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Old 08-03-2016, 09:07 AM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Whodathunk
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Austin Texas
Posts: 165
RGB, Great Job on 11 months. I can only comment based on my experience. I was 2.5 yrs sober till 04/15, new sober date 07/10/16. When I first got sober (with the help of AA) I had a hard time getting to 30 days, then 60 days and 90 days was harder. Are you in AA or another group that celebrates dates of achievement? I ask this because in AA we get chips, and these anniversary or success dates are important to me, so I found that as those dates approached, I would get VERY squirrely. This was my danger time. It really does not happen any more, but for the life of me in that first year +, around my monthly sober date I would feel anxiety, depression, and out of sorts. This was when I wanted to drink.

So, I don't know if this applies to you, but just sit with that and think about it and see if it might be a little bit.

What you are feeling (IMO) is very common. I found myself constantly thinking "Okay, so after being a blackout drinker for so lone, and now being sober, where is the fun, where is the personal improvement, where is the physical positive changes, where is my mental health positive changes"?

The think that changes when we get sober is that we get to deal with ourselves and our lives without being drunk. It takes a while to feel really good, some take less time, some longer. For me it took well over a year, but I had a lot of other issues to tackle in therapy and in my own mind and body.

It was/is pretty common to hear in AA that you should not make big decisions in your first year. IMO the reason why is because depending on how long you had been drinking, for me, I found everything seemed like a new thing. Emotions were new, I would see a rerun of a movie and it was new because I could not remember ever seeing it, everything was new to me, it truly was like starting life over again. It was quite scary for me, but over time I built up enough new experiences to where I gained more confidence. This is different for everyone including the time it takes to get to this place.

So, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for 11 months. See if the 1 year anniversary thing is worrying you. If you are in a program, stay close to it when you feel like this.

One thing I learned that was true 100% of the time was "This too shall pass", and it always did. Sometimes it took minutes, sometimes days or longer. But it always passed. And I had to have some "Faith" that drinking would only make it worse, and when it did pass, each of those times gained me confidence.

Have you seen your doc about your health and skin condition? Cover those basis first. Then when it works of you, venture out to do healthy things for yourself. Not drinking is a great start and you are 11 months into that. Physical activity, meetings, walking, whatever, all these things might help you as you continue to add each day to your sobriety.

I hope this helps a little.
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