From Soldier to Sobriety
Right, listen up. If you’d told the 35-year-old me, fresh out of a dozen years in the British Army, that I’d be sitting here at 57, a qualified coach, talking about how Reiki helped me finally ditch the booze, I’d have probably laughed in your face. Then I’d have offered you a pint. Probably a large one. Because for 45 bloody years, that’s what I did. I drank. And it nearly killed me.
But here we are. Eight months sober, and let me tell you, it’s been a fucking war. Not with an enemy in uniform this time, but with the insidious bastard inside my own head. And in that war, alongside sheer grit and a whole load of mental rewiring, tools like Reiki, Reiki self-healing, and meditation became my unexpected, but utterly vital, combat gear.
From Drunk Tank to Energy Work: My Unfiltered Journey
Let’s not sugarcoat it. My drinking wasn’t a social habit; it was a crutch, a coping mechanism, and eventually, a full-blown addiction. It got me through the post-Army chaos, the bad decisions, the sheer weight of life that I just didn’t know how to carry without numbing it. I was a functioning mess, telling myself I had it under control, even as my life slowly crumbled around me. I tried quitting before, plenty of times, but the mental battle was always too much. The cravings, the anxiety, the sheer emptiness when the booze wasn’t there to fill the void – it was overwhelming.
Then, eight months ago, something finally clicked. Or rather, something snapped. I was done. Absolutely, unequivocally done with living half a life, constantly hungover, constantly lying to myself and everyone around me. That day marked the start of the hardest fight of my life.
The Gritty Reality of Quitting Booze
When you quit drinking after 45 years, your body and mind go through a fucking earthquake. It’s not just the physical detox; that’s brutal enough. It’s the mental and emotional shit that surfaces. All the suppressed feelings, the anxieties, the anger, the guilt – it all comes roaring back. Your nervous system is shot to bits, your sleep is non-existent, and every fibre of your being screams for that familiar hit.
This is where the “woo-woo” stuff, as I might have once called it, actually became my lifeline. I’d been exposed to things like NLP, hypnotherapy, and even Reiki during my coaching qualifications. At the time, I saw them as tools for other people, for clients. But when I was in the trenches of my own sobriety, I started looking at everything with fresh eyes. I needed anything that could give me an edge.
How Reiki and Reiki Self-Healing Became My Secret Weapon
I know what some of you are thinking: “Reiki? Isn’t that for hippies and crystals?” And yeah, I probably thought something similar once. But strip away the fluff, and what Reiki offers is a method of channelling energy to promote healing and relaxation. It’s about getting your own body’s systems to work more efficiently. When your system is in utter turmoil from alcohol withdrawal and years of abuse, anything that brings balance is a godsend.
When I was deep in the shit, the idea of having someone “channel energy” might have seemed like a load of bollocks. But the practical application of Reiki is simple: it’s about deep relaxation, reducing stress, and helping your body find its own equilibrium. And when you’re going through withdrawal, anything that reduces stress and anxiety is a win. Studies show that Reiki can significantly reduce fatigue, relieve pain and stress, and improve quality of life, especially for those with chronic conditions. It helps calm your nervous system, reduces stress hormones, and can even improve sleep quality – all things that are utterly decimated when you stop drinking.
Reiki self-healing became even more powerful for me. It’s not just about receiving energy from someone else; it’s about learning to tap into your own inherent healing capabilities. It’s about self-care, taking responsibility for your own energetic state. I’d sit there, hands placed on myself, focusing on breathing, and just letting the energy flow. It helped release a lot of the emotional crap that was stored up, feelings of anger, resentment, and sadness that had been buried under layers of alcohol for decades. It’s like clearing out the blockages in your pipes, letting everything flow freely again. This wasn’t some magic cure, but it was a profound tool for managing the intense emotional and physical discomfort that comes with getting sober. It offered a healthier coping mechanism than reaching for a bottle.
Meditation: More Than Just Sitting Cross-Legged
Alongside Reiki, meditation became my mental gym. Again, if you picture some bloke in a flowing robe humming “Om,” you’re missing the point. For me, meditation was about re-training a mind that had been addicted to chaos and instant gratification for nearly half a century. It was about developing focus, observing the incessant chatter of my thoughts without getting dragged into them, and building mental resilience.
In the Army, we trained for physical endurance, for combat, and for operating under extreme pressure. Meditation, in a way, was the same kind of training for my mind. It taught me to pause, to breathe, and to create a tiny bit of space between a trigger (like a craving or a surge of anxiety) and my reaction. That space, however small, was where I could choose a different path instead of the old, destructive one.
Practical Meditation for a Fucked-Up Mind
I didn’t start with hour-long sessions. That would have been impossible. I started with five minutes. Just focusing on my breath. When my mind inevitably wandered (and it did, constantly, usually to thoughts of a cold pint), I’d gently bring it back. No judgment, no self-flagellation. Just back to the breath.
This simple act, repeated daily, started to rewire my brain. It helped stabilise my mood, something crucial when you’re in early recovery. It taught me patience and self-compassion, two things I’d been utterly devoid of for most of my adult life. It’s about building a solid foundation of inner peace and mental clarity, which is essential for long-term sobriety.
The Midlife Reset: Taking Back Control
Look, quitting booze was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, harder than any military exercise. But it also kick-started my entire midlife reset. It forced me to confront everything I’d been avoiding. And these tools – Reiki, Reiki self-healing, and meditation – weren’t just fluffy add-ons. They were fundamental. They helped me:
- Manage Withdrawal Symptoms: The intense anxiety, the restlessness, the disturbed sleep. Reiki provided a profound sense of calm and relaxation, easing the physical and emotional discomfort.
- Process Deep-Seated Emotions: All the trauma, the guilt, the shame that alcohol had suppressed. Reiki helped these emotions surface gently so I could actually deal with them instead of drowning them again.
- Rewire My Brain: Meditation taught me to observe my thoughts and cravings without acting on them, creating new neural pathways for healthier responses.
- Build Self-Awareness: Both practices foster a deeper connection to yourself, helping you understand your triggers and needs.
- Develop Resilience: Getting sober isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s an ongoing commitment. These tools have given me the mental and emotional armour to face life’s challenges without resorting to old habits.
If you’re in your mid-thirties, forties, or fifties, and you’re sick of the same old bullshit, sick of feeling stuck, and maybe, just maybe, you’re starting to wonder if the booze is doing more harm than good, then pay attention. You don’t have to hit rock bottom like I did to make a change. You can choose to start now.
Your Call to Action: No More Excuses
You want real change? It starts with taking bloody action. Not tomorrow, not next week. Today.
- Explore Reiki: I’m a Reiki Master and offer Reiki as a service. If you’re ready to experience it, reach out. Or look into Reiki self-healing if you want to take it into your own hands.
- Start Meditating: Download a simple meditation app. Commit to five minutes a day. Just five. No judgment. Just show up.
- Get Support: You don’t have to do this alone. I certainly didn’t. Connect with others who are on a similar path. I’ve built a community for exactly this reason. Come join us in the Midlife Reset community on Skool. It’s a place for straight talk, real support, and no bullshit.
- Follow for More Real Talk: If you want more of my unfiltered thoughts on life, sobriety, and kicking ass in your midlife, follow me on TikTok (@ian_callaghan).
This isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being better. It’s about taking back control of your life, one conscious choice at a time. It’s brutal, it’s hard, but it’s also the most rewarding journey you’ll ever embark on. Now get to it.
