Sobriety milestones and feelings
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 54
Sobriety milestones and feelings
Hello all
This is day 30 of my sobriety and I feel good - but not great.
Are things going to get better?
Did you feel any different after 3 months, 6 months or a year of sobriety?
Have I got better times to look forward to or will I basically be maintaining my current position.
I know it's different for everyone but just wanted to hear other people's experiences.
This is day 30 of my sobriety and I feel good - but not great.
Are things going to get better?
Did you feel any different after 3 months, 6 months or a year of sobriety?
Have I got better times to look forward to or will I basically be maintaining my current position.
I know it's different for everyone but just wanted to hear other people's experiences.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 226
Congrats on 30 days! In month two I started to get my sense of humor back in more appreciable ways. Month three I started to settle down some - my thoughts and emotions didn't have such a hard edge to them. In my fourth month it was if a light was turned on. In my fifth month now and I'm seeing life more clearly than I ever have before, and I have the ability to take good actions and make quality decisions.
That said, everyone's path is different. I sometimes feel like I'm a slow learner but I've been working at my sobriety like it's my job. YMMV. But I can tell you that you couldn't pay me to give up my sobriety now, it is that much of a better mental state for me. Life still has its ups and downs, but I can handle both far better without alcohol.
That said, everyone's path is different. I sometimes feel like I'm a slow learner but I've been working at my sobriety like it's my job. YMMV. But I can tell you that you couldn't pay me to give up my sobriety now, it is that much of a better mental state for me. Life still has its ups and downs, but I can handle both far better without alcohol.
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Be patient.
There is a lot of improvement over time. I thought I felt good at 30 days, and I did, but was surprised at how good I felt at 90 days, and again at 180. At a year sober I felt wonderful and at two years felt twice as good. So I can't wait for three years.
There is a lot of improvement over time. I thought I felt good at 30 days, and I did, but was surprised at how good I felt at 90 days, and again at 180. At a year sober I felt wonderful and at two years felt twice as good. So I can't wait for three years.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,439
It will keep getting better.
Have you read about PAWS?
This article helped me a lot in understanding what we go through after we quit drinking. (And it also has some great suggestions for things to be aware of and things you can do that will help you to feel better during the first few months). Why We Don’t Get Better Immediately: Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) | What...Me Sober?
Have you read about PAWS?
This article helped me a lot in understanding what we go through after we quit drinking. (And it also has some great suggestions for things to be aware of and things you can do that will help you to feel better during the first few months). Why We Don’t Get Better Immediately: Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) | What...Me Sober?
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by dbillyd 
Are things going to get better?
Did you feel any different after 3 months, 6 months or a year of sobriety?
Have I got better times to look forward to or will I basically be maintaining my current position.
It took a Spiritual Awakening to get the obsession out of my mind. That was the result of action rather than time.
paradox
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 665
I agree with Boleo. I felt better as I worked through the twelve steps of AA with a
sponsor. When I procrastinated, I started to feel worse. People told me why I was
feeling worse. Eventually, I believed them and got on with working on my recovery.
Now, at 8 years sobriety, the happy days outnumber the sad. I am grateful for life.
For me, length of sobriety is less important than fostering a fit spiritual condition.
sponsor. When I procrastinated, I started to feel worse. People told me why I was
feeling worse. Eventually, I believed them and got on with working on my recovery.
Now, at 8 years sobriety, the happy days outnumber the sad. I am grateful for life.
For me, length of sobriety is less important than fostering a fit spiritual condition.
High on Life
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Been to Hell and Back
Posts: 1,157
30 days, 60 days, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 yr, 2yrs were all significant, yet different milestones in my recovery. What these milestones will mean to you is something else. You while notice as you reach each milestone that you will feel differently as you build a firmer foundation in your recovery. You will also notice that you people will treat you differently and expect more from you as you progress along your journey. So yes you have better times ahead of yourself, just hang in there and enjoy the ride. Stop from time to time and enjoy where you are in your recovery and reflect often. By doing this you will get the most out of your recovery and recognize when you are feeling significantly different.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: US
Posts: 637
I'm coming up on 7 months, Billy, after abusing alcohol for 30 years. It was getting worse, too. My changes between now and 30 days:
* Confidence the I can achieve the goal of never drinking again. (This is huge!)
