bodhi01

Hi all,

I don't have anything particularly useful to say here other than I'm on day 17 and feeling strong. I've generally been pretty good throughout. I've listed some of the benefits/changes below:

Sleep is gradually improving.
Feel a bit stressed and intolerant at times but working on that.
Am definitely more productive than before.
Burning pains to my stomach and right side have stopped completely.
Eating cleaner.
Exercising more.
Not worried about money all the time because I'm not spending it all on alcohol.
Look healthier and trimmer.
Feel more relaxed in the evenings, not as restless as before.
Have had more time for my family.

I've had one moment of real temptation but didn't succumb. I was sat in front of a cocktail I'd brought for someone at dinner. It was too strong for them to drink and they wanted to leave it. I hate to waste things, food drink etc. so I had that doubling up as an excuse to drink it. I didn't but the thought of necking it came into my mind a couple of times. The main thing is I didn't and stayed strong.

Anyone new to this can hopefully see that it doesn't take too long before you start seeing and feeling real differences. It is so much better being sober so stick with it.

ScottFromWI

Congrats on day 17 bodhi! Glad to hear that you are seeing so many benefits from quitting - it's pretty amazing what happens when we stop swallowing poison every day, isn't it?

Glad to hear you made a positive choice with the dinner drink situation too - the more you do that the easier it becomes. Eventually it won't even be a second though to just pass up drink.

Anna

I'm glad to hear things are going pretty well.

NerfThis

Great post and congratulations on 17 days. Over two weeks is a serious milestone and hopefully the benefits you've listed will motivate others.

I get what you mean about the cocktail. Before I gave up drinking I was still perfectly capable of going on evening out where I'd only have one cocktail, maybe two and no desire for more. The reason I gave up is because there were a handful of occasions where I'd get completely destroyed on a Friday and keep the drinking going until Monday. Early on I found it hard to resist the nice looking cocktails my friends were drinking, knowing that I am capable of just having one sometimes. The problem is I can't have just one ALL the time, which is why I had to give up entirely.

I too became a LOT more productive and a lot more strict with going to the gym after about two weeks. The benefits of not drinking are great! Just remember not to let your guard down. Being able to abstain for so long can trick you into thinking you are capable of returning to drinking and moderating, but sadly long periods of abstinence don't mean we can magically moderate from now on.

PalmerSage

17 days is great! At that early stage, I definitely would have struggled with both bringing alcohol to a party and having it given to me without me asking. It may be helpful to consider avoiding those situations at the beginning, with the understanding that it doesn't necessarily have to be forever, just until your sobriety is a bit more ingrained - not making a big deal out of not drinking, just planning to be a little more strategic.

Dee74

way to go Bodhi

D

rascalwhiteoak

Congrats, Bodhi. As for tolerance and stress, we're still human, but in my experience "working on myself" has been far more effective in sobriety. Keep it up!