SoberHappyHour

I'm a little over 3 months sober and love this forum as it helps me keep going. I lost a lot during drinking, but most of all I lost goals and pursuit of them. My only goals were to get to the next time I was going to be able to go out and have another drink. I'm slowly trying to make goals again and go after what I should have done a long time ago. I'm 26 and feel like I still have time to make up for the "wasted" years. It's tough some days tho because I feel like any progress is coming along slowly. I would like to hear what you guys lost and what you've recovered as well as anything new that's happened since your sobriety in order to hopefully keep me optimistic. Thanks for reading.

doggonecarl

Twenty-six is young.

I spent my twenties drinking and drugging. Big time drugs--meth, barbiturates. I quit illegal drugs at 30. My twenties looked like a huge, gaping hole. Started my life over. I returned to college, got a degree, went back, got my Masters and started a new career. So yes, you can make up for the wasted years.

Just stay sober. As well as I did, I kept drinking and in my 50s was on the verge of losing it all.

Good luck.

Quinne

I'm 26 too and have been sober and in recovery for almost 10 months

While drinking, I lost:
-Any semblance of sense of self
-My dignity and self-respect
-My family and friends were at more than arms' length
-Several housing arrangements (kicked out)
-About 5 jobs

I also had a nasty habit of self-sabotage and starting many university-level qualifications, but never finishing them-it just wasn't going to happen. There's so much more to this part and what I've written below.

In recovery, I lost:
-An intense sense of self-loathing
-A partner who cared, but the relationship was very toxic
-Constant stream of self-pity
-A job in very early sobriety, as my attitude was very poor
-My ambivalence about living or dying

In recovery, I've gained;
-Much peace and happiness
-A PT job I really enjoy and is aligned with my personal values
-Self-respect and the ability to both assert myself and set boundaries
-A certificate IV qualification (I started during a 6-month dry period and busted a few times in there, but the absolute bulk of it was while I wasn't drinking)
-I've been in a relationship with a beautiful individual for 3 months
-I'm studying at undergraduate level and am one unit off finishing first year (hurrah for credits! )
-A metric ton of amazing people in AA who I consider my emotional family
-Better tools and strategies for coping with stress

Bear in mind, none of these lists are exhaustive!

Xx

Panache

I'm 25 and have lost 7 years of my life to drink. But if there's anything this forum has taught me is that it's never too late to get it back.

You can achieve anything whilst sober and never let age be an issue. Dream big.

FeenixxRising

I'm only 2 weeks into this period (went 5 months to the day last year), but I've certainly recovered my sense of hope and possibilities. My self-loathing stopped a few days after quitting, and my self-respect grows with each day. I'm working on some goals now, but I've been pretty productive and financially successful even through my binge drinking periods (although, I've spent money like a drunken rock start).

Right now my focus is a little off, but I have T2 diabetes and my blood sugar numbers are elevated and that makes my mind foggy and tired. I'm working on that too, but it takes a few weeks to get back to a state one has with normal blood sugar numbers.

Really, one can't put a price on regaining self-respect, from that flows almost all the good things we enjoy in life.

FeenixxRising

FYI, for those of you in your 20's. You are still very young. Take it from someone in his early 50's, you have a lot of life ahead of you, and you can make it a great journey. Frankly, at 50ish I still look at myself as young and with a lot of life ahead of me There will be no rocking chair on the porch for me.

Zebra1275

I've recovered my self respect.

sugarbear1

I've gained comfort-ability with self and the world (others, situations, life in general) around me.

That is something I never ever had before sobriety!

SoberHappyHour

Thanks those of you who have replied. Very encouraging and I want to have the confidence to say I will never drink again and that is my mindset right now but I don't kno if I completely believe that yet. Just taking it one day at a time and continuing to strive toward my goals as I have returned to school, am working and am doing the things I have to do consequential to my duis I got. I would like to hear a lot more success stories from a lot of you sober people.

Threshold

Drinking and drugging I lost my mind (yup, locked up)
Marriage (adios after 25 yrs)
Hope (OD'd, on purpose)
Fun (my life became a panic attack)
Security (no home, no family, minimum wage job)

In recovery I've gained...

Hope (moving soon to start new job and live with my bf)
family (my kids are talking to me again, my daughter wants her son to spend time with me)
Fun (I plan my time now, it does not revolve around drinking/using)
Looks (people tell me I look WAY better than I did for a long time)
Mind? I've not been back to the psych ward since I stopped and stayed stopped

I am looking forward to doing some things with my life...when I was drinking/drugging I was only looking forward to mustering up the courage to off myself.

bigsombrero

I lost everything while drinking. I'm in my late (gasp) 30's now and I would kill to be 26 again and have the chance to start then. I wish I'd have known then what trouble I would have got into...

I have gained back a lot - most importantly my HEALTH. I was killing myself with drink, no bones about it. I have also gained SELF RESPECT which is huge for me. I have also found that today I embrace challenges rather than run from them. I have nothing to hide, no deep dark secrets in the closet. Most importantly I TRUST MYSELF and that came after treatment.

Good luck, stay sober, carry on!

Dee74

I lost everything - I really did...both tangible and intangible stuff.

I've regained my life, my happiness, my direction, my future...

but what I've gained back most is myself

D

lucylestrange

I'm only on day 5, but what I've recovered is clarity and being able to *feel*. That's a pretty heady thing, and not always pleasant. But it's good.