Linz

Hi all. I have a huge problem getting through the third day of sobriety. I haven't been able to go any longer than three days in about a year. On the first day I am shaky, sweaty, and anxiety ridden. On the second day I'm just sort of zoned out. On the third day I'm very manic and extremely hyper, and then once finished with work, I freak out. I can't think clearly, I can't say what I'm wanting to say... then I fail and drink. What in the world is it about the third day? Could I be going through withdrawals for that long? Has anyone else every experienced this?

Dee74

I think by the third day I was basically no longer feeling like death and my body wanted its alcohol fix again...I'd start to feel uncomfortable, panic, and I'd give in.

I think there's only one way to break the cycle Linz - thats to make different choices next time and just accept it's gonna be uncomfortable and may even get a little rough.

If we want change we need to make changes.
When everything else is said and done that's the bottom line.

I dunno what you're doing for support these days but really - the more back up you can gather the better.

D

Sapling

Have you done inpatient rehab with detox yet?.....I remember you talked about it.

ZombieAttack

Yep, I spent a few years getting to two and three days.

For me, I always broke it by "rewarding" myself with alcohol.

What you need to do is realise you have not stopped drinking until you are through the initial phase and onto stage two.

Do it again, no excuses and know that day 3 is probably the hardest. Was for me.

Once you are past that, then you will be rolling!

Just do it, and keep posting here.

2granddaughters

Hello Linz:
I remember in early sobriety saying to my sponsor that he should probably chain me to the chair in the AA hall so I'd be sure to be there for the next meeting.
About the 3rd or 4th day was when I really needed my sponsor.

I wish you the best.

Bob R

GirlFromCO

It's good that you are starting to see your pattern. It's not unusual - lots people can cruise through x number of days on regret alone, but your memory eventually starts to fade. I did this over and over again. Good thing is you can prepare for it. I'd treat it like a weather forecast - you know something ugly is coming in a couple of days so start prepping for it now. Start boarding up your windows and make sure you've got plenty of food, storm's a brewin'

Nevertheless

I had that problem around 3 days also. My thing was I started feeling better, and forgot why it was I wanted to quit. Kind of like I'm feeling so great,a couple beers and I'm gonna feel REALLY good. Of course we all know how much sense that makes. But it sure sounds good at the time.
I failed several different ways. But I got to the point I distinctly remembered the ways I had failed,and carefully planed around them and I finally made it.
Quitting ain't easy. Thats why there is AA, forums and rehab etc.
I did it with this forum ,AA,and a lot of determination. The important thing is to go the other way and not give up. Learn from mistakes,and try again while those mistakes are fresh in our minds.
I wish you the best...
Fred

TSDD

The whole trick is to NOT DRINK. It works on day 1, 2, 3, 4, ...... 1000...... etc.

Try eating a whole half gallon of ice cream or eating a pound of chocolate covered prunes. Drink 2 chocolate malted milkshakes or 3 or 4 rootbeer floats. Pig eating sweets or chocolate bought me through a few nail biting days early on (and late on).

justanother1

A lot of studies show that alcohol cravings are much higher when eating sweets and refined carbohydrates (bad diet). Try to stick to loads of vegetables, some nice meat and plenty of water obviously.

courage2

Ii'm just finishing (but sleepless) my 3rd day 3 in about 1 month and your experience sounds familiar. Today I took on a lot because i didn't feel so sick or like a zombie, had a couple intense emotional moments (venting, crying, shaking so I couldn't hold a cup of coffee), BADLY wanted to decompress afterwards with a bottle. I'll probably want the same thing tomorrow -- because i'm a daytime drinker, tomorrow will likely be harder even than today. I made it through today by attending with tons of concentration to work & to the people around me that aren't involved with drinking, and expressing gratitude to them. Even got my son to pray with me -- i'm an atheist, but reciting the words focuses my mind in a really good way. He was kind of surprised, but went along. If I seem ridiculously high-strung & emotional to everyone, what do I care? I'd be pretty crazy to be ashamed of getting sober when I should have been ashamed of being a drunk!

Good luck Linz & I hope you get more days!

instant

Is it cause you are over the worst of it or is the physical withdrawal intensifying?

Have a plan for day three that steps it up- keep at it until you find something that works

Boleo

In my early days of trying to not-drink, 3 days was when the ISM part of alcohol-ISM would show up. That's when the physical pain would stop and the emotional pain would start.

I had to start using a daily program of action before sobriety was comfortable enough to make it worth having. For an alcoholic of my type, not-drinking is only half the solution.

doggonecarl

Welcome back.

Sobriety is the insurmountable obstacle you make it out to be.

Commit to not drinking, and don't drink. Then put a recovery program in place to support that decision.

Wishing you a sober 2013.