Steadwell

Grateful to have survived the last 5 days of incredible turmoil to finally begin to feel semi-human. I'm putting one of my night-sweat soaked shirts aside as a keepsake to serve as a reminder of what I went through this last and, hopefully final, time.

Thanks to all for putting up with me over the last few days!

Steadwell

Day 6 - shaking is all but gone except in the right hand which is pretty normal - essential tremor I believe is what it's called. Ready to plan on facing the world again and the day to day problems. Neighbor messaged stating he'll be gone the remainder of the month (he is 6 years sober and chaired the local AA group, so he's a great support - when he's here) and my case manager from the local health services will be out 4 more weeks with broken arm. I'll just have to go it alone - better that way.

Steadwell

Gone from shaky to wobbly - guess that could be considered progress

Opivotal

I considered my withdrawal as one step closer to recovery. My first week was a little rough, but definitely worth it!

Hang in there, Steadwell.

Rusty Zipper

i relate to ope

my week long nightmare of withdrawal was my salvation

Hevyn

I agree - it was a living hell, but once we're past it, the healing begins. You are free.

Steadwell

New sobriety date for this guy - Feb. 11 2017 - and feeling grateful for the supportive comments and posts by the folks here at SR. Don't know how or if I could have made it through without y'all.

Steadwell

Here it is day 10 and the world has taken on a brighter sheen! Nothing better than a good nights sleep. Plenty to be grateful for - food, clothing, shelter, and most importantly, sanity!

Rusty Zipper

yep, one foot in front of the other stead

keep at it

PhoenixJ

Support from me

Steadwell

Two Saturdays ago, I embarked upon a tortuous passage back to sobriety and recovery. I have to say that I feel great now and grateful for it, though still a little bit spacey. I think just getting out of the house and accomplishing things, even small tasks, helps a great deal.

Reading the daily posts from those going through what I went through week before last saddens me because I know just how they feel but I just have to trust that they will make it through. If only they could see that through the tough days and hours lies freedom from that "cold iron collar around the neck of your soul".

When I go through that funk, I'm in such an isolated state that I wouldn't even know what to say to myself being sober and trying to talk to the non-sober me. Don't ever want to go back there again. I like being the me I am right now!

Hevyn

I was spacey for a while, too. Foggy, & kind of disoriented. Yet so grateful to be getting free and healing. I'm happy you are reclaiming your life, Steadwell.

Steadwell

Grateful for feeling drowsy tonight for the RIGHT reasons.

Good night SR!

Opivotal

Sleep well, Steadwell.

ItWillBeWorthIt

Grateful to hear you are recovering from those first days.

They are a nightmare and sometimes I reflect back to them to solidify my decision to never pick up a drink again. I never want to see day 1 ever again.

Take excellent care of yourself.

Steadwell

Woke up this morning feeling fairly good. After tangling with life issues again and dealing with the antagonistic personalities involved, had the old urge pop-up in my consciousness. Currently battling to put it down as if I'm dealing with an inner imp trying to justify that I have enough left in my account to go down to "the store" and grab a couple of forties before the funds are consumed by fees.

Grateful that I haven't succumbed, at least not yet.

I'm thinking, maybe spend the remainder on necessary items like TP or something.

Still struggling to defy the suggestions of ole J. Barleycorn !

Opivotal

Seems like that "voice" is relentless in early sobriety. I struggled as well, but took the recommendations of others here, and kept myself busy. Sure enough they passed.

Exercise, clean something, find a hobby, read posts.... just don't give in to that voice. It's not your friend, just play the tape through to the end. If you're like me, the end of that tape was a place, I no longer wanted to be.

Hang in there!

Steadwell

Thanks for your input Opivotal, it's a great help.

What I'm going through at the current moment reminds me of the part of Homer's The Odyssey where Odysseus has himself tied to the mast of the ship as it passes through the strait of the Sirens.

Seska

Hi Steadwell, I'm in the morning of Day 3 and have spent all my money on groceries the day before to make sure that if that treacherous voice gains ascendancy I can't act on it without jumping through hoops to borrow money and I want sobriety too much to do that. If I can't act on my urge immediately then I'm relatively safe!

Steadwell

I do similar things to make it more difficult to follow the voice, like force myself to make separate trips to purchase small amounts, restrict the amount of cash I keep on my person, etc.. Unfortunately, when that voice gains the upper hand, I'm in J. Barleycorn's tractor-beam and will climb mountains, fjord rivers, or hurdle oceans to get at it. Amazing, when sometimes it takes every ounce of energy just to get out of the bed.

So far, I'm holding up!

Thanks for commenting Seska!