I'm 5 months sober :)
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 341
I'm 5 months sober :)
And feeling pretty good about it. 
It really does take endless determination and I believe that I now want to keep my sobriety more than I want to drink.
After 5 months I am feeling physically and mentally good Most days. Other days my emotions are all over the place. I can go from feeling on top of the world to indescribable anger & frustration in 5 minutes flat. But most of the time I'm feeling peaceful, like I'm really part of this world now and not on the sidelines watching everybody live their life.
I hated that. It felt like I wasn't participating in life really. I was usually just planning my next drunk, or fighting the urge to drink, or just so hungover I wasn't able to do much of anything. The shame was killing me too, killing my spirit, I was feeling dead inside.
That feeling is completely Gone.
So, for those trying to get sober, believe me, just that peace of mind is worth everything.
Weekends are my challenge right now, I struggle awful I have to admit but I just really can't imagine going back to that life.
I've come too far.
Thank-you all for being there, I read this board faithfully every day.
It really does take endless determination and I believe that I now want to keep my sobriety more than I want to drink.After 5 months I am feeling physically and mentally good Most days. Other days my emotions are all over the place. I can go from feeling on top of the world to indescribable anger & frustration in 5 minutes flat. But most of the time I'm feeling peaceful, like I'm really part of this world now and not on the sidelines watching everybody live their life.
I hated that. It felt like I wasn't participating in life really. I was usually just planning my next drunk, or fighting the urge to drink, or just so hungover I wasn't able to do much of anything. The shame was killing me too, killing my spirit, I was feeling dead inside.
That feeling is completely Gone.
So, for those trying to get sober, believe me, just that peace of mind is worth everything.
Weekends are my challenge right now, I struggle awful I have to admit but I just really can't imagine going back to that life.
I've come too far.
Thank-you all for being there, I read this board faithfully every day.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
WAY TO GO!!!
Keep at it. 5 months is still early days. Keep doing things to deepen sobriety. Keep taking ACTION in the direction of sobriety and a richer life.
Over time, the need for "endless determination" fades into something more like a "moderate effort"..... and then over time, the 'moderate effort' fades into something much more like 'ease'.... and then over time, the thing more like 'ease' evolves into something that is actually quite joyous, free and natural.
So be aware of that journey, celebrate it's milestones, continue to draw your focus deeper still. ACTION is the key... continuous action.... conscious victories.... intentional change.
You're on the right track... keep it up!!
Keep at it. 5 months is still early days. Keep doing things to deepen sobriety. Keep taking ACTION in the direction of sobriety and a richer life.
Over time, the need for "endless determination" fades into something more like a "moderate effort"..... and then over time, the 'moderate effort' fades into something much more like 'ease'.... and then over time, the thing more like 'ease' evolves into something that is actually quite joyous, free and natural.
So be aware of that journey, celebrate it's milestones, continue to draw your focus deeper still. ACTION is the key... continuous action.... conscious victories.... intentional change.
You're on the right track... keep it up!!
Keep going, it gets better. 
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Congratulations on 5 months Jessie, that's a fantastic accomplishment!
The mood/emotional changes take time to overcome - remember that you are living an entirely new lifestyle now and it won't magically change overnight. As addicts we crave instant gratification in all areas of our life...and a big part of sobriety is accepting that things don't work that way.
Many times we also have underlying issues that we need to treat separately. For me it is Anxiety, for some it's depression and there are a laundry list of others too. But the good thing is that we are FAR better prepared to deal with whatever issues we have sober. Glad you are making progress and recognizing the issue you need to face...that's half the battle right there!
The mood/emotional changes take time to overcome - remember that you are living an entirely new lifestyle now and it won't magically change overnight. As addicts we crave instant gratification in all areas of our life...and a big part of sobriety is accepting that things don't work that way.
Many times we also have underlying issues that we need to treat separately. For me it is Anxiety, for some it's depression and there are a laundry list of others too. But the good thing is that we are FAR better prepared to deal with whatever issues we have sober. Glad you are making progress and recognizing the issue you need to face...that's half the battle right there!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Kansas
Posts: 399
Great job Jessie. I can relate with everything you said. 5 months is a great accomplishment. I had the same mood swings still at that point that you mentioned, but that's also about when it started to stabilize and over the next 6 months things were more peaceful.
Also, in early sobriety I struggled mightily on weekends. The solution I stumbled on to was that I got really into watching and reading about boxing. The fights are always on the weekends and it always gave me an excuse if I was in a situation that was or could be potentially triggering. "Sorry, I have to go watch the fights." I'm not suggesting you get into boxing, but maybe something else? Photography? Art? Music? Writing? Gardening? Cooking? Anything really.
The other thing boxing did was I found a lot of like minded people with similar interests and formed friendships with people all across the country.
Since then I have gotten into cooking.
Keep it up. You're doing great!
Also, in early sobriety I struggled mightily on weekends. The solution I stumbled on to was that I got really into watching and reading about boxing. The fights are always on the weekends and it always gave me an excuse if I was in a situation that was or could be potentially triggering. "Sorry, I have to go watch the fights." I'm not suggesting you get into boxing, but maybe something else? Photography? Art? Music? Writing? Gardening? Cooking? Anything really.
The other thing boxing did was I found a lot of like minded people with similar interests and formed friendships with people all across the country.
Since then I have gotten into cooking.
Keep it up. You're doing great!
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