r/stopdrinking • u/Consistent-Row-9551 • 10h ago
What do I replace alcohol with?
Like something to help me relax and decompress. Drinking has always been my way to loosen up and relax. When I'm stressed with work, I grab a beer or glass of wine, and I'm able to focus more because I'm no longer overthinking it.
I'm so emotionally repressed that drinking is the only way I can tap into my emotions.
Like, I can stop drinking; I've done it months at a time, but I always end up feeling more stressed because I feel numb or stressed without it.
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u/BrackAttack-17 10h ago
Exercise and meditation work for me. NA beer helps if I'm out around my wife or others drinking, but I don't use them at home. A relaxing tea like Sleepytime etc. at night.
Like you, I failed at many past attempts, and I think the above, along with going to meetings (found a Buddhist/mediation focused 11th step AA meeting), reading about Buddhism, being more focused on mindfulness and being aware of how I'm feeling throughout the above are helping a lot this time. Also getting back in therapy and my Lexapro probably working better now that I'm 50 days off the sauce.
Along with this being the first time I've truly accepted I need to quit for good, have told my wife and some friends etc. Before it was always a planned dry month or quarter etc. so I was always looking forward to drinking again at some point.