* Sleep is way better
* Big, positive changes in physical appearance
* Drinking buddies stopped harassing me to join them
* Understanding the very real and detrimental physiological damage caused by alcohol. Knowledge gained by reading SR.
* Finally understanding and appreciating a sense of tranquility
Reading the many posts on SR from long term sober folks paint a clear picture that it continues to get better. I look forward to enjoying the ride. The biggest thing I need to work on is finding social settings to enjoy. Being around drunks isn't a temptation anymore but it bores me. And I feel sad for friends in the grips of alcoholism.
If it helps, from day one my goal was to "Win the Day". Giving in to urges (and they are now far more infrequent and weaker) meant losing and I hate losing.
Sorry for the longish post. Congrats on 30 days, Billy. Those were my hardest. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
* Confidence the I can achieve the goal of never drinking again. (This is huge!)
* Sleep is way better
* Big, positive changes in physical appearance
* Drinking buddies stopped harassing me to join them
* Understanding the very real and detrimental physiological damage caused by alcohol. Knowledge gained by reading SR.
* Finally understanding and appreciating a sense of tranquility
Reading the many posts on SR from long term sober folks paint a clear picture that it continues to get better. I look forward to enjoying the ride. The biggest thing I need to work on is finding social settings to enjoy. Being around drunks isn't a temptation anymore but it bores me. And I feel sad for friends in the grips of alcoholism.
If it helps, from day one my goal was to "Win the Day". Giving in to urges (and they are now far more infrequent and weaker) meant losing and I hate losing.
Sorry for the longish post. Congrats on 30 days, Billy. Those were my hardest. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Did you feel any different after 3 months, 6 months or a year of sobriety?
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Missouri
Posts: 133
Great question! And congratulations on 30 days! That's brilliant!
The first month is hard because you are going through a ton of changes on so many different levels. It's a lot to take on. But fear not, it gets so much better. By the second month I was starting to sleep again (until that point I was having awful involuntary muscle spasms every night) and my cravings went away . My horrible digestive issues were finally over (thank god!) and I started thinking clearly (and stopped taking everything personally). On a whim I took a yoga class during Month 3 and that opened everything up. I attended a few AA meetings and they were super cool but they aren't my thing. Instead I use a combination of yoga and mindfulness in my recovery. I also think the Year milestone is so important because you go through so many different experiences within the span of 365 days - birthdays, holidays, parties, events, work, ups and downs. Now I am almost to my second year milestone. My life has completely turned around. It's almost unrecognizable to the old days. I'm actually now a yoga instructor (this still sort of shocks me). I've lost about 30 pounds and I'm healthier than I have ever been. My anxiety is almost gone and my marriage is so fun. It's not all roses and things come up that throw me off balance sometimes, but I've grown up enough now that I am able to face life instead of running away. And I can honestly say that I don't miss drinking now and I am completely comfortable knowing that I will never drink again.
There are so many great days up ahead! Just hang in there a little longer. You are healing on a quantum scale right now. You are becoming what you were meant to be, and if you allow it your recovery can be a source of light to more than you can even imagine. Go YOU! You're awesome!
xo
The first month is hard because you are going through a ton of changes on so many different levels. It's a lot to take on. But fear not, it gets so much better. By the second month I was starting to sleep again (until that point I was having awful involuntary muscle spasms every night) and my cravings went away . My horrible digestive issues were finally over (thank god!) and I started thinking clearly (and stopped taking everything personally). On a whim I took a yoga class during Month 3 and that opened everything up. I attended a few AA meetings and they were super cool but they aren't my thing. Instead I use a combination of yoga and mindfulness in my recovery. I also think the Year milestone is so important because you go through so many different experiences within the span of 365 days - birthdays, holidays, parties, events, work, ups and downs. Now I am almost to my second year milestone. My life has completely turned around. It's almost unrecognizable to the old days. I'm actually now a yoga instructor (this still sort of shocks me). I've lost about 30 pounds and I'm healthier than I have ever been. My anxiety is almost gone and my marriage is so fun. It's not all roses and things come up that throw me off balance sometimes, but I've grown up enough now that I am able to face life instead of running away. And I can honestly say that I don't miss drinking now and I am completely comfortable knowing that I will never drink again.
There are so many great days up ahead! Just hang in there a little longer. You are healing on a quantum scale right now. You are becoming what you were meant to be, and if you allow it your recovery can be a source of light to more than you can even imagine. Go YOU! You're awesome!
xo
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