ipaidwithmylife

Hi, yet again: it's Ipaid. Just out of interest: Are there any noticeable changes, once you hit the 6-month mark, especially mentally? It's just that I keep hearing all these positive things about that point in time and I'm still struggling with my own mind.

I do realize recovery is different for everyone, but I would really like to hear of some (hopefully positive) experiences, in order to motivate me and my best friend( I have stopped drinking, while she's trying to cut down.)

Thanks in advance.

LBrain

it depends on many things, the best part about six months is that, well, you have six months and it's closer to a year than one month...

at six months I was still in a bit of limbo. I was dealing with a lot of "firsts". My six month point came just at the end of spring. So imagine being faced with nice weather and not being able to recall the last time you did anything at all without a drink in your hand. It was difficult. I mean, I literally always had a beer in my hand.

There were some PAWS like symptoms up until 9 months or so. The key is to get into a routine geared toward healthy living. And whatever you do, do your best to 'not miss it.'

I felt really good and strong at six months. I was going to the gym daily and eating healthy etc.
Around the nine month mark I woke up and felt completely different. Hard to explain, but you'll know the feeling when you get it. Just keep working toward it. It will happen.

SoberLeigh

I wouldn't say that the six month point was miraculous, ipaid, but it was, in fact, the point in my sobriety where the significant lethargy and persistent brain-fog which I had experienced began to lift - gradually yet consistently.

For me, there was physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing which needed to take place. Each aspect of that healing took place at different times and at different rates. The physical and cognitive/mental healing occurred with time spent in abstinence and I felt pretty well at about a year (although more healing was experienced thereafter). The emotional and spiritual healing took place with recovery 'work' - time spent in introspection and self-awareness in an attempt to understand the layered and multi-factorial aspects of my alcoholism; the healing there is ongoing but a tremendous amount of well-being has been achieved.

Keep at it; sobriety truly rocks.