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Heath’s Eight Ideas to Get Through Early Recovery

Heath M., in recovery in Atlanta, posted this personal list of things he did to ease his way through early sobriety, on the LSR Email List (1998). What helped me during initial sobriety: 1. Make sure you have a VCR and a blockbuster card, rent all the Godfathers, and that should keep you occupied for…

Four Tools That Help Me

By Mark C. People.  I have found that if I am alone or with people who are still using then it’s usually just a matter of time before I start to find excuses to use. Being around people who are not using, and specifically people in recovery I find excuses not to use. Establish Phone…

Craig M.’s Sobriety Tool Collection

I collected these twenty tested tips for staying sober at the Monday night Berkeley meeting this week: 1) Identify what physical needs alcohol met for your body. Alcohol is metabolized into water, an aldehyde, and sugar. Only sugar could satisfy a physical need/craving for your body. So maybe you could just eat sugary foods and…

Dealing with Cravings and Feelings

Set Up the Projector If I wondered why I didn’t drink yesterday, I’d never get this morning’s breakfast or probably lunch made. I have discovered that my superhuman, superheterodyne, Hoover Dam-powered intellect doesn’t do me much good when I have to fight off the desire for drink or cigarettes. I use the part of the…

“Daily Dos”

 Keeping the Sobriety Priority fresh in our minds is helped with daily reinforcement. The following are excerpts from email posts contributed to a “Daily Do” topic.. Laura L:  One thing that helped me a lot when I got sober was to actually write down how drinking made me feel, and all the guilt, shame etc.,…

Abstinence Assists

   Contributed by a member of the Santa Rosa CA LifeRing meeting These thoughts and actions have helped some achieve abstinence.  They may, or may not, be suitable for you. 1. Change mind set to one of a non-drinker/user.  This is easier said than done.  Consider how it’s helped quarterbacks, amputees, etc.  (Psychocybernetics by Maxwell Maltz.)…

Well, it doesn’t “work”…people work.

By Rick B. Rick eloquently and accurately  explains to a newbie what LifeRing is, and what it IS NOT.  “LifeRing is not a pill, or a magic spell, or a secret formula.  LifeRing is simply an organization of people who share a common goal – sobriety,  and who share some common basic beliefs about how…

Larry and Alvin Discuss Drinking

by Tim in Toronto The scene: A party. Our cast of characters: Larry: Somebody who used to drink too much Alvin: Somebody who enjoys the occasional snifter of brandy And now, Larry and Alvin discuss drinking… 9:00 PM Alvin: Care for a drink? Larry: No, thanks. Alvin: You don’t drink? Larry: Nope. Alvin: Why not?…

Defined by words or action?

by Dan in Canada “C’mon Dan. There is a holiday gathering at the pub tonight after work. Let’s go get a beer.” “No, but thank you for asking.” “You do not drink, do you, Dan?” “No. I just choose to not do that.” “Dan, are you an alcoholic?” “Because I choose to not drink, I…