Sohard

This is very exciting! Thank you everyone for your support. I'm so grateful. I feel strong. I'm (for now) successfully flipping it around in my head: it's not that I don't GET to drink for the rest of my life, it's that I don't now HAVE to drink for the rest of my life. I'm freed, in a sense. However, I've been here before, and failed. And then I'm always asked by people on this site about what my plan had been and if I'd had one. I always think I do (therapy, exercise, SR, lots of water, etc). I want to make sure I don't break again, though (although I don't feel anywhere near close to it at this point, which is exciting). I'd love to hear what your "plans" are, because sometimes I think I might inadvertently not have one. I mean, I had been doing therapy, exercise, and SR during other circumstances when I failed. Any plan advice as I head into the holidays, I'll take! Thank you again so much for the words of wisdom you've given me as I've struggled along. I know what a great help it's been.

Done4today

Good news sohard!

Sounds like you are in a good place. My plan is using AA as my recovery program. I would definitely getting into a program such as AA, smart, etc. I knew I was done but couldn't have survived this long without a sobriety program.

Good luck

ScottFromWI

Congrats on 8 days Sohard. Sounds like you are doing a lot already with the therapy, exercise and SR. That is pretty close to my plan too, although I also try to practice some of the things I've learned at therapy on a daily basis too. Meditation and mindfulness is one that I do try to concentrate on for a small portion of each day.

Another thing that helps is that i've kind of adjusted my diet to cut back on caffeine and sugar, and that really helps with my anxiety too.

theVman31

Sohard 8 days is a good thing just keep going mate
It takes more

Stayingsassy

Great start, sohard. In my first month I sort of kept my nose to the grindstone and just didn't drink. That was my number one priority. Like you, I was nervous about doing something or thinking something that might lead me to drinking, so I just had to keep things simple in my head: no drinking no matter what. That always comforted me, because I knew no matter how far my messed up thinking tried to take me, if I just didn't drink I felt like everything would be ok.

Now that I'm at a typically hard time in the quit (2-4 months) that same commitment continues to work. It's very hard and sometimes I cry and whine and wish I could just stay in bed and on days I really believe that I just don't care, I make myself do self care....like today, and post my feelings here. No feelings you have in early sobriety are not worth putting out there. I have given myself permission to post whatever I'm feeling as I go through this time because it helps to not be thinking and feeling the tough stuff alone.

Don't underestimate the power of nutrition, exercise, and talking things out to help turn around a bad moment.

I'm so glad you're back and you're on a roll, this is awesome!

Sohard

Thanks, Sassy. I've appreciated your support and your wisdom born from your tough experiences. I was reading about today how the 3-5 month period can be challenging (I'll paste what I read below, but I'm sure you've already read/studied it before). I'll have to look out for it when I get there, but for now, yes, it's all about day to day and keeping my nose to the grindstone. You seem like you've been doing so wonderful, despite the enormous challenge. I'm impressed.

protracted abstinence (2 to 5 months; follows early abstinence): from six weeks to five months after clients stop using, they may experience a variety of annoying and troublesome symptoms. these symptoms -difficulties with thoughts and feelings- are caused buy the continual healing process in the brain. this period is called 'The Wall'. it is important for clients to be aware that some of the feelings during this period are the result of changes in brain chemistry. if clients remain abstinent, the feelings will pass. the most common symptoms are depression, irritability, difficulty concentrating, low energy and a general lack of enthusiasm. clients also may experience strong cravings during protracted abstinence. relapse risk goes up during this period. it is helpful to stay focused on staying abstinent one day at a time. exercise helps tremendously during this period. for most clients, completing this phase in recovery is a major achievement.

So, if you can get through protracted abstinence, you apparently end up here, and what a lovely place it seems to be!

readjustment (2 months; follows protracted abstinence):after five months, the brain has recovered substantially. now the client's main task is developing a life that has fulfilling activities that support continued recovery.

Stayingsassy

Sohard, thank you for that! Unfortunately I have had to learn that the hard way by relapsing during protracted abstinence over...and over...and over again.

Not this time.

Sohard

Yes: NOT. THIS. TIME. I'm counting on you to wave over to me from the "readjustment" side when you get there so I can follow.

least

My plan used to be my addiction counselor once a week and SR every day. I stopped seeing her almost 3 yrs ago and now depend solely on SR. I'm on here morning to night.

Read and post every day. There's the 24 hour thread in Daily Support, as well as the December class thread in Newcomers.

And always post if you have urges to drink. Always tell on yourself so we can talk you out of it.

Hevyn

I'm so happy for your 8 days, sohard. Good to hear you are feeling stronger. I look at it as being free too. It's hard to believe we were once so afraid to let go of it.

waynetheking

Sohard your really doing an awesome job on your sobriety. Be proud of yourself.
For myself my plan at early sobriety was exercise. I bought this sun cruiser bicycle and rode the heck out of it. Nothing to crazy. Just casual riding here in downtown. 3 hours at a time. It was part of my plan. I drank plenty of water while riding. I stopped and talked to strangers who admired the bike. I stopped for coffee at Starbucks. Basically I kept busy. That is still my plan. I stay busy. I actually have no time to drink. It's all about changing your habits. Develop a routine that works for you and don't deviate until the cravings go away. And they will. For me it's all about action. You wake up one morning and tell yourself no more. Then you educate yourself on the disease. Then you find a support group and make friend's. Then you act on it. Don't stop acting on it. It's a combination of everything that achieves long term sobriety. Consider yourself a beautiful holiday cake. It takes all the ingredients to be tasty and edible. Same thing on survival of alcoholism. You need all the ingredients to make this work. One thing is for sure, the cake will never get made unless you go to work on it.
I hope this helps.

corriec

Hi, Sohard. The start of day 10 here in South Africa for me. I'm feeling good, but the voices sometimes get a bit daunting. 'Just today", they scream. Liver hurt yesterday; I think the greasy food (Buttermilk Chicken and fries). But I'm hanging in there.
Corrie