Alcohol crept up on me and it feels like my life is falling apart.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Dave.... it took me way too long to finally quit drinking.
But what it also took was more than just "quitting drinking".
I had to embrace sobriety... fully... and work on ME.
When I began doing that, it didn't get better overnight or even 'right away' or even 'quickly'. But, within a year my life began to change and after a year things were pretty darn good and now over two years on, my life has improved drastically.
Life still has challenges, but I'm now experiencing and facing them with confidence and love and joy and gratitude. Even when I have to confront bouts of depression and anxiety - I'm able to do so with a sense of almost comfort.
Life is a gift and drinking robs us of that gift. I think in many ways, those of us who encountered major problems because of drinking were the lucky ones..... I imagine that if I were able to comfortably moderate my drinking to levels that I wanted to without trouble.... I'd just be continuing to numb my life away until I died - never fully stepping into the Self I was meant to be. I think that's the way for a lot of people. For MANY people... even many of those who never have a "problem" with drinking, but still allow it to impair what their lives could be if they didn't spend several hours a week or a day sucking down poison instead of living their true soul's purpose.
But I digress.... the point is this; hang in there. Seek not just to "not drink" - but to DRINK IN ALL THAT LIFE CAN BE IN SOBRIETY. Learn about sobriety from different angles. Try new things. Experience your life. Embrace the anxiety with interest and learn to move through life even when it is there.... interestingly, when we begin accepting anxiety and learning to move with it - it begins to fade! Accept times of depression and seek not to 'get rid of it' - but start where you are and say "OK.... Right now I am depressed. I'm a human, I have emotions. Like the weather, those emotions flow and morph and change. Though I am feeling depressed, I can still relish this experience of being human and within it, I can find growth. So, WHAT growth might I find in this emotion, right now?".
Put the notion of drinking off to the side and realize that it's all a distraction. The REAL challenge isn't "not drinking" - it is actually LIVING FULLY!!!
Welcome.... you can do this....
But what it also took was more than just "quitting drinking".
I had to embrace sobriety... fully... and work on ME.
When I began doing that, it didn't get better overnight or even 'right away' or even 'quickly'. But, within a year my life began to change and after a year things were pretty darn good and now over two years on, my life has improved drastically.
Life still has challenges, but I'm now experiencing and facing them with confidence and love and joy and gratitude. Even when I have to confront bouts of depression and anxiety - I'm able to do so with a sense of almost comfort.
Life is a gift and drinking robs us of that gift. I think in many ways, those of us who encountered major problems because of drinking were the lucky ones..... I imagine that if I were able to comfortably moderate my drinking to levels that I wanted to without trouble.... I'd just be continuing to numb my life away until I died - never fully stepping into the Self I was meant to be. I think that's the way for a lot of people. For MANY people... even many of those who never have a "problem" with drinking, but still allow it to impair what their lives could be if they didn't spend several hours a week or a day sucking down poison instead of living their true soul's purpose.
But I digress.... the point is this; hang in there. Seek not just to "not drink" - but to DRINK IN ALL THAT LIFE CAN BE IN SOBRIETY. Learn about sobriety from different angles. Try new things. Experience your life. Embrace the anxiety with interest and learn to move through life even when it is there.... interestingly, when we begin accepting anxiety and learning to move with it - it begins to fade! Accept times of depression and seek not to 'get rid of it' - but start where you are and say "OK.... Right now I am depressed. I'm a human, I have emotions. Like the weather, those emotions flow and morph and change. Though I am feeling depressed, I can still relish this experience of being human and within it, I can find growth. So, WHAT growth might I find in this emotion, right now?".
Put the notion of drinking off to the side and realize that it's all a distraction. The REAL challenge isn't "not drinking" - it is actually LIVING FULLY!!!
Welcome.... you can do this....
Blue Belt
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
Dave,
Hi. I am just over 8 months sober and it has gotten better every day.
