SarahGarbo46

Hello, i'm 28 and I'm an alcoholic I've been drinking pretty heavy for the last 3 (at least a 1/2 pint and 2 or more beers) years and had years of drinking before that. I've only gone 4 days without drinking in the last 3 years.
The cravings don't start for me until about 3pm and then get worse until about 7pm.
I'm at the point where I have lots of pain in my liver area. I don't get the shakes but the anxiety from not drinking is maddening.

I feel as if I have nothing to look forward too. The alcohol numbed the pain of my life. My life is in a rut, and I can't see anyway of how to make it better. I'm stuck in a small town can't find work etc...
I'm attending school online through a community college and feel some sesnse of accomplishment there. But, other than that I feel pretty hopeless.

In my head, the only thing I can do is to think that after I get sober. Things will be different. My outlook will be different, I'll have more motivation, and I'll see things clearly. I know this won't happen over night but, i'm hoping some of you can provide feedback and examples of how your life has changed for better since sobering up.

Thank you,

Sarah

Anna

Welcome, and yes, you can change your life.

It takes much more than stopping drinking to recover. For me, I had to remove several 'toxic' people in my life, including a couple of family members. I began walking a lot, which did wonders for me because I would walk right after supper which was the worst time for my cravings. It helped me physically and mentally.

I read a lot of books on recovery and eventually I found SR which is where I have found people who truly understand how difficult this is.

I'm glad you're here.

LBrain

A completely new outlook on life.

Mrsbee

I'm newly sober myself, and while it can be difficult at first, there are definitely things to be excited about, even in early sobriety...
Not having hangovers
Using money spent on alcohol for other things
More energy
Feeling of accomplishment for staying sober
GENUINE laughter
Not worrying about what you did/said the night before
Meeting awesome people on this site, in meetings, etc

The list goes on, but those were things I noticed almost right away

KateL

It is very liberating and uplifting to be free form and addiction xxxxx

Marjoram

Sarah - welcome, and you will be making the rest of your life the best of your life. I've been on a roller coaster for many years with this problem, and this past week I finally had the courage to bring my brother on board with my problem (he's been sober since August 2001). It's the best thing I ever did. It was that relief/release that I needed.

Read the stories here, and you will find hope and inspiration. Being addicted to alcohol or any substance seems like the answer at the time, but the only addiction we should crave is sobriety.

You are never alone in this journey. Hugs, strength and love to you.

Holli

Day 2! Seriously, try to take things one day at a time. Best wishes to you. :-)

firstymer

What to look forward to? Wow, where to begin. Here are the first 10 things that come to mind:
1. You will feel less guilt.
2. You will be more focused.
3. Your head and body will stop feeling like they have been beaten with a stick.
4. Your physical appearance will improve dramatically.
5. Your mood will improve.
6. You will look forward to the day ahead, and to tomorrow, and to the next day.
7. You will begin to like yourself again.
8. You will have more money to spend.
9. You don't have to worry about dying an early death at your own hand.
10. You will start to want to be around people and have relationships again.

There. That's 10 reasons. Sobriety doesn't magically solve all your problems. But it helps you deal with the problems that you have. And it will help you have a positive outlook for the future. And that is something that alcohol has taken away from you. For now.

Good luck. I am glad you are here with us.

least

Since getting sober I feel a new purpose in living. Before I was just drinking, not doing anything else useful. Now I wake up feeling good and looking forward to the day. I take better care of my dogs and cat and myself. I no longer waste money on wine. Most importantly, I don't wake up hating myself.

PamperingMe

I'm on day 13. After about a week, I noticed how much more productive I was being in the evenings because I wasn't "checking out" with alcohol. I was able to do a little housework that I normally put off all week then stress over all weekend. Nothing major. Just a concrete example.

I also felt more clarity of thought and organizational skills at work. I drink to avoid stressful tasks, which makes things way more stressful.

I'm glad you are here.

Jomey

you have so much to look forward to! I think one of the best things that happened to me is that I began to believe that anything was possible again. I slowly pulled myself out of the rut that I was in by exercising, volunteering and focusing on every little scrap of progress that I made in sobriety. Also, I got tons of support here at SR. Glad you are here and looking forward!!!!