BLackshirt

I am 60+ days sober, working the program, going to meetings and talking to people but things still don't seem to be getting better. I am sure it must because I see all the people it has happened for but right now I don't see it for me.

ScottFromWI

Yes it does! Can we assume that by meetings you mean AA? If so, working the steps is the key to the program. Meetings can help, but the real rewards come from working the program to better your life.

I can absolutely tell you that going back to drinking will NOT make anything better, far from it.

Imabuleva

I'm very new to recovery, but I would imagine the only place to go is up if the alternative is living life as a drunk.

Mentium

I think it depends on what you mean by 'better'. It is worth remembering how hellish you probably felt when you were drinking - why else would you be trying to quit?

I have struggled with flatness of mood but even that is preferable to feeling the way I did when I was actively drinking. That was pure anguish.

heath480

Congratulations on your sober time stick with it,it will get better.

It takes time to become as bad as we do with the Alcohol,it takes time to feel better.

Wishing you well.

huntingtontx

For me every month is better then the month before. Hang in there, you are doing great. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Drinking was not good for any of us, and it takes time for our bodies to heal. One day at a time, we can do this.

hypochondriac

Personally every day got a little better for me, each day was better than the last. Which was a sharp contrast to when I was drinking when each day it got worse. I think it is important to remember the role our expectations play in how we feel though. I know that I expected to feel miraculously better when I quit but in a lot of ways I felt worse. I was getting physically better on a daily basis but it took a long time to see my mood and energy improve. Giving up drinking is only part of it, but it is the most important bit and there can be a lot of fallout physically which requires a lot of recovery time. Personally I believe that I had to sit life out, almost for an entire year before I began making real improvements. Be patient x

DoubleDragons

I think when we quit drinking everything that we think, feel (mentally and physically), do, etc. gets put under a magnifying glass. We contemplate and examine our lives like we never did before. So, it is almost unfair to compare. Before, I lead a tense, stressful weekday until I could get my weekend relief (drinking). I had nerve issues, hangovers, etc. but my denial caused me not to put this "bad stuff" under any kind of close examination. Now that I am living my life so clearly and consciously, not everything that happens is or feels "good", but I am able to truly appreciate being in control of my life and my destiny and that feels priceless.

safe2breathe

Congrats on 60 days - it certainly gets worse if you go back to drinking...

What step are you on? Remember it probably took quite a lot of days drinking to find yourself here... It isn't logical to think you can reverse that immediately - just keep doing what you're doing / supposed to do- don't drag your feet working your steps - and don't drink... There is plenty of proof here and in aa rooms- so have some patience (I still struggle with stuff not getting done or happening in the time IIII think it should but I work on it everyday.... Just please no one pray for patience for me.)

mecanix

looking back after 3 months and i saw some changes, deeper and more restful sleeping was one of the glorious ones ,
looking back after 6 months i noticed some more, a dysthymia had gone was the main thing in this time period ,
looking back after 1 year sober life was feeling quite normal
looking back after 2 years i have a lot of good things in my life , i doubt if i'd have noticed or felt able to take some of the options open to me . No cravings as long as i keep my mind and spirit in the right attitude , i remain prepared though anytime .

Staying sober was and is the right choice for this guy ,i hope you do the same and more, keep on .

Bestwishes, m

least

Have you ever considered counseling? It might help your state of mind to have someone to talk things over with. It certainly helped me.

1newcreation

Awesome job on 2 mths!
Indeed it does get better;your now feeling you're feelings which you had covered up for however long w/ a drink. I Luv mtgs too but as Scott mentioned earlier, we HAVE to work the steps so we can find who we really are & live lives normally w/o a drink
Trust me it does get better-just give it some time

BLackshirt

Thank you all for sharing some of your experience, strength and hope with me. I got out of that funk, had a few days of feeling good and am kind of in a funk again, though not as bad. I don't want to drink and am not having any cravings. It is true what they say "the good news is your feelings come back, the bad news is your feelings come back" Living in today and taking the next right action. Thanks again!

MidnightBlue

Hi, Blackshirt!

Congrats on 60+ days which is really huge achievement, but at the same time it is still very early sobriety. At that time my emotions were all over the place, insomnia was killing me, depression... you can name it. It does get better, it gets much better. Just keep the faith and follow your plan.

Best wishes to you)

Threshold

Sometimes in early recovery I would get the "is this all there is?" syndrome.

so much time and energy went into recovery, meetings, reading, online, my thoughts...that I sorta forget that there WAS a life beyond it and that I could still be part of it.

Sometimes just getting out and doing something cool that had nothing to do with recovery woke my brain up and reminded me that I was recovering so I could enjoy the big wide world...not just attend meetings etc.

It does get better!

Inca

I felt very similar the first time I stopped drinking. I wanted everything to get better NOW! I was looking for the spiritual awakening aka bright light falling from the sky and landing on my head. Others had to remind me that I am already better because I'm not drinking. That is a huge change in itself. After I started working the steps and got to step 4 and 5, then my life really started to change. I've also made a lot of physical changes this time around such as eating healthy and working out. It took me 90 days to get the motivation to start working on that though.

So, although it's natural to want immediate changes, they do come if you STAY sober. Took me a couple of times to really have that click because I wanted my life to improve immediately and when it didn't, I threw in the towel. This time (and god willing my final time), I've gradually made changes over 4 months and have more changes coming. It's a continuous learning process. We didn't get sick and emotionally stunted overnight!

KateL

Congratualtions. I think that things improve all the time as time goes on xxxxxx

aasharon90

The most awesome and rewarding aspect about
living a recovery life is the people that cross your
path. People you see or meet in person or people/
members you meet and interact with online.

Many come, many go, many return and yet you
never or hardly ever forget how each has touch
our lives thru friendship, fellowship and some
companionship.

I may have forgotten your first name but
I remember your screen name from years
past. For me, I was delighted to see you
post again and just by you reaching out
you here in SR, you will gain strength, courage,
and hope, to continue on ur recovery path for
many more one days sober again.

Welcome back Friend..!!

sugarbear1

"working the program" means working those 12 steps, not just one, two or three.....also it's a means for establishing a relationship with a power greater than one's self and living a spiritual way of life....which is an experience....meditation and prayer are the key, not the number of meetings....and don't confuse the meetings with fellowship, they are also a bit separate!

ClearMind

As another poster has said, if the alternative to being sober is to be a drunk, then the only thing that can happen is that things will get better. Being a drunk is a horrible way to be.