Hello Friends today is day 428 sober. This past week has been a fun. I have a couple months off of work and in that time I am doing whatever the heart desires. The book is 90 percent done. I took a couple days off from writing to clear my head. The last few chapters of the book seem to be hardest to complete. It has Brought upon a bit of writers block. I already know the last sentence of the book. The look of the book is as important to me as the content. I know this book will help the 40,000 who read Sober is the new black, I hope to reach millions of others who might be struggling in sobriety, addicts who are still using and family of loved ones who suffer. Giving an in depth biography of what happens to the mind, body and soul of the addict once they stop using from day 1 sober too 1 year sober.
Everyday I have to remind myself I am not my past addiction, I am who I choose to be today in this moment. Others might still see me as the past addiction symptoms. I will no longer waste energy on others who are committed to not understanding me or getting to know my true self. No one is born wanting to an addict, Circumstances and traumas happen, once they cross over the invisible line the disease starts.
My disease will not define me like diabetes doesn’t define a diabetic. We are so much more than our past addiction. In the first month of sobriety, I hesitated to tell others I suffered from addiction. I would speak about it online but when meeting someone for the first time. I was afraid of being labeled or judged. It’s like coming out all over again.
I seen an article that said “you should never fall in love with someone who struggled with addiction”. That article brought so much pain to my heart, I cried most of the day. How can society be judgmental on something that they have never lived through. It’s seems addiction along with HIV and AIDs are two diseases that are discriminated against.
When I go on a date, I ask myself questions like “when should I disclose why I don’t order a beer during dinner?” “After how many dates should I tell the person?” “If I don’t tell them right away, does that mean I’m hiding or lying?” First dates should be light and fun, not heavy. I can’t explain my past addiction without giving the whole dark childhood.
I went on a date last year with a smart, humbled, successful artist. We had so much fun dancing the night away, Making out, and talking. It was the first time since my break up were we just flowed and it was effort-less. After spending the day together we went to dinner after the club. He made me feel so comfortable which never happens with someone I just met. So I told him the reason why I was not drinking. His responses was “I cant be in a relationship with someone who I can’t enjoy a night cap with at the end of the night.”
He saw past all my good qualities and defined me by the past addiction. Of course I was bummed and obviously he wasn’t the one for me. I was hopeful and excited to finally meet a guy that I clicked with. But now I was sitting across the dinner table deflated from the hope I once had. Feeling terrible, thinking love will be hard and it shouldn’t be. If I never had an addiction than I would probably be married by now. Negative thoughts started to race through my mind going and going. Should I date someone in recovery? I can’t help whom I fall for. Would it be hard to be with somebody who drinks? Should I even attempt to connect with another guy who suffered from addiction? I know whatever will be will be, so I have to wait and see.
The word addict can scare a person but its understandable, the symptoms of the disease can cause a lot of harm to others and love ones. Some people are unaware because they don’t know addicts or they have been hurt by addicts. In the past I would care what others thought in the beginning of sobriety. Now it’s the first thing I disclose, it helps weed out the ones that are not open. I have to be “Ok” with someone not wanting to be friends or in a relationship with me because of my addiction. I want tolerance so I have to give tolerance
A person might think someone in recovery might not be fun to hangout with or a downer. Just to clarify it’s the opposite. In my case I’m laughing most of my day, wanting to dance, be a better friend and a lot more outgoing. Very open to trying new things.
When I was using I was secluded, non social, not wanting to do anything, in dive bars, passing out and getting drunk early, emotional, angry, would get offend by everybody and everything. I wasn’t fun to be around. I lacked passion in learning from others, I thought I knew it all. I would have blackouts and drunken stumbles that caused a lot of damage to others.
A person might not invite me out because they don’t want to feel guilty for drinking around me. It all varies from person to person who is in recovery. For me I am at the point in my recovery were I could be around alcohol and not crave.
Now that I am sober, no one can make me feel any less than what I feel for myself. I’m very content with the friends I have in my life at the moment, I am now building on those relationship, instead of looking for validation in others who I lost due to my addiction. Sobriety is number one the rest follows and I can’t be with someone or have friends that don’t understand that. I need people to see past my disorder and see my heart. Sober is the New black
This week I’ll be working on the book but also catching the new Amy Winehouse documentary, I’ve been waiting for this film for the past year. I’ve been a huge fan since she made her first album before she blew up. Seen her live before back to black. Here’s an interview from Vice with The director Asif Kapadia of AMY
Sober Is The New Black 