Tranquilo

Hey everyone, just thought I'd let you know that I am now 32 days sober, the big 30 day marker flew past un-noticed by myself due to being wrapped up in this new life I am (sometimes painfully) carving for myself. But the key to making something stick is repetition and it does work and the benefits are countless.

33 Days ago, I was sitting on my sofa, alone at 7.15am drinking litres of beer for reasons best known to my alcohol soaked brain... Today the transformation from that person to (almost) my old self is truly something I need to share with everyone...

Here's my journey into sobriety so far

Week 1

WOW! Am i dead? This doesn't feel good. Did someone pour 5 litres of water over me and my bed whist I was sleeping? Sure looks like it...

I've never slept so much in my life, wake up, eat a little and sleep.. Wake up again, eat then sleep. Repeat over and over.

Nightmares... Giant spiders on my wall, God help me please, maybe another drink will ease the pain? No... No... crazy thoughts... Hang in there...

Incapable of any meaningful conversation... I can't do anything apart from stay alive.

Week 2

Brain fog, inability to concentrate even on the most minuscule and trivial tasks... Trying to work but who am I kidding, I just want to sleep more and wish this nightmare would end, is this really worth it? I was happier before, wasn't I?

No one better talk to me because they'll get a response from this angry personality who seems to have taken over my mind...

Week passes in a tired, confused and angry haze

Week 3

I'm feeling more alert, my brain seems to be coming back to life, short term memory, mood and concentration levels are climbing.

An acute awareness of physical and mental health overcomes me, I buy all the vitamins I need, I take time for myself, I relax, I find some peace in my mind that's been absent for a long time.

I start the gym, just a little and try to keep in the exercising routine between the gym and swimming.

I start to go out, talking to people, feeling the sunshine, seeing the world from a different point of view I'd long forgotten existed.

Realized just how much of a prisoner I was with the alcohol before, now I don't need to lie and manipulate my friends (whats left of them) and loved ones to keep my supply going. I can wake up at 6am and watch the sunrise without feeling ill from a hangover and the thoughts of "did i drink everything last night or do i have something in the fridge?" have gone.

Thoughts of alcohol are no where to be found in my new state of well being.

I still feel exhausted occasionally but I resolve to keep on this new track to see where it leads, it's already pretty interesting.

Week 4

Now I feel a lot better, actually I feel so much better I'm bored, surely a beer wouldn't hurt? WOW! Where did that come from??? No, no and no. I stick to my routine and the feeling passes by and I recall with wonder at that seriously destructive thought... Total insanity.

I've lost 5.5kg in a month, my skin looks healthier, i am slimmer, the gym is starting to make me look like I actually care about myself. I like this, this is working.

I've picked up some of my old hobbies, I'm playing sports with friends a few times per week. I have saved a fortune in 1 month due to not buying alcohol or going to restaurants to get alcohol, there's more than $1200 extra in my account I normally don't have.

I'm making plans to travel, making plans to save and make a better life for my family. I just wish I'd started this a long time ago! Today is better than never.

Now

After 32 days sober, it's been one hell of a roller-coaster ride, with epic highs and lows but I am pleased to report I am very focused on my new life and planning to make the best of it.

I stopped drinking last year for 3 months but the fatal mistake I made is I didn't replace the drinking with anything, I didn't really understand that alcohol was my life, that was everything... Everything in my life was centered around it. This time around I know I need to replace the alcohol with other activities, activities that give a sense of satisfaction, that you can get a real buzz from, granted; this is not easy but it's the way it should be, a natural and healthy life, one in which you are able to also help others and not be self-serving (excuse the pun) as I was before. I'm learning that sobriety is the ultimate personality upgrade.

Good luck to everyone who is in the early stages of recovery, I hope my experience may help you and try to explain some of the feelings you might have in your first month of recovery.

All the best,
Tranquilo

pinkdog

Hi Tranquilo, nice post. Congratulations on sobertime. It gets better.

