30 Days "Sober"

2

Replies

  • shellsrenee01
    shellsrenee01 Posts: 357 Member
    I definitely did not mean any disrespect to anyone and i apologize if I did.

    My stepfather is an alcoholic, my mother is a gambleholic, and I have struggled to control my soda intake. Unhealthy habits come in all forms, not just alcohol and drugs.

    I've never had an issue with drinking alcohol, or gambling, but I have struggled with being drawn to unhealthy eating habits since I was in grade school. I put sober in quotes to indicate I was not using it in the traditional fashion. I was/am simply proud of my accomplishment and I wanted to share it with those who also deal with soda cravings day in and day out. If you have never fought the urge to do something you know was bad for you, I applaud you. However, most people struggle with one vice or another on a day to day basis, and mine happens to be soda.

    Obesity is a serious issue for society, and soda is highly connected with those who are overweight, obese, or morbidly obese.
    MFP is a place for people to come together for support and help when they are trying to lead healthier lifestyles. Again, I apologize if my thread title offended anyone, but those of you who have struggled to give up anything and made it to a milestone of 30 days can understand the significance behind it.

    Thank you for the kind words and congrats. I'm still super excited for making it to one month of resisting that which has had such a strong hold on me for the last 20 years.
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
    I was ready to give you this online coin until I read the post. While you have set a good goal for yourself and you are doing well, think twice before wording a thread so inappropriately.

    1-year-chip.jpg

    :love:
    Im Happy we're friends Crabby.
  • avvalynna
    avvalynna Posts: 32
    My gosh! I just realized I have no idea when the last time I had a coke was! I used to drink a 12 pack every couple of days!

    It is def an accomplishment! Gratz!
  • cestabbey
    cestabbey Posts: 25 Member
    My father is an alcoholic who I eventually had to cut from my life and my brother-in-law struggles with sobriety, and I have zero issue with your post title. The quotes around the word clearly show that it was not a typical case of sobriety and your heart was obviously in the right place. Of course I in no way want to diminish the feelings of other posters, I do think it's important to remind ourselves that on MFP we're here for support, not nitpicking -- especially when the intent of the post was clearly excitement about reaching a milestone.

    Congratulations on fighting through the soda habit! It takes time and effort to form new habits and it sounds like you're getting there! :)
  • Candi_land
    Candi_land Posts: 1,311 Member
    I think the word "Sober" is reserved for ppl with real addiction problems.
    That come from a place of despair and sorrow.
    That have taken there right to live back.
    Fought for their health and state of mind to be a better human being.
    And NONE of that has anything to do with Soda.

    ^^ As a former cocaine addict (three years clean now), I have to agree with this.
  • losing4goodnow
    losing4goodnow Posts: 18 Member
    My brother is a recovering addict, my biological father is an active alcoholic & several members of my mother's side of my family have addiction issues....I had no problem with the wording of the title of your post. Like you said, people struggle with addictions in all forms, be it alcohol, drugs or caffeine. Does an addiction to caffeine do as much damage as crack or alcohol in terms of damage to your body or the damage it does with relationships in your life? No but it's an addiction nonetheless and it can be a hard one to overcome for some people. Just as overeating is.......there's an entire 12 step program out there for people with the addiction of food or with eating disorders. Sorry, I just couldn't watch you continuously get bashed over how you worded your post. There's more important things to worry about people than how someone chooses to use a word.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    Definition of SOBER

    1
    a : sparing in the use of food and drink : abstemious
    b : not addicted to intoxicating drink
    c : not drunk
    2
    : marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor
    3
    : unhurried, calm
    4
    : marked by temperance, moderation, or seriousness <a sober candlelight vigil>
    5
    : subdued in tone or color
    6
    : showing no excessive or extreme qualities of fancy, emotion, or prejudice
    — so·ber·ly adverb
    — so·ber·ness noun
  • zdreamer
    zdreamer Posts: 69 Member
    I broke the "soda" (in Michigan, it's "pop") habit a few years ago and just have a glass once in a great while. It makes the pop I do drink, the best ever and I also don't miss it one little bit as a staple in my day! I do drink one glass of unsweetened tea in the morning and then switch to water. If I absolutely need a "treat" later in the day, I will have another glass of unsweetened tea.

    Great job on 30 days and keep it up!
  • frankizoy
    frankizoy Posts: 83 Member
    I think the word "Sober" is reserved for ppl with real addiction problems.
    That come from a place of despair and sorrow.
    That have taken there right to live back.
    Fought for their health and state of mind to be a better human being.
    And NONE of that has anything to do with Soda.

