what happens after 21 days
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 587
what happens after 21 days
well today is day 21. When I stopped drinking, I had no withdrawel symptoms, no shakes insomnia etc. Till now I feel some fear and anxiety and an emotional rollercoaster, which may or may not be due to coming out of a 10 year relationship. I have some cravings and I do not want to underestimate the cravings and was wondering, what else should I expect to happe after 3 weeks? (I know about HALT, and definitly changed my diet) How long does it take for the brain to regain and recover (I took 1.5l of wine every evening I am about 200 pounds). How else can I protect myself. I am aware hat if I ever pick up the glass I will not be able to control the amount drink, which makes me an alcoholic. Any advice and or personal experience would be appreciated. I just came so far, I left work and drove home today not thinking abut stopping at a liquor store, which now freaks me out, since I don't want to lose he focus and the cravings hit me when I am not aware.....
Heathen
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: La La Land, USA
Posts: 2,567
I have heard it can take well over a year for our bodies and minds to recover, physically.. at least as much as is recoverable.
I felt pretty darn good after a few months.
I made sure to also 'treat' my mind by attending therapy, and attended to my body by eating healthy, regular doctor visits, and exercise.
I felt pretty darn good after a few months.
I made sure to also 'treat' my mind by attending therapy, and attended to my body by eating healthy, regular doctor visits, and exercise.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,444
I think it's different for everyone SASA.
I know, if you drank like I did 21 days is a drop in the bucket against the years you drank and flat out abused your body, so I'd give it time.
As long as you stay focused, be prepared for the cravings, and don't get complacent - and keep reaching out here and wherever else you have support - you have nothing to fear from cravings
Are you doing anything else beside just not drinking though?
I found it hard to stop but I found it even harder to stay stopped without making some real changes to the way I lived my life, the way I thought about myself, and the way I reacted to things in life.
D
I know, if you drank like I did 21 days is a drop in the bucket against the years you drank and flat out abused your body, so I'd give it time.
As long as you stay focused, be prepared for the cravings, and don't get complacent - and keep reaching out here and wherever else you have support - you have nothing to fear from cravings
Are you doing anything else beside just not drinking though?
I found it hard to stop but I found it even harder to stay stopped without making some real changes to the way I lived my life, the way I thought about myself, and the way I reacted to things in life.
D
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
Hi Sasa!
A huge congratulations on your 21 days. That takes a lot of work. I'm about a week ahead of you and what I've read on here and found for myself is that this is the time to start adding things into your life. Things you would not have been able to do while drinking. Big or small.
One of the things I do now that I couldn't have done while drinking is ab workouts. I dusted off my "ab roller": (remember those from the 90's?) and I do it every other evening for 10 minutes. Just the little things like this, things I wasn't doing before are slowly filling my time, distracting my thoughts, and helping my self-esteem.
One other thing I wanted to add. When I drank, I spent about 6 hours every night drinking. When I stopped I spent every waking minute obsessing about not drinking . At about two weeks had a little talk with myself while I was driving. I thought "Okay, you're not going to drink. You can't drink. That you know. And since you know that, get the h*ll on with your life."
Realizing that helped a lot. I started feeling normal during the day and that's when I started finding new fun things to do.
I'm still looking into more evening activities to get involved in. Are there any sports you like? I know there are softball, soccer, tennis leagues. I'm thinking of joining a tennis one.
Keep us posted on your progress and congratulations on the three weeks!
A huge congratulations on your 21 days. That takes a lot of work. I'm about a week ahead of you and what I've read on here and found for myself is that this is the time to start adding things into your life. Things you would not have been able to do while drinking. Big or small.
One of the things I do now that I couldn't have done while drinking is ab workouts. I dusted off my "ab roller": (remember those from the 90's?) and I do it every other evening for 10 minutes. Just the little things like this, things I wasn't doing before are slowly filling my time, distracting my thoughts, and helping my self-esteem.
One other thing I wanted to add. When I drank, I spent about 6 hours every night drinking. When I stopped I spent every waking minute obsessing about not drinking . At about two weeks had a little talk with myself while I was driving. I thought "Okay, you're not going to drink. You can't drink. That you know. And since you know that, get the h*ll on with your life."
