SoberLife2014

I'm almost 7 months sober and up until recently I haven't been around alcohol much. But the past couple of weeks I feel like I'm surrounded by it. My inlaws are in town and they drink wine every night. It's stinky! I can smell red wine from across the room! Also, to be honest, I'm getting tired of thinking about alcohol all the time and talking about it. I don't crave it or fantasize it but I guess I drank for so long that everything reminds me of drinking or churns up some nightmarish memory. My life is much better but it's still ruled by alcohol in a way. Instead of constantly trying to get it I'm now constantly trying to avoid it. I wish I could just have a "normal" life again.

KateL

It will get easier. Besides, after Christmas, all the boozing around you will calm down hopefully

soberhawk

Congrats on the almost 7 months Zelda.

This is not an easy time for use beginners

It will get better, I am sure.

silentrun

I guess this 1st year is notoriously brutal. Even though I have no urge to use sometimes I feel like recovery is all I do. I hear year 2 is much easier. Congrats on your 7 months.

EndGameNYC

In rehab speak and in outpatient treatment for alcoholism, they refer to phenomena such as surviving the holidays as a "sober reference." We have experience to fall back on that will ultimately strengthen our sobriety.

Each event, each holiday, each milestone that we survive -- and even thrive in as a result of our resourcefulness, commitment to do better and our perseverance -- during our struggles to get and stay sober allows for us to meet life's crises with confidence that we can't get through it, whether it has to do with drinking or not.

Thepatman

I like this sober reference. When so early in sobriety one can one refer to past drunk holidays. I guess it's about building new positive memories

SoberLife2014

Thank you for all the encouraging replies!