I get cravings, every day, but I "role the tape" and beat them down.
Usually within seconds.
Do I miss drinking? Yes. We all do. But, I hate drinking. I hate booze. But, I miss it. Crazy, but true. It is some chemical thing I figure. The crave will always be there.
I changed my lifestyle from:
I was dying. I was a stroke waiting to happen.
Now I am healthy.
Now I am present for my wife and son.
The anxiety was horrible initially. I was educated, here, it was alcohol related. There might have been some other issues, but I have yet to find any.
The anxiety has all but subsided fully. But, it took a long time.
No drugs in my body any more except for a multi, b12, and omega 3. I need that stuff. It helps with the work outs.
Alcohol is a govt sanctioned toxin. Education is the key. Now we know. Moderation is prison.
My wife's is a normy. Her last drink was Oct 31. She talks about drinking sometimes, but she never does it. When she drinks, she has 1. That is what normal people do.
Most drunks, like me, think that is silly. Why have 1 drink? What is the point. I wanted the world to fade away. Not anymore. I want to live my last 30 or 40 years clean and sober. My brain has been altered enough for 3 life times.
I haven't been sick since I quit drinking. I get run down, but not like before. I would catch some nasty withdrawal induced flu bug every year. My immune system could not handle the booze.
That by itself, for me, is a reason to never drink again. Never getting really sick. That is amazing.
Anyway, before this gets any longer. Welcome and thanks for the therapy session.
Hi. I am just over 8 months sober and it has gotten better every day.
I get cravings, every day, but I "role the tape" and beat them down.
Usually within seconds.
Do I miss drinking? Yes. We all do. But, I hate drinking. I hate booze. But, I miss it. Crazy, but true. It is some chemical thing I figure. The crave will always be there.
I changed my lifestyle from:
I was dying. I was a stroke waiting to happen.
Now I am healthy.
Now I am present for my wife and son.
The anxiety was horrible initially. I was educated, here, it was alcohol related. There might have been some other issues, but I have yet to find any.
The anxiety has all but subsided fully. But, it took a long time.
No drugs in my body any more except for a multi, b12, and omega 3. I need that stuff. It helps with the work outs.
Alcohol is a govt sanctioned toxin. Education is the key. Now we know. Moderation is prison.
My wife's is a normy. Her last drink was Oct 31. She talks about drinking sometimes, but she never does it. When she drinks, she has 1. That is what normal people do.
Most drunks, like me, think that is silly. Why have 1 drink? What is the point. I wanted the world to fade away. Not anymore. I want to live my last 30 or 40 years clean and sober. My brain has been altered enough for 3 life times.
I haven't been sick since I quit drinking. I get run down, but not like before. I would catch some nasty withdrawal induced flu bug every year. My immune system could not handle the booze.
That by itself, for me, is a reason to never drink again. Never getting really sick. That is amazing.
Anyway, before this gets any longer. Welcome and thanks for the therapy session.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 16
Originally Posted by FreeOwl 
Dave.... it took me way too long to finally quit drinking.
But what it also took was more than just "quitting drinking".
I had to embrace sobriety... fully... and work on ME.
When I began doing that, it didn't get better overnight or even 'right away' or even 'quickly'. But, within a year my life began to change and after a year things were pretty darn good and now over two years on, my life has improved drastically.
Life still has challenges, but I'm now experiencing and facing them with confidence and love and joy and gratitude. Even when I have to confront bouts of depression and anxiety - I'm able to do so with a sense of almost comfort.
Life is a gift and drinking robs us of that gift. I think in many ways, those of us who encountered major problems because of drinking were the lucky ones..... I imagine that if I were able to comfortably moderate my drinking to levels that I wanted to without trouble.... I'd just be continuing to numb my life away until I died - never fully stepping into the Self I was meant to be. I think that's the way for a lot of people. For MANY people... even many of those who never have a "problem" with drinking, but still allow it to impair what their lives could be if they didn't spend several hours a week or a day sucking down poison instead of living their true soul's purpose.
