I finally decided to take the road to recovery
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 8
I finally decided to take the road to recovery
Hey all. This is my first post and I am proud to say I finally decided I needed to stop. I have been drinking more than normal for about 4 years now. After my divorce I chose alcohol to help me sleep and deal with all the crap going through my head. About a year a go I realized I had become a functional alcoholic but did nothing about it because, well, why I was functioning. For the past year I have been drinking a pint of vodka night and on weekends I will sometimes drink two fifths and could time it all out to get to work sober and excel at my job.
Well suddenly the last few months have been getting out of control. I would find my self showing up to work with the shakes counting down the time till the clock hit 5 so I could go home and dive into my pint. Alcohol no longer helped me sleep. I would drink till bed time only to wake a few hours later wanting to drink more so I could get back to sleep.
Well I decided enough is enough and I dont want something controlling me like this and after much research I decided to quit cold turkey.
Day one was not so bad it just like a normal hung over day until bed time came around. I had cold sweats really bad soaked my sheets and cloths several times and got 0 sleep.
Day two was off the charts!! I was so tired at work and was shaking so bad I could not even write my name. By the end of the day I started feeling a little better but still 0 sleep and severe cold sweats.
Day 3 shakes where not so bad but I was exhausted and had little motivation. But after being up for nearly two days I finally got some sleep but woke up several times from some terrifying nightmares and cold from being all sweaty.
I am on day 4 still a little shaky but I feel rested and hungry. I haven't felt hungry in the morning in ages.
The most exciting thing for me is I am starting to feel better and not sure why but have had zero craving to drink. Wish me luck
Well suddenly the last few months have been getting out of control. I would find my self showing up to work with the shakes counting down the time till the clock hit 5 so I could go home and dive into my pint. Alcohol no longer helped me sleep. I would drink till bed time only to wake a few hours later wanting to drink more so I could get back to sleep.
Well I decided enough is enough and I dont want something controlling me like this and after much research I decided to quit cold turkey.
Day one was not so bad it just like a normal hung over day until bed time came around. I had cold sweats really bad soaked my sheets and cloths several times and got 0 sleep.
Day two was off the charts!! I was so tired at work and was shaking so bad I could not even write my name. By the end of the day I started feeling a little better but still 0 sleep and severe cold sweats.
Day 3 shakes where not so bad but I was exhausted and had little motivation. But after being up for nearly two days I finally got some sleep but woke up several times from some terrifying nightmares and cold from being all sweaty.
I am on day 4 still a little shaky but I feel rested and hungry. I haven't felt hungry in the morning in ages.
The most exciting thing for me is I am starting to feel better and not sure why but have had zero craving to drink. Wish me luck
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
Glad you're on the side of sanity now. I thought that drugs and booze were helping me cope too, learned hard and fast that was NOT the case.
Stick around , this place is a great place to learn and share.
Stick around , this place is a great place to learn and share.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northeast
Posts: 441
This is a great place to come to for support or advice. It sounds like you are a fighter- went to work through your withdrawals and everything. Good luck on your journey of sobriety. I look forward to hearing from you on the boards 
Choosing Life
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,435
You're getting through the worst of it! Day 3 seems to be the hardest for a lot of people - I know it was for me. Once I got through the first week, it was amazing how much better I felt.
Very happy that you're here!
Very happy that you're here!
SHARING THE LOAD
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: In the Slowlane
Posts: 878
It is great you have taken that step on the Journey. The recovery physically does not take overnight so be extra good to yourself with nutritious meals, good sleep. For me hot baths were the ticket to slow it down a notch.
...not falling down them
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Originally Posted by tookthestep 
...I am on day 4 still a little shaky but I feel rested and hungry. I haven't felt hungry in the morning in ages.
The most exciting thing for me is I am starting to feel better and not sure why but have had zero craving to drink. Wish me luck
The most exciting thing for me is I am starting to feel better and not sure why but have had zero craving to drink. Wish me luck
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 8
Thanks all for the kind words. I know a lot of you disagree with detoxing without medical help but I am too proud of a man to let anyone know I have a problem and have a VERY hard time asking for help with anything! My boys mom knows but is too busy with work to do anything. So doing this with an online support group gives me some anonymity but still allows me to talk. I also have a medical staff in my building at work if something goes horribly wrong.
I am a single dad with custody and I went to great lengths to hide my drinking from my kids. I actually felt normal after three or four shots then would binge after tucking them in. I knew I had to put a stop to this when I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't remember tucking my kids in. In a moment of panic I ran to their rooms and they where not there, turns out they had fallen asleep on the couch watching TV. I need to be a role model and even more so protect them. I cant do that drunk!!! I did not have hallucinations but I did here voices the first two days, my kids calling me in the middle of the night only to find them sound asleep. I haven't had a drink or even a craving since that realization.
I feel great today. Still not normal but stronger than ever that I made it through the first 4 days and never want to go through that again. I am determined to ride this out and never put myself in this position again.
I am a single dad with custody and I went to great lengths to hide my drinking from my kids. I actually felt normal after three or four shots then would binge after tucking them in. I knew I had to put a stop to this when I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't remember tucking my kids in. In a moment of panic I ran to their rooms and they where not there, turns out they had fallen asleep on the couch watching TV. I need to be a role model and even more so protect them. I cant do that drunk!!! I did not have hallucinations but I did here voices the first two days, my kids calling me in the middle of the night only to find them sound asleep. I haven't had a drink or even a craving since that realization.
I feel great today. Still not normal but stronger than ever that I made it through the first 4 days and never want to go through that again. I am determined to ride this out and never put myself in this position again.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Near Scranton PA
Posts: 424
Arrrgh!
Detox is tough but you've gutted it out and kept working. Lord God! I admire your strength. That is some tough stuff.
Hang in there for a couple more days and reap the rewards of how good you're going to feel. You're doing all the right things and I applaud you!
Detox is tough but you've gutted it out and kept working. Lord God! I admire your strength. That is some tough stuff.
Hang in there for a couple more days and reap the rewards of how good you're going to feel. You're doing all the right things and I applaud you!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,451
Welcome to SR, tookthestep (great name—you sure did!).
I'm a single dad, too. Knowing I'm always there for my daughter—able to deal with anything that happens, any time of day or night—is awesome. You know what's even better? Being 100% focused on her when we're together, without alcohol secretly competing for my attention. No more hurrying home from the park because I want a drink, no more trying to fake my way through the morning when I feel like crap. I'm so much more relaxed, thoughtful, and steady now. Oh man, you are in for more benefits than you know! And that's just in terms of parenting. Everything gets better. You're going to be really grateful you took the step!
I'm a single dad, too. Knowing I'm always there for my daughter—able to deal with anything that happens, any time of day or night—is awesome. You know what's even better? Being 100% focused on her when we're together, without alcohol secretly competing for my attention. No more hurrying home from the park because I want a drink, no more trying to fake my way through the morning when I feel like crap. I'm so much more relaxed, thoughtful, and steady now. Oh man, you are in for more benefits than you know! And that's just in terms of parenting. Everything gets better. You're going to be really grateful you took the step!
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