Terminally Unique

I've been seeing far too many "recovery is soooo difficult" posts as of late, so I figured it might be nice to switch gears. To those in their first days of withdrawal, quitting an addiction appears to be impossible, as if it will be a grudging, intolerable, lifelong struggle, but this is hardly the case. Recovery is actually very, very easy compared to addiction.

So, on that note, how easy is recovery for you?

midgetcop

My life is sooooooo much easier and more manageable than it used to be. I'm not saying that life's problems cease to exist - I'm just far more capable at dealing with them.

jocata

Recovery was tough in the first couple of months for me. I wasn't craving alcohol or drugs, but dealing with the emotional turmoil make everyday living very hard. I would fly off the handle over nothing. Now that I am leveling out, life is starting to be enjoyable again. Everyday challenges aren't a hassle anymore. I'm starting to look forward to those challenges. I'm starting to love what I do for a living again. I love being around my kids more. My thoughts aren't so negative anymore. I'm more in control of my emotions. Life is getting good!

So yes, recovery is easy, if I don't complicate it.

God bless.

michelle01

It was difficult at first, it did get easier as time went on, no straight trajectory but overall gradual improvement. I far prefer my existence now (even if sometimes there are hassles) and it was worth the effort and commitment at the start. There are things you can do to make things easier for yourself in recovery, in retrospect I probably should have done a bit more, but it's a process of learning new behaviours.

sugarbear1

I don't have to plan on calling for more, before I run out (illegal accessories) or planning on how to save food money for something to drink, the schedule of getting it, the waiting until dark to throw out the trash, when I couldn't walk anyway, the bruises I woke up to are gone, my cat doesn't run away. That was difficult, all of that planning....waking up with headaches, getting ill, not eating, looking horrible! Being isolated and thinking it was all cool to party with myself.

I wake up, have some coffee, get on with the day. My house is clean, no worries, mail is opened and taken care of in a timely manner, phone calls taken and not avoided, no worries online for unsolicited and mean comments, I can find things I need, they haven't been thrown around the house.... laundry all clean, dishes away, if you stopped by, I have food and non alcoholic drinks available (I won't cringe if you take my last soda or juice). Caught a glimpse of me in a store window and almost didn't recognize myself! I looked good. Pants are starting to fall a little, another good sign all is evening out!

Easy, Oh Yeah!! Relationships are being repaired, life is nice today. I also have a renewed interest in getting into my own classroom, but we'll see what life has in store for my future. So far, it's been a beautiful ride!

I worked on Monday, hit a meeting with a group of gals; worked Tuesday, answered the AA phones; Wednesday, had the day off, took care of errands, made goodies for home group, set up the group, had a wonderful meeting, talked with people, and now making lunch for work (which I've done for those last two days of work). Tomorrow, work and another meeting with more women; Friday, work then meet with sponsor. Possibly going to southern MD for a conference Saturday (Clancy is speaking there and others). The cat is quite pleased with me, too! Sunday, house cleaning and cooking, maybe another meeting! Today, I have people in my life!

chicory

Great thread!

Zebra1275

At first it's pretty difficult, it can be an hour by hour thing.

But soon the hours turn into days, and then the days turn into weeks. And then the weeks turn into months and eventually the months turn into years.

The more sober time I get, the easier it is. But I still pay attention DAILY. Because I've learned that alcohol is cunning, baffling, and powerful. And it's also very patient.

I once let my guard down after 5 1/2 sober years and it snagged me again. I don't plan on doing that again.

ru12

Not drinking is pretty easy at this point 15 months sober. Life is still life and everything isn't fantastic all the time, but I'm sober and that is so much easier than being drunk. I'm not in an organized recovery plan, I don't do AA: I just don't drink and get on with my life and try to be a decent and useful human. It seems to work with me.

Tippingpoint

Since I've been able to fully commit to a life of abstinence, sobriety has become almost effortless for me.

I find myself actually smiling for no good reason. I'm doing it right now!

ReadyAndAble

As easy as eating a great meal, or kissing a pretty woman, or flying a kite with my daughter, or reading a really good book.

The difference is I always knew those things were enjoyable. The great illusion of addiction is that recovery requires sacrifice. Only after I quit did I realize that the real sacrifice, the genuine hardship, was already behind me.

eh1988

Life is so much easier when I don't have to wake up an hour early to get started on my morning "buzz", then I don't have to pack my work bag with a few beers. I don't have to make sure I have a couple of beers in my car, I also don't have to stop at the liquor store every day. I don't need to count my beers to make sure I have enough for the night/morning, I don't have to get drunk before going to sleep. Did I mention that I've already saved around $300 dollars in the 2 weeks that I've been sober? Yea, being sober is MUCH easier.

DoinThis

Such a great thread to read. I'm only 6 weeks in but the butterflies I feel because the love of my daughter and husband is not numbed out by alcohol is soooooo much stronger, I'm less irritable and more patient! I'm enjoying food, glorious food including dessert! I don't wake up once at night or have freaky dreams as I sleep so deeply. My dog gets a much long walk and we don't rush home from the park for happy hour. Life is much easier without worrying about how much alcohol I have at home, trying to act sober because my husband was so over my drinking, being 'stuck' at home because I couldn't drive. I think after the first month, recovery is much easier

BackToSquareOne

There are a few things I'd like to add to the above from my own experience. If you were a very heavy or long term drinker don't expect to feel great in a week or two, it doesn't always work that way. You may go through an extended period (like 6 months or more) of depression/anxiety as your brain chemistry and body readjust.

Everyone does not experience the "pink cloud" phenomenon or have skittle sh**ting unicorns at their beck and call. There are many factors at play here and it could be a slow steady slog but it does improve as time marches on. Patience is very important as your body and mind come back to the land of the living.

It's not always a walk in the park but it is one hell of a lot easier than the torment and living hell of putting your brain through repeated drunk/sober cycles.

augustwest

my life is a breeze compared to the bullcrap I had to put myself through in order to drink and use drugs round the clock and obtain the ways and means to keep the insanity going.

eJoshua

Recovery is easy if you set yourself up for success, and terribly difficult if you try to do it half-heartedly or without planning. It's really as difficult as you want it to be. At least that's been my experience.

Muunray

Yep - I gave up causing suffering to myself.

soberlicious

You know the expression "the burden was lifted"? When I was drinking everything seemed so hard; everything in my life was colored, burdened by my addiction. The simplest problems, decisions, tasks were just too heavy for me to manage. Today even when things get difficult and problems arise, I can move around in my life with a kind of lightness that is hard to describe. I can breathe. I know that no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay. Despair has been replaced with a quiet ease.

This is hilarious, Tippingpoint. I do it too...all the time lol
and RAA, this is so beautifully put. Thank you.

gaffo

After five months it's feeling pretty easy. I still give thanks every day for not having a hangover. I feel good. I was on a pretty wild emotional roller coaster there for a while. This is going to be a cool year.

instant

Life is so much easier. Even the strangeness and occasional discomfort of the first few months was so much easier than the anguish, torment and struggle of active addiction.

Giving up is easier when you are ready to commit to sobriety unconditionally (that includes giving up the belief you should never feel discomfort). Having said that the first week or so requires some courage.

CaiHong

TU
I could be one of those saying it can be difficult at the beginning. it's a bit like childbirth pain,I remember it hurt but not how much it hurt.
I want to share that I understand the difficulty and that it does get better.
I am so conscious of scaring people off or offending them, I remember how sensitive I felt in early sobriety.

Today I had feelings of bliss...... But I don,t want to go into it too much because as I said I don,t want to overwhelm newcomers.

I will just leave it at this, I feel fantastic.

caiHong