But I digress.... the point is this; hang in there. Seek not just to "not drink" - but to DRINK IN ALL THAT LIFE CAN BE IN SOBRIETY. Learn about sobriety from different angles. Try new things. Experience your life. Embrace the anxiety with interest and learn to move through life even when it is there.... interestingly, when we begin accepting anxiety and learning to move with it - it begins to fade! Accept times of depression and seek not to 'get rid of it' - but start where you are and say "OK.... Right now I am depressed. I'm a human, I have emotions. Like the weather, those emotions flow and morph and change. Though I am feeling depressed, I can still relish this experience of being human and within it, I can find growth. So, WHAT growth might I find in this emotion, right now?".
Put the notion of drinking off to the side and realize that it's all a distraction. The REAL challenge isn't "not drinking" - it is actually LIVING FULLY!!!
Welcome.... you can do this....
But what it also took was more than just "quitting drinking".
I had to embrace sobriety... fully... and work on ME.
When I began doing that, it didn't get better overnight or even 'right away' or even 'quickly'. But, within a year my life began to change and after a year things were pretty darn good and now over two years on, my life has improved drastically.
Life still has challenges, but I'm now experiencing and facing them with confidence and love and joy and gratitude. Even when I have to confront bouts of depression and anxiety - I'm able to do so with a sense of almost comfort.
Life is a gift and drinking robs us of that gift. I think in many ways, those of us who encountered major problems because of drinking were the lucky ones..... I imagine that if I were able to comfortably moderate my drinking to levels that I wanted to without trouble.... I'd just be continuing to numb my life away until I died - never fully stepping into the Self I was meant to be. I think that's the way for a lot of people. For MANY people... even many of those who never have a "problem" with drinking, but still allow it to impair what their lives could be if they didn't spend several hours a week or a day sucking down poison instead of living their true soul's purpose.
But I digress.... the point is this; hang in there. Seek not just to "not drink" - but to DRINK IN ALL THAT LIFE CAN BE IN SOBRIETY. Learn about sobriety from different angles. Try new things. Experience your life. Embrace the anxiety with interest and learn to move through life even when it is there.... interestingly, when we begin accepting anxiety and learning to move with it - it begins to fade! Accept times of depression and seek not to 'get rid of it' - but start where you are and say "OK.... Right now I am depressed. I'm a human, I have emotions. Like the weather, those emotions flow and morph and change. Though I am feeling depressed, I can still relish this experience of being human and within it, I can find growth. So, WHAT growth might I find in this emotion, right now?".
Put the notion of drinking off to the side and realize that it's all a distraction. The REAL challenge isn't "not drinking" - it is actually LIVING FULLY!!!
Welcome.... you can do this....
I have literally printed it out and put it in my wallet to keep with me to read when things get heavy. Thank you so much.
Originally Posted by D122y
Dave,
Hi. I am just over 8 months sober and it has gotten better every day.
I get cravings, every day, but I "role the tape" and beat them down.
Usually within seconds.
Do I miss drinking? Yes. We all do. But, I hate drinking. I hate booze. But, I miss it. Crazy, but true. It is some chemical thing I figure. The crave will always be there.
I changed my lifestyle from:
I was dying. I was a stroke waiting to happen.
Now I am healthy.
Now I am present for my wife and son.
The anxiety was horrible initially. I was educated, here, it was alcohol related. There might have been some other issues, but I have yet to find any.
The anxiety has all but subsided fully. But, it took a long time.
No drugs in my body any more except for a multi, b12, and omega 3. I need that stuff. It helps with the work outs.
Alcohol is a govt sanctioned toxin. Education is the key. Now we know. Moderation is prison.
My wife's is a normy. Her last drink was Oct 31. She talks about drinking sometimes, but she never does it. When she drinks, she has 1. That is what normal people do.
