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so I’ve been reading in the newly quitting forum. What an eye opener! Being the naive person I am /was about alcohol, I have a question. Some of those folks talk about going 3 months before feeling better after quitting. In my mind, I thought it was like a hangover from drinking to much. A few days and done. So my question is does it take months and months before an alcoholic actually FEELS better? Physically and mentally?
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Depends on amounts drunk, how long, individual physiology, health profile when you quit, your diligence in rebuilding your body and mind with nutrition,exercise, therapy, how many other issues like depression, ptsd, bipolar etc.
It can take awhile, though most see substantial improvement in a month or so. Sometimes the damage to mind and body is permanent though sobriety can help improve sometimes.
It can take awhile, though most see substantial improvement in a month or so. Sometimes the damage to mind and body is permanent though sobriety can help improve sometimes.
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there are different stages and levels of "feeling better" - for many soon as the hangover wears off and before any actual withdrawals kick in, they are back at it.
for some they have protracted withdrawals that can go on for a month or more.
for some they feel zippy and happy as all get out - often called 90 day wonders - period also known as pink cloud.
then about day 91, pop goes the bubble and they crash.
early recovery is considered the first YEAR or TWO. i know i felt markedly different in year 3 than i had previously.
we aren't talking about what happens to the human body after a drinking episode. we are talking about what happens to the entire human - body mind and spirit - after becoming allergic or diseased to alcohol.
for some they have protracted withdrawals that can go on for a month or more.
for some they feel zippy and happy as all get out - often called 90 day wonders - period also known as pink cloud.
then about day 91, pop goes the bubble and they crash.
early recovery is considered the first YEAR or TWO. i know i felt markedly different in year 3 than i had previously.
we aren't talking about what happens to the human body after a drinking episode. we are talking about what happens to the entire human - body mind and spirit - after becoming allergic or diseased to alcohol.
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3 months or much longer.
I believe that the time spent drinking has a lot to do with it. A person who drinks heavily for 5 years then seeks recovery is not the same as the person who drinks for 20 years.
Now that's not even because of the actual physical and psycological aspects of alcoholism, think of having your world skewed by alcohol for 20 years. Everything you say, do, see, hear, feel is felt through an alcoholic haze.
Now take that away. Where do you begin to understand the world?
Now, alcoholics aren't in a true bubble, they can make a purchase at the grocery store, but feelings? Relationships?
What were they like sober, some probably can't even remember.
It's complicated.
No, it's not just a hangover. It's the body trying to heal years of abuse. It's the mind trying to heal what has been distorted and changed from years of using a drug that distorts relays and connections in the brain.
I was reading an article last week I think it was where they have done a study that the damage and inflammation in the brain of an alcoholic continues for around 6 weeks AFTER they quit drinking. And that's just one aspect of it.
I believe that the time spent drinking has a lot to do with it. A person who drinks heavily for 5 years then seeks recovery is not the same as the person who drinks for 20 years.
Now that's not even because of the actual physical and psycological aspects of alcoholism, think of having your world skewed by alcohol for 20 years. Everything you say, do, see, hear, feel is felt through an alcoholic haze.
Now take that away. Where do you begin to understand the world?
Now, alcoholics aren't in a true bubble, they can make a purchase at the grocery store, but feelings? Relationships?
What were they like sober, some probably can't even remember.
It's complicated.
No, it's not just a hangover. It's the body trying to heal years of abuse. It's the mind trying to heal what has been distorted and changed from years of using a drug that distorts relays and connections in the brain.
I was reading an article last week I think it was where they have done a study that the damage and inflammation in the brain of an alcoholic continues for around 6 weeks AFTER they quit drinking. And that's just one aspect of it.
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Originally Posted by trailmix 
3 months or much longer.
I believe that the time spent drinking has a lot to do with it. A person who drinks heavily for 5 years then seeks recovery is not the same as the person who drinks for 20 years.
Now that's not even because of the actual physical and psycological aspects of alcoholism, think of having your world skewed by alcohol for 20 years. Everything you say, do, see, hear, feel is felt through an alcoholic haze.
Now take that away. Where do you begin to understand the world?
Now, alcoholics aren't in a true bubble, they can make a purchase at the grocery store, but feelings? Relationships?
What were they like sober, some probably can't even remember.
It's complicated.
No, it's not just a hangover. It's the body trying to heal years of abuse. It's the mind trying to heal what has been distorted and changed from years of using a drug that distorts relays and connections in the brain.
