8-10 Months ???
8-10 Months ??? 
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
I'm at 9 months.
I had a few months strung together a couple of times before.
This is what my experience has been. Nothing gets much different or better if I am not addressing it. Like, there is no magic that has happened in my life solely because I do not use.
This time around I am addressing life, and what I address shows improvement. My attitude is better because I consciously work on it. My health is better because I make myself eat right and exercise. My recovery is more solid because I work on it daily, reading, coming here, doing step work, talking to other addicts.
My room isn't clean, because I don't clean it.
My recovery is the same way, nothing happens if I don't do anything about it.
Sometimes days seem boring because I am no longer stirring up chaos, drama and crises, then I realize that it doesn't have to be boring, I can be getting something done. It feels good to get stuff done. I am never sorry that I got something done instead of sat around feeling bored.
My attitude is changing because I have learned by my own experience that making changes in my life pays off pretty quickly and concretely.
My last few clean times, I didn't do much other than stop using and look for reasons why my life was too messed up to fix. But apparently it is NOT too messed up for improvement, nor am I. Who knew!
It takes self discipline, which is something I am not fond of. It takes me being willing to not fly off the handle over every thing. It takes me looking for a new way of addressing life instead of just getting wasted.
The days I do that, are steps forward. They are not all fun, glowy, cloud nine days, but at the end of the day I have done NO harm, and often have accomplished something worthwhile.
One of the hardest feelings for me to deal with is boredom. Even scrubbing the sink is something to do, and hey, when I'm done I have a clean sink, not a hangover.
I had a few months strung together a couple of times before.
This is what my experience has been. Nothing gets much different or better if I am not addressing it. Like, there is no magic that has happened in my life solely because I do not use.
This time around I am addressing life, and what I address shows improvement. My attitude is better because I consciously work on it. My health is better because I make myself eat right and exercise. My recovery is more solid because I work on it daily, reading, coming here, doing step work, talking to other addicts.
My room isn't clean, because I don't clean it.
My recovery is the same way, nothing happens if I don't do anything about it.
Sometimes days seem boring because I am no longer stirring up chaos, drama and crises, then I realize that it doesn't have to be boring, I can be getting something done. It feels good to get stuff done. I am never sorry that I got something done instead of sat around feeling bored.
My attitude is changing because I have learned by my own experience that making changes in my life pays off pretty quickly and concretely.
My last few clean times, I didn't do much other than stop using and look for reasons why my life was too messed up to fix. But apparently it is NOT too messed up for improvement, nor am I. Who knew!
It takes self discipline, which is something I am not fond of. It takes me being willing to not fly off the handle over every thing. It takes me looking for a new way of addressing life instead of just getting wasted.
The days I do that, are steps forward. They are not all fun, glowy, cloud nine days, but at the end of the day I have done NO harm, and often have accomplished something worthwhile.
One of the hardest feelings for me to deal with is boredom. Even scrubbing the sink is something to do, and hey, when I'm done I have a clean sink, not a hangover.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: California
Posts: 382
Im feeling better as the days go on. I don't get car sick anymore. I went to a job.interview. Im working out and walking more. I have no desire what so ever to drink. Things are good for the most part. I still get days were I feel off or anxious but I do what i can to push through. One of my biggest problems was dizziness. That has gotten way better.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: California
Posts: 382
Im having a rough day. Its like raining anxiety. I just went about 2 months without a bad anxiety episode. I've been weak in the legs, can't sit still, have like brain zap and feel on edge. Im ready for this episode to be over. Just needed to vent.
stepping on my way...
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,079
Hey BGS! Congrats on your sobriety time!! Hang in there. It gets better. If the anxiety and dizziness doesn't slow down try talking to a doctor. There may be a prescription he/she can provide you with. This may have nothing to do with being off booze. It's just something you may have never noticed when constantly hung over. I noticed pains and aches that were real and not just from being hungover as I always blamed it on. Keep posting!!!
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
Anxiety is, for me, about the worst feeling to deal with. I have to talk myself out of my tree, as I put it. Stop, breathe, do a reality check.
Am I in imminent danger? Do I have a place to sleep? Do I have enough food?
Ok, then at least if I can answer those in a positive way I can be pretty sure than my anxiety is not founded in reality. That doesn't always make it go away but it DOES tell me whether or not it needs to be acted on. If I am fearing something actually dangerous, then I deal with the danger first. If not, I address the anxiety.
The simple things are worth a try...gratitude list, physical activity, coloring book, prayer, calling a friend, getting on here. Putting on familiar music and singing along helps me. Anything that I associate with good calm feelings which can trigger a healthy habit response.
Anything to break the spiral thinking that causes the situation to escalate.
I hope you are feeling more relaxed than when you posted this.
And if a thread goes too far down the list to be getting any attention, always feel free to bump it back to the top like you did with this one.
Am I in imminent danger? Do I have a place to sleep? Do I have enough food?
Ok, then at least if I can answer those in a positive way I can be pretty sure than my anxiety is not founded in reality. That doesn't always make it go away but it DOES tell me whether or not it needs to be acted on. If I am fearing something actually dangerous, then I deal with the danger first. If not, I address the anxiety.
The simple things are worth a try...gratitude list, physical activity, coloring book, prayer, calling a friend, getting on here. Putting on familiar music and singing along helps me. Anything that I associate with good calm feelings which can trigger a healthy habit response.
Anything to break the spiral thinking that causes the situation to escalate.
I hope you are feeling more relaxed than when you posted this.
And if a thread goes too far down the list to be getting any attention, always feel free to bump it back to the top like you did with this one.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 456
No more hemorhoides! TMI? Well, they are very common in heavy drinkers and a pain in the...
Most notably the last symptoms of PAWS had completely past and I was starting to feel just the slightest bit smarter than I did the day before.
I found myself with ambition to try new things just because I wanted to and not as a diversion.
Creativity had found its way back into my life.
So many to list, but "more will be revealed."
Keep it up!
Most notably the last symptoms of PAWS had completely past and I was starting to feel just the slightest bit smarter than I did the day before.
I found myself with ambition to try new things just because I wanted to and not as a diversion.
Creativity had found its way back into my life.
So many to list, but "more will be revealed."
Keep it up!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 587
on the 26th this month I willhave 1 year.I do nothave cravings so often anymore, however I eat lots of sweets,cakes,chokolate. I am still learning to dealwith my anxiety.I am always worried about things,but than I remind myself how far I came. Also I ask myself is there anything I can do right now.If not than it is out of my control andI have to let go.I try to let things go. I rember at 8-10moth I felt bored,and was having some cravings. I also cried a lot.But it is much better now. I think I slowly starting to find a purposeand for the 1st time in my live I think I discovered faith and actually start trusting things willturn out okay. There maybe a crappy day, maybe I will loose my job, maybe I will get sick, but I know I will be okay in the end. So I am starting to actually enjoy mysel
Guest
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 609
I find it difficult to remember how I was at 8-10 months too, maybe part of my mind has shut it out or I was still in some fog. I was feeling better in some ways - was having more moments when I just forgot about alcohol, the obsession was fading - though I still had some way to go. The good glimpses I got in my recovery journey kept me going, the first year had it's rough times, but also some good moments. I saw the possibility of what life could be like permanently sober, but it's a healing journey and some of it goes at its own pace. Doing much better these days, but it's still a 'work in progress' as they say.
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