Flying While Drinking- UPDATE
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Join Date: Feb 2014
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Flying While Drinking- UPDATE
So probably many of you at least read this thread
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-drinking.html
Where I described my dilemma about drinking and flying. If you haven't read it. It was a really good discussion.
So I took most of your advice. I did not get on the airplane and drink. I didn't even get on the airplane. I didn't feel I deserved a vacation. I felt like I was starting or had become a dry drunk and I canceled the vacation. Part of it was because I was still smoking. I quit that too now and I'm in my second week of being 100% clean and sober. (Except for the occasional coffee). I just don't feel good. On one hand I'm proud of myself, in the past when I would quit drinking. I would nearly double the amount of cigarettes I would have. This is the longest I've ever gone without both since I started both. For those of you that smoke and drink you will recognize that the effect they have together is much greater than the added effects of them alone. Anyway, I feel as though my mood has flatlined. I'm not particularly happy, but I'm not particularly anything. I don't know what to do. I feel like nothing is fun anymore. Of course I was on a roller coaster previously. Getting super happy and high from drinking and smoking.... crashing in the morning sick and feeling terrible... leveling out over the course of a day or two and then doing it again.... I know this post has no direct questions, nor does it have direction and that's because I feel I don't have any direction.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-drinking.html
Where I described my dilemma about drinking and flying. If you haven't read it. It was a really good discussion.
So I took most of your advice. I did not get on the airplane and drink. I didn't even get on the airplane. I didn't feel I deserved a vacation. I felt like I was starting or had become a dry drunk and I canceled the vacation. Part of it was because I was still smoking. I quit that too now and I'm in my second week of being 100% clean and sober. (Except for the occasional coffee). I just don't feel good. On one hand I'm proud of myself, in the past when I would quit drinking. I would nearly double the amount of cigarettes I would have. This is the longest I've ever gone without both since I started both. For those of you that smoke and drink you will recognize that the effect they have together is much greater than the added effects of them alone. Anyway, I feel as though my mood has flatlined. I'm not particularly happy, but I'm not particularly anything. I don't know what to do. I feel like nothing is fun anymore. Of course I was on a roller coaster previously. Getting super happy and high from drinking and smoking.... crashing in the morning sick and feeling terrible... leveling out over the course of a day or two and then doing it again.... I know this post has no direct questions, nor does it have direction and that's because I feel I don't have any direction.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
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Originally Posted by Serper2014 
So probably many of you at least read this thread
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-drinking.html
Where I described my dilemma about drinking and flying. If you haven't read it. It was a really good discussion.
So I took most of your advice. I did not get on the airplane and drink. I didn't even get on the airplane. I didn't feel I deserved a vacation. I felt like I was starting or had become a dry drunk and I canceled the vacation. Part of it was because I was still smoking. I quit that too now and I'm in my second week of being 100% clean and sober. (Except for the occasional coffee). I just don't feel good. On one hand I'm proud of myself, in the past when I would quit drinking. I would nearly double the amount of cigarettes I would have. This is the longest I've ever gone without both since I started both. For those of you that smoke and drink you will recognize that the effect they have together is much greater than the added effects of them alone. Anyway, I feel as though my mood has flatlined. I'm not particularly happy, but I'm not particularly anything. I don't know what to do. I feel like nothing is fun anymore. Of course I was on a roller coaster previously. Getting super happy and high from drinking and smoking.... crashing in the morning sick and feeling terrible... leveling out over the course of a day or two and then doing it again.... I know this post has no direct questions, nor does it have direction and that's because I feel I don't have any direction.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-drinking.html
Where I described my dilemma about drinking and flying. If you haven't read it. It was a really good discussion.
So I took most of your advice. I did not get on the airplane and drink. I didn't even get on the airplane. I didn't feel I deserved a vacation. I felt like I was starting or had become a dry drunk and I canceled the vacation. Part of it was because I was still smoking. I quit that too now and I'm in my second week of being 100% clean and sober. (Except for the occasional coffee). I just don't feel good. On one hand I'm proud of myself, in the past when I would quit drinking. I would nearly double the amount of cigarettes I would have. This is the longest I've ever gone without both since I started both. For those of you that smoke and drink you will recognize that the effect they have together is much greater than the added effects of them alone. Anyway, I feel as though my mood has flatlined. I'm not particularly happy, but I'm not particularly anything. I don't know what to do. I feel like nothing is fun anymore. Of course I was on a roller coaster previously. Getting super happy and high from drinking and smoking.... crashing in the morning sick and feeling terrible... leveling out over the course of a day or two and then doing it again.... I know this post has no direct questions, nor does it have direction and that's because I feel I don't have any direction.
I think you are finding what most of us did with your mood...we as addicts crave instant gratification overall, not just the high we get from alcohol itself. While 2 weeks is a great accomplishment, keep in mind that it's very, very early in sobriety and it's going to take time for your mind to adjust. We hate to hear that ( that it's going to take time ) of course, but that's part of the deal with sobriety.
On the flip side, you say you don't know what to do. Maybe you could share that with us, with some folks at a meeting, or maybe a therapist? Not drinking and smoking in itself is great, but it's not a recovery plan. You need to do daily work to find healthy ways to live, enjoy yourself and deal with the ups and downs of life...which will always be there.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
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Congrats on 2 weeks.
