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Sober roughly 17 months now, does it get better?

engineercchad

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 8, 2014
Messages
60
Location
North Carolina, USA
Some background: having been caught up in my own personal belief that I could implicitly trust medical professionals, I once had the whole DSM thrown at me and was medicated as such. SSRIs led to serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome to benzo abuse. Benzo abuse to psychosis. Psychosis to.... polysubstance issues involving just about everything except what would need IV or IM administration, over the years.

I found myself under a semi during the morning rush on the interstate in October 2012 on my way for "chronic pain treatment" which I now see was unneeded (I deal with persistent neuropathic pain most likely due to the benzo use over the years these days dealt with by meditation, distraction and/or exercise). I got everything righted while providing full-time hospice and pallative care for my terminally ill grandmother (alz and inoperable brain tumor) while simultaneously detoxing from anxiety meds, anti-psychotic drugs, anti-seizure drugs, then stopped pain meds in every form, stopped everything.

I could never wrap my head around any of the programs, but it's good to see they work for some people. I tend to deal with mental chaos these days through filling my head with information to crunch on on topics ranging from metaphysics, math, spirituality, science, theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, mathematics, technological topics of all types, etc. etc. etc. (got back that old intellectualism :) )

I have yet to return to the doctor with any trust, which I do not yet see as unreasonable just yet (my health has never been better). Every time I see one, they tend to find no real issues with a good, physical cause and just recommend I see a therapist (wait, I think that helped me start this 8( ).

I have eliminated most processed sugar, most processed foods, learned to cook (very well, at that), started my own electronics repair gig (cell phones, tabs, computers, televisions, etc.) to manage pain and to help keep the old noggin ticking with as little chaos as possible (additive allergies, perhaps?)

I guess my question is this: I have been unable to find meaningful work for a reliable paycheck to date! I had a three week pizza spot job, they cut me out of the schedule despite my learning the entire store in that period. I have obtained more higher education (2010 - AAS in CIS/Network Security -- before I was clean, now working on another AAS in Medical Office Admin).

I'm learning to cope in productive ways. Finally got to feeling right enough within myself to look at getting married and have a family (first child will be born in May) but... The money still is never right, but it is improving (only of my own accord, through my electronics work).

Does it get better?

Anyone here have a horrible time returning to gainfully employed status? I keep interviewing and filling out paperwork in everything I can think of in the time I'm not concentrating on my own business but, it's only netted about 4 pay stubs since I got clean.....
 
ive been a waiter for about 8 months and it fairly easy to get hired. its not the best job, but im young and its the firsf job i have kept for more than a couple months. and it helps me with my social anxiety as im forced to talk to people i dont know daily, which makes interaction with other people i dont know easier. good luck :)
 
Yes it does, and I think you're right around the corner. Wait till you have two years. I had almost 6 years once and felt like you do around 18 months. Right around the two year mark it changed.

I just want to caution you however regarding the baby coming. I just had a beautiful son one year ago and it rocked my world and I believe contributed to me relapsing. I only say this because our culture completely ignores the reality of how difficult and stressful it is to become a new parent. I think that having the awareness is important so you don't get caught out... like my wife and I did.
 
Thank you. It sometimes helps to hear no more than it gets better. I had a job interview lined up recently and it looks set to pan out finally at least for a moment doing fluid analysis 3rd shift with a diagnostics laboratory. :!=D Given what's been happening, I've been fighting the urge to dismiss the pleasure of knowing a decent job may be lined up finally, seems like it may be just another false hope? :? It's really all there is to possibly count on at the moment, the electronics bit is suffering mainly due to "life on life's terms" (ie: the finances, for this second).

I can appreciate how you pointed out the stress involved with being a new parent. I have learned to never refuse to think that the general rule applies to myself as well and I firmly believe that being armed with information or experiences (even if they're someone else's) is very useful. I think that's the only thing I missed out by not being able to connect to the message in the meetings?
 
it seems your job status is what is hurting you more than any pure sobriety factor..its a hard world out there if you dont have connection or advanced education...i imagine you will find it gets better..

no one said that sobriety meant that life would suddenly become miraculous and easy again..i found that out the hard way..
 
No, it definitely doesn't. It sometimes seems like it was easier to go through life the mess that I once was and just being unable to pay attention to what it was. I worried only about myself. In retrospect, I refuse to live with regret although there's a lot to make up for. This morning, I got word that while I've been worried about this, my mother has been hearing her pacemaker beep every day for some reason or another. It seems about due for a battery change? I sometimes think to myself: why did I allow myself to go back to being aware? :p

I am thankful I'm where I'm at.... The job situation has possibly panned out? This week I'm supposed to start a third shift gig at a diagnostics lab (?) and I'm grateful for that. It seems the 18 months thing is legit (life's test to see if I'm actually finally motivated to do right?) I keep bouncing back and forth between being grateful things worked out and thinking of how selfish I've been over the years, how far behind I am now and how tough it will be to make it all up and catch up. (I'm 34, no career, but I got a nice side business when it's convenient [meaning when people have disposable cash] and............ Who waits till 34 to be a father? I'm thankful I got to plan it out, almost thankful of what led to my taking myself out of the "game" for almost 9 years....)

I've found I tend to be my own worst critic, then on the flipside I've been placing that doublestamp of Chad approval on my actions almost in a narcissistic way since I got clean.... I know narcissism isn't useful either but..... Damn it's all I got sometimes. That and becoming slightly, no majorly sociopathic (everyone gotta have a purpose, adding to or taking away?) It seems that getting and staying clean was all about "self-approval" for me...
 
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