Success At Last!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 79
Success At Last!
Hello,
I posted here last year after trying to quit drinking in July/August. Unfortunately I lapsed and went back into my old ways. The biggest problems I was having had to do with withdrawal symptoms. I had horrible brain fog, feelings of exhaustion and cravings on a nightly basis. They just weren't going away.
I had read somewhere that drinking soda pop takes the edge off withdrawal symptoms and that's what I was doing. Well, it does take the edge off withdrawal symptoms, but it also perpetuated them. I was getting sugar swings on top of the stress of abstaining from alcohol. BAD idea subbing soda pop for alcohol and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone!
I tried again in December, 2012. I had my last drink on Xmas Eve and I haven't been back since! I'm over the hump and I am clean. AT LAST! This is by far the longest period I've ever abstained. I wouldn't say I have NO cravings, but on the occasions when I have them I can cope with them using other methods -- hot baths, hot drinks, deep breathing/meditating or just go to bed and call it a day.
THIS time I drank a lot of water. Anytime I wanted to drink vodka I drank a big cold glass of club soda and lemon instead. Weirdly, it helped me where sweet pop did not. It actually DID take the edge off the craving and over time it reduced the crappy withdrawal symptoms dramatically. I am surprised that water could do so much -- but it did.
After I'd been sober for a month, I added exercise in 5 times a week -- just walking rapidly on the treadmill and getting my heart rate up and some sweat going. Yep, I am pretty out of shape and walking a 15 minute mile (or slower) can make me puff and blow. That has pushed me even further away from the urge to drink due to the endorphins produced by exercise.
I have also lost quite a bit of weight -- combination of quitting drinking and exercise. I am not dieting, but eating what I like right now. My jeans fit, I don't feel swollen and bloated all the time, I sleep GREAT and even dream (I didn't dream much as a binge drinker), instead of feeling exhausted and overwhelmed all the time I am actually starting to feel energetic. Work has been going great for weeks and weeks. It's weird how much better you function when you're not hung over or recovering from the drinking bout of 48hours ago. It's not all peaches and cream. I still get cravings and I have to deal with those when they arise, but the fact is, I AM dealing with them!
I am getting a huge charge out of the fact that I did this *MYSELF*. I just said NO and pushed it up against the wall. And there it's going to stay because after being stone cold sober for this long, without touching so much as a drop of booze, there is no way in HELL that I am going to blow it and go back to drinking. Anyways, I rather LIKE being sober, now that I have gotten over the worst part. I feel like I can DO stuff. It's quite a difference.
Anyways, thought I'd post this brag here for myself, and to let anyone else out there who is struggling know that it is possible to get out of the cycle. I'm still a newbie, but I have a funny feeling that this is IT and I may not see the bottom of a liquor glass ever again.
I'm still trying to figure out what to do with all those wine and martini glasses ... hmmm ....
I posted here last year after trying to quit drinking in July/August. Unfortunately I lapsed and went back into my old ways. The biggest problems I was having had to do with withdrawal symptoms. I had horrible brain fog, feelings of exhaustion and cravings on a nightly basis. They just weren't going away.
I had read somewhere that drinking soda pop takes the edge off withdrawal symptoms and that's what I was doing. Well, it does take the edge off withdrawal symptoms, but it also perpetuated them. I was getting sugar swings on top of the stress of abstaining from alcohol. BAD idea subbing soda pop for alcohol and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone!
I tried again in December, 2012. I had my last drink on Xmas Eve and I haven't been back since! I'm over the hump and I am clean. AT LAST! This is by far the longest period I've ever abstained. I wouldn't say I have NO cravings, but on the occasions when I have them I can cope with them using other methods -- hot baths, hot drinks, deep breathing/meditating or just go to bed and call it a day.
THIS time I drank a lot of water. Anytime I wanted to drink vodka I drank a big cold glass of club soda and lemon instead. Weirdly, it helped me where sweet pop did not. It actually DID take the edge off the craving and over time it reduced the crappy withdrawal symptoms dramatically. I am surprised that water could do so much -- but it did.
After I'd been sober for a month, I added exercise in 5 times a week -- just walking rapidly on the treadmill and getting my heart rate up and some sweat going. Yep, I am pretty out of shape and walking a 15 minute mile (or slower) can make me puff and blow. That has pushed me even further away from the urge to drink due to the endorphins produced by exercise.
I have also lost quite a bit of weight -- combination of quitting drinking and exercise. I am not dieting, but eating what I like right now. My jeans fit, I don't feel swollen and bloated all the time, I sleep GREAT and even dream (I didn't dream much as a binge drinker), instead of feeling exhausted and overwhelmed all the time I am actually starting to feel energetic. Work has been going great for weeks and weeks. It's weird how much better you function when you're not hung over or recovering from the drinking bout of 48hours ago. It's not all peaches and cream. I still get cravings and I have to deal with those when they arise, but the fact is, I AM dealing with them!
I am getting a huge charge out of the fact that I did this *MYSELF*. I just said NO and pushed it up against the wall. And there it's going to stay because after being stone cold sober for this long, without touching so much as a drop of booze, there is no way in HELL that I am going to blow it and go back to drinking. Anyways, I rather LIKE being sober, now that I have gotten over the worst part. I feel like I can DO stuff. It's quite a difference.
Anyways, thought I'd post this brag here for myself, and to let anyone else out there who is struggling know that it is possible to get out of the cycle. I'm still a newbie, but I have a funny feeling that this is IT and I may not see the bottom of a liquor glass ever again.
I'm still trying to figure out what to do with all those wine and martini glasses ... hmmm ....
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
Mikayo,
I am not a newbie to sobriety, but I am remembering when I licked it, and feel your triumph and accomplishment. There is no greater adversary than ourselves, because we know all our own moves, and know when they are coming. Winning that fight is the most rewarding of all.
Thanks for the reminder!
(We gave our margarita glasses and shaker set to Goodwill.)
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