Nice work Brit.

Have never felt normal!

Started feeling mentally better after a week or so. Physically 3/4 days. Sounds like you're over a hump!

SM

I didn't drink daily...only weekly, but heavy binges. It's been 15 days since I last had a drink.

But, I have also noticed this brain fog. I've been really forgetful lately and I seem to get confused when doing just basic tasks. I've tried getting more sleep, but it doesn't make much of a difference. Is this what brain fog refers to? I do remember one of my worst stints of drinking when I got drunk for 5 nights straight while on vacation. A few days after stopping, I felt the same way to an even greater extent. I hope this dissipates soon since I need to be focused at work.

I am also craving carbs. I've always had a sweet tooth, but I can usually control myself. Lately, I've been binge eating junk food on a daily basis. I've just been trying to hit the gym harder to put those carbs to use.

I was a serious binge and nighttime drinker for about 8-9 years. For me, "normalness" returned in phases. Within a week, I had started to get over the serious withdrawal and suicidal feelings. Within two weeks, I felt like some of the grogginess and anxiety was starting to shore up. Within about 6-8 weeks, I started to recover many of the mental capacities that I had burned off from the drinking. I'm at 4-5 months now and feel like I did before I started drinking.

Good luck and stay strong!

Keep going! I'm halfway through day 4. Not sure the first day counts as I was so horribly hungover, but normally I would have had a few to ease that day as well, so I'm counting it. The boredom. That's what I'm finding hard. I expected to have all this energy and want to tackle the world, but just want to watch TV and eat. However, I figure I have a lot of calories to play with now that I'm not taking in 1000 a day in liquor! All in all, not too bad. It is helpful to hear different stories about how long it takes to feel normal. If I still feel so strange in a month, I won't feel like it's just my 'normal' state and go back to drinking as 'normal' sucks. I actually think 'thank god' when I look at the clock and see it's late enough to go to bed. I think I'll have to find a new hobby, but for now, just being kind to myself, catching up on HBO and enjoying my snacks!

It depends. I think it took me about 3 months to feel sober, which allowed me to start working on getting to feel normal. That took another 3-6 months. They are very different things!

All the best!
P

I don't know if the OP is still around or not. This thread is 7 yrs old.

Brit,

I'm well over 2 years sober. Not 2 years clean though.

I had a dbl shot of wisky about 16 months ago to defeat Montezuma s revenge. I have gargled a few times w alcohol based mouthwash. I have also used nyquil a few times....

I have not been drunk though since my sober day.

Anyway...I feel normal, but normal feels abnormal.

I still feel a little better everyday.

To get here it took me 26 months.

I was heavily medicating for at least 30 years....off and on.

The deal for me now is anxiety. But, I exercise 4 to 6 times a week.

It has made all the difference.

Normal is interesting. The confidence I feel is amazing.

Thanks.

I feel foggy anytime I'm not drinking? As soon as I have a drink the fogginess seemingly goes away. However here I am in day 2. Haven't been able to sleep. At all... Hoping that if I stick to eating healthy and drinking lots of water that this will all eventually be in the past.