desertsweetpea

I am on my 24th day of sobriety today and everyday seems to get a little easier. Between AA meetings and therapist appointments I feel like I have a solid plan of action this time around and so far the cravings have continue to diminish. Having said that, I feel exhausted. Physically my body feels almost flu like. Aches and pains. Restless sleeping at night. I'm trying to eat healthy foods and get some exercise daily. Anyone have suggestions on other ways to nurse the body/mind while healing? I realize the best medicine is time, just feeling impatient. (An impatient alcoholic, who would have guessed?) Thanks.

Anna

It sounds like you're doing well. Congratulations on 24 days sober.

Be sure to be gentle with yourself and if you're body is tired, then listen to it and rest.

PurpleKnight

Yeap time is the healer, the body can't wipe away years of drinking in a matter of weeks, it needs to do it's thing, but needs the time to do it!!

Be good to yourself, I didn't do much my first month, went to bed really early, crashed and watched box sets, I wasn't the most active, sociable or productive of people, but I was ticking off those Sober days as time went on, that was the real result!!

Then one day I got back my spring in my step, started going for walks, up early on a Sunday morning, started going out for coffee etc, life started to take off again!!

Hang in there!!

huntingtontx

I was told when I was new in recovery to treat myself like I had the flu. Guess that is why. I was tired, but excited about being sober. It sounds like you are doing everything right.

DefconOne

I went on a lot of walks; it was spring then and it was nice to see the land change into something beautiful from a cold hard winter. It was inspiring and I imagined the same thing was happening in my mind, body and soul. You can draw a lot of good things into yourself just by walking around.

Soberwolf

Well done on 24 days very happy to hear your doing so well

Amazing

Nuudawn

Your post brought to mind a lot for me...

I thought about the word "patient" when you mentioned "impatient" and I got to think about how we alcoholics are "impatient". Isn't it interesting how the word for a person in hospital "recovery" is a "patient"?

I then realized how in sobriety I am getting used to the actual needs of my body. The other day I was feeling rather ornery and irritable and I realized my I had eaten in hours. I then remembered how ornery and irritable my 25 year old niece tells me she gets when she hasn't eaten and her blood sugar is low. It gave me pause. Was I grumpy because I was hungry...because my blood sugar was low? At times in sobriety (and it's been during the summer when its been hot) I've had a headache and I've realized I have only hydrated with coffee and ice tea which are both duretics and "hey wow...maybe I'm dehydrated?".

There is so much about our bodies perhaps we are completely ignorant of because we have been so unconscious so long. Yes, we have to be the guardians and doctors of our own needs and bodies. After years of abuse we have to settle into our damaged bodies and await repair..but also the needs we may have no idea about. Too much caffeine increases my anxiety. When I don't get enough sleep the night previous, I'm like a toddler without a nap and my body craves carbs.

Getting to know ourselves requires a lot. I'm only about 10-11 weeks in myself and I know I have battled lethargy but it is getting better as I grow more accustomed to process and the natural rhythms of my body.

I appreciate your post as it made me think much more deeply about recovery and being not only "patient"..but self aware.

DG0409

Way to go on 24 days!!

Patience was hard for me in early recovery. I wanted every aspect of my life and health to get better right away... and instead, it took a lot of time.

I, too, was exhausted the first several months, but especially the first few weeks. Sounds like you are on the right track with getting in a little exercise and eating healthy.

Keep with it and take some time to be grateful each day for the things that have improved. The improvements from day to day may be small, but they start to add up to something really big and it is so worth it.