Michy47

Very early days for me (day 4). I just wondered if members experienced any sort of vivid memories after stopping alcohol? These aren't intrusive or scary....just things I haven't thought about for so long. Any advice welcome 🤔

Bunny211

Yes. I'm approaching 2 years sober and the further away from a drink I get, the more the childhood memories come rearing back. For me, most of them are terrible memories. I think this is normal. Stay sober a while and you gain a clarity and wisdom you never imagined.

FreeOwl

seems like a lot of my life only exists in my memory in fragments.

probably, I suppose, from the many years of drug and alcohol abuse and the impact to my brain and memory.

In sobriety, I had lots of 'remembered fragments'. Sometimes totally benign, other times somewhat disturbing and traumatic.

I found that working with some of those remembrances in therapy was helpful to my sobriety.

Centered3

This was especially common for me early on. My sponsor used to constantly remind me to "look at where your feet are now"--she'd tell me that stuff was in the past, and it's not happening in the "now". It already happened. Don't bring it into the present.

Then she'd tell me to turn my thoughts to something else.

It took practice but it helped me.

I hope that helps.

BrendaChenowyth

Sure, especially having been abused.

Anna

I think that sometimes those memories can pop up because there is something we can learn from them. For me, sometimes, I am just glad that I have come so far, but other times, I remember something that helps bring some peace to my life.