Originally Posted by
JPA 
I’m struggling. I’m now a position where I feel like I have two options; face sobriety or face death via suicide.
Neither option seems appealing. I’m at least well enough to say that the former is more appealing. I love my kids, my wife, and I don’t want to leave them.
So so my question is; if I book myself into a residential recover clinic, how long before the pain of sobriety stops? How long before I feel normal.
I’m dying. Things have to change
It's so sad to see a parent contemplating suicide as a way to end the self-abuse. I remember being there and I had convinced myself they would be better off without me. With a clear head, I can see it would have devastated them. I'm so thankful things didn't go that way and I gave myself, and them, a different future.
Sobriety isn't painful but recovery most likely will be. That's probably what you meant but I find it very important to choose my words wisely in regards to this matter. Also, you're not facing sobriety but escaping the cycle of addiction.
To give a direct answer to your question I've heard:
the only thing harder than the last 2 years of drinking was the first 2 years of recovery. That rang true for me but it's wasn't misery like the last 2 years of drinking. It was just really hard. I didn't do it alone though and you don't have to either.