BrightLine

Over a week sober and nothing I previously enjoyed is, well, enjoyable. My brains so messed up I don't have enough attention span to get through a film, which is scary. Is this something to do with PAWS? I can manage to play video games for half an hour and quite enjoy it. When drinking I managed to read articles in a newspaper, not whole books like I used to, but will this come back? Honestly wondering this, if this makes any sense. I must have done pretty serious brain damage, at this point I'm wondering whether I should just continue drinking

Chavo

You're only a little over a week. Congrats!! but give it some time. Your body is still adjusting and detoxing.

It's neat you can still play video games. Since I became a clean and sober person I haven't been able to sit down and enjoy any video games (MINUS PS3 Heavy Rain- lol). You'll be able to resume some of your old hobbies and you will find new sober ones : ). I really enjoy walking my dog - something I never did wasted.

Good Luck and be patient,
Chavo

BrightLine

Cheers, I am determined to give it time. It's just I get anxious about how incredibly poor my attention span is, and reading about PAWS it says your intellect is not affected just everything else lol. When drinking I usually wathced several shows a night, multi-tasked etc.

I suppose 1 week after years of drinking is too early to tell

WhiteWave

Bingo!

Wise to have realized that already, lol.

I'm on over 100 days, and I still definitely have some PAWS action going on. But, it does get better. Not always a little bit each day.... sometimes there's a good week-long gap between obvious improvements.


Congrats on a week, and blessed be!

WW

Happier

I found that I had no desire to do many of my prior activities after I got sober. However, my desire for and enjoyment of most of these came back after several months (i.e. golf, grilling, just getting together with friends, etc)
I still don't have much interest in gambling, playing poker, billiards, and a few other old activities. Time will tell but right now I am guessing that those activities had a lot more to do with drinking than anything else.
Give it some time. Think about all the other new things you might want to try now that your sobriety allows it! Being sober provides so much more freedom and limitless opportunities IMO.
I don't mean to sound to "rosey". It isn't always easy and I work at trying to stay positive and to seek out the best in each day. I do know things are much better now though and truly treasure my sobriety.
Best wishes to you.

Snarf

As everyone (including yourself) has already said, it's been just over a week. I wouldn't be too concerned about these things at this point; just be thankful for every moment without a drink. I found that many things I previously enjoyed doing were actually built around the drinking, not the event itself. Video games are probably included in that, as I haven't touched my PS3 in months. But I'm also able to enjoy some things a lot more now. When I go to a baseball (Atlanta Braves) game, I actually see every pitch because I'm not in line for beer, I remember it all the next day and can recount to others my experience at the game, and best of all I don't have to worry about getting pulled over on the way home and getting a DUI.

Our brains are very complex, and I reckon I did some crazy things to it (hopefully none too damaging, or permanent) as I drank at the pace I did for 12+ years. So it'll probably take it a while to get to some semblance of normal, and at just over 100 days I honestly don't know where it's at right now. But I do know that I am getting closer to normal, my attention span is returning (I actually can listen to people talk without spacing out or interjecting with my own twisted thoughts) and whatever's going on between my ears right now is a heck of a lot better than what was there 108 days ago.

It gets better, and in the early days it really helps to keep that in mind. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. A bright, warm light that envelops you in love and joy. Just keep following the rainbow and you will find the (metaphorical) pot of gold.

Fandy

How are you sleeping at night? sometimes lack of sleep drastically affects my rationality and mood.

it takes at least 2 weeks for most of the alcohol to get out of your system, you should begin to feel more like yourself soon and enjoy your activities...

congrats on your week.

SereniTee

Hey yeah it's totally normal it took me weeks to be able to sit still and concentrate for any period of time. Couldn't sleep for more than 2 hours at a time either. Would start to watch a movie and my mind would just veer off and start racing. I am pleased to say that I was assured at my AA meetings it was totally normal and after a month or so I felt much better. - Now I watch films and remember them! I love to read too, I always did when I was a kid but never bothered when I was drinking. I find that I am getting alot of joy out of things I used to be interested in before I started altering myself. I promise you the agitated restlessness passes and is totally normal. Your body and mind are adjusting to being alert.

Omega10

Hang in there, it will get better. I went through a period where I would send e-mails at the office, remember sending them, but didn't have a clue what I said. I would do things and not remember doing them. In fact, just a week ago I purchased my monthly transit pass, and later that day I almost purchased it a second time!

Your body chemistry is adjusting to no longer having alcohol in it. Watch your sugar intake and get a good night's rest. Try relaxation techniques as well to reduce your stress. The more you do this, the more you will see improvements. The worst thing you could do for your body is to take a drink!

JJB

I'm on day five and am experiencing much the same as you -my mind has gone to mush whereas even when I was drinking my brain was pretty fast.
An SR friend explained to me that this is called brain fog and is normal because the brain is used to functioning with alcohol in it and now it has to get used to it without but once it does it should be better than before.
I remember reading that in the early stages for alcoholics, alcohol stimulates brain activity (whereas for other people it might just send them to sleep) which is often what enourages us to drink more.
The problem is its impossible to maintain it at that stage as the disease progresses and finally the brain "self destructs" so drinking again really wouldn't be the solution although i understand your reasoning perfectly as it's exactly how I feel -I've done some really dumb things this last week which I wouldn't have done when I was drinking.
We just need to somehow ride this out!

Toomutch

I really don't think you were better off drinking! And hopefully you don't either. It will just take a little while for your focus to return and that is completely normal.
Congrats on 1 week!

augustwest

"I must have done pretty serious brain damage, at this point I'm wondering whether I should just continue drinking."

Worst idea ever. Seriously. It will get better. Consult a physician if you think there's something more going on than normal early recovery stuff.

Opivotal

Brightline,

It WILL come back, but you need to chill a bit and let your body recover. You have to remember........your bodies probably a bit confused right now as you are with no alcohol to contend with. Have faith and let your mind find its way. It gets better every day. Give yourself time to find out.
Best wishes to you!

least

Someone here once compared getting sober with walking a long way into a forest. You can't walk five miles into a forest and expect to walk out in a few steps. Give yourself time, it will get better. On the other hand, if you continue to drink it will get worse...

Dee74

Hi BrightLine

Don't worry I had that too - it's normal and it will get better - if you continue to abstain
If you're like me, you abused yourself pretty good - give it time...

D

Kmber2010

Just think of all that time spent drunk and all that damage. I found early sobriety to be a confusing time as my body began to heal and mentally I was alert but felt so lost. I had learned how to do EVERYTHING as a drunk. Those first few weeks were my awakening. I remember being a bit nervous and scared because I usually had a bottle near by and my days were centered around getting the next drink.

It will get better, I assure you and nothing could be more damaging then to continue drinking.

Take it easy, don't push yourself for the immediate "ah ha" moment. It comes in time and when you look back it will all make sense.

I am now living my life happily sober and this is coming from an April relapse. I picked up and held tight. I know the immediate reward for me was no longer living my life in fear of what my drunk self would say or do. It felt so refreshing to not wake up....reaching for the bottle to maybe....get my day started. Most days where I didn't have plans usually were me, the bottle, in the house, in pjs, unshowered, already slurring by 10am. Yeah, that is how the end was for me.

I also loved the fact that the massive panic attacks and constant overwhelming anxiety went away too. I still have some mild anxiety here and there but I can breath through it and they are nothing compared to the alcohol induced attacks.

Hang in friend. You can do this