Coldfusion

Good going on one month, Tranquilo!

You are AWESOME!

ZeldaFan

Thank you for that post! I'm on day 11 now so I'm right in the middle of the second week so hearing your experience in the first month was very enlightening.

Melina

I really enjoyed reading this! Thanks for the glimpse forward and the knowledge that it gets better. I'm on Day 9, I'm at 'I feel great but everyone else is stupid, wheeee!' I'm waiting for THAT yucky attitude to pass, no joke.

Congratulations on your achievement! Keep up the great work!

Raider

Tranquilo -good post. Thanks

Tranquilo

Hi Zeldafan, week 2 was really hard for me, I won't lie but it's well worth the effort to getting your life back on track.

Congrats on the 11 days sober! Keep up the good work, the rewards shall follow!

Tranquilo

Hi Melina, glad my post could help! Excellent work on day 9! Keep it up!

Renarde

Congratulations and thank you for sharing this inspiring post! I hope to be in your shoes soon!

BLKDIESEL

I stopped drinking last year for 3 months but the fatal mistake I made is I didn't replace the drinking with anything, I didn't really understand that alcohol was my life, that was everything... Everything in my life was centered around it. This time around I know I need to replace the alcohol with other activities, activities that give a sense of satisfaction, that you can get a real buzz from, granted; this is not easy but it's the way it should be, a natural and healthy life, one in which you are able to also help others and not be self-serving (excuse the pun) as I was before. I'm learning that sobriety is the ultimate personality upgrade.

Good luck to everyone who is in the early stages of recovery, I hope my experience may help you and try to explain some of the feelings you might have in your first month of recovery.


Tranquilo, first I want to commend you on your accomplishments and your journey to sobriety thus far. Thank you for detailing your path to your "newnormal" and giving us an insightful overview into what you dealt with weekly, it is very introspectful and very encouraging to the possibilities for others. What really resonated with me is your text on replacing alcohol based activities with other activities that get us more centered on being more positive with our lives...I believe this to be crucial to a path to true sobriety.

Hopefully, you will stay sober and posting here and be a beacon of possibility and give more examples to us newbies as our journey continues. Again, thanx for the insightc011:. #IMAFINISHER

coraltint

Great work, keep it up!!

FeenixxRising

Congrats Tranquilo keep it up.

Tranquilo

Hi Blkdiesel, thanks very much for your comments! Yes, I believe that rebuilding your life with positive activities is the key to long lasting sobriety, like I said, this is why I failed before, this time round I can recognise the trigger points and head them off at the pass, I am hoping by posting all this info people can learn from my mistakes and avoid any relapse after making progress.

It's really not easy to rebuild social circles / hobbies after drinking for years on end but in my experience it's the one single factor that keeps me on the right side of the tracks.

I will continue to post my true experiences throughout this journey in the hope it helps others.

All the best,
Tranquilo

LuLu13

Tranquilo, that was an awesome post. Congrats on your 32 days. You described the transformation perfectly.

hayley86

Congrats on 32 days. Great work.

Mentium

Thanks for that Tranquilo - it mirrors my experience so far very closely!

..and good going there!!

Zencat

With your sober time!

serious

Yes, Yes, Yes...
This IS the key. You have to find other things in life that fulfill the void, which alcohol had left behind.

It can be anything.
- Going to AA
- Doing Yoga
- Eating better
- Learning a new language
- Learning to play a musical instrument
- Exercise
- Daily walks/runs
- Getting a pet

The list goes on, but yes.. you cannot just quit and sit and wait around for temptation to kick in.

Great post.

Tranquilo

Excellent point serious, I think a lot of people experiencing sobriety for the first time for many years stop the alcohol consumption and then think, oh, this is boring, my life is terrible now, etc etc...

There's no magic formula to rebuilding a happy sober life and it takes work and commitment to succeed but everyone is capable of this, and I do mean everyone...