Vindawgs

Hi all,

I was a binge drinker for many years (25). I just hit the 1 year mark (6 days ago). Sitting here and got my head buzzing and wondering is this what sobriety is about. Will this get better and how long does this last. Woke up feeling fine and then all of the sudden feels like my brain is trying to function but can't because something is holding it back. Always trying to stay positive especially knowing that it should get better and my focus and clarity should clear up. Is it just me or have others experienced this just at or during
their 1 year mark.

LumenandNyx

What kind of clarity do you think you're missing and how do you know it even exists if you don't have it?

Did you have some sort of clarity once that is now gone? When did you have it - before you started drinking 25 years ago?

Is it possible that during the quarter century that you've been drinking - you've changed some (you know - in addition to the things about you that change when you drink)? You are quit a bit older now. Perhaps your perception is what you're talking about - not clarity.

Just a thought...

Vindawgs

Hi Lumandnyx,

Great question. I'm actually finding myself with much more mental clarity on certain days than others. Today for example I have constant buzzing in my head and it throws me off and I lose concentration and focus. Yesterday was a better day where I felt much better and had more clarity and was more focused on my day. Trying to see if anyone else has these feelings of being clear minded on certain days and loss of focus on others. Does it get better and how long have others had this issue if they even encountered an issue like mine. Thank you all in advance for your response and time take to respond. Wish you all the best.

Vinny

Dee74

Hi Vin

You posted in our chat forum which is an administrative forum, so I moved your thread here for more response

I don’t have experience of such obvious problems, but it took me a long time to consistently get back to what I consider my cognitive best, somewhere about 5 years.

That sounds long until you consider I drank and drugged for nearly thirty.

Others journeys are shorter than mine too - I hope you’ll find that

D

Vindawgs

Dee,

Thanks again for your response. I appreciate that. I guess there's no quick fix of time frame as to how soon or when a person fully recovers thats if they ever do. It seems that everybody is different. Have a great day 😀

MrTumble

I'm trying choline supplements, specifically Alpha GPC. Supposedly choline can help brain function, perhaps you can look into it and see if its something you might want to explore.

SnazzyDresser

My brain sees things a lot more clearly when I'm walking 1 or 2 hours every day, you might try that.

Rockbottom1964

Hi, Vinnie. I absolutely hear where you’re coming from. And I feel exactly as you do, believe me. I’m getting close to the 11-month mark, and the thing that absolutely bothers me the most is what I perceive as “lesser and/or slowed brain function and capacity”. That still woozy feeling some days when I thought it would have been long gone by now; the feeling that it takes me (much) longer than years ago to figure out things like - what used to be – simple math, or thinking of suitable and/or similar words/wording, etc. Sometimes almost as if my brain’s not as “keen” as it used to be. As quick. As “willing” to perform at (what I used to think off as) its “normal” level - if you get what I mean.
What I do know, is that my brain function has improved in leaps and bounds since after about the first 100 days of sobriety, and it still – if not as noticeable as before – gets better all the time. (Along with countless other problems I used to have whilst drinking; mental, physical, even spiritual). But that’s just me. A lot of guys on SR might have experienced recovery differently.
One of the greatest truths, I think, is one I read on this forum often: We spent years destroying and/or damaging our bodies and brains with alcohol; it’s not fair and/or realistic to expect them (bodies and brains) to heal themselves and return to “normal” in just weeks or even months.
Like everything else, my mantra here is – “One day at a time. But each day is better”.

Congrats on one year.

RB

Lautca

I have a theory about why some people have an unexplainable battle with getting sober that few really qualified experts have put much thought into, at least that I am aware of. There are two cerebral hemispheres of our brains, the so-called right and left parts of our brains that are connected by the corpus callosum. Each half has separate functions, and the corpus callosum is the connection that allows each side to communicate with the other. My theory involves both halves of the brain coming into agreement with becoming sober. If only one half of your brain "wants", or accepts becoming sober, but the other does not, then this conflict will go on until the un-sober side gives in and accepts becoming sober. The insidious part is that the rational half of our brain is not completely aware of the existence of our other half, which makes it easy for that other half to sabotage us! How does the rational side of your brain convince the phantom-like immature hedonistic side to give in? I have no idea, and I suppose that irrational stubborn side that only cares about getting drunk and searching for that impossible-to-find feel-good lifestyle is what has lead millions of people to their untimely alcohol-related deaths over the centuries. Now, as far as I know, that nasty little immature brat that is stuck in "The Terrible Twos" and pulling a tantrum, busy messing up your life by keeping the sober-you from getting sober, that little monster can be re-trained to move on and grow up by using rewards - just like training a puppy to heel. YOU are the master, but the problem is you are the one who has to figure out how to provide rewards whenever you are clear-headed. Don't provide rewards when you are not clear-headed. Sounds weird? Not really! But whatever the case, I certainly hope you can find out what is going on, it could be a metabolic problem as well, some people self-medicate with booze because they don't feel well, and the ethanol makes them feel better. When I was drinking decades ago, that was part of why I was a drunk. I got a problem taken care first, and then that helped a great deal with quitting. Getting the problem fixed wasn't all it took, but it was a first step. Anyway, I sure hope you can get where you want to be, going around all muddled-up is no way to live, I did that for awhile, too - NOT fun!

Lautca

waynetheking

Your brain is healing. It's part of sobriety. This to shall pass. Just don't drink. Thats the key. Just don't drink.