My Sober Pandemic: Ellen

books, coffee, chocolate

Today's sober hero is Ellen who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

========

Mrs D: How are you feeling about what's going on with the pandemic?

Ellen: Some days I felt completely overwhelmed by what was going on world, other days I feel safe and ok. Many days are both.

Mrs D: How long have you been sober for?

Ellen: I will be four years sober on April 17, 2022.

Mrs D: How has being sober helped you through the pandemic?

Ellen: I wake up every morning with a clear head. I may feel scared, sad, depressed even, but I deal with those feelings. I drink my coffee and try to come up with a plan for the day. I don't know how I could navigate this time if I were still drinking.

Mrs D: Have you had any pangs to drink lately?

Ellen: I felt shaken at the beginning of the pandemic, not pangs like cravings, but I did have thoughts. I started to have drinking dreams again. I had them often for the first six months of getting sober. I spent some time with my 'quit lit' and with some sober friends online. I quickly put those thoughts away. Instead, I am focused on becoming stronger and more determined than ever to stay sober.

Mrs D: Any particular self-care actions that have helped you in these gritty times?

Ellen: I am a runner, so I run. I found running alone when restrictions required it, day after day, to be a challenge. I really enjoy the support and camaraderie of my running friends. However, I persevere! When I needed to run alone I did lots of solo-waving to fellow runners, trying to take support from others out there alone. I also took spin classes and yoga classes from home.

Mrs D: What did you do to fill in the days?

Ellen: In addition to working from home and exercising, I spent a lot of time reading. I love literary fiction and memoirs. I also enjoy knitting, doing puzzles and cooking. My teenagers kept things lively. I also drank too much coffee, tea and hot chocolate.

Mrs D: What would you say to people who are struggling with alcohol right now?

Ellen: I know how hard it is. My best advice would be to focus on one day at a time, sometimes, one hour at a time. When I first gave up drinking, my cravings were the worst at night. I would tell myself, not tonight. Maybe tomorrow you can drink, but not tonight. I did that for weeks. I also used one of your tricks - picturing myself climbing into bed sober and waking up without a hangover. That trick got me through my first summer of not drinking. And try to find a support group. There are so many online right now. You can do it alone, but it's hard!! A support group makes it so much easier.

Mrs D: What's in this photo you've shared with us?

Ellen: My current vices...

Mrs D: Anything else you'd like to add?

Ellen: I never want to go back to drinking. I try to put my sobriety first everyday. If I start drinking again, it affects everything and everyone in my life. Sobriety is my super power. When times are tough, I remind myself - you gave up alcohol, you can do anything!!! Covid-19 is not taking me down. Stay strong! xoxo

3 Comments
  1. Newlife2020 11 months ago

    Thanks for that great post Ellen. I did the opposite……unfortunately I drank my way thru the pandemic but have decided to ditch the drink now. I will embrace my new super power!

  2. Hammer123 12 months ago

    “Sobriety is my super power”. I love that!

  3. els0914 12 months ago

    ❤️❤️❤️

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published.

Licensed by NZ Drug Foundation under Creative Commons 4.0 2023. Built by Bamboo Creative and powered by Flywheel.

Forgot your details?

Create Account