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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Waterloo, Ontario
Posts: 12
newcomer
Hi, I dont know if this is where I introduce myself but let me know if it's not please. I have just taken the extremely scary step to stop drinking completely. I have quit before but with the knowledge that in a week or month I would continue but drink less. Which of course never happens. This is the first time I have said I'm done! the anxiety I'm feeling right now is not good.
Sober...Finally.
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Galveston TX
Posts: 574
Hey Rusty. Welcome to SR! You will find a great support group here! It is a very good thing to see that you are on the path to recovery. The anxiety will subside over time. Just make sure to drink lots of water and take vitamins. Also, you might want to consult with your doctor...detox can be quite dangerous. Congrats on your decision. 
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: springfield, va
Posts: 1,385
Welcome Rusty! I think anxiety is probably to be expected when any change is made, but particularly with a substance that depresses the central nervous system. Believe you can do it and you can. Alcoholism really has a strong mental component to it. We each have a sober side and of course, the addicted brain. Posting here can help strengthen the sober side. It also takes great courage to admit you have a problem in a public forum. Be proud of yourself and take it one day at a time.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,320
Welcome Rusty - you found the right place 
Early recovery can be pretty daunting scary and anxious - but you'll find a lot of support here...please keep posting
Have you seen a Dr? that's often a good first step
D
Early recovery can be pretty daunting scary and anxious - but you'll find a lot of support here...please keep posting
Have you seen a Dr? that's often a good first step
D
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Glad you're here, rusty!
It's hard to do this on our own, so I hope you continue to post/read and get other support, too. I was scared in the beginning, too, but I just kept staying sober one day/hour at a time and telling myself things would get better.
I thought I couldn't live without alcohol, but the truth was I wasn't really living until I stopped. You can do this.......!
It's hard to do this on our own, so I hope you continue to post/read and get other support, too. I was scared in the beginning, too, but I just kept staying sober one day/hour at a time and telling myself things would get better.
I thought I couldn't live without alcohol, but the truth was I wasn't really living until I stopped. You can do this.......!
The New Me starting 1/11/09
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: California
Posts: 678
Welcome Rusty -
Glad you are here. The anxiety is normal and a paradox of alcoholism.
For me, "which came first" was a difficult question to answer. I always thought that my anxiety made me want to drink, when now with sobriety I realize that my drinking made me have anxiety. It will pass, but you need to give your body enough time to clear and then work on the mental side of alcoholism. For me, this was a combination of SR plus AA plus helping other alcoholics, but there are lots of ways to do it. But, I highly recommend that you continue to reach out (as you've done). It is hard to do this alone.
Keep it up.
Glad you are here. The anxiety is normal and a paradox of alcoholism.
For me, "which came first" was a difficult question to answer. I always thought that my anxiety made me want to drink, when now with sobriety I realize that my drinking made me have anxiety. It will pass, but you need to give your body enough time to clear and then work on the mental side of alcoholism. For me, this was a combination of SR plus AA plus helping other alcoholics, but there are lots of ways to do it. But, I highly recommend that you continue to reach out (as you've done). It is hard to do this alone.
Keep it up.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 116
Welcome Rusty101! 
Oh how we've all been there: maybe if I could continue and only drink on special occasions, or maybe stick to a limit. Never seems to work out that well, at least in my experience.
Congratulations on being brave enough to admit you can't control it, it's not in any way a sign of weakness, I like to think it's a sign of sanity if anything.
What Tanja said stood out to me (We all have a sober side, with an addicted brain). It's so true. That being said, we are born sober, we are sober, it's purely other factors that make us want to drink, if you can drown that out you're sorted.
Anxiety and alcohol very much go hand in hand. As has been said previously, it's completely normal to feel this way. If you can, a visit to the doctor is always advised. Medically, it's no brainer, but it may also help to get things out in the open with a professional.
Try to remember that no matter how bad you feel right now, it won't get any worse. Try to envisage all the good, positive things that are going to happen to you along this journey. You're getting your life back.
Good luck!
Oh how we've all been there: maybe if I could continue and only drink on special occasions, or maybe stick to a limit. Never seems to work out that well, at least in my experience.
Congratulations on being brave enough to admit you can't control it, it's not in any way a sign of weakness, I like to think it's a sign of sanity if anything.
What Tanja said stood out to me (We all have a sober side, with an addicted brain). It's so true. That being said, we are born sober, we are sober, it's purely other factors that make us want to drink, if you can drown that out you're sorted.
Anxiety and alcohol very much go hand in hand. As has been said previously, it's completely normal to feel this way. If you can, a visit to the doctor is always advised. Medically, it's no brainer, but it may also help to get things out in the open with a professional.
Try to remember that no matter how bad you feel right now, it won't get any worse. Try to envisage all the good, positive things that are going to happen to you along this journey. You're getting your life back.
Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Sweden
Posts: 63
Hey Rusty, how you doing?
It's day 8 for me after relapsing 2 weekends ago after being sober for 28 months...thought I could go back to 'normal' & 'controlled' drinking, what a fool I was! Back to getting into my sober groove & here is a great place to get that groove back I have found.
All the best to you, Hayley
It's day 8 for me after relapsing 2 weekends ago after being sober for 28 months...thought I could go back to 'normal' & 'controlled' drinking, what a fool I was! Back to getting into my sober groove & here is a great place to get that groove back I have found.
All the best to you, Hayley
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Waterloo, Ontario
Posts: 12
Hey Everyone! I'm on day 4 and feeling very positive about the upcoming weekend. Thinking of things to keep busy on Friday night. That shouldn't be too hard. Saturday when my husband and I go out for our weekly dinner will be the real test but I'm feeling up for the challenge.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 116
Originally Posted by rusty101 
Hey Everyone! I'm on day 4 and feeling very positive about the upcoming weekend. Thinking of things to keep busy on Friday night. That shouldn't be too hard. Saturday when my husband and I go out for our weekly dinner will be the real test but I'm feeling up for the challenge.
Positivity is good, but there will be negative moments as well. Just don't forget how good you felt when you wrote this.
You've mentioned that that you haven't told your husband, will it be a problem when you go for a dinner if you don't drink at the dinner? Hopefully it won't be a problem and I'm reading too much into it, but if it is I would advise you to tell your husband either the truth or make an excuse. The point I'm making is, for your own sake, don't take a sip, you're doing well!
All the best.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Waterloo, Ontario
Posts: 12
Hey Bored3! i hear u about the negative moments. Last night my daughter, who I dont drink around because she is sober, left a few days earlier than we had expected to go back to school. The first thing that popped into my head was "where's the champagne?" I had every excuse why it would be okay and I found it difficult but I just kept saying over and over "you want to see what u are capable of accomplishing when sober!!" I made it through the night! I went to yoga class this morning and it was such a good feeling when I lost my balance doing tree pose that it wasn't because of the alcohol. yippee for me!!
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