Ah, recovery. It feels good to be sober. You finally have your life together, you’re family is starting to come around again and you have a second chance at life. And that is what you expect when you make the decision to get clean, starting taking action, and find yourself in this new beautiful world of sobriety. But what about all the stuff you would of never thought to expect. What about the bad times, what about relationships, what about the weight gain. Well, we aren’t dancing around those things anymore. We are here to tell you straight up what being in recovery is actually like. While some of it may seem “negative” remember that it is all normal parts of getting better.
1. Your worst day sober is better than your best day high thing is kind of a lie.
If you are an addict like we were when we were out using chances are this might not apply. It can apply and maybe it is true for you. But guess what, it is okay if it isn’t. You are going to have some really downright terrible days sober, and those best days high were significantly better than this day sober. And guess what? That is totally fine. You don’t have to pretend like you hated using. Most of us didn’t start taking drugs or drinking because we were having a terrible time doing it. Eventually it did become terrible and awful and scary but in the beginning it was awesome.
2. Balance is going to seem boring.
Once you get in recovery you will begin to slowly but surely become emotionally stable. You will also begin to find balance in your life. Things won’t be so black and white. You wont suffer from depressingly low lows and you wont elate in excitedly high highs. Instead, you will be a steady and constant source of peace. And that is amazing but it might start to seem boring. It may sometimes feel like your life has kind of become to “normal.” This is especially true for us addicts and alcoholics because most of us like chaos. You might in these times balance, find yourself wanting to create chaos just to break the monotony. We wouldn’t recommend it. Balance is beautiful and eventually you will find ways to break the stability in healthy ways, which are actually still stable.
3. Sex, sex, and more sex.
Sex will become this thing. It is like suddenly hitting puberty again. You will notice every girl who smiles at you. You will pay way too much attention to that guy with the tattoos who is speaking at the meeting. You will make some mistakes. You will sleep with the wrong person, you will do things you probably shouldn’t do. If you are in a halfway house, any place will seem like a good place to get it on, even behind the dumpster or bathroom, or beach. Listen, don’t make this habit, but realize that it is normal. Don’t allow it to keep you from progressing though. Stay honest about it. There is actually very few of us who haven’t been there and done that.
4. Hello gym membership!
You look great baby! You are sober! Your skin is clearing up, your hair is shinier, you’ve got that sober glow going on, you’ve been hitting the gym, or wait, and maybe you haven’t. Maybe you have been eating your weight in Chipotle and Wendy’s. If that is the case for you, you might want to invest in that membership. If you are already investing in that gym membership don’t take it too far. For many of us we are either on the health bandwagon or just totally off it. This is where that whole balance thing we talked about earlier comes in handy. Don’t overdo it with the food and don’t overdo it in the gym. Trust us, you are beautiful just because your smile now reaches and shines out of your eyes.
5. You will discover hidden talents.
So you weren’t really that artistic in your using days but now it is like you have this fountain of creativity pouring out of you. Guess what? Use it! You are amazing, you are genius, and you are the product of grace. Anything you create, create and share it with the world.
6. You’ll want a tattoo.
So listen, we get it. There was one that one saying that one guy said like six months ago in the H and I meeting that just totally changed your entire life. And now you want it tattooed on your body somewhere.
7. You’ll realize clean time doesn’t equate recovery.
You will start to see the difference in being recovered and clean. You have heard it before. You will be shocked and awed to hear what that chick with 6 years just did while with her husband and you will feel kind of sad to know that person with 10 years is sleeping with newcomers. It might feel a little disheartening but guess what? Everyone teaches us something. Take it for what it is, what you don’t want to do.
8. When someone invites you out for coffee, someone of the opposite sex, it is about more than coffee.
Coffee is a great icebreaker for some reason. Instead of asking someone out on a date, getting coffee is the perfect median for getting laid. Speaking of coffee there is a high probability you will meet your future girlfriend or boyfriend at a coffee shop and at the least it might be your next sexual escapade. Keep a good head on your shoulders; don’t fall for the coffee hype.
9. You will suddenly become a chain smoker, or in today’s world a vaping king or queen.
Vaping! It is really popular right now and it is a great way for addicts and alcoholics to take their two packs of Newports a day habit and make it a tad bit healthier. Listen don’t fight it, just roll with it. Also you may be come anti-cigs or anti-vaping. There is no middle ground. Well there is, and it is the idea that, well, who cares! To each their own.
10. Facebook will quite possibly become your diary.
You know what we mean by this. Your Facebook feed is full of it. People posting TMI most of the time. You will become much more aware of your social media presence and if you haven’t noticed you are much more aware of others presence as well. That, Facebook is everything and nothing at the same time, with its spiritual quotes, clean dates, people talking about how blessed they are, or on the opposite end how horrible their day has been. Regardless, it makes for an interesting social media experience.