WithoutFear

To each of you courageous souls out there willing to share your pain and your stories, I THANK YOU for getting me here and helping me through the dark days!

I am a single professional woman - unmarried without children in a high level job who was always the "life of the party", the social coordinator, the one to call to meet out. It started out innocently enough as I always enjoyed wine. I would occasionally try another drink but always returned to wine. the past year or so, I noticed my wine consumption increase and so began an "every other night" habit. (the next day was hangover day where I would drink 2 liters of water and take vitamins). Then, in the past several months, I started having blackouts! I embarrassed myself in public settings and would fall over! The next day, I could not remember details.
What a progressive disease this is!
I spent Christmas alone as my family is upset with me (they heard "stories") and now... I am here feeling strong. I joined a workout group that i am heading to now and have not had any alcohol in 14 days. I do have a question for the group:
What is your story? I get so much strength from reading yours...and....I did not experience the withdrawal symptoms you speak of. Are they to come? What did you experience with withdrawal?
Thank you thank you thank you

WithoutFear

ALSO: I forgot to mention: waking up without a hangover is amazing

flutter

Welcome

Here's mine: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-my-story.html You'll find a ton of other stories there too!

tomsteve

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-my-story.html

justa small part of it.

doggonecarl

I am a drug addict and alcoholic. Coming to Sober Recovery has helped keep me clean and sober since Sept. 10th 2010.

IndaMiricale

I have "yet" to write mine in full here at SR.. Its on the list..

But just stick around and more will be revieled..

sugarbear1

What have you experienced in 14 days of not drinking?

wpainterw

I would think that if you've got 14 days behind you it would be rather unusual to have any withdrawal symptoms. At that point your biggest risk might be the so called "pink cloud", namely that, when you feel so much better you might start to kid yourself that you can now drink "moderately" and that you can "control" it. If you are an alcoholic (and from your account, it may be that alcoholism is a possibility or even a probability, if not now, then down the line) you can't "control" it. It will end up controlling you.
My story? I won't bore you with the details but I had forty years of episodic drinking , went to AA finally and have had 24 years of sobriety. AA isn't for everyone and i had a few issues with it but it helped me a lot. Good luck on your recovery. I certainly wish I'd quit when I'd reached the point you appear to have reached.

W

Coldfusion

The worst "withdrawal" symptom is the occasional desire to have a drink (just one...)

Fallow

My story is Im a blackout drunk. I showed up here and at AA with the cops after me, detectives calling my cell phone, wife ready to get a divorce, job on the wire, family disowning me, afraid to speak to my 'friends', sleeping on a drunks sofa, and scared of my own shadow.

After getting sober 2 months and getting out of trouble I 'thought' a few cocktails sounded like a good idea. I woke up a year and a half later after a glorious liter of Jack bender thinking I was gonna die or put a bullet in my head, or get sober.

I surrendered. That awakening was 3 weeks ago.

Im feelin lots better but still have plenty of sketchy moments.

All I know is ill take another 24 hours of sobriety today.

wpainterw

Fallow: Your story sounds familiar to me! Very familiar! Let's hope that you don't have another go-round. I was hard headed. Took many years before I got the message! Good luck!

W.

Fallow

Lets hope not wpainterw, I doubt Id be back.

Withoutfear: I loved wine too. Ive been to Napa and Sonoma many times as well as France, Italy, and Germany on wine 'tasting' holidays. At the end of the day its still alcohol and I was drunk all the same. I cant glamorize it anymore.

WithoutFear

What have you experienced in 14 days of not drinking?
__________________
sugarbear

Sugarbear: I found that today while on the stairmaster that my heart rate did not skyrocket so rapidly (I suppose dehydration while drinking in the past was the cause?) and that my strength and energy was exceptional. I find that I think about this all the time and it is the main constant in my every moment. I find that I have neglected other areas of my life that I am now ready to conquer (now that I dont have the hangover excuse) and that I am terrified TERRIFIED of ever having a blackout ever again. The blackout experience was the most frightening reality I have faced! THank you all for your responses here!

firstbuckles

I am also very terrified of blackouts. It is the reason why I decided to quit drinking. That was 15 days ago. I'll take those 15 days of sobriety anyday. It's been such a long time since I have been able to stay sober this long. I used to really love a glass of Chardonnay. I thought I could just have a couple glasses and then be done. Then I would find myself enjoying a mixed drink or two. The next thing know I can't remember how I got home or where my vehicle was. Its not easy to cope with things still. The embarrassing drunk episodes that people are so willing to remind you of only want to make you crawl under a rock. I spent so many restless nights trying to remember what happened. Thank you for sharing. It is helping me stay grounded and reminds me why I want my sobriety.

MidnightBlue

Hi, WithoutFear.

I haven't posted my "long story" yet, but if to make it short: I'm also a single professional. Some time ago my wine consumption became excessive. I didn't drink daily, rarely had blackouts, but still it slipped out of control. So I found SR and started my journey, Day 76 now. I didn't experience heavy withdrawal symptoms either, if to speak about physical part. Emotionally it was roller coaster for about 30-35 days, then it became easier.

My best wishes to you) Stick to sobriety and SR.

Delilah1

This is a huge bonus! I was a wine drinker like you, here is my post from my first day of sobriety.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-meetings.html

I joined previously, but truthfully was never fully committed.

Dee74

welcome withoutfear

My story is in the Stories of Recovery forum too but the Readers Digest version:

drinker for 20 years, all day drinker for 5...nearly died...didn't...
ended up here, and 6 years on...still going...

and life is awesome

D