new reality
Member
Yesterday I was on a ten-day streak (with one MO on day 8), but unfortunately I went a bit chat-crazy yesterday.
Let's call it "the final thread"
- Thread starter new reality
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Oh well
new reality
Member
Oh well
Yeah, back on the path now anyway. And this time it's personal lol
new reality
Member
I'm not sure about all of "The Twelve Steps" of groups like AA and SAA (I think it's called), but one step that makes sense to me is the idea of being powerless to control our addiction, or however else it might be phrased.
To me this means, for example, if we try to have "one last peek" at something, chances are it'll turn into much more of a relapse than we intended. Even if we seem to manage to have a quick peek and then move on, what about the chaser effect?
To me this means, for example, if we try to have "one last peek" at something, chances are it'll turn into much more of a relapse than we intended. Even if we seem to manage to have a quick peek and then move on, what about the chaser effect?
new reality
Member
Another Twelve Steps kind of thought, and possibly more helpful. Let's just get through today and tonight without using, instead of thinking about recent relapses or potential relapses in a day or a week from now.
new reality
Member
Okay, feeling the need to write some kind of journal again. More later.
new reality
Member
Just noticed that today is 1st July. As good a time as any to get serious again.
I've been doing okay but life has thrown some weird stuff my way lately. Apart from that, what drives me back to the addiction at times? It can be "social anxiety", although that's a more complicated subject than it's made out to be. Also I can be prone to impulsively "peeking" at something, usually something in the realm of "online chat".
One issue I'm sure I've mentioned before, is that I don't like the way sites like this can have a tendency to make us overly negative about resets. The fact that we had a reset is punishment enough really! I read a book once which said we should be "perfectionistic" about avoiding a reset, but if we've had a reset, drop the perfectionism about it, but get perfectionistic again about avoiding a future reset! Hope that makes sense.
I've just done a bit of chat account deletion and that kind of thing. Technically I have blockers too, but in practice they're easy to get around or just don't always work for whatever reason, so I shouldn't rely on them.
Let's go!
I've been doing okay but life has thrown some weird stuff my way lately. Apart from that, what drives me back to the addiction at times? It can be "social anxiety", although that's a more complicated subject than it's made out to be. Also I can be prone to impulsively "peeking" at something, usually something in the realm of "online chat".
One issue I'm sure I've mentioned before, is that I don't like the way sites like this can have a tendency to make us overly negative about resets. The fact that we had a reset is punishment enough really! I read a book once which said we should be "perfectionistic" about avoiding a reset, but if we've had a reset, drop the perfectionism about it, but get perfectionistic again about avoiding a future reset! Hope that makes sense.
I've just done a bit of chat account deletion and that kind of thing. Technically I have blockers too, but in practice they're easy to get around or just don't always work for whatever reason, so I shouldn't rely on them.
Let's go!
new reality
Member
Slept well last night, which was needed. A pretty decent day overall.
I've decided that it's important to do hobbies every day if at all possible, and it's also important to keep my environment fairly clean and tidy. As for today:
Hobbies: Yes
Cleaning and tidying: Yes
I've decided that it's important to do hobbies every day if at all possible, and it's also important to keep my environment fairly clean and tidy. As for today:
Hobbies: Yes
Cleaning and tidying: Yes
new reality
Member
A lesson from last night is to be careful when watching a film you haven't seen before.. Should have known it would be triggering really.
Hobbies: Still to do
Cleaning and tidying: Some, but more to be done
Hobbies: Still to do
Cleaning and tidying: Some, but more to be done
new reality
Member
A decent enough day so far. No major urges. Some negative thinking, but not too bad. I mention urges and negative (or angry) thinking together because I think they can be similar in a way. They can both lead to trouble! At the same time I don't want to make a "bogeyman" out of things like negativity, anger and urges. Life isn't as simple as that.
