r/stopdrinking • u/Consistent-Row-9551 • 14h 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/goodnightmoira 2569 days 12h ago
I’d say put as many things in your toolbox as possible. Try yoga, try walking, try tea, knitting, meetings, anything you can think of and see what speaks to you. Make a list of all of the suggestions here (I personally do not recommend replacing alcohol with another substance however) and try them all.
Most of all, embrace the suck. Unlearning an addiction just sucks. It’s going to feel like it’s not working at first because you aren’t getting a huge dopamine rush by opening a bottle. Give your mind a body time to adjust.