Sara9009

What are some positive physical and emotional changes you have seen since quitting?

- I don't have to wake up anymore and figure out if I acted like a jackarse the night before. It was kind of funny because the first week of being sober I still woke up with an "oh crap what did I do?"

- No more "holiday heart."

- No more checking to see if I drunk dialed someone or sent a rambling long email to someone that wouldn't want to hear from me in the first place.

- My face isn't red and puffy anymore.

- No more sweating when it is cold.

- I have lost 20 pounds.

- My mood has stabilized 95% of the time.

ToABetterMe

Sounds like you have made some wonderful changes.

I think the biggest is my kids like to be around me. My 14 yr old actully comes up & sits on my lap & has conversations with me. She used to hole up in her room all the time & tell my mom how much she hated my drinking.
I remember tocheck back packs can help with home work with the kids, and have them in a routine again for bed time.

I don't get up in the morning with a head ache or dizzy.
I used to think my drinking would help my anxiety, however now I don't get nervous thinking people in the store can tell I have been drinking & its only 2pm!

I still think about the drinking/drunk felling. but it doesn't take long before I remember all crap feelings that follow. Nice to not have to wake up in the morning & think I am going to have to have a drink to "calm my nerves" which we know means, I am going to get shaky & a stomach ache if I don't make a drink.

Astro

What's not positive? I could make a list a mile long and everything on it would still be better than my best day drinking.

Fubarcdn

These ones for sure but I do get ugly the other 5% of the time.

I haven't missed a gym day (5 per week)

I don't have to make the bed on the weekend anymore as I am up first.

I have money in my wallet to by my wife flowers without them being " I am sorry flowers"

ViciousCycle

Yeah we recently had a similar thread.......so much positive! Funny though, I was getting ready to head out and caught myself in the mirror......(normally I would not even look)........and I caught my eyes in the sunlight.......wide open, clear and bright blue............wow, I look like a whole new person.......that was enough to put a bounce in my step today!
Good for you for noting the changes....these are all bonuses....

Sara, I could use that 20lb weight loss now please!! LOL........

Horselover

Unsolicited hugs from 6 year old son.

ToABetterMe

I have a 6 yr old boy too! Aren't they a hoot!
He comes up to me all the time to tell me how much he loves me. He always wants hugs & kisses. He struggles with his reading/school work.
Since being sober I have made a Huge effort to work with him nightly on reading & letters. Before I would do it now & then, if I hadn't started drinking too early. I hope we can see a real difference in the 2nd half of the year that we are working hard at home too!

Isaiah

I was thinking about this question today. Really, almost nothing has changed since I quit. I'm still financially struggling, I'm still mentally ill, I'm still getting bad luck, and I'm still feeling very lonely. The thing that's changed in me is that I am not as desperate as I was. I'm actually okay with being poor, and I'm dealing with being sick. I don't regret the days any more, and I'm always happy for another day gone by without having to resort to alcohol.

Wombat05

I don't think either would be possible if you were drunk Isaiah.
Quite a positive change in my eyes.

coffeenut

Time.

Since I don't have to hurry home to start drinking at 5, I have hoooooours to do as I wish....or not!

snowdog

ditto Coffeenut! It is like I have all this extra time. I would never have been sober to run errands at 7:00 PM in the past. It is like this whole new world (evenings!) has opened up to me!