Livingonwishes

Hi,
Up until last Saturday I had spent many years drinking a bottle of vodka a day. I had tried several times to stop over the years but always gone back to old habits when things went bad. Until recently I never had a real reason to motivate me to stop but in the last few months I found I cared more for someone than I did for the alcohol so tried to get into detox only to be told the earliest I could was 3 months away and that was too far in the future for me to say friends with this person. So I've gone cold turkey, and am hoping that by being part of this coupled with my friend a s a motivation I can stick to it this time for the long haul...


Thanks for listening

Hevyn

Welcome, livingonwishes - I'm so glad you're here.

SR was the encouragement & support I needed years ago when I was drinking around the clock. I found the courage to change my life by reading & posting here - where everyone truly understood what I was going through. Congratulations on making the decision to reclaim your life. You can do this!

Anna

Welcome, and congratulations on your decision to stop drinking. You will find lots of support here.

Marcutah1

Hi Livingonwishes, as wit Hevyn I found this place when I realized that I had a bigger problem than what I was admitting to myself. I had secures two of my friends (my wife and a friend whose wife had gone through this) as someone I could call when the feeling became too strong for me to deal with alone. Try AA or maybe someone you know to fill that role. This place has been a BIG help to me. Reading and communicating with others who have gone through the challenges of getting sober was what I needed. I can't thank the folks here enough. One piece of help I can give you is when the Addictive Voice (AV) gets to loud use distraction. Anything to change the thoughts you are having. Having someone to change for is great, I had my wife, but you have to do this for yourself. I feel so much better now that I have quit drinking I wish I hit bottom sooner. One other thing, I now have more money in my account because I am not spending $150 a month on alcohol. I quit on May 5 2018 and had a fall October 19th. Been sober since then. You can do this, I can hear it in your words. Come here often, let us know how you are doing. No one judges you here.

least

Welcome to the family.

PhoenixJ

COLD TURKEY - DANGEROUS WITHOUT A DOC INVOLVED!

I had seizures

August252015

Glad you are here.

I went cold turkey myself and would do it again, despite all the difficulties I experienced. As everyone always says, though - go to the ER if you are worried about your detox, immediate or subsequent withdrawal experience.

Zanna

I would at least have someone around in case of any difficulties.
All the very best with it and welcome to SR

Livingonwishes

Thanks to you all, I found this site through my friend who is on here and already feel more positive. I've already done an AA meeting this week and got another this evening and met up with my friend who is my inspiration and motivation so am finally being proactive.

Today is day 5 and I am suddenly having nosebleeds so that's not helping me feel better. Not sure if they are related to the not drinking as I have never really suffered with them before now. Still I'll happily put up with them if it is a result of being sober.


Getting through today is a step forward and tomorrow will be better.

Zanna

Hi. I used to get nosebleeds when I quit smoking 3 years ago - my Doctor said back then it was nicotine withdrawals. No idea is this applies to alcohol too.
If in doubt - get it checked out
Well done on reaching day 5 - the worst is almost over and you never have to go through this again

Spider

Ya know, I was really moved by your post...even more so after learning of your board handle here. There is something to be said for living a rewarding life and that almost always includes important people in our lives. Sobriety without hope has never been possible for me, personally. I wish you hope and dreams fulfilled that exceed your expectations.

Midwest1981

welcome to SR! 5 days is great. I hope you feel better soon.

Dee74

welcome aboard livingonwishes

D

Marcutah1

5 days, that is so cool.

Livingonwishes

Had a bad day yesterday, found out that withdrawal can be very up and down.

Ended up in the local Minor Injuries Unit after fainting. Turns out I was suffering with fluctuating blood pressure and Non-Diabetic Hypoglycemia, quite common during withdrawal apparently but very scary. After 4 hours of rest and 5 glucose drinks they let me out and thankfully I feel so much better today and have the tools to manage the situation so it doesn't happen again.


Annoyingly I was going to be off to my third AA meeting last night but obviously couldn't attend, that's the second time this week I have missed a meeting because of the withdrawal and I've been beating myself up over it ever since. Feels like I'm letting myself and everyone else down when they have gone out of their way to make it as easy as possible to attend.


Still now I am feeling better I hope to get back into the saddle and not let things slide.


Here's to day 6 of sobriety, as painful as it seems to be sometimes!!

peacefulintent

Don't beat yourself up! You need to be good to yourself and do what the doc's have told you to do. You can get to a meeting now. Use SR as much as you need. It is the best resource! Peace to you.

Marcutah1

Don't beat yourself up. Life happens. Sounds like you did not resort to old ways just getting through the beginning stages of sobriety. I have not gone through withdrawals but I sure have to deal with the urges a lot. Only one screw up since May. Just don't give up.

least

The actual physical withdrawal lasts several days, so you should be coming to the end of the worst of it. Be prepared tho, as early recovery can really be up and down. Do you have a sobriety plan in case the urge to drink hits you? My plan was weekly counseling and daily visits here to SR. I no longer see the counselor but still come here every day to give back some of the love and hope that was given to me when I was down and out.

sobriiestote

Livingonwishes

So here I am on Sobriety Day 12... The last weekend was horrible... I was so emotional and depressed.... Attended AA Monday lunch time and got a boost and then dropped off sharply in the afternoon, so much so that I was asked if I was drinking again and the way I was being and what I was saying was too much for my friend and she couldn't talk to me...

Attended an AA meeting last night which was brilliant. A new place and I only vaguely knew the guy who invited me. But one thing that I was told that makes a lot of sense after the weekend is that when you drink you lose your emotions and the good thing about stopping drinking is you get your emotions back, the bad thing about stopping drinking is you get your emotions back... It was like I had opened a door and found a flood on the other side and I couldn't close the door because of everything that was pouring through....

All my fears, self loathing, longings and disjointed desires came through in one big hit... SO wasn't expecting that....


Had a good day today, so far... but the emotions and memories that surfaced over the weekend are still lingering.... I know that anyone who hasn't had an addiction that have chosen to stop won't fully understand but also those that are starting on their own journey of sobriety really don't need some recently sober loony suddenly pouring their heart out to them about their life, loves and self loathing but it was so hard to stop and I apologise to anyone I messaged... It is hard when you have few friends to talk to so there are some that end up getting the full on Tsunami of emotion, lol....


You are always told it is good to talk and yes it is but you need to pick the right people and the right time and know when to stop....


Coming to the end of day 12 and it is getting better and easier, I just hope everyone bears with me whilst I have the occasional melt down, lol


Thanks for listening....