Alcohol. My biggest triggers were Las Vegas and bad relationships. Once I quit stripping in Vegas (choosing to work in small towns instead), I broke the habit of drinking at work. At the time I decided to get sober, I also left an unhealthy relationship. This was eye-opening and it was a long time before I felt ready to commit again. While I miss drinking the occasional SweetWater Blue, for the most part not drinking is easy. No triggers = no desire.
Sometimes I miss weed. It's true. I have the opportunity often, yet always turn it down. Having ADD, weed gave me tons of energy. After I quit smoking, I immediately gained 10 pounds that I haven't been able to lose since. *sigh* Also, marijuana enhanced my sexual pleasure so much that I could even orgasm from giving head. I miss that! On the bright side, I am always sober and alert. I do not need to self-medicate and I remember much more.
This year at Burning Man I met a gorgeous man. It is rare that I look at a man and think "WOW!" So rare, in fact, that I can remember each one throughout my lifetime. This guy was that quality of eye candy! I've never had sex at Burning Man, and it had been awhile since I'd gotten laid in my personal life. But -- I am successfully reformed! No OMGHSH sex, no Craigslist sex, no sex without commitment. I did take lots of pictures of him, though.. ;)
(picture of me taken by a fellow Burner)
Now that I am no longer stripping, I work full-time cooking and cleaning for the man in my life. Whoever said "You can't turn a whore into a housewife" was wrong. :-p Ok, so I wasn't a whore, but close enough in most people's eyes.
My life is simple and drama-free. Nobody causes me stress (those who had were phased out long ago). I am healthy, sober, and happy. Everyday I am grateful.
5 comments:
I've always been a fan of living life sans medication, be it drugs or other mood-altering items. Congrats on quitting drinking and smoking as I hear they are harder habits to kick than crack.
Like you, I've also noticed that when you're true to who and what you are and don't get caught up in the BS of other people, life is alot simpler. It's amazing how simple life can be and how difficult it is for people to find comfort in something so basic.
I love that all is great in your life.
Congratulations and thanks for sharing! A lot of people are able to quit ONE of those things, but three or more?!? Three years is amazing.
Thanks for the kind words. :)
My biggest addiction has always been food: fast food and sweets. People think that all food addicts must be fat--but that is not true. In order to stay thin, I used to take drugs (both legal & illegal) and exercise for hours at a time.
Luckily, I figured out how to gain control over my fast food addiction: no more drive thrus. Seriously, ordering through the drive thru and eating in the car were an important part of my ritual. What I did to stop was no longer allow myself to go through the drive thru. If I want fast food, I must go inside and eat at a table. I've done this a handful of times in the past year.
As for sweets, I haven't figured out how to quit completely. Generally I avoid them but when I don't I eat to excess. Being hypoglycemic and having health issues from sugar hasn't been a deterrant. What I've found to be most effective is to not bring sweet foods in the house.
It is worth noting, that my addictions would usually slip in a certain order: food first, then sex, drugs, and alcohol last. Strange enough, people often notice addiction in others in the opposite order.
I can't tell you how much this resonates for me. Food (and obsessive and/or compulsive rituals around it) is my drug of choice. I totally hear you with the eating in the car thing. Sex and games are up there, too but I've had an easier time abstaining from them than compulsive over/eating. Okay, I've had an easier time abstaining from games ;) Sigh.
Anyway, thank you for sharing - I love you!
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