For 20 years, I used every drug I could get my hands on and drank my way through life. I honestly believed the life I wanted was meant for other people, not me.
Everything changed when I finally made the decision to get sober. I walked away from every addict and every circle that kept me trapped in that life. It wasn’t easy, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Today, I’m married to a beautiful, sober woman, and together we have an amazing three month-old baby boy. The life I wake up to now is the same life I used to only dream about. I never thought it would happen for me, but it did.
Recovery didn’t just give me my sobriety back, it gave me a future, a family, and a reason to keep moving forward. If you’re in the darkness wondering whether a different life is possible, I’m living proof that it is.

Hey just coming here to vent. Around NYE my partner and I of 4.5 years broke up and I’ve been devastated ever since. We were living together until March and towards the end of that time I was sleeping on the couch because I didn’t want to be in bed with someone who didn’t want me there even though they said they didn’t have a problem with it. I’ve been working at a wine bar for 2 years now so for 2 years I was drinking Thursday Friday and Saturday and eventually I found a dive bar close to my work where I became a regular and would drink afterwards.

I was also using we*d everyday since I was like 19 (I’m 37 now) and it was just something I did on the regular. I had a bunch of reasons for that. I was an artist. I never worked a traditional job. I used to go to parties more than a couple times a week and just be that fun guy that people liked to hang with and drink with and smoke with.

When I moved into my own place I noticed I was drinking a little more and smoking more and when my birthday came along in May I was fucking miserable. I was so depressed and heartbroken and I just felt incredibly alone. I decided to stop smoking and drinking right after that weekend and it’ll be 2 months on Friday.

I still feel as alone and almost as miserable as I did before expect I’m not smoking to dull the pain and I’m not using alcohol to kill the time. Being sober has been fine. I’m more focused at work and more focused on the changes I want to make in my life moving forward. But I’m also devastated by how high I was during the relationship. I keep thinking to myself “was I high the last 4.5 years letting the best times and the partner and love of my life just pass me by?”

I’m so angry at myself about it and even though I’m going to the gym 4 times a week I’m not really sleeping very well. I’m irritated about the past and I feel so isolated because most of the people from my circle are DJs and party people and are chasing some kind of high that just doesn’t appeal to me anymore. I don’t know how to connect with human beings and I feel stable and incredibly alone and unstable at the same time. It’s so frustrating that I’m working so hard to try and come out of this a better person but there’s no one here to witness it besides my therapist and my one or two coworkers I can talk to. My bosses haven’t treated me any better even if I’m better at work. There’s not much lightness or laugher in my life and I don’t feel like going to bars and drinking non alcoholic beer is a way to get my social life back.

I’m just incredibly frustrated and don’t know what to do with myself besides to keep going. There’s a part of me that wants to let my ex know that I’m working on myself but we haven’t spoken since March and it doesn’t feel like there’s any real desire from there end to change that so I don’t want to reach out because that would feel like I’m trying to manipulate them back into my life. I don’t have the courage to date again and I don’t really know who I am anymore without them and without my former life and social circle. I just feel alone on this journey.

Anyway if you’re trying to stay sober and reading this please keep going. It sucks but it’s the right thing. I wasn’t a heavy drinker but it made me feel like shit and hangovers suck and it would leave me so depressed it just isn’t worth it. I don’t know what to do or how to connect with people but i guess it’s just part of the journey

(sober from drugs mostly opiates)
I spent my birthday with people who don’t do drugs or friends who used to do drugs with me years ago but got sober and it was actually super fun.

I also met a few classmates who are going to be in my uni in September and we started studying a bit together and they were super nice even if my English isn’t great yet.

I relapsed day 13 last time but I feel stronger now idk im actively trying to be a new person

Hey everyone, we’re throwing sober events and parties in NYC to try to keep the community strong. Lmk if this interests anyone and I can send details on next events/ parties! Also lmk if you have any good ideas for future sober events we should do. Appreciate it!

I, 18M, turned 18 2 days ago, and I have been high every day since then. Today, I made 5 women that I know feel uncomfortable by being loud, high, and obnoxious, got sat down and chewed out by 3 guys I know for being obnoxious and making 5 women uncomfortable, got chewed out by my roommate for eating his food while I was high, and learned about other stupid shit I did while I was high. Oh, and I smoked in my friend's dorm room and made the fire alarm go off. This shit it so stupid. I did it all to myself. I threw all my shit out and I am done entirely.

Hi Folks, I’m an Event Planner and would love to hear what is the best event you’ve been to that felt inclusive and respectful of your sobriety. I have a conference coming up and while there’s a reception filled with booze, I am pushing for a separate non alcoholic reception. I’m not fond of Mocktails but I’m wondering how to make this just as fun as the other reception.

Former EP did arts & Crafts but people are tired of that and it does feel childish. They’ve done games w/ no prizes…lol and have suggested a Powerpoint Presentation night with people taking 5m or so to present their hobbies, etc. Im open to that but not…feels too work“y”

Hoping y‘all have been to something amazing and you’re willing to share your experiences.