I was reading an article last week I think it was where they have done a study that the damage and inflammation in the brain of an alcoholic continues for around 6 weeks AFTER they quit drinking. And that's just one aspect of it.
I believe that the time spent drinking has a lot to do with it. A person who drinks heavily for 5 years then seeks recovery is not the same as the person who drinks for 20 years.
Now that's not even because of the actual physical and psycological aspects of alcoholism, think of having your world skewed by alcohol for 20 years. Everything you say, do, see, hear, feel is felt through an alcoholic haze.
Now take that away. Where do you begin to understand the world?
Now, alcoholics aren't in a true bubble, they can make a purchase at the grocery store, but feelings? Relationships?
What were they like sober, some probably can't even remember.
It's complicated.
No, it's not just a hangover. It's the body trying to heal years of abuse. It's the mind trying to heal what has been distorted and changed from years of using a drug that distorts relays and connections in the brain.
I was reading an article last week I think it was where they have done a study that the damage and inflammation in the brain of an alcoholic continues for around 6 weeks AFTER they quit drinking. And that's just one aspect of it.
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Join Date: Sep 2017
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It can take a loooong time for the body to get back to normal after quitting. My husband's longest stint of sobriety was 59 days. Even at 2 months, he was still having night sweats. You can't abuse your body for 10+ years and expect it to pop back into shape. My dad sent me an article about the effects of alcohol on the brain a few days ago....it's mind blowing (no pun intended) how much damage alcohol use can cause.
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Location: Western US
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Great question here Dazed. And yeah everything I know confirms what people are saying. It is a super serious condition and take lots and lots of time.
One other thing I heard is that we grow up emotionally by experiencing our emotions. When substance abusers medicate their emotions regularly, their emotional growth stops at the point where they started using. So you may have 40 year olds with the emotional development of a 16 year old. Be it noted that I have heard this but have no source in which this is proved.
From what I understand your qualifier was indeed sober for a long time so I'm not sure how that works.
I suppose the same could be said of those of us in these relationships. We have focused so much of our energy on the drunk/addict in our lives that we have to start learning how to live with a more healthy focus. Sasha has an interesting thread about what it has been like for her since her ExA passed away. It certainly hasn't been presto-bingo-yippee all is better now that he is gone.
You really seem to have quite the learning curve going. Congrats.
One other thing I heard is that we grow up emotionally by experiencing our emotions. When substance abusers medicate their emotions regularly, their emotional growth stops at the point where they started using. So you may have 40 year olds with the emotional development of a 16 year old. Be it noted that I have heard this but have no source in which this is proved.
From what I understand your qualifier was indeed sober for a long time so I'm not sure how that works.
I suppose the same could be said of those of us in these relationships. We have focused so much of our energy on the drunk/addict in our lives that we have to start learning how to live with a more healthy focus. Sasha has an interesting thread about what it has been like for her since her ExA passed away. It certainly hasn't been presto-bingo-yippee all is better now that he is gone.
You really seem to have quite the learning curve going. Congrats.
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Well seems AH has been drinking for many many years. Functional alcoholic I read. According to him now, he was always drinking something Most of the time. The binges happened when loss of control was triggered...This has been going on since his 20’s? He is 59 now. I had no idea. This just cements in my mind, do I even really know him??? I look at him today and he has aged terribly in the last month. He looks tired, stressed, aged....he was a beautiful man I’m telling you....in all ways. Heartbreaking.
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Originally Posted by Dazedandconfus
Sasha’s thread is heartbreaking....😢
It has been decades but I can still remember the panic and desperation I felt when my ABF was headed off the deep end. It was so unbelievable that there was nothing anyone could do.
We can put man on the moon, eradicate polio, and build sky scrappers but when it comes to addiction, the best anyone can do is go to alanon, meditate and walk the dog . . . . .it truly is ridiculous. I don't blame the people who get mad at us when we tell them the reality.
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Join Date: May 2010
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Originally Posted by Dazedandconfus
so I’ve been reading in the newly quitting forum. What an eye opener! Being the naive person I am /was about alcohol, I have a question. Some of those folks talk about going 3 months before feeling better after quitting. In my mind, I thought it was like a hangover from drinking to much. A few days and done. So my question is does it take months and months before an alcoholic actually FEELS better? Physically and mentally?
