Just over 150 days
 

Hello all. I recently hit 150 days and seem to be struggling with the mental aspect of recovery more than in previous months. I think it may be the fact that I the warmer weather brings outdoor and social activities where I used to drink or maybe I'm just hitting some kind of 'wall' in my recovery. I know everyone's recovery is different but has anyone had this experience and possibly some advice?

BINGO! I’ve clocked up over a 100 days of sober time — a bit less than you, it’s true — but I’m starting to experience more frequent cravings than I did earlier on in recovery. Having read a fair bit here and other places, it strikes me that this is not an uncommon experience around this kind of time. I guess you could call it part of PAWS, put it down more generally to the mental and physical recovery from alcohol, or even attribute it to the siren call of booze getting stronger (or more desperate) as you go without it for longer. To be honest, I’m not sure it matters why in the final analysis, but you are definitely not alone. What’s helping me more than anything in staying sober is the recognition — the acceptance, even — that I just can’t drink any more. And, in a funny way, the desire to drink that’s popping up is strengthening that acceptance: if I was able to drink normally, then I wouldn’t be thinking about it at all.

My very best to you: glad to be walking with you in this. I appreciate your posting.

Thank you for your input and congrats to both of us for making it this far! I guess I just needed to confirm in my own mind that I'm not alone in this increase in pressure at this stage of recovery. Somehow knowing this is a group experience we all go through makes it easier to handle. I wish you the best in your recovery.

Hope,

150 days is a very long time to be sober. It is definitely all mental now. No more 2 pronged attack.

That is my experience as well. I would have fully relapsed by now if not for SR.

I slipped 2 times, but didn't fully fall because SR talked me down.

This addiction tries to get me to relapse because I forget why I quit.

It is a problem caused by forgetting.

I just suffer through and the crave passes. I tell myself I am a non drinker. I think about other non drinkers I know...like my aunt, my coworker etc.

Thanks.

You are not alone🤫

I am between 4 and 5 months in and still struggle.

I never expected to fall so far as I did when embarking upon the sober journey.
This a clear eye opener as to how addicted I was and how much damage had been done slowly and steadily over time with alcohol.

All that said at this point I am far far better than I was at the beginning of this journey.

When I feel week and doubt or AV start to grind I consciously think of what early sobriety was like and this really helps.

When I think of how bad it was for me, this process seems to restore the balance and put the unhelpful feelings to bed.

Why would we want to do all that again when the road ahead is full of undescovered promise and hope.

Stay strong and keep posting.

Dusty😎

I think it's common to plateau a little at various points Hope.

If you're a little worried about summer tho, this is the best time to make an action plan :)

D

Oh yes, I've had many plateaus in my recovery. But, what I've found during those periods is that my mind is slowly working through something. And, almost inevitably, I will find something of a surge forward, following a plateau. It's as if my mind is working through something that I'm not totally aware of, and then suddenly it clicks into place and I have an 'aha' moment. :)

I'm around 80 days and for me it's been filled with tons of anxiety, out of body feeling, going thru the motions, cognitive cloud, palpitations that finally let up
about a week ago, and this overall sense of dread. Hopefully it gets better for you.