countrygirl2014

I want to hear how you got through those first few months of sobriety. I think people who are newly sober could take some of these ideas and use them for their own journey.

I couldn't get my brain to shut off at first. It kept telling me to drink. I bought a book and would read it at night before bed.

Instead of a drink at night, I started drinking chamomile tea.

Slept a lot. My body was detoxing and healing. Sleep was so important.

Feel free to add.

Jennifer

FLCamper

The biggest help for me the first few days was having someone in the house who knew I was quitting and she (my daughter) held me accountable. I probably could have snuck drinks past her - but she watched me pretty closely and I really was tired of that game of sneaking. I was very ready to quit and knew this was an opportunity to have some help and didn't want to let it slip by.
Also, changing my routine was important - and having things to do as a distraction helped.

StayStrong33

I stayed busy with work, meetings, step work, church, working out, cleaning, cooking, brunch/dinner with sober people, and making up for lost time with family. I prayed constantly for patience. I'd gotten so use to immediate gratification (gulps of alcohol) but I had to accept this would take a while to pay off. Sometimes all I could do was sit through it and cry. The clouds began to fade at around 4 months.

countrygirl2014

I started doing volunteer work that I love. I always told myself if I drink, I'm not allowed to go back there.

Jennifer

countrygirl2014

The gratitude list. Write down three things your grateful for in the morning and at night. It changes your whole attitude.

Jennifer

Cauliflower

Patience a constant reminder of why I wanted to quit. Sleep and rest when you can, your mind and body needs to heal.

leviathan

I took my vitamins. Wife made sure I ate well. I also did a bit of candy therapy.

We were gearing up to sell the house, so I tried to stay busy with all the neglected upkeep. Pretty much "anger painted" the whole interior while blasting metal. Had outpatient groups on weekday evenings, so could vent with other sufferers.

I did alot of "urge-surfing" and hung on (white-knuckled) with faith that what sober friends told me was true: that it would get better.

I also engaged in serious research. I figured I would put the same amount of time into it as I was used to spending in the bottle. I collected strategies from every program I could find useing the "take the best, leave the rest" mantra.

Much of this info was found or linked to from this site, and " the Fix" website.

Dee74

I spent a lot of time here - did volunteer work where I could...I did everything I could to deal with situations feeling and the like...and not drink.

The more things I accomplished sober the easier it got - I learned a craving need not be a command.

D

MelindaFlowers

Once I hit my rock bottom and made the decision that alcohol would never touch my lips again, I didn't struggle with alcohol cravings so much as whole-body sugar cravings. I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted any hour of the day.

I honestly cannot even put into words how important this was. Large amounts of chocolate and junk food I swear to God cut the cravings by 85%.

The only way I can describe it is that candy and junk food became my patch like somebody would use a patch for quitting cigarettes.

I struggled with knowing what to do with myself during the evenings. I didn't even enjoy just sitting and watching TV or relaxing. I couldn't relax. I was in fight or flight mode often during the evenings and the evenings seemed never ending. There were some days I was probably logged onto this website 14 hours a day maybe even more.

I read and read and read and read and read. Maybe my memory has rose-colored glasses with the alcohol craving thing that I said. I guess what I mean by that is I never came close to actually drinking. I knew I was done but I had quite a bit of physical discomfort nonetheless.

It took about a year of pretty drawn out PAWS to feel like a healthy happy functioning person. However, I felt better on day TWO then I did on any day when I was drinking and hung over which was every day.

mecanix

I put myself in "lockdown"
I went shopping on a thursday for the weekend so i didn't go anywhere near the alcohol aisle with that weekend feeling .

On getting home from work i was allowed a scoop of ice cream , that was my surrogate treat .

I went to bed early , sometimes as early as 6:30 pm . once in bed i stayed there only getting up for cups of tea/water , i had a telly and an internet .

I used to go take a shower , often more than once a night if i had a craving , this is because it gave me a time delay , can't go up the shop naked and wet …

I kept no cash in the house , if i went out for an "aimless walk" i made sure i had no cash and no cards , no way to buy anything .

I went to bed early and i got up early , addiction seems to prefer the dark .

After 1 month sober i found SR again and started reading lots and lots , after 3 months sober i joined and started posting as that is what successful people like dee did .

Sometimes i felt like i wanted a drink so much i curled into a ball and cried my eyes out but i didn't want a drink so i just sat with it .

If misery and irritability was what sober was going to be like then that was going to be it's price so i just accepted it , there are people in this world who have a far better right to be miserable than me .