I think not getting on that plane was a wise decision based on how early you are in recovery, and flying being such a trigger. You should be very proud of yourself. But you are punishing yourself instead, saying you don't deserve a vacation. That's very shame based. I think you're doing great. Give yourself a break
I think not getting on that plane was a wise decision based on how early you are in recovery, and flying being such a trigger. You should be very proud of yourself. But you are punishing yourself instead, saying you don't deserve a vacation. That's very shame based. I think you're doing great. Give yourself a break
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 425
Originally Posted by ScottFromWI
Congrats on 2 weeks Serper, that's a heck of an accomplishment especially from both alcohol and smoking.
I think you are finding what most of us did with your mood...we as addicts crave instant gratification overall, not just the high we get from alcohol itself. While 2 weeks is a great accomplishment, keep in mind that it's very, very early in sobriety and it's going to take time for your mind to adjust. We hate to hear that ( that it's going to take time ) of course, but that's part of the deal with sobriety.
On the flip side, you say you don't know what to do. Maybe you could share that with us, with some folks at a meeting, or maybe a therapist? Not drinking and smoking in itself is great, but it's not a recovery plan. You need to do daily work to find healthy ways to live, enjoy yourself and deal with the ups and downs of life...which will always be there.
I think you are finding what most of us did with your mood...we as addicts crave instant gratification overall, not just the high we get from alcohol itself. While 2 weeks is a great accomplishment, keep in mind that it's very, very early in sobriety and it's going to take time for your mind to adjust. We hate to hear that ( that it's going to take time ) of course, but that's part of the deal with sobriety.
On the flip side, you say you don't know what to do. Maybe you could share that with us, with some folks at a meeting, or maybe a therapist? Not drinking and smoking in itself is great, but it's not a recovery plan. You need to do daily work to find healthy ways to live, enjoy yourself and deal with the ups and downs of life...which will always be there.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
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Originally Posted by Serper2014
It will be next year and I'll be saying.... I was two weeks in! I could have quit.... WHY didn't I stop then...... It's all kind of a giant circus in my head right now. Thanks for your Encouragement Scott...
For me the turning point was acceptance. Accepting that no matter what else happens in my life, I can NEVER pick up a drink. Not a single one. Also accepting that my addiction is not something that can be fixed or reasoned with. I will always be an alcoholic for the rest of my life, and nothing can ever be done to change that fact.
And you know what, accepting that is very liberating. It's not a sign of weakness or in any way an indicator that you are "less" of a person. It's simply accepting a fact of life.
An analogy I like to use is a severe allergy. My son has a peanut allergy, and he doesn't spend his days obsessing about whether or not he can have "just a couple of peanuts". He simply accepts that if he eats peanuts, bad things are going to happen so he never does it. He also has a plan for each day to read food labels, ask people about ingredients of homemade items and he carries epipens with him in case he accidentally would consume some trace amount.
Of course alcoholism is different than a nut allergy, but there are a lot of common concepts. You accept you cannot drink and work out a plan to live your life without alcohol. Is it easy? No. But is it better than the alternative? Absolutely.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
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Fantastic Serper!! 
For me I didn't feel much of anything 2 weeks in, don't expect to be bouncing out of bed full of energy and seizing the day, and being super happy straight off the bat, we need to be realistic about our expectations, and the reality is it's going to take time to build a Sober life!!
Hang in there, with time, things will get better!!
For me I didn't feel much of anything 2 weeks in, don't expect to be bouncing out of bed full of energy and seizing the day, and being super happy straight off the bat, we need to be realistic about our expectations, and the reality is it's going to take time to build a Sober life!!
Hang in there, with time, things will get better!!
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,444
Hi Serper
yeah trust me this is not 'as good as it gets'...I drugged and/or boozed for 30 years...it took me a few months to feel ok again after I quit...
you're a lot younger than me so I hope you'll start to see some real improvement soon - stay with it - it's worth waiting for
D
D
yeah trust me this is not 'as good as it gets'...I drugged and/or boozed for 30 years...it took me a few months to feel ok again after I quit...
you're a lot younger than me so I hope you'll start to see some real improvement soon - stay with it - it's worth waiting for
D
D
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Indiana
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I can relate to what you are feeling. I went through it when I got sober back in late 2013 for about seven months and that feeling of just... well... nothingness lasted for about a month for me. The first week or so is exciting and new as your body starts to come back online. Then the dullness feeling sets in for a bit. Or at least it did for me.
Now that I've started over again, I'm in that same period of not exactly happy but not really sad either. I'm irritable but it's under control. I'm getting through it this time a little easier because I know it subsides with time. Hang in there and congratulations on two weeks sober (and smoke free!).
Now that I've started over again, I'm in that same period of not exactly happy but not really sad either. I'm irritable but it's under control. I'm getting through it this time a little easier because I know it subsides with time. Hang in there and congratulations on two weeks sober (and smoke free!).
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Very proud of how you handled that, Serper. I agree that we're numb & emotionless for a while. Everything changes and gets better. We've abused ourselves badly and need time to heal. We're with you.
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