countrygirl2014

This is such a debilitating addiction. It messes with your head for months after you put down that last drink. I have read some on here throwing it away after four months, 6 months...etc. It is so important for my sobriety to reflect on the last two years I drank and those first few months sober. Life is just starting to make sense to me. There is a reason you are here. You don't have to compare your drinking to others. "Oh I'm not as bad as that guy". You are unhappy with your life as you know it and you want change. Don't worry about what others are doing. Worry about you. Those first months are hell. You hang on tight, sleep often, eat, drink water. Hang on...and once those chains break, remember all of it. Remember being drunk. Remember the shakes. Remember all the mental chatter and breakdowns. I got a ticket for a brand new life. For the price of one drink I can have my old one back. And I don't know if there are any tickets left so I am hanging on to this for all it's worth. Please know this, everything you feel in those first few weeks is temporary. I didn't believe it either. I thought at times I needed psychiatric help. I didn't. It's just what alcohol has done to my brain. And it gets better with time. Promise.

Jennifer

doggonecarl

^^ This.

Jupiters

good reminder post!!! thanks

Plure

Well said Jennifer!

Nonsensical

I am so glad I read this post!

Nailed it.

countrygirl2014

I had to post this. My heart goes out to those that are getting one or two days then crash. The one member on here had some decent time then...crash. There are so many it breaks my heart. If I can post a hopeful message, maybe one of those people can grab it and use it as their lifeline.

Jennifer

Nofearnobeer

Great Post Jen! Oohh Lordy , you said the shakes...I don't miss those at all...

Spacegoat

Very positive post Jennifer

JT0626

Awesome post, Jennifer. I needed that today. Thanks for posting!

countrygirl2014

^this is what I was hoping to do today.

Jennifer

SoberLeigh

Fantastic post, Jennifer. Thank you.

Dave36

That post almost made me tear up a little. I'm at 2 months and it's a struggle. That post really gave me hope and renewed resolve. Thank you.

countrygirl2014

I can't even sugarcoat it...2 months was a struggle. But compare it to last month. Read your first posts. Find mine and read them. I would have never posted anything encouraging. If I did, it didn't come from my heart. But that is ok. Sleep as often as you can. Be selfish. Don't drink. The days will add up and you WILL start to feel like a productive member of society. Just hang in there.

Jennifer

drinkingdinos

This post was exactly what I needed to read this morning. Thank you.

Sherlock5

Thanks for this very inspiring message.

JD4010

Fantastic post. Thanks Jennifer!

I'm on day 3 right now. I've gone for long stretches of sobriety over the years; Last year, I made it for 7 months. But then along came the divorce.

I hate waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I'm gonna heave. I hate the sound of my heart beating so fast. I hate the gritty eyes, pounding head, and nausea all the next day.

And then I hate myself for drinking again.

Thanks again!

countrygirl2014

You are so welcome JD, and everyone. You CAN do this!

Jennifer

Crasfd

Nice reassuring post.