4thekidz

I have quit vodka for as long as 40 days in my adult life but have several streaks of shorter duration. I found that getting past day three is big from a physical standpoint, and getting to two weeks loses the insomnia, more or less. Beyond that I'm largely in unchartered waters; I'd love to hear the "big days" in recovery from others and why? Physical function, mental clarity, emotional, whatever.....thanks!

Cruising thru day 9.....

doggonecarl

For me, at 6 months, I shifted from fighting my drinking to living sober. Hope you make it to six months so you'll understand.

bellakeller

I got separated from my husband and I didn't drink.

My sister relapsed and I didn't drink.

My sponsor fired me and I didn't drink.

I asked for help and was rejected and I didn't drink.

My kids still drive me nuts and I don't drink.

I am changing into the adult I want to be.

least

Six months was the turning point for me too. It was around that time that I realized I no longer had the desire to drink.

Hevyn

You know, I wish I'd kept track of the milestones - but I didn't. For the first couple months I was very fragile & scared to death - but I'd been drinking 24/7 & was in bad shape. My progress was probably slower than most, because of how long I'd been drinking & the damage - so I wouldn't want to discourage anyone by saying how long it took to feel part of the human race again. We're all so different.

We go through so many phases & it's hard to put them into words. Once I detoxed, I went into a resentment phase, feeling sorry for myself that I couldn't enjoy a few drinks like everyone else. It took me a while to begin enjoying waking up sober and clear headed. I can understand how alot of people give up because they just feel miserable. I knew I was going to die if I picked up again, so I had to stay the course.

Carl said it well - we shift from fighting it to living sober at some point. Best of luck on your journey to a new life, 4thekidz!

SSIL75

• The kind of permanent undercurrent of nervousness lifting was a milestone. That was a couple of weeks? Maybe 2 mos actually?
• The first sober night out that I enjoyed. That was awesome and actually pretty early on.
• Realizing that not everybody drinks and very few people drink a lot. That was also a milestone and mercifully early on.
• The first stressful day I had where I didn't crave a drink. That was.... a few months in I think.
• The first time I could refer to myself as an alcoholic out loud and not cry. That was a couple of months.
• Deciding that my annual girl's trip held no allure to me as a 'just one weekend of drinking' anymore. That was big. Maybe 5 mos?
• Alcohol becoming somewhat neutral to me. That's kind of recent (I am 8 mos sober). I'm not afraid of it or obsessing about it or craving it or anything. It's just there.

It's been an evolution, not a revolution.. that's for sure! Keep it up!

Mark75

The day I was able to see myself as I am. Well, at least more clearly.... And that was the day I began to understand humility and I felt the sunlight of the spirit.

FrothyJay

When I'd made most of my amends in step 9.

Until then, I was an untreated alcoholic. Time did not matter.

Dee74

I think everyone has an individual journey, 4theKidz...you're not going to find a definite week by week calendar


The first month was rough for me...I began to sleep better and lose some of the fog and the underlying tension by 60 days...with a few ups and downs by 90 days I think I was more or less 'normal' again and the mood swings were done...

then I started to move on from stopping drinking to staying stopped.

D

LaFemme

Making it to day 8 was a big milestone because it was a first. Making it to double digits was also really cool...ditto on triple digits. Those are the only milestones that jump out at me. Everything else has been so gradual...you know.
I will reiterate ..everyone is unique

Soberween

I hope I'm like Doggoncarl and Least at six months. I'm just at five months and I'm not quite there yet. I still sometimes think maybe I threw in the towel too soon which I know is ridiculous. Like LeFemme said, everyone is unique.

For me after day 4, I physically felt back together. Also, when I hit the 41 day mark, I was pumped because my breaking point before was day 40. I also stopped counting by the days at day 40. Being Catholic, I also gave up alcohol for lent many years in a row...40 days and 40 nights.

ExBudGal

I'm only 57 days in, so I'm still a "rookie", but after 30 years I'm grateful every day!

I'd have to say my firstbig milestone was during my 2nd week sober when I was on a business trip requiring a weekend stay. I actually took a day trip to the local beach and then went siteseeing the following day. Needless to say, this is something I would have never done before as I would have been too hungover from Friday night. I remember grinning ear to ear, pleased as punch at my accomplishment.

Yet I still feel like I sleep way too much, eat way too much ice-cream (a nightly ritual that has to stop, and get irritated way too easy. I have periods of self pity, depression, and sadness. But I also have really good days too where I feel anything is possible and I feel everyday is a milestone. I'm guessing this is all still part of the withdrawl/adjustment period. And after reading the posts in this thread it appears things really change after about 90 days. Wow, I can't wait!!!

Reset

When I had to face some business acquaintances and "come to Jesus" about my errant behavior, which really had been brought on by unexpected effects of quitting.

When (this was around the 60 day period) I finally started to come out of the mental funk of just wanting to sleep and be alone all day.

When I finished my 2 week vacation without drinking, and not even thinking about it for the majority of the time...AND being so happy and relaxed and having so much fun with my family on that vacation.

That's it so far, maybe there will be more to come.

reggiewayne

I like hearing this. I have 4.5 months and I do feel (most of the time) that I truly am a non drinker. I think there is a part of me that is still waiting for that terrible desire to drink to return. I think that is why I try to be as pro-active as I can to do things that will support recovery. I've been told by many others that getting to six months is huge.

If all goes as planned I'll be there in the near future. Just one day at a time!

Good topic!

refrigerator

3 months was pretty big for me. I mean, 3 freaking months!

But what will be larger by about 10 fold is if I can graduate college at the end of this summer, and still not drink. It will be nearly 8 months at this time.

One day at a time. I think I can do it!

Missybuns

In the last five years I have: worked all 12 steps of a recovery program (and continue to), each step accomplished being a milestone, lost the desire to use drugs/alcohol, kept the same job I got at 6 months clean still to this day five years later, borrowed money to buy a car AND paid off that loan....then another loan to purchase a computer AND paid that one off, too, been on a tour of a foreign country (couldn't ever get a pass port or travel when high all the time), and best of all...... to realize acheiving meaningful and loving relationships with my family and friends along with the ability to help others who ask for help in their recovery.

Each of these accomplishments have been milestones for me.

I must say that everytime someone dies who is close to me and I don't use, each of those times are milestones, too.

Grateful and Free,
Missy

EmeraldRose

All my milestones are the general principals I've faced in life sober. Period.
Since I quit it's been clear to me that I have to challenge my life alone, make it and succeed to the comforting life I deserve. The life I want as me without any persuasion from outside influences.
The dust cleared from the warfare in my head...which I recently found out in a revelating mentally orgasmic counseling session. I am free. The fight is over.
Everyday is the first day of the rest of my life. Everyday is a milestone.