It's been two weeks for me. This site helps, because it's still not easy. I was wondering what changes you all noticed within yourselves at the beginning of quitting and then later on. I've noticed deeper thinking...glimpses of the truth. I've noticed some physical changes too and just wondered what was "normal".
I am on day 17 and the best and biggest change has been in my sleep. I used to basically pass out each night and wake unrested. If I didn't drink, I would take forever to fall asleep because I couldn't turn my brain off. After day 3 or so though, I have been falling asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pillow, sleeping all night, and waking up refreshed. It's been such a blessing and one I don't take for granted.
~ vixen
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I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
Congratulations on day 17 Vixen. I have noticed a more restful sleep also. I still wake up a few times each night though. Have you noticed less anxiety?
Your newfound sobriety experiences will differ some from person to person. There are a few things that are universal which probably incude mood swings, but increasing moments of clarity at the same time.
There will be times where you feel like giving up though and those times are what a healthy dose of AA is really going to help with.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
I was wondering about mood swings...I'm experiencing them. About how long do they generally last? I've noticed I need to be a part of this site and keep reading the books to keep my head in the right place. I am going to a counselor next week who works with addictions. I still haven't attended a meeting.
Meetings are very helpful and they create the radical shift needed in your thinking to maintain sobriety. You also need a sponsor. You cannot do all this by yourself. Any responsible counselor will recommend meetings, getting a sponsor, and working steps.
What's stopping you from going to meetings?
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Kate, congrats on the two weeks. I needed meetings to get started, and to keep working, this program. Before this program, I had to would drink every day. Thanks to this program, that is no longer the case.
As PC has asked, what's stopping you from going to meetings? Chances are, whatever it is, chances are, one or many of us on here has had the same challenge, and overcome it.
The one thing I can say that seems to be true of most of the new people I work with is that there comes a point in time when the mood swings seem too much to handle. That's why I can not stress enough to the newcomers I work with that meetings are essential to staying sober beyond a month or so. I'm certainly not trying to burst your bubble, and I'm glad that things are going well for you, but due to our bodies chemistry trying to "even out", things tend to get worse before they get better. This isn't always true for everyone, but without the program I never made it past 3 weeks without drinking, no matter how good life was at the time. As I look back, it took me probably 9 months to remember why I quit drinking, and start learning how to live life to it's fullest without that drink. I knew I had to quit drinking to survive, but my disease was so strong that I had to fight it every day, with all the tools given to me in AA. Enjoy sobriety one day at a time, and keep not drinking and things will only get better.
Brian
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Nothing ever truly dies. The universe wastes nothing. Everything is simply, transformed. :confuse:
I was wondering about mood swings...I'm experiencing them. About how long do they generally last? I've noticed I need to be a part of this site and keep reading the books to keep my head in the right place. I am going to a counselor next week who works with addictions. I still haven't attended a meeting.
The mood swings can be a bitch but they are worth putting up with. I don't know how long they will last for you but mine were about 12 - 14 weeks. I had days where you could have told me I had terminal cancer and I would have smiled and told you that it wasn't a big deal - and meant it - and other days where you could have told me I won the lottery and I would have burst into tears.
It was explained to me that your brain is just trying out all the emotions your drinking suppressed and sometimes it presses the wrong buttons or gets the volume wrong.
You just have to grit your teeth, tell yourself that "this too shall pass" - because it will - and try not to make any big life decisions as they might bite you on the arse later on when you see things differently.
It's worth it though. It's a nice when you come out the other side and you feel what you should feel rather than what something else is making you feel.
Congratulations on day 17 Vixen. I have noticed a more restful sleep also. I still wake up a few times each night though. Have you noticed less anxiety?
Congrats to you too! I have noticed less anxiety though at some points I have felt overwhelmed with emotions but, not in a bad way, just different enough to rock the boat a bit. I really recommend going to meetings. I try to get to one each day because it does make a difference. I have just been going a couple weeks now and I have already had some great light bulb moments and it's great to connect with people who "get it". All the best to you.
~ vixen
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I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
I hear you kate....I was 150 pounds in great shape and looking fantastic before alcohol came knocking at my door. Now that I am sober and 10 years older, I've gained 70 pounds, have more jelly rolls than dunkin donuts and lost all my hair. What the heck happened?
If you can figure it out let me know, until then lets remain sober together...shall we?
I just wanted to say congratulations and stay strong!! I think one of the biggest changes is emotional and figuring out who you are without the alcohol. I'm also having a difficult time looking upon the past and how to overcome my regrets of destroying relationships with people I loved. I'm going to meeting daily and it really does make you realize that you are NOT ALONE, it's crazy to me how much we all truly have in common.
Glad the site is helping you. After a week or so, I started to feel heathier and had more energy and embarked on new projects etc. I did feel more emotions at times, dealing with them w/o drinking can be a challenge, but that is where growth begins.
Glad you are seeing some honesty within yourself, it is one of the keys for long term soberiety. Most of us where moraly and spiritually bankrupt.
Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions. We change by working the 12 steps of AA, we go to meetings and work with a sponsor.
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
I am new to sobriety, a few months in, and my emotions, sleep, eating, life in general have been a roller coaster. Some days I am on top of the world, others I don't even want to get out of bed. I truly felt like I was losing my mind. Then my counselor gave me some information on PAWS, Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, and suddenly things made more sense. My physical being is having to do as much adjusting and changing, learning to live without alcohol, as my mental being is. It was helpful to learn that a lot of what I am experiencing is real in a physical as well as emotionial sense, and it is not just all in my mind. So much to learn. Thank God for the time to learn it. Clean and sober, one day at a time. Congrats on your sobriety and good luck. Peace.
