Yesterdaysgone

Hi,

I quit drinking back in February of this year. I quit cold turkey after drinking for some 25 years. I came across this site the same week I quit. I found this site to be quite helpful,thanks.
When I quit, my motivation went way down from my normal motivation. I did get back to some what normal after 6 weeks or so. Now I seem okay, but Iam bored sometimes and still don't have the same motivation I had before.
Last weekend I had 3/4 drinks on a outing with some friends. I did this on purpose to prove to myself I could have a few drinks socially and still remain not drinking which I have done.
The strange part about all of this was when I woke up the next day, I had extreme motivation/energy like back some six months ago when I drank. I tackled painting some trim around some windows that I had been putting off for 3 years, it was a nasty painting job. I enjoyed painting this trim, my spirits were high, I was in a great mood, loaded with energy and high motivation.
The next day, I was back to my normal motivation, which is still low.

Has this happened to anybody else?
Is this all in my mind, was it the alcohol?
I had felt like my oldself on a great day.
It was a really great feeling.

Thanks

Ceres

It's just lying to you. The little alcohol monster in our brains starts playing tricks because it wants it's fix. So, it sounds like you're (or it) is trying to say "Hey, it's not so bad, you can even have one drink, AND see, you felt better the next day too!"

It's an illusion. IMO

Dee74

To use Ali's terminology, I think we're used to feeding the monster - when we do, that feels normal.

It's not surprise to me that you felt that way - even after 75 days...I dunno about you but I drank for years...those are some pretty ingrained responses.

Early sobriety is about mind and body healing...for me it took longer than 75 days to feel normal again...but I waited...and it happened

Have you heard of PAWs?
Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) — Why we don’t get better immediately) Digital Dharma

D

yeahgr8

This happened all the time for me, id put together some dry time and then drink again, starting off in a controlled manner, maybe 3 or 4 glasses of wine and i felt great man! It was really cool for a short time then i would be right back where i started in no time at all drinking more than i had ever drunk...

This will happen to you too if you are an alcoholic like me.

This is in hindsight, when i was out there in my dry spells or drinking i didn't have a clue what was going on in my head but the reason i used to feel so good for a short while when going back to drinking in whatever quantity is it provided a release from me...i still had all the crapin my head and hadn't changed a thing apart from stop drinking so inevitably i became bored, irritable and discontent after the initial exhileration of being sober had left...

Took me years to get into AA and work on the step in order to provoke a drastic personality change to enable me to live a happy and full life without alcohol...amazing looking back, i mean im a smart guy but this alcoholicm thing wow!

So you need to change something quick or you mat be gone for a week maybe another 5 years....

mimi54321

That's a great link dee

north

A lot of friends who have questioned why I quit drinking (February 2009) have also asked why I simply won't just "be reasonable" and have just a few drinks like I normally did. What would happen? Honestly, in all likelihood - nothing bad. At least for the first month or so...

I know that if I started this week, there is a great possibility that nothing terrible would happen. Not even a crushing hangover. I'd probably have a great time, enjoyable afternoon and a few euphoric moments in the company of good friends that might convince me it was all well worth it. And, consecutive evenings out would probably yield the same "life is a beer commercial" results. However, at some point ... within a few weeks ..certainly within a month ... something would inevitably be sure to happen where I'd end up regretting it... and for me, that's not worth it.

rws177

I agree with what people are saying, yes the first couple of drinks aren't so bad, but then in a months time I am back to binges and feeling horrible, no thanks!!

Mark75

I had the same experience. My answer was in a couple of places...

I found that I had to deal with grief... grief that I lost something I loved... Now, clearly that something I loved was killing me, but none the less, I felt a sense of loss...

While the next place I had to look was part of the grief, I had some resentment to deal with... I resented that I had to go to rehab (really bad resentment there), I resented that I had this alcoholism thing, I couldn't just drink normally, I resented that loss...

Antidote...

Gratitude, Higher Power, Rigorous Honesty, Moral Inventory.....

....and it is, for me.... progress not perfection.

And frankly, if I woke up one day, and could have just a couple of beers with no obsession or compulsion and I was magically struck normal... that might be a good day... but that is not gonna happen... and that's OK, sobriety is good.

You drank for for 25 years, are you alcoholic?

CarolD

As long as I thought drinking was a great idea
I continued to drink.....

I'm curious as to why you decided to quit?

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