500 Days of Sober
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 507
500 Days of Sober
I just passed 500 days without a drink, and thought I’d talk a bit about how my life has changed since then. Because it has changed far beyond anything I could have imagined.
Something I noticed almost right away was that I began to engage directly with life more. Before it felt like there was a thin veil between me and the world. Now I laugh out loud more rather than thinking “that was funny”. I feel sad when sad things happen. Just overall more connected. It’s a wonderful feeling. Something my family has noticed as well.
I also find my brain just feels sharper. I’m in a band (as a hobby) and I remember chord sequences, learn lyrics, pick up new songs much faster. I feel more creative. I have no scientific proof for this, but I definitely feel my brain is just working better.
The biggest change, though, isn’t just down to quitting. It’s down to joining SR.
When I was first thinking about quitting I came here, and after a while I started posting. And there was a woman drinking two bottles of wine a night who said she was afraid to join AA because it was a small town and people would find out, and she was worried her teenage daughter would be teased at school. I had a daughter the same age, and suggested maybe she should ask her daughter what she wanted her to do. Which she did. Her daughter apparently said there was nothing in the world she wanted more than her Mum to get sober, and she didn’t care if she was bullied for it. So the woman joined AA and for at least a few months until I think she stopped posting she was sober.
I have no idea if what I wrote affected what she chose to do, there was lots of fantastic advice and support from everyone else here, but just seeing someone in that much distress start turning her life around, and being part of a community here that wanted to help, struck something deep inside me. So a few months later I started training to become a counsellor. It’s a huge life change, and involves a massive amount of work, including on myself as part of that process, but I’m really happy with the choice I’ve made and I know this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t quit.
I don’t know if any of this is helpful to anyone else, everyone’s experiences are unique, but I wanted to share this partly as a way to say thank you again to SR. And partly to say nothing is written. Who you are right now, doesn’t have to be who you will always be. Everyone can change. Everyone.
Something I noticed almost right away was that I began to engage directly with life more. Before it felt like there was a thin veil between me and the world. Now I laugh out loud more rather than thinking “that was funny”. I feel sad when sad things happen. Just overall more connected. It’s a wonderful feeling. Something my family has noticed as well.
I also find my brain just feels sharper. I’m in a band (as a hobby) and I remember chord sequences, learn lyrics, pick up new songs much faster. I feel more creative. I have no scientific proof for this, but I definitely feel my brain is just working better.
The biggest change, though, isn’t just down to quitting. It’s down to joining SR.
When I was first thinking about quitting I came here, and after a while I started posting. And there was a woman drinking two bottles of wine a night who said she was afraid to join AA because it was a small town and people would find out, and she was worried her teenage daughter would be teased at school. I had a daughter the same age, and suggested maybe she should ask her daughter what she wanted her to do. Which she did. Her daughter apparently said there was nothing in the world she wanted more than her Mum to get sober, and she didn’t care if she was bullied for it. So the woman joined AA and for at least a few months until I think she stopped posting she was sober.
I have no idea if what I wrote affected what she chose to do, there was lots of fantastic advice and support from everyone else here, but just seeing someone in that much distress start turning her life around, and being part of a community here that wanted to help, struck something deep inside me. So a few months later I started training to become a counsellor. It’s a huge life change, and involves a massive amount of work, including on myself as part of that process, but I’m really happy with the choice I’ve made and I know this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t quit.
I don’t know if any of this is helpful to anyone else, everyone’s experiences are unique, but I wanted to share this partly as a way to say thank you again to SR. And partly to say nothing is written. Who you are right now, doesn’t have to be who you will always be. Everyone can change. Everyone.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Somerset
Posts: 933
Congrats OT, on your sober days & your career choice.
I can tell you that your words of encouragement in my first ever thread helped me enormously and I'll always be grateful to you.
I'm now approaching a year sober and I am experiencing all the same positives of abstinence you mention.
Thank you & good luck with the counselling, you're a natural!
I can tell you that your words of encouragement in my first ever thread helped me enormously and I'll always be grateful to you.
I'm now approaching a year sober and I am experiencing all the same positives of abstinence you mention.
Thank you & good luck with the counselling, you're a natural!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by OpenTuning 
I just passed 500 days without a drink
That is a lot of sober days.
A fine achievement.
Congratulations,
M-Bob
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