fallingdown

pig...criminy...since I quit drinking (which is actually going well with the help of SR and AA and possibly Cymbalta), my other addictive impulses have kicked up a notch and I have been smoking and eating a lot more, haven't gained weight though and I think that's because I'm not downing 8 Budweisers every night. But still..sheesh...is it normal in the first few weeks of sobriety to go a little nuts? I mean I feel really good, but I can't get over this oral fixation. Please feel free to weigh in with your experiences and/or opinions. Thanks!

timeforchange

Oh, I'm sure it's normal. I think your body will adjust and you'll be able to tone down your smoking and eating habits eventually. Just do what you have to do avoid alcohol til then. keep it up!

Anna

I think it is.

I have an addictive personality and I tend to overdo, to some extent, everything that I get involved in. It's all about balance. Take small steps with the smoking and eating and things will settle down.

Ananda

I hadn't eaten sweets for many years. The very idea of sweets made me feel ill, but when I got sober, the craving for sweets kicked back in. I was down to 132 prior to quiting and now way 152. I didn't gain for a while...I believe you are right and the calories from the alcohol are eliminated so the extra food seems to be ok for a while.

Now I need to get off the sweets and loose about 5 lbs. But I'm 8 mos sober...I wouldn't have tried that in the early months.

fallingdown

I hear you Ananda, I was never a sweets person either but now I hear 'em calling my name...I went out and bought some of those Dole fruit cups. They're really good and really sweet and probably a lot better than those ice cream sandwiches that I've grown so fond of. Hey I think it's ok to be a few pounds overweight as long as we're not drunk. 8 months is highly commendable, congratulations!

Captain Kirk

yea, i agree with what's been said above. I'd assume it's normal.
i think i'm somewhat of a manic compulsive. if i'm not on any mind alterating substances i can't keep still. i believe i'm eating like a pig and smoking like a turk just out of compulsion. i've only reccently discovered this. still it beats drinking i guess.

nogard

for me it passed, it was simply obsessive behaviour not addiction.

Hevyn

Me too, Falling - chocolate, coffee with French Vanilla cream, "Panera" bagels (but not the plain ones, the chocolate chip & sprinkles ones!) ice cream, pastries, and I never really cared about that stuff before. I HAVE to have these things & no willpower even tries to kick in! I feel calmer when I have the sweet stuff. Hope this phase passes like Kev said - I'm at almost 3 months. I'd rather have this new problem, though!!

nogard

lol Hevyn, we really do a good job on it don't we? As I said for me it passd and was simply a substitute and not to do with my addiction to drugs

MagicMan08

here here, I noticed when I was in treatment last summer i was never much of a sweets person but wow, for the first time in years I was sober, and man those desserts never looked so good before.

I agree with FallingDown, since I quit drinking a 12pack+ a day, I have only lost weight, but because of my drinking I am grossly overweight. IMHO anyway, I am not huge but yea

changeisgood

When I first quit drinking alcohol I drank a <b>lot</b> of water and tea. I didn't really think it was abnormal at the time, but I recently realized that in the past two or three weeks I haven't been drinking nearly as much. I guess I still had the compulsion to be drinking <i>something</i> all the time.

Hevyn

Yeah, Change, and I kept reaching out for that "phantom" drink that used to always be by my side. It took a couple weeks to stop that!

MagicMan08

Yea at most treatment centers to, it seems they have an unlimited supply it seems of coffee and other beverages....substituting to some may help.....

reed

Jack Daniels shots chased with dark chocolate is a good combination. I don't know why but I used to get a kick out of that.

I ate alot at first, but lately I've been averaging one meal a day, multiple cigarettes, coffee and skittles at night.

I dunno why I'm not hungry anymore. I've been laying brick too, I only get real hungry at lunch break.

I dunno, I suppose its better than drugs and alcohol, I mean, something's gonna kill you eventually, I dunno, I'm not feeling very optimistic lately. Just keep doing what you are doing.

Ananda

Yeah - I will never regret going to treatment,,,,,but....

I left with a coffee addiction (had been off it for about 5 years), a suger desire and my smoking was worse...

Happy with the tradeoff, but god! It was so nice to be thin for the first time in 10 years....I wasn't really ready to give that up at 6mos of sobriety.

But today went better and not that off weight. When I was drinking I was 48 and looked 65 (for real), and until last couple of months I was 48 and looked 42! It really has been fun.

FightingIrish

When I first got to rehab I literally ate two meals at every meal, and then desserts. Tons of coffee and cigarettes. My body needed to re-build. My sponsor(s) told me not to be too hard on myself. "One miracle at a time..." they told me. For awhile there I was a Diet Coke processing plant...the sweet tooth disappeared after about three months. In hindsight I should have started exercising more right away but I was a total headcase and felt like I had other things to worry about. Now I am seeing how little of my "worrying" is actually based in any kind of reality.

M

lostone79

I find myself eating less, but smoking more, especially if stressed.

fallingdown

Hevyn thanks, I'm feeling hungry again now! LOL...well friends I have muddled through with Sprite Zero, sweet tea, water and chocolate milk. I have found that it really does help in early sobriety to have lots of non-alcoholic drink options at hand. Chocolate milk right before bed really seems to soothe my nerves and get me ready to sleep and not one of those drinks will make me feel like death in the morning. I don't care if I gain a few pounds, it's great to feel good again!! I hope you all are doing well!
Much love,
Fallingdown

dave47

Hello Fallingdown, unfortunately we still crave sugar once we stop drinking. I don't think that crosses our minds as it it the least of our problems. I am very careful with sugars as I need to shift a few pounds not put any more on.
I drink a lot of liquids, which sounds normal from what I hear and eat plenty of fruits and low fat yoghurts. I do have to be careful with what else I eat as when I was drinking I didn't eat much, but when I did eat though it was usually garbage fast food.
Glad you are feeling good and doing well, best wishes.

djfreestyle

I drink lots of energy drinks and want to quit. It's hard because I wake up @ 4am for work. I know I should quit but I'm also working on not drinking alcohol.

Think I should just stick to one thing at a time?

I feel like I'm getting withdrawals or something because I feel real emotional and have a constant headache. Maybe it's allergies ugh, I don't freakin know