CRRHCC

Socrates said, "A life not worth examining, is a life not worth living." Epictetus the Greek slave and philosopher said, "No man is free until he masters himself."

For me, clarity arrived when I finally understood the cause of why I used drugs and alcohol. It took me two months before I could begin see the forest through the trees. I abused drugs to regain control of my emotions, to escape the trap of feeling helpless and out of control to specific circumstances in life that I felt were intolerable and overwhelming. I escaped my helplessness trap with the quick fix or mood changer of drugs and alcohol. I eventually learned to regain control of my helpless, trapped feelings with other high value behaviors that empower me! I realized that addiction was not a disease over which I had no control, but simply a symptom of something else that was wrong in my life. I examined and changed my values and purpose in life. People change when they hurt enough and have to or when they learn enough and want to.

Jesus Christ, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ​ John 8:32

tekink

It took me 13 months to actually feel good and have the brain fog lift. A life of damage can take some time to heal.

SoberCAH

I started reaping the benefits of getting sober the first day I woke up sober.

My mental fog lifted incrementally over the course of the first year or 2.

But I got a fairly high degree of clarity after around 6 months or so, like several of the other posters.

I am told that our brains have to do a good bit of reorganizing after the onslaught of abuse that we did while we were drinking an using.

It's a miracle that some of us, me included, can think at all.

Congrats on your 57 days - that's quite an accomplishment.

I urge you to work a program of recovery and not try to do things on your own.

GrayJ

Thanks everyone!

always interesting to hear people's experiences and thanks for the words of encouragement!

Gray x