Most drunks, like me, think that is silly. Why have 1 drink? What is the point. I wanted the world to fade away. Not anymore. I want to live my last 30 or 40 years clean and sober. My brain has been altered enough for 3 life times.
I haven't been sick since I quit drinking. I get run down, but not like before. I would catch some nasty withdrawal induced flu bug every year. My immune system could not handle the booze.
That by itself, for me, is a reason to never drink again. Never getting really sick. That is amazing.
Anyway, before this gets any longer. Welcome and thanks for the therapy session.
Hi. I am just over 8 months sober and it has gotten better every day.
I get cravings, every day, but I "role the tape" and beat them down.
Usually within seconds.
Do I miss drinking? Yes. We all do. But, I hate drinking. I hate booze. But, I miss it. Crazy, but true. It is some chemical thing I figure. The crave will always be there.
I changed my lifestyle from:
I was dying. I was a stroke waiting to happen.
Now I am healthy.
Now I am present for my wife and son.
The anxiety was horrible initially. I was educated, here, it was alcohol related. There might have been some other issues, but I have yet to find any.
The anxiety has all but subsided fully. But, it took a long time.
No drugs in my body any more except for a multi, b12, and omega 3. I need that stuff. It helps with the work outs.
Alcohol is a govt sanctioned toxin. Education is the key. Now we know. Moderation is prison.
My wife's is a normy. Her last drink was Oct 31. She talks about drinking sometimes, but she never does it. When she drinks, she has 1. That is what normal people do.
Most drunks, like me, think that is silly. Why have 1 drink? What is the point. I wanted the world to fade away. Not anymore. I want to live my last 30 or 40 years clean and sober. My brain has been altered enough for 3 life times.
I haven't been sick since I quit drinking. I get run down, but not like before. I would catch some nasty withdrawal induced flu bug every year. My immune system could not handle the booze.
That by itself, for me, is a reason to never drink again. Never getting really sick. That is amazing.
Anyway, before this gets any longer. Welcome and thanks for the therapy session.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
When my perceptions changed from I don't get to drink to I don't want to drink, my depression stated to subside. Over the course of many years I had periods of "time to slow down for awhile" breathers. I'd quit, sort of. Typically with the intent of this isn't forever. "If I don't get better soon, I might as well drink!!" - was an attitude I wore around like a black cloud.......
When consequences got bad enough and I made a decision to seek help while making sobriety a non-temporary state of being things got better, quicker.
For me it was the hanging on - the break up with booze et al that made me depressed - restless, irritable and discontented as I learned.
Glad you're here, friend. It takes time to work through issues - especially if like me one drank for many years.
When consequences got bad enough and I made a decision to seek help while making sobriety a non-temporary state of being things got better, quicker.
For me it was the hanging on - the break up with booze et al that made me depressed - restless, irritable and discontented as I learned.
Glad you're here, friend. It takes time to work through issues - especially if like me one drank for many years.
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 518
Originally Posted by Dave834
Well today is day two and i am having the most horrendous anxiety i think ive ever experienced.
There is light at the end of this -- when you have bad anxiety you have to slow down. Try taking a bath or shower, you have to truck through this but it gets better. Post on SR or read. But anything will be infinately better than drinking. Anxiety will pass. Hang in there.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 16
Originally Posted by JoeCree
Hi Dave.. i take prescription for my anxiety and a diff prescription for my depression. Since I quit (60ish days now) my anxiety has subsided so much that i forget to take meds now. The depression meds are daily so i take them no matter what.
There is light at the end of this -- when you have bad anxiety you have to slow down. Try taking a bath or shower, you have to truck through this but it gets better. Post on SR or read. But anything will be infinately better than drinking. Anxiety will pass. Hang in there.
There is light at the end of this -- when you have bad anxiety you have to slow down. Try taking a bath or shower, you have to truck through this but it gets better. Post on SR or read. But anything will be infinately better than drinking. Anxiety will pass. Hang in there.
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