Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.

47,612Members
1,358,869Posts
1,400,000Visitors

I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

Shift83Senior Contributor14 Nov 2025, 9:37 pm AEDT

I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

Hi Everyone.

Hope your as well as you can be.

just wanted to get some things off my chest.

I’m coming up to 7 months sober in around three days to be honest. I’m not really thinking about it anymore and I was drinking every day for over 20 years. Don’t get me wrong there are some really challenging times, and to be honest I think one day I may drink again. But for now it’s just trying to beat the addiction.

every psychiatrist always blamed my mental health problems on my drinking. I guess it’s which comes first. The chicken or the egg type scenario well now I’m seven months sober. My mental health doesn’t really seem to have improved. In fact I’m more irritable. I’m having worse Dreams, my sleep is shit always angry, and nothing makes me happy expect for the problem I’m wanting to talk about and that’s gambling.

I have kicked a lot of addictions to the curb in my life but gambling has taken a stronghold. Now I have stopped drinking obviously it’s my brain searching for a dopamine hit elsewhere and that’s what I think the problem is. I’m addicted to dopamine because no matter how much I win I keep going whether it’s a winning feeling or losing feeling. I’m just chasing some feeling to feel alive.

It really is a love hate relationship. I saw my family just spend their money. Never owned a house. Never owned anything. Just throw away money. Not even really sure why I’m writing any of this I just needed to get it off my chest.

I do understand the psychology behind gambling and dopamine, and I think that’s what makes me more pissed off because I understand But even if it’s self-destructive it makes me feel alive. People say try jujitsu MMA boxing parachuting it will give you an adrenaline rush. Sure it will give me an adrenaline rush but it’s not at my fingertips

4 replies

1 - 4 of 4

In response to: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

tymeModerator14 Nov 2025, 11:02 pm AEDT

Re: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

Firstly, well done on your huge achievement. I recognise it's still really hard for you. I look foward to hearing what the community have to say as they share their experiences too @Shift83

I just wanted to get in here and say that I hear you and I'm so glad you have been able to reach out.

In response to: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

Ruby26Senior Contributor15 Nov 2025, 3:29 pm AEDT

Re: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

@Shift83 being sober for 7 months is an amazing accomplishment. I'm sorry that you are still feeling so terrible. It sounds like you have difficulty in feeling pleasure, which in itself is something worth talking to a therapist about. Psychiatrists can only present theories, they are human and can be wrong. Addictions make things worse in the long run, but they often come from a self-medicating motivation for something that was already an issue. It is important to seek help while you are still sober, it makes it easier to focus on how you are feeling, rather than the current addiction based coping mechanisms for the feeling.

There are other options for support, if psychiatry isn't helping you. Have you tried getting help from a drug and alcohol specialist counsellor and/or Alcoholics Anonymous? You must have worked really hard to get sober, you deserve to get help from someone who can validate that and help you to find ways to feel better (without having to rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms).

In response to: Re: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

OaktreeSenior Contributor15 Nov 2025, 7:40 pm AEDT

Re: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

@Shift83

Well done on your achievement of 7 months sober. That is so massive. I am sorry to hear that gambling is also an issue. I think it's really hard to give up 2 things at the same time but it is possible. It's great that you recognise why you are doing it. That is probably half the battle. I was wondering if you could hook in with a decent therapist. Like a counsellor or psychologist. Maybe they could help you to work on what is underlying the need to gamble. It may also help you to stay sober as well.

In response to: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

Lapis_AnteaterPeer Guide15 Nov 2025, 8:09 pm AEDT

Re: I can’t see clearly the rains still here.

Hey @Shift83

Congratulations on getting to 7 months sober. It really is a huge accomplishment. It must be really disappointing to put so much effort into something that you believed would improve your mental health only for it not to work. At least it’s something that has benefits beyond your mental health. Unfortunately, mental health professionals aren’t always right. Do you have a therapist or a professional you could talk to about the negative side effects of being sober? You do not have to suffer alone.

I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling with gambling. It makes sense to search for a new dopamine hit after becoming sober. The research does link substance abuse and gambling. It’s common for people to replace one addiction with another. Exercise might be a good source of dopamine that is easily accessible. Is that something that interest you? I don’t really have any new suggestions beyond the common recommendations, but I hope you know this community is here to support you.

1 - 4 of 4