Hobbies: Yes, and I'll do a bit more
Cleaning and tidying: Yes, and I might do some more too
Hobbies: Yes, and I'll do a bit more
Cleaning and tidying: Yes, and I might do some more too
new reality
Member
I missed a day yesterday, as in I didn't make a journal post. Not very unusual for me, you might be thinking! But I'm trying to post more regularly. Anyway, yesterday I was dealing with a lot of negative and angry thoughts, and kind of social anxiety as well. All of this almost certainly came from something that happened last week, kind of a hangover from it, you could say. Fortunately I'm much better today, although I felt very tired at times in the afternoon.
At one point I had a fairly strong urge but got over it by making a quick private journal entry and then reading over some old messages between me and an accountability partner / friend. Must remember to try this again!
Hobbies: Yes, and I'll try to do a bit more
Cleaning and tidying: Some, not a huge amount. Oh yeah I did manage to do quite a lot of this yesterday despite my mood. My mood did affect my ability to do other stuff though.
At one point I had a fairly strong urge but got over it by making a quick private journal entry and then reading over some old messages between me and an accountability partner / friend. Must remember to try this again!
Hobbies: Yes, and I'll try to do a bit more
Cleaning and tidying: Some, not a huge amount. Oh yeah I did manage to do quite a lot of this yesterday despite my mood. My mood did affect my ability to do other stuff though.
new reality
Member
Another thing I should remember is that there are techniques which can help when I have mood issues. Some of these are:
Hobbies: Yes, and I'll try to do some more
Cleaning and tidying: Some, although I was busy and out and about a lot. I'll try and do a bit more though
- 54321 mindfulness technique
- Byron Katie's Questions
- Sedona Method
- There's another one I haven't done for a few years and can't remember the name of lol, but it was helpful (edit - "healing code")
Hobbies: Yes, and I'll try to do some more
Cleaning and tidying: Some, although I was busy and out and about a lot. I'll try and do a bit more though
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new reality
Member
The "Rule of Three"
I have to avoid:
In practice, I'm usually tempted by chat rooms first (or any kind of online chat in general, you could also include things like dating sites in this category).
I have to avoid:
- Chat rooms
- P-subs
- P
In practice, I'm usually tempted by chat rooms first (or any kind of online chat in general, you could also include things like dating sites in this category).
new reality
Member
There's been quite a lot of stress in my life lately, and not enough breaks in between the stress, if you know what I mean. Yesterday was pretty stressful as well, although I managed to chill out later on in the day.
I've got a half-formed thought in my head about how recovery sometimes goes well for us, and sometimes doesn't go well for us, and it's not always easy to work out why. But there are things we can do that can help, and attitudes which help and attitudes which don't.
I've got a half-formed thought in my head about how recovery sometimes goes well for us, and sometimes doesn't go well for us, and it's not always easy to work out why. But there are things we can do that can help, and attitudes which help and attitudes which don't.
new reality
Member
One issue about keeping a journal like this is the fact that it's online! Well I suppose that's both good and bad. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, well we suffer from online addictions of sorts..
I am feeling somewhat more in control of the addiction at the moment. I don't mean I can control my addiction.. Just that I'm not getting strong urges and I'm deliberately avoiding triggers and yeah, that kind of thing. Cravings for other stuff such as alcohol or caffeine may be kicking in a bit more though. Maybe that's a good sign, or not, who knows lol.
I am feeling somewhat more in control of the addiction at the moment. I don't mean I can control my addiction.. Just that I'm not getting strong urges and I'm deliberately avoiding triggers and yeah, that kind of thing. Cravings for other stuff such as alcohol or caffeine may be kicking in a bit more though. Maybe that's a good sign, or not, who knows lol.
new reality
Member
Another issue I've noticed is when I make a journal post, or I message an accountability partner, and afterwards I may experience a fairly strong urge or rationalisation or something like that. Perhaps by writing the post I somehow remind myself of the addiction too much, or I feel overly in control of the addiction. Something to watch out for anyway!