    "sober" is not ment to be taken literally, thats why its in quotes. and A LOT of people use that term jokingly to refer to them giving up something they do obssesivly or drink/eat obssesivly including drinking soda.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    I think the word "Sober" is reserved for ppl with real addiction problems.
    That come from a place of despair and sorrow.
    That have taken there right to live back.
    Fought for their health and state of mind to be a better human being.
    And NONE of that has anything to do with Soda.

    "sober" is not ment to be taken literally, thats why its in quotes. and A LOT of people use that term jokingly to refer to them giving up something they do obssesivly or drink/eat obssesivly including drinking soda.

    There are many terms LOT of people use jokingly. Doesn't make it right to use it

    N word
    Retard

    Theres a few others I won't specify with fear of upsetting the mods but you get the picture. I understand that OP made a mistake without thinking too much of it however as a grown person, she should be willing to accept the consequences of her actions.
  • kbbauchle
    kbbauchle Posts: 17 Member
    AMEN sista!!! I am behind you 100%. I am 10 years free of my soda addiction.......yes ADDICTION!

    I couldn't get through the day without it.
    I got headaches from caffeine withdrawal.
    I couldn't function in the morning until I had some.
    I never went anywhere without it.
    I plotted my travel plans around where I could pick up the biggest fountain drink.

    Taken from http://addictions.about.com/od/howaddictionhappens/a/symptomslist.htm

    Some of the common symptoms of addiction are:

    Tolerance - the need to engage in the addictive behavior more and more to get the desired effect
    Withdrawal happens when the person does not take the substance or engage in the activity, and they experience unpleasant symptoms, which are often the opposite of the effects of the addictive behavior
    Difficulty cutting down or controlling the addictive behavior
    Social, occupational or recreational activities becoming more focused around the addiction, and important social and occupational roles being jeopardized
    The person becoming preoccupied with the addiction, spending a lot of time on planning, engaging in, and recovering from the addictive behavior
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    I broke up with Dr Pepper in February of last year. I don't miss him so much anymore
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    I think the word "Sober" is reserved for ppl with real addiction problems.
    That come from a place of despair and sorrow.
    That have taken there right to live back.
    Fought for their health and state of mind to be a better human being.
    And NONE of that has anything to do with Soda.

    "sober" is not ment to be taken literally, thats why its in quotes. and A LOT of people use that term jokingly to refer to them giving up something they do obssesivly or drink/eat obssesivly including drinking soda.

    There are many terms LOT of people use jokingly. Doesn't make it right to use it

    N word
    Retard

    Theres a few others I won't specify with fear of upsetting the mods but you get the picture. I understand that OP made a mistake without thinking too much of it however as a grown person, she should be willing to accept the consequences of her actions.

    My 2 cents: Caffeine IS a drug, it IS addictive. It's not easy to give up. Sure it doesn't ruin your life like other addictions can, but when one makes a conscious decision to give it up, they should be commended and if OP feels that it compares to the word "sober" or wants to use the term loosely, then here in America, she's free to do so.
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    AMEN sista!!! I am behind you 100%. I am 10 years free of my soda addiction.......yes ADDICTION!

    I couldn't get through the day without it.
    I got headaches from caffeine withdrawal.
    I couldn't function in the morning until I had some.
    I never went anywhere without it.
    I plotted my travel plans around where I could pick up the biggest fountain drink.

    Taken from http://addictions.about.com/od/howaddictionhappens/a/symptomslist.htm

    Some of the common symptoms of addiction are:

    Tolerance - the need to engage in the addictive behavior more and more to get the desired effect
    Withdrawal happens when the person does not take the substance or engage in the activity, and they experience unpleasant symptoms, which are often the opposite of the effects of the addictive behavior
    Difficulty cutting down or controlling the addictive behavior
    Social, occupational or recreational activities becoming more focused around the addiction, and important social and occupational roles being jeopardized
    The person becoming preoccupied with the addiction, spending a lot of time on planning, engaging in, and recovering from the addictive behavior

    caffeine withdrawal is a bummer, this is what keeps me from going back. I don't want to go through THAT again!
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I think the word "Sober" is reserved for ppl with real addiction problems.
    That come from a place of despair and sorrow.
    That have taken there right to live back.
    Fought for their health and state of mind to be a better human being.
    And NONE of that has anything to do with Soda.


    Sorry but as a nurse in the psych field I totally disagree. Food is just as addicting and is being tampered with by the big companies to become even more so. We have to most difficult addiction to overcome because you "need" no other addictive substance to survive but you need food.
    Congrats to the OP!
  • 1efcahill
    1efcahill Posts: 18 Member
    Please "walk a mile" in this young lady's shoes before you judge so harshly and self righteously. Overcoming addiction to ANY drug is commendable and should be applauded. Way to go!!!
  • vick441
    vick441 Posts: 42 Member
    Today marks the 30th day I've been soda free! This is huge for me, as I was consuming on average 2 cans of coke a day. That means I have saved myself 8400 calories in the last 30 days from not drinking soda.

