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Sobriety Over The Road

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Trailblazer2330

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Joined
Feb 10, 2016
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Hey all! I'm a newbie here on blue light, even though I've scoured through the forums in the past on Google when trying to get clean from opiates etc... Well a little over two years ago, I was getting ready to start my career as a long haul truck driver. I was facing some serious consequences from my addiction and by the grace of something in this world, I was able to obtain my CDL and get a job. It was at that point I knew I had to go cold turkey from heroin if I wanted to make a life for myself. My options were get clean and get that job, or go live on the streets with no money, no car, and no family or friends due to burning every bridge I had in life.

I went cold turkey, (wasn't my first time) and for some reason since I knew I had so much at stake, and had a very rewarding goal in mind, that week of WD went by in light speed. I got my job and got trucking around the country. Although I was faced with so much alone time driving all over the lower 48 and Canada, the fact that I was doing well for myself and didn't have time or know anyone in all these places I went, it was a breeze staying sober.

I did this for over a year, until the loneliness got to me. At night when I was done for the day I started having a few drinks at the truck stops. Never did it affect my work.

To speed this story up, about 7 months ago I got a local job in Seattle. Still don't know anyone here except for those o work with who have never been addicts. Being home every night I have found myself drinking significantly more than ever before. My drinking has yet to cause any issues at work, I'm always on time, always sober at work, just drink at night when I get home.

I am starting to feel like I traded my drugs for alcohol in a way. I mean I don't have to drink, I can go without it and not be sick, I just feel like being here alone, not having much of anything fun to do in my free time, has been leading me to drink quite a bit in my free time. I've done AA/NA in the past, and it's just not for me. I've been clean off dope for over 2 years, drinking for about a year when I'm off work.

Has anyone else found themselves trading one for one? Any suggestions on what I could do differently? I don't feel completely hooked to booze like I was dope, but I know being the addict I was with dope, my drinking could become a slippery slope.

I guess I'm just venting, looking for feedback, maybe meet some sober folks here in Seattle, activities, something. I don't drink every day, but i do have a wee bit of remorse for the fact I kicked the drugs, and have started drinking, even though it hasn't been any problematic drinking.

Also if this is in the wrong column can someone move it for me. I'm new here.

Thank you all
 
It's good that you're aware of, and acknowledge, your situation. It's no cliche when they say alcoholism is a progressive disease. It might not be causing you problems now, but as a former addict, you are at a much greater risk of sliding down that "slippery slope" (your words) than the average moderate drinker. I know for a long time, drinking did not interfere with my work or personal life, but eventually it did. Another good reason for you to be cautious is that you never know, when in a moment of impaired judgment, you might decide it's a good idea to go score some heroin. You say NA is not for you, but there's validity in the statement that, "Thinking of alcohol as different from other drugs has caused a great many addicts to relapse."

Trailblazer2330 said:
I just feel like being here alone, not having much of anything fun to do in my free time, has been leading me to drink quite a bit in my free time.
Click to expand...


I used to drink a lot out of boredom as well. Being alone is not good for an addict. It causes us to live inside our own heads, which is not a place we should be without adult supervision, at least until our sobriety has become cemented habit. I believe this takes years. AA/NA was a lifeline in my early sobriety. Alcoholism left me completely isolated and if it hadn't been for the people in AA/NA, I would have been completely alone. Now, I'm grateful to have a real social life that gravitates around my hobbies (my regular cycling partner is six years clean off crack) because it is important to me to be around people less fucked up than me. So that would be what I suggest. Find a hobby(ies) and others that share the same interest. The busier you are, I think the better the chances are for recovery.
 
Right on. Thanks for the input. I'm still new here in the Seattle area, I guess I could always see what the meetings are like here. Maybe meet some great people. It's been a week since I've had my last drink. Being busy has basically been the biggest factor in getting clean. It's the down idle time with nothing to do or people to talk to I find myself getting into no good.
 
thats fucking awsome you were able to get away from the dope like that... I always wish I would have an opportunity similar to yours, but unfortunately i will probably be trapped in MoCo, NJ until i die of an od.

It is not unheard of for ex heroin addicts to slowly become alcoholics. You need to start doing something different when you get home from work, I know its difficult because you probably look forward to that relaxing buzz after a long day, but it is going to fuck you over.

I shouldn't say this but in your situation this could help you... Pot is legal in seatttle where you are right? Id recommend smoking smoking some weed when you get done with work, instead of drinking... Idk if you like smoking weed or not but I think it would help you b/c man trust me the alcohol is guna ruin you.

Like I said, you gotta start thinking of what you could be doing differently when you get home from work... think about that all day long... what else do you enjoy doing...
 
He may get drug tests because he drives trucks, so weed may be out of the question for him.

Alcohol caused me to relapse the last time. It started off with just having a couple beers after work but quickly escalated. What aihfl said is very true. It may happens slower for you, but eventually drinking is going to lead you back to your drug of choice, or become an extremely difficult problem to overcome. Check out some meetings and maybe meet some people. You don't need to drink the Koolaid to meet a couple friends.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, I would look up online if there are any other people in your area that share similar hobbies. Also, most towns have a pennysaver/clipper magazine that comes out once a week. Generally inside these magazines are different events going on in your town. I would check them out. Its a good way to meet people in your town, and maybe have a little fun in the process. Maybe try volunteering. It is a great way to meet some good people, and give you some good karma.
 
Weed is legal in Seattle. I seriously commend you for winning the battle against heroin. Are there any SMART chapters in Seattle? I would think there are, and it would be another option for a support group. Loneliness is a killer. Almost makes this agnostic wish she were religious just for the connectivity. Almost. GL, I feel your pain. I have a wonderful husband but he is a workaholic so I drag him out to dinner (where I drink) just so I can get his attention and then I go home and drink while he works. One other idea, I have started volunteering, I haven't made friends that I see outside the volunteer world yet, but it is meaningful and provides human i teraction.
 
I forgot. There is also a site, meetup.com, that has meetup groups, by interest, all over the country. I haven't used it yet, butmany of the groups sound interesting.
 
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