Seekingsobriety

Rowan, thanks for your concern, I guess I just feel I need to do somethings I've neglected to better my entire world!! I will take it easy. I wanted to post today for two reasons:

#1 I got the book "The Easy Way to Quit Drinking" today and will start on it tonight. I'll let you know what I think.

#2 Today is Day 4 for me, and I consider it under my belt. I just wanted the newcomers to know what I am experiencing each day, hopefully that inspires them. Still a bit of trouble sleeping last night, and slept in until 7:30, then off to work. Felt not bad, but brain fog until about 2 p.m.
THEN, things started to sharpen up, and I began feeling great!!! At 5:00 when leaving work, I had a craving for alcohol......I think. I oftem mistake hunger/alcohol, and find if I eat right away, the feeling goes away. PLUS, my habit was to stop each night and buy 6 beer. Never more, because the more I had, the more I drank. Weekends were 12/day.

Anyways, I decided **** on this, I'm going to eat. Now my supper is almost done, I'm hungry as a bear and I have unbelieveable energy to burn!! I can barely wait to get done supper and on my bike!! Also, I chatted up a new girl (divorced, like moi) in our small town after work at the grocery store...........the kid is back!!!!


Am I cured?? Well, I AM feeling great, I do have energy to burn, and my spirits are through the roof. That is 5000% better than what I had 4 days ago!! and that's good enough for today.

Any newbies here take heart, I honestly believe this is what you can expect too.

Stay strong.

Seekingsobriety

Just an update guys, felt pretty normal today, a little down after work missing my kids, but all in all, a good day. I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, and start work at 5a.m tomorrow, so may not tonight too much. Anyways, Day 5 is under my belt!

CALYNN

Thanks for the inspiration SS! I'm just starting out too (day 3). It's so helpful to read your posts. Congrats to you and good luck!

Seekingsobriety

Hey Calynn, glad you are enjoying the posts........that's why I'm doing them daily. Congrats to you for day 3!!


I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but yesterday was day 6, and it went very well!!

I woked 14.5 hours, so was to tired to check in, but suffice it to say I am firing on all cylinders. Laughing more, VERY calm, relaxed.

I used to think booze helped my stressors....in hindsight it WAS the main stressor.

Today is Day 4 for for you Calynn................great...................and each days gets better!!

I'll see you tonight!

Stay Strong

Tazman53

Congrats on a week, I pray that what you are doing works for you, for me after 5 straight years of not drawing a single sober breath I found the easier softer way of staying sober for me....AA, of course AA came after a medical detox in my case. We are all different and there is more then one way to get and stay sober, I hope what you are doing works for you.

Wednesday

Good luck to you Seekingsobriety.

Seekingsobriety

Thanks for the replies!!
Just wanted to check in. Today is day 7 under my belt, have felt really great too!!

Each day gets better. I'll hopefully have more time to post on the weekend, been working long hours.

Seekingsobriety

Allright everyone, had a few minutes and wated to update.

Today is day 10 for me, and oddly enough, I dreamt I picked some beer up last night. Picked my kids up, and they noticed the beer, but didn't say anything. Still, I could tell they were disappointed. Thankfully, it was just a dream


Day 10 - I had to go to work today for about 3 hours, which consisted of driving irrigation canals and noting flows, troublespots, etc. I had time to think, and try and evaluate what I was feeling. I couldn't put a finger on it, until some time was put in.

Then it struck me : peace. I am feeling overwhelmingly peaceful, calm and serene. All seems right with the world. I wish I had known this was coming, it would have been incentive to stop years ago.

Thoughts still flit across my mind about beer/alcohol, but so far I just wave them off and find something to do. Still on the vitamin regimen, and all in all, everything in the world seems "right" today.

Hope your day is going as good as mine!!

Stay strong.

Seekingsobriety

Day 12 for me folks. I already consider it under my belt.

I have to go to work tonight for a few hours, so that will tie up my time. The "habit" part of buying 6 a night has disappeared anyways, they say it takes 3 weeks to make/break a habit........so I'm getting there.

My problem was boredom, too much time on my hands I have taken care of that by staying busy, and coincidentally we are very busy at work so that ties me up.

Anyways. things are going great, and I hope others can see their day 12 soon too!!

Seekingsobriety

Tough day today guys........................I had some real frustrations (non-work related, non-withdrawal related) and in times like that, generally go for beer.

I had my son with me, and apologized to him for being "grumpy" and said I just need to calm down a bit. Anyways, took some of my best friend Valerian, that helped me chill and put things in perspective.................................and I did NOT get any booze. Thank you VALERIAN!!

Anyways, I'm off to bed soon, so DAY 14 is IN THE BAG!!

Chamabama

Congrats on 2 weeks!

JJB

Hi seeking-congratualtions on two weeks and nice to see you in chat the other day.

"All seems right with the world."
I know what you mean. The world doesn't seem so aggressive as it did when I was drinking.

martha27

I love following your posts seekingsobriety, they hep me so much in my own journey, you also have so many useful pieces of advice and wonderful little nuggets of bliss and reward along the road to sober recovery - THANK YOU SO MUCH, I will keep following your story. I am pretty sure you will be rewarded 1000 fold for your sobriety and your kids will be inspired by your story! THANK YOU

Tazman53

Congrats on the 2 weeks, are you having any of the side effects from Valerian?
I high lighted the dreams because you mentioned the drinking dream, those are pretty common, I had a lot of them in early sobriety, they lessened with time sober.

I high lighted the possible liver damage as well, but they say that is not a side effect unless one takes it for months.

JJB

Thanks Taz . I didn't know there could be side effects from taking valerian.
I buy it without prescription and thought it was perfectly harmless.

Having said that I get vivid dreams without taking valerian I think it's just from not being knocked out by alchohol. My body hasn't yet got used to normal sleep and i was interestingly enough thinking of starting the valerian again.

What's this about liver damage?

Tazman53

JJB google it, search for "valerian side effects". I do not think it messes with every ones liver, but I am not a doctor so check it out with a doctor to be on the safe side. Dreams are far more vivid with out booze to dull them I have found.

Oatmeal

+1 to Martha's post. Please keep your updates coming. They are truly inspirational and give alot of hope to someone on day 2

Seekingsobriety

Thanks for the replies everyone. For those of you in the early days, hang in there, The first week is the toughestm then it gets easier and life gets much better.

Taz, on the Valerian.....no, I've never had any side effects. To me, it has been a lifesaver in times of stress/withdrawal. Many days it got me through a workday.

I don't take it every day, and find less and less need for it these days. But times like last night?? It was good to have it. Chilled me out, and probably saved me from one of 2 scenarios :

Breaking down and buying alcohol - and wasting my night with my son, as well as disappointing him.

Or

Being miserable to be around and ruining my time with him.

To me, it is a risk well woth taking. Considering the amount of booze I pounded through my liver in the last 10 years, a bit of Valerian now and then is OK by me. But thanks for the heads up.

Seekingsobriety

Just a bit of an update. Things are cruising along fine, yesterday was day 17 and still sober. It is starting to feel reasonably normal.

So far so good.