JustJerry

I have been reading so many of the posts and something that seems to be a norm with everyone does not seem to be a norm with me and I am a little afraid. I have read that a lot of people that have decided to stop drinking are going through withdrawl and and seem confuzed, scatterbrained, craving sugar, suffering from insomnia, and of course struggling not to drink. Is there something wrong with me? Ever since the moment I decided not to drink I have never felt better or thought more clearer. Granted it's only been since Saturday morning but I am thinking more clearly now than I have in years. I have a specific goal set in my head and I know what it will take to get there. But, after reading all of the posts I am afraid that I am either fooling myself or there must be something really bad waiting for me around the corner. Did I mention that I suffer from OCD? Maybe I am using OCD to be sober? That seems like it would be a good thing. I just hope that I am fortunate for the way I feel right now since deciding to be sober or .......cut to me a week from now in the bowels of Hell feeling like it is the end of the world. I hope I am not thinking myself silly. Thank you for your support.

Moontime

Go with the Positive feelings! Recovery will be like a heart-monitor, up and down. Ride it out as long as you can. Everybody is different, some lose the desire to use sooner, some later. Ride this out for as long as you can. People call this the Pink Cloud, my sponsor calls it Recovery! I've been on this for over 14 months, after turning my will and life over to our Higher Power, as I call god. I know that no matter what happens today, my HP already has it taken care of. That's a great surrendering/accepting feeling. It sounds like you surrendered and letting things flow, good job. Lose the Fight but Win the Surrender.

dbear

Actually, I went throught the same thing. Although I was drinking VERY heavily, (a 750 ml baootle of Jager a day at the end) I did not go through any of the major physical stuff either. I have been sober for 2 weeks today and can identify with your fellings very well.
My head is much more clear, etc.
I guess that not everyone suffer the same withdrawal symptoms. I consider that a good thing after hearing what some have had to endure to get off the hooch.
Anyway, hang in there. You are doing a wonderful thing for yourself and those around you.

dbear

bliss

Sounds like you are on the right track. Hopefully talking about it helped you feel a bit better. I know it helps me a great deal when I am unsure about something. Thanks for sharing. Keep believing in yourself.

Frost

You're feeling the pink cloud. It's a beautiful thing. I strongly suggest you begin going to meetings, get a sponsor and support group, and get a committment. Start working your first Step with your sponsor. Eventually this pink cloud will level off, you may feel down for a while, you may even want to use. This is why you need to get your foundation in recovery right away. Feelings will come and go, eventually the highs won't be so high and the lows won't be so low, just remember, no matter what, don't use!





'Let it be.'



Stepping Through Life...

Connie

I had a friend stop by my house last night. As we sat talking, AA came up, and she told me that she didn't believe that I was an alcoholic, but some sort of "pseudo alcoholic", and she felt that I could probably be a social drinker if I wanted, as I wasn't craving or going through withdrawal. In the middle of explaining to her specifics of my drinking days, things she hadn't known about, I realized how ridiculous the whole thing was, me sitting there trying to convince someone that I really was an alcoholic! Isn't it usually the reverse? Especially since she had had a few glasses of wine before arriving, and was struggling a little at times to get her words to match her thoughts. I guess there's a stereotype out there of the horrors of getting sober.

Personally, I'm getting real comfy on my pink cloud, and I intend to stay here for as long as I'm meant to be here. One day at a time.

JustJerry

Thanks everyone. It all makes better sense now. I was just a little scared thinking that something was not right. I guess it is just like everything else, everyone experiences everything differently. You guys are the coolest people.

2dayzmuse

(((JustJerry)

I'm glad you're feeling good and aren't going through any major discomfort. I must say, consider yourself lucky. It's great to have a clear mind and have a functioning brain again, isn't it? I've been thinking alot about the fog and heaviness that comes with drinking. The headache and spacey feeling that drags you down. The spinning room the whole experience of "uh oh" I'm not feeling to good and the whole incapacitated feeling. The feeling you can't do anything about, and have no choice other than to ride it out. I hate that miserable feeling and it boggles my mind that I spent so much time in that confused state. Insanity. I don't miss it one bit.

FrstdOne brought up a good point. The leveling off of the "good" feeling. When you drink away your emotions and don't feel, there is an adjustment period where you relearn to feel again. Many feel down and blue and have a hard time adjusting. It never occurred to me this would be a part of recovery. I just thought I would quit drinking and things would be rosey. That's not excactly so. Build a strong foundation, like was mentioned, preparing yourself for the flow of emotions. Remembering, everyone is different. You may not experience the same thing I did. I just wanted to inform you that this is a possibility. Having a strong recovery program you can fall back on when needed, would be an excellant back up plan. If you start getting the blues, call someone, your sponser, a friend or come here and post. The support will help you get past the flow of emotions. Feeling is a good thing, but there can be a period of readjustment. Good luck...

LeAnne

Brookie

There's a part of my brain that tells me exactly those things every day. Ironically, I stopped drinking socially a long time ago. I had to be alone to do the kind of drinking I was really interested in.

Enjoy the good feeling Jerry, but do be watchful against swings the other direction. I remember a particularly wonderful pink cloud that I had a few months ago, that was followed by a week of real struggle. I was grateful to have had the good feeling, but I'm also grateful things have leveled out some by now.

Best,
Joe

Heather1222

Frstd one, i love the pink cloud theory. My therapist actually mentioned it to me the other day. She said the time will come when I dont want to go to meetings and when I'm not having such a beautiful outlook on life. But now I am all for my pink cloud that I'm sitting on! I am starting to get the whole higher power step also, but I truly feel like my desire to do drugs and drink was lifted from me. I'm lucky.

hector

Welcome, Jerry, I'm glad you're feeling good. As long as you stay sober, you'll be way ahead of when you weren't, no matter how tough things might get. The old saying is my worst day sober is better than my best day drunk. It's old because it's true.
I agree wholeheartedly ( I think I spelled that right! Hot damn!) with your statement about clear thinking. I felt the same way for quite a while. I felt like I had a sort of fog cleared from my brain and thinking.
I've been sober almost sixteen years. It's a pleasant memory. Thanks.
Remember, life will continue to happen. Events will continue. You now have a choice: Will I make this event into a crisis? Your reactions are up to you. It took me a long time to figure that one out.
Also remember, I'm pulling for you. We're all in this together.

Frost

Heather - There definitely will come a time when we don't want to go to meetings. That's when we go to more. While we're all sitting in the rooms getting our recovery, our disease is out in the parking lot doing Schwartneger style push-up just waiting for us to let out guard down. We must be ever vigilante in our recovery.





'You who are on the road, must have a code that you can live by. And so, become yourself, because the past, is just a good-bye.'



'One life you got to do what you should.'

Heather1222

I have been forcing myself to go to meetings when I dont feel like it just because I know thats when I need one the most. I like the schwarzenegger analogy. Thanks for making me laugh!