10 days without a drink
 

Hi everyone. First time poster here. I recently quit drinking because I was starting to have anxiety and mild panic attacks during the day at work and school. I thought my problem wasn't that serious because I was never a day drinker, but I got drunk every night and was clearly building up a tolerance and would have soon had to drink more just to make myself feel normal. I quit cold turkey and my main symptom jas been general anxiety which I have medication prescribed for. My question is: how long is it going to take for me to just feel like myself again?! I was only a really heavy drinker for about 2-3 years, so it shouldn't be that long right? Thanks

Welcome Foosball!

I too showed up here after 10 days without drinking. These forums have really helped me with the craving to resume drinking. Now that it has been about 50 days, I am finding myself missing drinking less and less everyday. I hope you find the same!

Foosball, I'm on Day 21. I was an anxious mess until about the 12-14 day mark. Just hang in there it gets better.

Thanks guys. I'm doing some aerobic excercise, it helps quite a bit.

Give yourself a few weeks or months sober and see if the anxiety goes away. Anxiety is part of physical withdrawal. My anxiety is a lot better now that I'm sober. :)

Day 14 and I feel pretty rough. Please let this pass soon...

Hi and welcome foosball :)
Congrats on day 14. I think we can underestimate the effects of years of drinking...but I hope you'll start to feel better soon :)

D

14 days is fantastic.

Think of it this way? If you feel this anxious after 2-3 years heavy drinking can you imagine how it will feel if you go back to drinking and then try to quit after 17 years of hard boozing (like me?)

You know you don't even want to go through that! So just hang in there my friend. You feel alone but we are all in this together and supporting each other!

PS - Your symptoms are your body, nervous system and mind getting better. It feels c**p but embrace it. You're getting well!

Big thanks. I'm hangin on. Comfort food tv and exercise is helping

Foosball123, I think you are doing awesome checking in here as well as using your coping skills to take care of yourself! Be easy on yourself. You are doing great!!

Day 5 here. No real dramas (I have even been to the pub a few times without drinking) butttt...

I also do have some (mild) anxiety. It creeps in at night and sometimes keeps me awake. It tapers off in the morning. Then again, I've dealt with anxiety since I was a teenager so maybe it's more like a return to normal! On the whole, I definitely feel sharper and happier. Just wish I was getting better sleep!

You're scaring me, friend. We used to have a saying in AA:

"Hang around the barber shop long enough and you're bound to get a haircut."

The hardest lesson I learned in the early days of recovery was patience. I wanted to feel 'normal' and I wanted my family to understand that this time was it. Neither of those things happened quickly, but they were both worth waiting for. Hang in there!

Great job on staying away from the booze for 10 days. Before you know it, it will be 2 weeks, then a month.... Keep up the good work!

Really appreciate the support, it helps. Day 17 now and for the most part I do feel like I'm getting better. The past couple days have been good but for some reason today was worse.

Just waking up to Day 13 in the UK Foorball123. I think that the weekends can be tough - or it might just be the ups and downs of recovery? It's too early on for me to know for sure.

I'm am feeling (like you) that the camaraderie and support of SR is really helping though.

17 days is great. Well done! May I ever be 4 days behind you!

Nice work on 17 days

way to go :)

D

GOOD ONE- there will be good and not so good days. Some, I notice in meeting think that since they have stopped drinking, there will be kittens with ribbons, unicorns and rainbows. Sometimes perhaps, but either way- life goes on. So much better facing it sober.
Support to you.

Really appreciate all the well wishing. Now the anxiety feels like its starting to subside (a bit at least) but I have a near-constant headache. Anyone able to relate? I had to just lie in bed most of today (Sunday thankfully) with the blinds closed.