When things get better!
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North of England
Posts: 1,442
When things get better!
Understandably a lot of posts in this forum thread are about problems to do with quitting and recovery. That is as it should be.
However I thought I would post something at my day 26 just to provide evidence that things do get better - and pretty quickly!
The last three and a half weeks have been a roller coaster ride. I have been down (a lot), up (a bit), agitated, depressed, lacking in energy at times, wondering when things would get better and occasionally thinking they might not. Despite that I have reminded myself regularly that what I was feeling was a whole lot better, if different, from when I was drinking. When I was I felt pretty crap all the time, with the exception of the first 30 minutes of the first drink of the evening.
Today though I felt something that I can only use the word 'rich' to describe. I was out walking my dogs. The day is a pleasant early autumn one here - a late spell of summer actually. And I felt I was experiencing the world around me 'properly' in some way. The word 'richness' was the only one I could come up with. It wasn't the 'pink cloud' one reads about occasionally, but something more established that that.
It made me feel, for a few minutes that elusive thing we all seek I fancy - serenity.
It really is feeling like all the effort is worth it! I'm seeing this through!
All the very best to everyone struggling to get some traction. It is worth it!
However I thought I would post something at my day 26 just to provide evidence that things do get better - and pretty quickly!
The last three and a half weeks have been a roller coaster ride. I have been down (a lot), up (a bit), agitated, depressed, lacking in energy at times, wondering when things would get better and occasionally thinking they might not. Despite that I have reminded myself regularly that what I was feeling was a whole lot better, if different, from when I was drinking. When I was I felt pretty crap all the time, with the exception of the first 30 minutes of the first drink of the evening.
Today though I felt something that I can only use the word 'rich' to describe. I was out walking my dogs. The day is a pleasant early autumn one here - a late spell of summer actually. And I felt I was experiencing the world around me 'properly' in some way. The word 'richness' was the only one I could come up with. It wasn't the 'pink cloud' one reads about occasionally, but something more established that that.
It made me feel, for a few minutes that elusive thing we all seek I fancy - serenity.
It really is feeling like all the effort is worth it! I'm seeing this through!
All the very best to everyone struggling to get some traction. It is worth it!
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,649
I know that feeling, it's called sobriety and it's amazing! 
It's the realization that there is a life without alcohol and it's peaceful!
When I was still drinking I hung out with a drinking buddy who takes lorazipam and antidepressants. In one of our drinking and bitc&*ing sessions she told me that I should really go to a doctor and get the same. She said that she needed those things on order to get through the day and it would help my nerves. I am not nor have I ever been a pill person and she knows this. I saw her last Sunday for the first time since I quit (it will be 4 months Tuesday). I looked at her and told her that I wasn't going to be preachy but I did have something to say. Everything that she described that the lorazipam and antidepressants were doing for her I had achieved through sobriety.
Thanks for your post, it brings me back to the point where I realized that this really CAN be done and it's almost indescribable.
Sobriety is the new reward!
It's the realization that there is a life without alcohol and it's peaceful! When I was still drinking I hung out with a drinking buddy who takes lorazipam and antidepressants. In one of our drinking and bitc&*ing sessions she told me that I should really go to a doctor and get the same. She said that she needed those things on order to get through the day and it would help my nerves. I am not nor have I ever been a pill person and she knows this. I saw her last Sunday for the first time since I quit (it will be 4 months Tuesday). I looked at her and told her that I wasn't going to be preachy but I did have something to say. Everything that she described that the lorazipam and antidepressants were doing for her I had achieved through sobriety.
Thanks for your post, it brings me back to the point where I realized that this really CAN be done and it's almost indescribable.
Sobriety is the new reward!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 345
mentium - thanks for that, this is so helpful to me
i think i am waiting for some "ta-da" moment, when my physique is restored to when i was 22, for my mind to recover and i solve some problem that exists in the world, or i master my eccentric personality and i am the most popular person in the room. (like that bearded guy on the dos equis commercial, but w/o the dos equis)
but, what you are pointing out is so much more available, and realistic, and within all of our reaches, to have a full, rich, complete life by enjoying what we have right now, right here. thanks again, this helps me today.
i think i am waiting for some "ta-da" moment, when my physique is restored to when i was 22, for my mind to recover and i solve some problem that exists in the world, or i master my eccentric personality and i am the most popular person in the room. (like that bearded guy on the dos equis commercial, but w/o the dos equis)
but, what you are pointing out is so much more available, and realistic, and within all of our reaches, to have a full, rich, complete life by enjoying what we have right now, right here. thanks again, this helps me today.
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 668
LadyBlue, so true sobriety is the reward. I thought my life would become boring when u quit drinking. Boy was I wrong! In the couple of months I've been sober I've enjoyed life so much more and the peace I've begun experiencing is so worth it. Thx for your post.
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North of England
Posts: 1,442
The day continued well. Met a new AA friend for a coffee and then I remembered someone last night who said they were 'struggling'. They said they would say more at the meeting but didn't get a chance to talk. So for the first time I phoned someone to see how they were doing (rather than to seek advice or help for myself). It was just a casual thing - after all I am new at this and don't have much advice to offer. But they appreciated it immensely and thanked me. Made me feel pretty good too!
Things feel good today!
Things feel good today!
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North of England
Posts: 1,442
All the best with that Skyesea. AA is what one makes of it I find. I am one who 'takes what they need'. I am an atheist for one thing. Even so I have found it essential to getting to what is now 26 days. I don't think I would have done it without the people at my local AA meetings.
All the very best to you! I hope you find it does what you need it to!
All the very best to you! I hope you find it does what you need it to!
Originally Posted by SkyeSea 
You sound so positive Mentium I have my first AA meeting in the morning - hope I can make some nice sober friends too
I have my first AA meeting in the morning - hope I can make some nice sober friends too 
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