Inafishbowl

I keep reading the term pink cloud and finally figured out what it means (I'm slow) So far 3 weeks tomorrow of sobriety. It hasn't been horrible. It's actually been mostly hopeful. I'm feeling mostly confident I can live a sober life. Although I still have a healthy fear of the statistics of relapse.
Am I on a pink cloud? How long before I fall off of it? How did it work out for you?

Now I'm freaking myself out.

Inafishbowl

Even my new signature seems very pink cloudish today.

picablue

I just had too look up "pink cloud" -- I think I might be there myself in some ways. I think whenever I think "this dosen't apply to me" there is a danger.

Inafishbowl

Well, I do think it ALL applies. I am dreading the step work more than abstaining from drinking though. But then I get these thoughts that I'll just simply trust the steps and do them honestly and I will be recovered. Simple. And yet not so much.

picablue

With every single step I think of a million excuses why the steps don't apply to me. Then I catch myself doing that and back up. I don't think it's simple at all.

Well, I don't think we make it simple for ourselves-- if we could just trust and move through the process it would be simple, but I bet if that were the case we would not have an addiction problem in the first place.

SSIL75

Maybe you're just happy to be sober

Auggie

What's a pink cloud?...I'm serious...what is a pink cloud?

silly

Yeah... I never understood what that means either

Danae

Hi Fishbowl,

It doesn't sound like you're euphoric, so not my understanding of a pink cloud. You posted plenty about the difficulties and hard feelings in the past few weeks so you seem to be dealing with the realities of your situation.

I'm > 90 days sober, and I haven't had a crash yet. It hasn't all been peaches and cream---but no major "correction".

Maybe stop trying to second guess yourself??? Of course, my experience is a sample size of 1, so not generalizable

recycle

I had a lovely pink cloud ride. For three weeks or so I was calm like a Hindu cow. A real sense of wonder and equanimity colored all of my thoughts, actions, and deeds. There was no real crash, I recognized the temporary nature of the experience and I was ok with that. It faded gradually, and I can still conjure the feeling when I want to, but it takes a certain effort to maintain which is somewhat annoying and diminishes the effect. Lots of people warned me it would not last, like I should not let myself enjoy it, because it was temporary or somehow false. Piffle - I would not have missed it for the world.

C105

"In American slang back then, when you said that someone was “on a pink cloud,” you meant that the person was in a state of temporary artificial euphoria. Being “on a pink cloud” meant that you had turned off all of your critical faculties and were temporarily living in this marvelous fantasy world where nothing ever went wrong or could go wrong. " (from Blisstree.com, which was originally attributed to Glenn C of the AA history group on *****)

And no, you sound like you've got a grip on reality. Now if you were quoting the Biebs instead of Pink, I'd wonder. But Pink ... she's a girl with her feet on the ground.

Reset

My shrink told me a pink cloud was not uncommon in people who had recently quit drinking. According to him it's temporarily feeling great, like this quitting business was easy and no big deal. He said it sometimes comes with a cockiness about the whole process but it doesn't last forever. He told me to watch out for it.

Winer249er

I'm now three weeks sober too....and I feel great. This is the best move I've made in a long time. It's hard because I really do miss drinking if that makes sense, but I'm finding there is much to feel good about.

So, I don't know if we on the same cloud, but so far I'm thrilled to have my feet planted solidly in hard reality. It's very empowering....ROAR!!

Oh man, and now I just read Reset's response, and maybe it IS the cloud talking. Darn.

Reset

I dunno. I was kind of cocky at the beginning, that's true, but all in all I still feel pretty good and wouldn't want to go back to drinking.

Hollyanne

I am glad to have had that "pink cloud". It is real but it goes away slowly but by then you are stronger and you are able to feel happy and content just because you do not have this crap ruling your every minute.

None of you sound like you are taking it for granted and that is the only danger.

Why should you not be happy?
Have you not felt miserable enough?
Enjoy, and keep doing "the next right thing" and well done to us all. I drove people nuts at the beginning even after a couple of relapses because of my positive mood. I made no apology and did not question it and was and am truly grateful.

CarolD

how I have been keeping my pink cloud sailing for years.

I connect daily to God and AA....helping others in and out
of recovery circles.

Well done on your sober time...

LexieCat

I've had pink clouds. Most people, when they use the term, just mean the sense of euphoria and freedom that comes with realizing they don't ever have to drink again.

My guess is people who were freed slaves or prisoners experience something similar.

Eventually life catches up, and you realize that there will still be difficult times, but a lot less difficult than those you experienced while in the grip of alcoholism. So for most of us, I think, the sense of euphoria fades but is replaced in recovery with a solid, realistic basis for a satisfying life--one where you can deal with the ups and downs.

It's kinda like the feeling you get when you first fall in love, before you realize your lover is a human being, lol.

FrothyJay

Pink cloud refers to the time period when physical abstinence creates a false sense of wellness and even happiness. In my experience it is usually followed quickly by the dark stormy cloud of untreated alcoholism.

Inafishbowl

Ahhh, I have the definition wrong. I'm certainly not feeling euphoria. But what I am having long bouts of are feelings of what I fear is over confidence. I am having a feeling that scares me. It's like I feel like quitting drinking is going to be easy. I feel like I could "white knuckle" it. But the steps are terrifying to me.

I understand that AA offers me my best chances and I actually am partly excited to take on a spiritual journey that offers such simple (yet not easy) steps. Spirituality has always been something I've wanted to feel, but always seemed out of my grasp. But I'm scared of doing it wrong. Scared of not being honest enough. Scared of tricking myself. I'm scared of my feelings that I could quit easily. I have had my moments of wanting a glass of wine for sure. But none of it yet has been overwhelming. Simply put, I don't trust myself.

LexieCat

That's where having a sponsor comes in handy.