SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - 6 Months No Alcohol and what I did along the way

Today I officially have 6 months no alcohol or 1/2 a year!! :)

My thanks to SR and everyone here who has offered support, friendship and laughter along the way.

I wanted to use this post to share about the things that I found helpful along the way:

SR- This has been a huge one for me. I read and post every day. I have a few favorite threads I frequent, but I also search out new threads and different topics in the various sub-forums. I never know what I might find looking around. The Family and Friends sections have been valuable, both because I've had a few relationships with alcoholics and drug users along the way and because it gives a great perspective on alcoholism and drug use and how it affects the lives of those around us.

My favorite threads have been:

The Sobriety Limericks thread, http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-part-3-a.html
The April 2013 Class thread (I highly recommend finding and joining the class thread for whatever month you quit in)
The One Year and Under thread http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...part-22-a.html
The Smileys thread http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...part-15-a.html (In the beginning, there were times when I struggled to even put my feelings into words. I was so used to drinking to drown them out. It was a process to learn to identify them and pick a smiley for them. Over time, I found myself posting fewer upset smileys and more happy and active smileys.)
The Kicking Asphalt thread (it's about exercising, if you're not familiar with it) http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...part-18-a.html.

In addition, I have a few kind of self-centered threads where I've tried to post about my progress in quitting alcohol, weed and caffeine:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-drinking.html (This was my very first post on SR, 6 months ago.)
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...wakenbake.html
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-caffeine.html

And last, but certainly not least, my gratitude list has been of utmost importance http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...tude-list.html.

Diet- I started eating healthy within the first week of quitting drinking. As alcoholics, we get a lot of empty calories from alcohol and not as many healthy nutrients. In addition, the alcohol prevents our bodies from being efficient at absorbing nutrients. So as a rule, when we quit, we're pretty malnourished. A healthy diet to provide our bodies and brains with the material necessary to repair themselves is essential. Plus, it helps to keep our emotions stable so we feel well. Especially within the first couple of months, I found that if I was feeling bad it was likely because my blood sugar was low. I wasn't used to interpreting the feeling of hunger as 'time to eat'. A lot of times when I felt cravey or felt really bad emotionally a snack and some water worked magic. I try to eat 3 meals a day and have small snacks in between and before bed so I don't suffer from low blood sugar. I also take a multivitamin every day.

A special note about sugar- I tried to avoid sugar almost entirely as it causes a blood sugar increase, and then a blood sugar crash. That crash can leave us feeling stressed, upset, and cravey, a dangerous combination for recovering alcoholics. It's very common to start craving sugar when quitting alcohol as alcohol is in part converted to massive amounts of sugar. However, continuing to eat sugar is not helpful and keeps that part of the addiction alive. I found that when I was craving sugar in the beginning a healthy snack or meal with a couple of glasses of water would cure the sugar craving. Within a couple of weeks the sugar cravings ended for me.

Exercise- This works wonders. It helps to bust stress, calm us down, provides something to do other than drinking and provides natural endorphins in the brain. My favorites have been walking, yoga class and biking.

PAWS- Learning about PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) was very helpful to me in knowing what to expect, knowing that it WOULD get better and knowing about things I could do to help the symptoms. I found the following articles very helpful:

Sleep- I've needed a ton of extra sleep since I quit drinking. I think a lot of it has to do with the brain needing to repair from all of the damage done. I try to get as much sleep as I need and sneak in naps a lot of days. I'm fortunate in that I work for myself and that is actually a possibility.

Using my Planner- Especially during the early days, I found myself rather confused as to what I should be doing with myself. I found that using my planner and writing down everything that I wanted to do for the day really helps. I make sure to include meals and snacks on the list so I'm not tempted to skip them. I also include exercise, reading, work, chores, hobbies, and time on SR. It helps me to be productive and keep on track. It also helps if I'm feeling down or unmotivated I remind myself to DO one of the things on my list for the day rather than just getting lost in my head.

One Day at a Time- I try my best to take things one day at a time. It makes it all doable.

Attitude of Gratitude- Every day, I make sure and add to my gratitude list thread. Somethings go on it every day, like being thankful for another day not drinking. I try to look at the positives about not drinking and the positives about life in general. Attitude makes a huge difference in staying quit. Thinking things like "I'm thankful for another day sober" is so much better than thinking things like "It's not fair I'm an alcoholic, I wish I could drink."

Hobbies- I make sure to engage in a few hobbies to keep myself busy, relieve stress and have fun. Mine include drumming, reading, yoga, walking and biking. They are all things I enjoy and also they are good for my physical and mental health.

Education- I try to learn as much as I can about addiction in general and alcohol in specific. The more you know, the easier it is to quit. The more I learn, the more I'm motivated to stay quit.