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I asked God for all things that I may enjoy life. He gave me life so that I may enjoy all things.
Thanks everyone for your input. I haven't gone to a meeting because honestly I don't even know where to begin or where to go. I work with the public and don't really want to go close to home.
Kate, Good morning and congrats! Don't be afraid to go to a meeting, I cannot tell you why, but it will make you feel so much better! I, too, had concerns about my "public image" but then I realized the most important thing in my life is my sobriety. Besides, it is anonymous. Meetings helped keep me level during early sobriety, at least that is my experience. They help you to feel you are not alone, and that is a big relief! Dolly
A common thinking error. I work with the public too. Being in recovery is something positive. Nobody sits outside and takes notes of who goes to meetings. There is no paparazzi. You probably were not concerned about your public image when you were drinking right?
Go to a meeting and stop worrying about your image. Your image is going to go down the toilet if you relapse.
-- Edited by pinkchip on Thursday 26th of May 2011 11:50:55 AM
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
A common thinking error. I work with the public too. Being in recovery is something positive. Nobody sits outside and takes notes of who goes to meetings. There is no paparazzi. You probably were not concerned about your public image when you were drinking right?
Go to a meeting and stop worrying about your image. Your image is going to go down the toilet if you relapse.
-- Edited by pinkchip on Thursday 26th of May 2011 11:50:55 AM
+1
My ego tells me I have a "reputation" to uphold (sick thinking). My ego thinks the way other people see my outsides really matters, when in reality it's the exact opposite. When I quit worring about what others thought, I beacme free to worry about what I thought of myself, and start to fix it.
Brian
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Nothing ever truly dies. The universe wastes nothing. Everything is simply, transformed. :confuse:
Yep, I kinda thought that had paparazzi outside of AA meetings all ready to put whoever went in and out on the front pages. ;) Of course, that fear was my head trying to make it so that I would drink again.
Reality was, nobody is really keeping track of who's going in or out. I now wish that I would see people I know from my non-AA life in the rooms. So far, I never have. Too bad!
Yep, I kinda thought that had paparazzi outside of AA meetings all ready to put whoever went in and out on the front pages. ;) Of course, that fear was my head trying to make it so that I would drink again.
Reality was, nobody is really keeping track of who's going in or out. I now wish that I would see people I know from my non-AA life in the rooms. So far, I never have. Too bad!
Steve
Too funny Steve. My sponsor tells me it's my ego that makes me think others care what I do. In case you notice a trend here, I really REALLY need to keep my ego in check. It damn near killed me in the past. Besides, it's none of my business what others think about me, right?
paparazzi...LOL :)
Brian
-- Edited by Klaatu on Thursday 26th of May 2011 05:58:25 PM
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Nothing ever truly dies. The universe wastes nothing. Everything is simply, transformed. :confuse:
First, Normal??? I dont think anyone in AA has a normal.
Not a word we see a lot....
For mood swings, for me it was about craving sugar, alcohol is all sugar....so for me in the beginning, I bought about 40 Milky Ways every two weeks, and when I felt a big mood swing coming, I ate a candy bar, and for me it helped a lot.
About the meetings, think about it.....the people you would see if you limit yourself to Closed meetings, say you saw someone you know, why are they there? Because they are a Recovering drunk, or starting out or a zillion years in the Program....Its a WE Program, and we all need each other, that person that you would dread seeing, just might turn out to be a sponsor, or a friend, either way, you cannot go wrong with going locally.
Either way, I do not believe we can stay sober for more than a couple of weeks without a meeting. I call this a Window of Opportunity for you..........and Windows close. While the Iron is Hot, make the strike, go ASAP, before the window closes....
I speak from expierience, I tried doing it with out meeting, one newcomers meeting on Friday maybe half the time, but I went there cause I really like the people, not to get sober........I was a chonic Relapser for over 7 years, and the progression of this disease got me and got me good........I did not want to be associated with Alcoholics, my goodness, I had a wonderful husband, a House overlooking the Bay and City, two boys, 2 new gourgous cars and a very Prestigeous Job working with all the high and might people in the Advertising community in San Francisco CA. other than New York City, this was where any famous designer lived and worked, and I catered to the design world matching them to the Advertising Firm they would use....well all puffed up in my head, surely I did not want to be with a bunch of losers in AA.....It takes what it takes..............before I surrended to the Program of AA, all of the above was gone, husband home children now living with their dad at age 16 on.....and was sick, looked like I was 6 month pregnant...
Wow did I digress...I was trying to point out what our insecurities can do, inverted EGO that I always thought all those good things I deserved, from living a horrible wreched childhood......It really does take what it takes,
Hope you will get you butt ASAP to a Meeting today.
And tell us how your knees stopped knocking the minute you walked in and sat down, and the whole room saw you and gave you the warmest of smiles and hello's.
I Pray This so hard for you today, my dear AA sister.
After the few months it took my brain chemistry to normalize, the decrease in my general anxiety was the most significant thing. I started drinking to self-medicate my anxiety and insomnia, but over time, alcoholism counterintuitively makes overall anxiety worse. It was a vicious cycle where I became more and more anxious and drank more and more to try to make myself less anxious. Feeling so much more calm on a day-to-day basis is amazing.
GG, Your last comment describes me too. I drank to numb the anxiety but found it just created more in the long run. I've noticed after just 17 days that the anxiety isn't as bad as it was when I was drinking. ONE DAY AT A TIME...