By focusing on the pain that alcohol caused me , the cancer and strokes it causes , the poverty both emotional and fiscal , by focusing on what the benefits of a sober life are, being there for the people i love , health and steadfastness of character.

i find i can convince myself that alcohol and a good time are just a delusion , it just causes misery , pain and sickness , a neuro toxin with a billion dollar advertising budget .

When i stopped desiring it , i stopped feeling miserable about not having it .

Thats pretty much the first few months ..

m

blueberry2015

Whilst detoxing, I slept loads didn't feel like eating much so I drank lots of antioxidant smoothies, took vitamins b12 and Vitamin D. For me its been very much one day at a time, when the cravings came I tried to distract myself by watching a movie, playing a game etc. In my first few months I always had a glass of a soft drink in my hand, constantly! I was initially worried about that, but my therapist told me not to be as it was keeping me sober, eventually I found that "glass holding" diminished completely. Sweets helped loads with the cravings too, Im now looking to combat my sugar cravings lol. But im in a good place to do that now! I went and still go to AA meetings regularly and visited SR at times of difficulties is very important for me.

My advice is do whatever you need to do to stay sober. It doesn't matter what you do so long as you don't pick up a drink! One day at a time.

Ileana

I am probably not the norm but I didn't tell anyone. I quit quietly by myself on my own terms. I realize now this was more about fear of failure than anything else but it worked for me.
I agree with above poster about the sugar. I ate sweets like crazy. Entire cartons of ice cream in one sitting. Bags of chocolate. For me it really helped.

As I posted before I also took on the home project of painting every room in my house. I needed something to do at 2AM when I would normally be sitting around by myself finishing a case of beer. I needed something to help me through the sleepless nights. Unlike previous posters after I quit, sleep became elusive. Before I found my painting project the nights would be unbearable.

I gave myself permission not to be perfect. I gave myself permission to watch mindless TV. I basically gave myself permission to do anything except drink.

SoberinSyracuse

This is a great thread. I'm in very early sobriety, so I love reading about how others made it through those first few weeks and months.

ALinNS

Gosh my list would be fairly long as I love to do so many things, finally when sober I can.

Hiking tops my list
Kayak and Canoe would be next but its winter here
Ice Skating - Love it
Road Trips with my GF - we love adventures
Walking my dog
Working in my woodworking shop, hobby since I was 12 and love it, still have a dream shop and work with 76 woods from around the world, building just about anything
I am an Entrepreneur at heart, when I drank that was quashed and I could not dream ideas which I find exciting and I like/enjoy making things happen
Cut Firewood for the next season, split and stack
Visit friends that I have met that do not drink, don't have many but working on that
My GF and I just bought a place on the ocean, amazing view, has a large garage not attached to the house that will be my woodworking shop, going to do cabinetry and crafts full time, have done this in the past. We are going to renovate the house before she moves in so that is what I will be working on for the next few months

Those are a few that come to mind.

Andrew

MIRecovery

I filled almost every waking moment with IOP, AA or work. I came to meetings early and stayed late to recreate a social life and build a sober network

I told a select group of people I could trust that I was quiting drinking and it was very hard

I recognized when I was hungry, angry, lonely, or tired HALT and took the actions necessary. I can not count the number of times when I really wanted a drink and all I was, was hungry

A dry house

Never went anywhere alcohol was served

Drank tons caffeine free diet coke.

A huge one was changing my schedule.

Change4good

I had to take alcohol completely off the table. I had to tell myself, "It is simply not an option for me, because my mind and body can't handle it."

I had to realize that I can't drink, no matter what, because I have an illness. Much like if I was allergic to peanuts, I wouldn't eat a jar of them. It would kill me. And with that parallel, alcohol would kill me.

PurpleKnight

It was all about distraction for me, simply not drinking without a plan was never going to work as I'd have too much time on my hands to pass.

In the beginning I didn't have too much energy for much so online scrabble was a friend, box sets, movies.

Then as things progressed I'd go for long walks in the evenings and weekends!!

Time passed slowly but it passed!!

countrygirl2014

My new nighttime guilty pleasure is hot cocoa and a bath. I just have to watch how late I drink it cuz it winds me up for a good hour. And inscense And Native American flute or yoga music on pandora.

Jennifer

desertsong

Distraction and sugar! Like so many others, I allowed myself whatever I wanted to eat or drink, as long as it didn't include alcohol. I ate like a horse during those first couple of weeks and binged on sugar almost every night. It DOES help.

I had just moved into a new house when I got sober, so I had a lot to do to get things set up, and that was a godsend. I unpacked boxes and put stuff away, organized cabinets and closets, and when my energy ran out, I'd binge on Netflix TV shows or read until my eyes burned. And of course, spent a lot of time (and still do) here on SR.

jesshonesty

Thank you so much for these posts it is so helpful! I am on day 2 .