take all that time out of your day, and you don't know what to do with
> yourself in the beginning to fill the time and then your brain starts
> thinking thoughts it doesn't need to be thinking."
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I really liked reading this; I'm coming back around with 12 days this time after a 3-year hiatus from sobriety and this is *exactly* what my main problem has been. If I'm not involved in something exciting or dangerous, or am not incapacitated by drugs and alcohol, my natural inclination is to find life BORING.
LIFE! BORING! This is B.S. thinking, and although I am aware of such a fact, I seem to be incapable of changing my attitude towards it. I oftentimes become depressed when bored, and depression leads to isolation. Isolation breeds negativistic thinking - or, at the very least, thoughts that border on bargaining with myself - and *wham* it's off to the races once more.
This topic is a great one, and one that should be discussed more fully (hopefully with some more input from members here!). I spent the last time hanging out with a friend literally Google'ing "Things To Do" and generally found the responses uninspired and thus unhelpful. As the fog clears and my clarity of mind/semblance of serenity returns (as I know that it will), I have no doubt that this will be less and less of an issue. I recall my three-year period of sobriety prior to the last three years I spent out of the rooms, and this was precisely how it worked.
And, in fact, this topic is precisely what inspired me, tonight, to become a member of this forum. I'm so glad to be able to honestly say that I'm reaping the rewards of others' insight already.
Much love,
~ vaya