mfanch

Mine went smoothly when I made a decision. Hmmm, so I guess on day 1. Everything has been quite remarkable since then.

Mountainmanbob

An interesting point made

MM

Soberpotamus

I probably fell into a "groove" around the six month marker. Felt grounded at a year. Now I'm approaching the 1.5 year marker and beginning to work on behavior modification and such. I see my patterns, my ingrained reactions, and some not so pretty things about myself. Some interesting things are happening for me... I'm assertive these days, and that has alienated a friend and some family members. I guess they were comfortable with the old me who was perpetually recovering from a binge and a hangover. Those days are gone. It's sad to realize people don't like the real, sober me. Tough cookies for them, I say.

oldsoul1122

With a few weeks I'm leveling out to what I call normal. I use AVRT along with many other gems posted here. The addiction voice is silent with no urges. I usually drank alone except at a new neighbor's across the road who always had beer. I was there last night and it wasn't until this morning that it dawned on me that NOT ONCE did I think of beer when I was there. Happy Dance.

Mountainmanbob

Once when I sobered up a girlfriend that I had at the time, I think wished that I would start drinking again. Why ? Because I think that she thought that she had more control over me in a drunken or buzzed condition.

MM

oldsoul1122

Mountain I experienced the same thing with a controlling non drinking narcissist. He would get vicariously drunk and drunker as the night went on.

LBrain

my ability to stay sober was immediate. but it took six months before I started to notice a change.

Gottalife

It's all relative. I drank after three weeks sobriety. That's twenty one whole days, an incredible length of time. I could not see how I would ever be sober for that long again. Then another member said "one day at a time". Before I knew it I had three months up.

My life was changing for the better every day though often I was not aware of it. Others saw the changes.There were rough spots... Through adversity we grow.

On the one hand, this question asks about a destination point, the point where it's all good. Almost every day was like that, relative to the recent past. The true point when everything got on the right track and I was heading in the right direction was the morning after my last drink, when I made a decision to do whatever it takes to get sober and then began implementing that decision.

The alcohol spectre was removed shortly after leaving me free to grow spiritually and emotionally without the threat of drinking. Life has continued to get better, long ago passing the point of "better than my wildest dreams".

It starts today for all of us. "Today lived well, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope".

ChiefBromden

Although I stopped having real cravings after about 3 months, I really started feeling more grounded around 8 to 9 months, when my neuropathy finally started to get less painful. In the beginning, it actually became much worse (this is not uncommon), which was a real challenge to my sanity to say the least.

I chose 6 months, but in reality it was 9. But that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things; it's clear that for many it takes a bit of sober time to get used to the new situation.

Soberpotamus

Makes sense.

And it also makes sense that people get used to us being a certain way, for a long time period, and then suddenly things shift. We respond differently and this is unsettling for them perhaps. Because it prompts them to respond differently to us, in turn.

Pagekeeper

Took me about 3 years. I felt better within the first year, and each subsequent year too, but year 3-4 I just really grew up and got my brain back. I looked back on my early sobriety and realized how sick I was, how selfish and neurotic. Year three was when I truly thought of others before myself. Not because someone told me I had to, or because I thought it was the next right thing--I just did it. I meant it. I was finally sincere instead of just acting the part.

I also started having feelings of guilt. I know some will say that's a regression of sorts, but for me it was not. I had NO guilt when I got sober. I honestly didn't think I had done much wrong ... that is how selfish I was! So feeling guilt was a positive thing for me. It meant I was able to experience some empathy for others, to put myself in their shoes, I had never done that before because it was always about me.

stairs

I picked over a year. It took me awhile to realize that my vulnerability and shame made me fresh meat for emotional vampires and wannabe control freaks. Setting personal boundaries and being my own best friend were the ticket to a smoother journey for me.

BarbieKen

I vividly remember walking through the double doors at Kaiser DeTox, my husband and son on the other side. I physically felt uplifted.....that WHEW....my secret is OUT! I was there for 3 days. Thursday morning from Detox to CASA for a month of rehab....."I'm Bobbi and I'm an alcoholic." I said that in the living room, my first meeting. Again, my RELIEF, and the knowing inside my soul. DONE. 11-12-12 Detox Day, 11-15-12 Rehab Day
. Bobbi

fishsmacker

For me at 1 year I can say with certainty that things are very much smoothed out now !

silentrun

I turned a corner at 6 months. That was how long it took for me to wrap my head around the fact that my drinking days were behind me. After I did that my thoughts went from not drinking to getting better.

Soberwolf

I havnt answered the poll because i dont understand the question properly

can we say sobriety is always going to run smoothly ?

even tho this is my first shot and im aiming at lifetime sobriety i know there will be bad days unxepected days and days where things dont run smoothly

so for that reason i didnt answer the poll

i got sober alone in a bedroom cold turkey on day 90 i knew i wanted this for life and life has been amazing since im dealing with a lot on my plate at the moment but its not toppling me im dealing with it effectivly

i dont know how to answer that poll question

Mountainmanbob

seems like that might be the best of answers ?

Mountainman

30yrdrunk

I am on month 9. I am grateful to be sober today. Still think about drinking but it is far less frequently and less intensely as time goes on. I look forward to making a yr and beyond.

Carbonized

It took me about 6 months until i felt "normal" and about 15 months(?) later i don't consider drinking much of a big deal, as before i pretty much had a daily schedule and quota of alcohol consumption.

Mountainmanbob

seems that 6 months to a year seems to be common for many

it took a while for me to see through the fog

"don't leave before the miracle happens" (quote from AA meetings)

MM