It's a roller coaster for the first year at least (or it was for me). Moments of "oh my god this is so great, I can't believe I'm sober!" to "oh, no, do I really have to go through the rest of my life without a drink?" I don't remember much of the first six months. I started feeling a lot better after the first year, but I was still shaky. Second year I still struggled with PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome).
I think I started trusting myself to stay sober by the third year. I've been sober over nine years and I feel confident, but I still have to work on my recovery. I don't think I'll ever be able to take it for granted.
But it's also an experience that we have to go through ourselves and with the help of other addicts. I can't imagine what it's like to experience it from your perspective. I'm sorry you're having to learn about all of this.
Best wishes to you.
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Originally Posted by Bekindalways
Yeah, it really is. Like your qualifier, from what Sasha says, her late ExA was a beautiful and brilliant man. So tragic to watch these people self destruct. I appreciate that she is chronicling life after the disease/choice takes them.
It has been decades but I can still remember the panic and desperation I felt when my ABF was headed off the deep end. It was so unbelievable that there was nothing anyone could do.
We can put man on the moon, eradicate polio, and build sky scrappers but when it comes to addiction, the best anyone can do is go to alanon, meditate and walk the dog . . . . .it truly is ridiculous. I don't blame the people who get mad at us when we tell them the reality.
It has been decades but I can still remember the panic and desperation I felt when my ABF was headed off the deep end. It was so unbelievable that there was nothing anyone could do.
We can put man on the moon, eradicate polio, and build sky scrappers but when it comes to addiction, the best anyone can do is go to alanon, meditate and walk the dog . . . . .it truly is ridiculous. I don't blame the people who get mad at us when we tell them the reality.
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Originally Posted by CupofJoe
Please don't be hard on yourself. I don't think you're so much naive as that a normal person would have no idea what an addict goes through to get sober. Heck, I had no idea what to expect in getting sober and I was the alcoholic.
It's a roller coaster for the first year at least (or it was for me). Moments of "oh my god this is so great, I can't believe I'm sober!" to "oh, no, do I really have to go through the rest of my life without a drink?" I don't remember much of the first six months. I started feeling a lot better after the first year, but I was still shaky. Second year I still struggled with PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome).
I think I started trusting myself to stay sober by the third year. I've been sober over nine years and I feel confident, but I still have to work on my recovery. I don't think I'll ever be able to take it for granted.
But it's also an experience that we have to go through ourselves and with the help of other addicts. I can't imagine what it's like to experience it from your perspective. I'm sorry you're having to learn about all of this.
Best wishes to you.
It's a roller coaster for the first year at least (or it was for me). Moments of "oh my god this is so great, I can't believe I'm sober!" to "oh, no, do I really have to go through the rest of my life without a drink?" I don't remember much of the first six months. I started feeling a lot better after the first year, but I was still shaky. Second year I still struggled with PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome).
I think I started trusting myself to stay sober by the third year. I've been sober over nine years and I feel confident, but I still have to work on my recovery. I don't think I'll ever be able to take it for granted.
But it's also an experience that we have to go through ourselves and with the help of other addicts. I can't imagine what it's like to experience it from your perspective. I'm sorry you're having to learn about all of this.
Best wishes to you.
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
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Originally Posted by Dazedandconfus
So my question is does it take months and months before an alcoholic actually FEELS better? Physically and mentally?
myself i probably felt physically better a week out but i was a mental mess and didnt notice.
the mental part-welp, it took about 90 days before i didnt want to kill myself and think life could be better. about 4 months before i made a full 24 hours without thinking about a drink, and mental clarity? thats hard to say. i was diagnosed with cancer 13 months in so kinda sorta got side tracked there.
HOWEVER
i never thought of drinking as a solution so that was a miracle.
as anvilhead typed,though, every year has seen something new in me.
at what age an alcoholic first started drinking can effect how long before progress is seen/felt. its said an alcoholic stops growing mentally when they take their first drink. i took mine when i was 13 . i got sober at 36 and sure as hell felt 13 mentally
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Oh my brother! Good on you for your sobriety! It’s a horrible disease, and I admire you for saving yourself. The mental torture sounds horrendous. I hope things are going well with you, and know I am grateful for your honesty and response. Much respect. ❤️
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Originally Posted by Dazedandconfus
Oh my brother! Good on you for your sobriety! It’s a horrible disease, and I admire you for saving yourself. The mental torture sounds horrendous. I hope things are going well with you, and know I am grateful for your honesty and response. Much respect. ❤️
physically? 97.
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