soberFitness

Hey everyone
This is my second try at quitting drinking and my first post on this forum. But long time reader

I quit drinking for 7 months last year

Tried controlling drinking starting February 2018.
I am amazed at how quickly my health and quality of life has gone downhill

I’m bloated. Gained ten pounds
Bags under my eyes
Depressed

It’s crazy but I can’t remember how long it took last time to start to “feel good” and the cloud of depression lifted

30 days? 60?
If anyone else can share how long it took them to feel at least physically healthy
It would make me feel better
I just am down on this Day 1

Thanks

least

It took me about 3 months to start feeling better. I didn't feel bad for the first 3 months, but noticed I felt better around 3 months in.

lessgravity

Circa day 12? I at least feel like I've come around a corner or a bit out of the muck at that point. I've never made it as far as you have though, so you probably know more than me. Hitting the gym hard during this phase is a game changer for me this time as well.

But even just moving through life without the residual poison coursing through my veins elicits changes in me.

Welcome to SR and welcome back to sobriety.

Anna

I felt much better physically after the first week, but I was probably three weeks into it before I felt really good. Mentally, it was much harder because I had a lot of guilt and shame to deal with.

I'm glad you're posting and good job on Day 1. This can be your last Day 1.

Rar

I'm on Day 1 myself. I relapsed after 112 days and only drank for a few days. Day 1s are the pits for most folks. We'll feel better tomorrow and it will get better every day. Day 1s are a blessing really. It could be yesterday and we were drinking. Hang in there. Stay close. It helps.

PeacefulWater12

Welcome, my physical withdrawals lasted just under a week. The mental fog took much longer to go.

I can't say with any accuracy, I think I felt very slowly better. A little at a time over a long period.

Took me several years to be what I judge to be entirely well again.

Right from when I first stopped, I felt great relief though. That was a big positive. My alcohol bloat went quickly, within a few days. My skin changed quickly too.

Hang on in there, I found it magical to watch and feel the changes in me.

MantaLady

Hi SF. I am on day 12 and the last 2 days I have felt much better in myself and healthier too. I still have a long way to go to deal with the inner battles of self confidence and old issues I can't let go of but they are starting to consume my thoughts less and are not as overwhelming when I was drinking.

Physically I certainly haven't lost the requisite 50lbs I need to get back to my pre binge and healthy weight but I have eaten 3 meals a day at the same time, all made from scratch and nothing processed at all. It really has made a difference and I feel less bloated, not energy crashing after meals (used to binge on carbs too).

Well done on making today your Day 1 and long may it continue! It'll be tought the first week but it really will get better x

AnvilheadII

the problem with asking for a specific number of days, is that if you are not feeling "better" in that time span, you might find yourself saying, well this isn't working, might as well drink.

there IS hope. every day you do not drink, your body and mind will respond and recover. some bits recover sooner than others. as this is day 1, it's going to be a few days before you are through the physical detox part - this part is like recovering from the flu - and it's yucky. but it's necessary and worth it!!!

try to make it as easy on yourself as possible...no high expectations, no crazy schedules, no attending events where alcohol is served. if you must, pretend you are infectious and put yourself in quarantine!!! get lots of rest, drink lots of water, get in good food when you can.

just don't drink. no matter what.

Renvate

Although everyone is different in regards to feeling better, I guarantee that you already feel better as opposed to day 1. Work on that.

markinny

it's hard for me to try and pinpoint it as it was kinda like a roller coaster ride with the peaks getting lower and the valleys higher. at about 10 months I can say my moods are much more balanced and I feel a heck of a lot healthier. just try to stay patient and ride it out.

soberFitness

Thank you everyone
Right now I’m just so incredibly anxious
Nauseous
Tired
But I know I’m not alone
Thanks for the support
Just got to be strong right now and reach out as often as needed

Renvate

Sorry I missed that your at day 1. I read at 30days.

Forget what I wrote earlier, but 2 weeks ago I knew I would feel better, i also knew I had to sit out the storm. Tbh Soberfitness, I recommend lots of sleeping.

Nothing better then sleep to give your mind and feelings a break.

Endeavor

Took 3 months for me to really start seeing and feeling the difference in life. Before then however, I did feel way better than a typical hungover me, but the thoughts and feelings that keep you drinking take some time to subside.

It's like retraining your brain and learning how to work through stress without using booze as a crutch to hobble through, as so many people do. Even those who don't consider themselves a problem drinker, but are, use it as a stress relief response, same as smoking.

After a few months though when you get rolling, blue skies ahead brother and nothing compares to being clear. Regardless of how you feel right now, remember your body and mind are still better off without it and are healing during this time. Think about letting your doc know your plan to double check your overall health which may help outside the obvious as it creates a sense of accountability.

Best to you,

soberFitness

Just an update for anyone else back on day 1

If you have the energy
Do something productive
Helped my mood a ton

I shaved the horrible Patchy beard I grew during my last week of binging and not caring

Did all my laundry and the dishes

Cleaned my apartment

Read some inspiring articles

And now going to relax and ordered some expensive grubHub as a treat

It helped me!
Thanks again everyone

Rubywednesday

Hi I'm Ruby and this is my first post on this site (I've been posting on a British site for a few weeks but they've all gone to bed lol).

I have a dual diagnosis bipolar/alcoholism and have been struggling with my mental health for quite some time as my new psychiatrist, not only decided to halve my medication in the middle of January, but also said I don't have bipolar!

I'm doing a 100 day challenge AF and today is day 28, hope I can manage to stick it out to the end. Prior to that I was trying to moderate my drinking and mostly drank a bottle of wine every other night with some success (and lots of failures).

Apart from sleeping better I haven't noticed many positives and still feel dreadful when I wake up. I was wondering how long it may take to see benefits in my mood/physical health. I recently had my blood results and my liver is fine.

I would be grateful for any advice.

Ruby

D122y

sober,

ime...each relapse lengthens the healing process.

For me...it seemed to exponentially increase towards the end of my drinking days.

When I was 5 years old...no hangover recalled...
17 years old...half a day
28 yo...all day with lingering anxiety and obsessing
40 yo...about a week with balance issues, anxiety and obsessing
50 yo...over a year with major balance, anxiety and obsessing (going insane).

Now clean pretty much 3 years...most of may balance is normal, anxiety down to nearly nothing, obsessing still there, but getting better.

The next relapse might take me 5 years to recover from...or maybe I will just stay crazy.

Hope this helps you.

Thanks.

Dean1978

I relapsed after 2 years last weekend, my new day 1 was awful and lasted for a couple of days. I could see (and reminded me) how weeks 1 or 2 for people can be testing and why people relapse. The cloud lifted after a few days and now feel much better.

Just hang in there, it will only get better

Berrybean

Sorry you're feeling low.

This article was a game changer for me.... https://digital-dharma.net/post-acut...r-immediately/

I'd suggest giving it a good read and see if anything resonates with you.

BB