    I know lots of people struggle with giving up soda. It was hard and continues to be difficult for me. Those who say it gets easier after 7, 14, or 21 days are lucky! ;)

    My original goal date was June 7. I'm really hoping when I get to that date, I will continue my ban on soda. *crosses fingers*

    Well done! Plus the sugar waste that you didn't feed your body with. A green/herbal tea really helps to reduce that annoying craving besides excellent hydration
  • MerinneW
    MerinneW Posts: 71 Member
    If you know anything about addiction, then you know it is not about the substance/activity to which one is addicted. Addiction can apply to anything. Beating it is always hard, and should be applauded.
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    If you know anything about addiction, then you know it is not about the substance/activity to which one is addicted. Addiction can apply to anything. Beating it is always hard, and should be applauded.

    Not that you're trying to be rude or anything...:huh:
    Addiction can apply to a number of substances from caffeine to alcohol to heroin. But usually the word "sober" refers to alcoholism.
  • MerinneW
    MerinneW Posts: 71 Member
    And precisely who are you to decide what is a 'minor self control issue' and what is an addiction? Her family? Her GP? Or just someone uptight looking for someone to pick on?
  • MerinneW
    MerinneW Posts: 71 Member
    I'm just astonished how many people have taken it upon themselves to pick on this poor lass for a possibly misplaced word, rather than taking her at her word and accepting that giving this up was really hard for her.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    I think the word "Sober" is reserved for ppl with real addiction problems.
    That come from a place of despair and sorrow.
    That have taken there right to live back.
    Fought for their health and state of mind to be a better human being.
    And NONE of that has anything to do with Soda.

    "sober" is not ment to be taken literally, thats why its in quotes. and A LOT of people use that term jokingly to refer to them giving up something they do obssesivly or drink/eat obssesivly including drinking soda.

    There are many terms LOT of people use jokingly. Doesn't make it right to use it

    N word
    Retard

    Theres a few others I won't specify with fear of upsetting the mods but you get the picture. I understand that OP made a mistake without thinking too much of it however as a grown person, she should be willing to accept the consequences of her actions.

    My 2 cents: Caffeine IS a drug, it IS addictive. It's not easy to give up. Sure it doesn't ruin your life like other addictions can, but when one makes a conscious decision to give it up, they should be commended and if OP feels that it compares to the word "sober" or wants to use the term loosely, then here in America, she's free to do so.

    Yes, I will immediately get to calling all the caffeine addiction victims and tell them that it is ok to use the term "sober". I mean, they did went through the hardship that're the same as alcoholism. They've ruined their health. Their relationships. Their personality. They've probably lost their license and probably their job and career because of caffeinated driving. All for that cuppa :(
  • suchastruggle
    suchastruggle Posts: 55 Member
    Sweet Tea is my down fall Ive seriously no clue how much sugars in it... Thats awesome you kicked soda to the curb.. Im gonna have to do that with Sweet Tea

    I used to be a big sweet tea drinker; then I started going half and half when I'd go out and making it with gradually less sugar at home. Now my preference is unsweetened tea. Regular black tea unsweetened is fine, but my absolute favorite is the Celestial Seasonings Sweet Coconut Thai Chai tea made iced. It's unsweetened, but you really don't miss the sugar. Yummy!! :smile:
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    There are many terms LOT of people use jokingly. Doesn't make it right to use it
    There are many terms a LOT of people get offended by. Doesn't make it right for them to get uptight about them.

    ;)
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    There are many terms LOT of people use jokingly. Doesn't make it right to use it
    There are many terms a LOT of people get offended by. Doesn't make it right for them to get uptight about them.

    ;)

    And a lot of people use emoticons thinking that makes it okay to say rude and offensive things. That doesn't make it right.
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    Wow, REALLY?!! Why can't we just congratulate the OP and move on. Seriously... :noway:
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    And a lot of people use emoticons thinking that makes it okay to say rude and offensive things. That doesn't make it right.
    Which rather shows my point :D.
  • Snapper1985
    Snapper1985 Posts: 124 Member
    I really need to quit the soda again. Gave it up for lent and did fine. Felt tons better. Then the 'zero calorie' crap was sitting around the house and I caved and it's crept back in a bit. Not nearly as much as it had been, but it's back a bit. Ugh.
  • jakidb
    jakidb Posts: 1,010 Member
    You can do it AND you've done gr8t thus far!
  • alliebeth88
    alliebeth88 Posts: 59 Member
    Great job! I know how hard it can be to quit pop/soda, even moreso if you depend on the caffeine. I have a heart arrhythmia and still I find myself sneaking an energy drink here and there even though it could lead to serious issues.

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