A pretty busy today, and also one that involved a lot of exercise. Besides this, I have various things to think about coming up in the near future (or things I have to get ready for in one way or another). In other words, not a lot of room for urges and so on.. not that that always works, if you know what I mean! Sometimes we manage to make time for the addiction (in a bad way) when we have no time..
So now, a bit of chilling out hopefully!
A pretty busy today, and also one that involved a lot of exercise. Besides this, I have various things to think about coming up in the near future (or things I have to get ready for in one way or another). In other words, not a lot of room for urges and so on.. not that that always works, if you know what I mean! Sometimes we manage to make time for the addiction (in a bad way) when we have no time..
So now, a bit of chilling out hopefully!
new reality
Member
Another busy couple of days. Not sure if I've got much to say about recovery at the moment, but I'll give it a go. Don't act on urges - procrastinate on them instead! Deviate from them and do something else!
Now for some chilling out.. or at least I plan to as soon as possible! Hopefully the weekend will leave more time for hobbies and what have you.
Now for some chilling out.. or at least I plan to as soon as possible! Hopefully the weekend will leave more time for hobbies and what have you.
new reality
Member
I was tired at times today and felt an urge or two. Made it through them though, without too much trouble.
I've talked about being busy lately. Another issue is dealing with people who are, often, determined to be as stressed out as possible (like an addiction to stress if you know what I mean). The stress they generate can be a bit contagious so I'm trying to limit my time around them as much as possible.
Hobbies: Yes, although it was hard to concentrate on them at times.
Cleaning and Tidying: Some, hopefully more tomorrow
I've talked about being busy lately. Another issue is dealing with people who are, often, determined to be as stressed out as possible (like an addiction to stress if you know what I mean). The stress they generate can be a bit contagious so I'm trying to limit my time around them as much as possible.
Hobbies: Yes, although it was hard to concentrate on them at times.
Cleaning and Tidying: Some, hopefully more tomorrow
new reality
Member
Right, missed a few days there.
I had been doing well in various ways.. until this week lol. Monday got off to a stressful start and things fell apart somewhat.
Positives: I did get SOME stuff done. I probably don't (naturally) give myself enough credit for things I actually do, I think it's just the way my mind works.
Negatives: Not a huge amount of hobbies, or cleaning and tidying besides the essentials.. Not the healthiest week in some ways in terms of things like alcohol and.. a reset or two!
Anyway, new beginnings. I'm reminded of a quote, something along the lines of:
"So what do you actually do in the monastery?"
"We fall, and we get back up. We fall, and we get back up. We fall, and we get back up."
I had been doing well in various ways.. until this week lol. Monday got off to a stressful start and things fell apart somewhat.
Positives: I did get SOME stuff done. I probably don't (naturally) give myself enough credit for things I actually do, I think it's just the way my mind works.
Negatives: Not a huge amount of hobbies, or cleaning and tidying besides the essentials.. Not the healthiest week in some ways in terms of things like alcohol and.. a reset or two!
Anyway, new beginnings. I'm reminded of a quote, something along the lines of:
"So what do you actually do in the monastery?"
"We fall, and we get back up. We fall, and we get back up. We fall, and we get back up."
new reality
Member
I had a bit of "Sunday madness". Actually, backup to Saturday. Saw a new film that day which triggered me, even though it was fairly "safe for work".
Anyway Sunday can often be a problem. I had another go at a dating site/app. I deleted my account today. Once again, these things aren't for me, although I can take one or two positives from it I think. Felt a bit depressed for a few hours after deleting it, but now I'm enjoying the return of my "saner self", if you like.
Got to be more prepared for weekends in some ways?
Anyway Sunday can often be a problem. I had another go at a dating site/app. I deleted my account today. Once again, these things aren't for me, although I can take one or two positives from it I think. Felt a bit depressed for a few hours after deleting it, but now I'm enjoying the return of my "saner self", if you like.
Got to be more prepared for weekends in some ways?