6 days in after 10 years of false starts
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1
6 days in after 10 years of false starts
I have been an alcoholic for over 10 years. It sickens me to write that; I never denied it, but writing it seems more traumatic than I thought it would be.
So Saturday morning I woke up, hung-over and said (for the zillionth time), "enough!".
6 days and 5 nights in and the sweats have finished, the confusion is gone - now I have to deal with my career ruined (I drank myself out of a high-flying job 2 years ago), and poverty.
Just looking for some moral support, I suppose.
It is weird being straight!!
So Saturday morning I woke up, hung-over and said (for the zillionth time), "enough!".
6 days and 5 nights in and the sweats have finished, the confusion is gone - now I have to deal with my career ruined (I drank myself out of a high-flying job 2 years ago), and poverty.
Just looking for some moral support, I suppose.
It is weird being straight!!
Snarf Snarf
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: ATL
Posts: 835
Welcome, gtc, and great work on those 6 days! 1 more for a week; what a thought, huh?
I think many of us here can identify with a prolonged period of "false starts." Lord knows I myself have said, "ENOUGH!" plenty of times. But 6 months ago, I said it for the last time, and I meant it.
This site is full of wonderful people with lifetimes of experience and knowledge to share with you. SR.com and AA have been wonderful resources as I try to defeat this alcoholism nonsense. So far they've worked, and if a no-good drunk like me can stay off the sauce, so can anyone else.
I'm glad you're here. Hope you hang around for a while.
I think many of us here can identify with a prolonged period of "false starts." Lord knows I myself have said, "ENOUGH!" plenty of times. But 6 months ago, I said it for the last time, and I meant it.
This site is full of wonderful people with lifetimes of experience and knowledge to share with you. SR.com and AA have been wonderful resources as I try to defeat this alcoholism nonsense. So far they've worked, and if a no-good drunk like me can stay off the sauce, so can anyone else.
I'm glad you're here. Hope you hang around for a while.
I too found it 'weird' to live sober, but after ten months I am living a far better life than I'd thought possible. STick with it, it's worth it.A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Welcome!
My personal favorite bit of advice to those in early recovery is to expect to feel "weird". A lot of people seem to get thrown by that--thinking that there must be something "wrong" or they aren't "doing it right" because it doesn't feel normal or natural.
After many years of drinking, drinking IS what feels normal! You will go through a lot of physical and emotional changes. One of the things that freaked me out (and a lot of other people, too) is dealing with strong emotions (happy, sad, depressed, angry) without my default "go-to" response. I found that each time I dealt with strong emotions sober, without even contemplating a drink (it is NOT an option, no matter what happens), it was easier to deal with it the next time.
Congrats on your six days!
My personal favorite bit of advice to those in early recovery is to expect to feel "weird". A lot of people seem to get thrown by that--thinking that there must be something "wrong" or they aren't "doing it right" because it doesn't feel normal or natural.
After many years of drinking, drinking IS what feels normal! You will go through a lot of physical and emotional changes. One of the things that freaked me out (and a lot of other people, too) is dealing with strong emotions (happy, sad, depressed, angry) without my default "go-to" response. I found that each time I dealt with strong emotions sober, without even contemplating a drink (it is NOT an option, no matter what happens), it was easier to deal with it the next time.
Congrats on your six days!
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
GTC, welcome.
Snarf make a key point:
I, the alcoholic, had to have that moment of clarity where I saw what my life had become. I think every alcoholic has it. That's where the committment starts. The click in our heads when that switch goes off and you really mean, "That's it. I'm through." Sounds like you are there. Good luck.
Snarf make a key point:
Originally Posted by Snarf 
Lord knows I myself have said, "ENOUGH!" plenty of times. But 6 months ago, I said it for the last time, and I meant it.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,058
GTC....welcome!! You have plenty of support here and we get it.
Way to go and stay the course.
I too looked up and couldn't believe that I had about 10 years down of drinking. While it progressed of course and Year 1 was night and day from Year 10....I started all over and am rebuilding my life in sobriety. It isn't all that hard once we get support and get this monkey off our backs.
My life is blessed now and I no longer have the urge to drink or even think about it. I put not drinking even a sip ever again at the foundation of my recovery.
Man it just feels good to be alive again.
Keep it going!
Way to go and stay the course.
I too looked up and couldn't believe that I had about 10 years down of drinking. While it progressed of course and Year 1 was night and day from Year 10....I started all over and am rebuilding my life in sobriety. It isn't all that hard once we get support and get this monkey off our backs.
My life is blessed now and I no longer have the urge to drink or even think about it. I put not drinking even a sip ever again at the foundation of my recovery.
Man it just feels good to be alive again.
Keep it going!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 17
Hi GTC and congratulations on 6 days.
I, too, vowed to quit countless times but after a few days would convince myself that I had it under control because I could go a few days without drinking. I'm on day 10 for the first time since I can remember. This time, there is no option and no turning back. One drink will lead to 10 and right back on the train to hell, and I'm not going back.
Congratulations and hang in there!
I, too, vowed to quit countless times but after a few days would convince myself that I had it under control because I could go a few days without drinking. I'm on day 10 for the first time since I can remember. This time, there is no option and no turning back. One drink will lead to 10 and right back on the train to hell, and I'm not going back.
Congratulations and hang in there!
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Welcome to our recovery community.....
Glad you are out of the initial de tox time.
For me to stay sober required action and change
That's where my AA program became a vital
resource for improveing my life.
All my best
Glad you are out of the initial de tox time.
For me to stay sober required action and change
That's where my AA program became a vital
resource for improveing my life.
All my best
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,934
Welcome.
It takes time, but if you stay sober long enough you can recover some of the things you lost. You probably won't get your old job back, but if you had a great job before you can probably get a great job again (once you stay sober for awhile and when this dang economy improves).
If you stay sober probably the biggest thing you will recover is your self respect.
It takes time, but if you stay sober long enough you can recover some of the things you lost. You probably won't get your old job back, but if you had a great job before you can probably get a great job again (once you stay sober for awhile and when this dang economy improves).
If you stay sober probably the biggest thing you will recover is your self respect.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Good for you for reaching out and wanting to have your life back. I had to face some pretty serious financial issues upon getting sober, but things are improving. If I'd kept drinking, who knows how much worse it would have gotten. So keep your chin up and concentrate right now on getting sober.Yeah, everything feels weird at first, but each day gets better. At 5 months sober, I can say that it doesn't feel weird at all anymore. Infact, the life I was living under the thumb of alcohol is what seems strange now, like a nightmare of sorts. Of course, if you told me that 5 months ago, I wouldn't have believed it.
Keep posting and reading - this is a great place!!
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