Realizing that helped a lot. I started feeling normal during the day and that's when I started finding new fun things to do.
I'm still looking into more evening activities to get involved in. Are there any sports you like? I know there are softball, soccer, tennis leagues. I'm thinking of joining a tennis one.
Keep us posted on your progress and congratulations on the three weeks!
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,512
Congratulations on your 21 days!
My advice is to incorporate recovery into your day. For me, balance is really important and I try to do something physically, mentally and spiritually for my recovery every day.
My advice is to incorporate recovery into your day. For me, balance is really important and I try to do something physically, mentally and spiritually for my recovery every day.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 587
thank you all for the answers, that really helps. Well I started eating right and lost 10 pounds a nice side effect. I also started working out and walk every evening about 1 mile and swim about 20 minutes. Just this week I started going out with new people for lunch (people who I know do not drink), and have some people over this weekend for the soccer games (also they do not drink). I am also considering playing tennis. I have a friend who played wth me last year and keeps asking me.
In my job I use my mind every day and have to come up with new concepts, thats why it was nice in the evning to drink and forget, just relax. I think exercise does the same for me or just listening to relaxing music. Also I have a glass of buttermilk every morning and realize if I eat healthy I have less cavings for the alcohol in the evening. Once I eat junk food my desire gets up to drink to. anybody has the same?
I looked up some research and it said that in 2 month the average brain of an alcoholic is supposed to grow 1.8% which is almost the size of the normal brain. For anybody interested here is the link, however I am not sure how true this is
Alcohol and Brain
and Alcohol and Brain
In my job I use my mind every day and have to come up with new concepts, thats why it was nice in the evning to drink and forget, just relax. I think exercise does the same for me or just listening to relaxing music. Also I have a glass of buttermilk every morning and realize if I eat healthy I have less cavings for the alcohol in the evening. Once I eat junk food my desire gets up to drink to. anybody has the same?
I looked up some research and it said that in 2 month the average brain of an alcoholic is supposed to grow 1.8% which is almost the size of the normal brain. For anybody interested here is the link, however I am not sure how true this is
Alcohol and Brain
and Alcohol and Brain
New Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 162
22 days 
it's all one day at a time ( I know I know cliché but simple & true)
After a week in a half I started going to meetings (AA), because I needed a sober network people, since none of my friends are sober. That has helped me tremendously. I still hang out with my friends, but I usually go to a meeting before or often and that helps to keep things in perspective for me. I am also working the 12 steps with a sponsor, because it is really beneficial for me to have as much of an outline for me to work with as possible & the program is made to equip you with the necessary tools when vulnerable situations arise, because they will.
I had no idea what to do. All I came to realize is the fact that I can not take that first drink because I could not be sure of where it would lead me. This program has helped simplify things for me so I wouldn't become overwhelmed and throw in the towel during a bout of frustration.
If you have tried meetings or you are thinking about it, it helped me a lot to go in completely open minded & having a willingness to try something that has worked for so many others- in not only being sober BUT being Happy & sober, it's definitely a lifestyle change & it can be refreshing & relieving (for me it is).
it's all one day at a time ( I know I know cliché but simple & true)
After a week in a half I started going to meetings (AA), because I needed a sober network people, since none of my friends are sober. That has helped me tremendously. I still hang out with my friends, but I usually go to a meeting before or often and that helps to keep things in perspective for me. I am also working the 12 steps with a sponsor, because it is really beneficial for me to have as much of an outline for me to work with as possible & the program is made to equip you with the necessary tools when vulnerable situations arise, because they will.
I had no idea what to do. All I came to realize is the fact that I can not take that first drink because I could not be sure of where it would lead me. This program has helped simplify things for me so I wouldn't become overwhelmed and throw in the towel during a bout of frustration.
If you have tried meetings or you are thinking about it, it helped me a lot to go in completely open minded & having a willingness to try something that has worked for so many others- in not only being sober BUT being Happy & sober, it's definitely a lifestyle change & it can be refreshing & relieving (for me it is).
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