VinnyMcM

Can’t believe I’ve made it this far.

Physically I haven’t felt this good since high school. Inward and outward. I really let myself go the past year to the tune of a 40 pound weight gain. That got my depressed and of course just another reason to drink. It’s amazing how the body can transform giving it the care a “normal” person would.

Mentally, I was scared after the “pink cloud” wore off. It still persists but it is getting better day by day. The biggest scare is the realization I can never drink again. My entire life was built around drinking. How was I going to do ANYTHING without drinking? I think that will be a lifelong battle. Little by little, I am starting to find joy in hobbies I had trained my brain was only fun while drinking. And that’s encouraging.

I’ve also come to the realization that this isn’t be first battle with sobriety as I continually told myself. I don’t know if there is a clear definition of relapse. I’ve told myself 100+ times that this was my last drink and then I’m done. Sometimes it lasted 8 hours and my longest was 5 days. I now realize I was never serious about quitting. This time I am and I believe it is a big reason I am succeeding.

Happy sober weekend everyone!

Mary88

Well done!

Surrendered19

Living in Day 53 here Vinny. All of those physical benefits and the clear, calm feelings just keep getting better and better in your next 25 days. It has not been a big issue with me yet because I was so physically gone that each day is still a marvel to me - so physically motivating. But, I am warned by what I read here to stay vigilant when you start to feel really good - that is when some major hijackings take place and we drink again. Anyway, not to be negative. You are doing amazing!!!

August252015

Great job both of you!

I had to put recovery specific action underneath all the other good choices. Building a new lifestyle is the best protection for a possible relapse, and it has a lot of components.

Keep going!

RecklessDrunk

Congratulations, the first few weeks are huge for developing the habit of not drinking.

I know what you mean, it's like anything recreational must involve drink. I guess part of it's our culture, part of it how alcoholic minds and bodies interpret our culture. Normal people a few drinks to get loose, us nonstop till destruction.

It's kind of silly when you step back and think about it. An activity is no fun without this glass of alchohol. So if we just sit at a bar and just sit there all night and suddenly this is fun because of a liquid in a glass. Or worse yet just sitting home and drinking like I did mostly in the end. How did my AV see anything fun about this?

tomls

Beware of too highs and too lows. Good days, bad days. It gets so much easier and better down the road! Best wishes for you on your journey!

RecklessDrunk

Its like being a college or pro football fan. Sometimes you get that sensation during the game, your team is @ New England or Alabama and their up multiple scores. It's like wow, my team is great, I dont think anybody can stop them this season! Next week they are home vs Cleveland or Duke and they just aren't clicking, it's a tight ball game. They're pathetic I dont think they'll win another game. It just feels like complete doom this year, they must fire the coach, clear the front office!

It's like if we're having a bad day with cravings and we start thinking everyday is going to be like this that we get into trouble.

I wonder how LSU fans musta felt struggling with Texas or Florida or Clemson almost losing to Syracuse last year. Those teams just kept playing and putting opponents away.

PhoenixJ

Well done.

Delilah1

Great job Vinny! You’re almost to the one month mark!

Outonthetiles

Yup, it's more than just "not drinking." It sometimes takes a large lifestyle change, getting rid of negative people in your life, sometimes even leaving old friends behind if they won't accept the "new you" and respect your sobriety. Painful, but it has to be done.

Dee74

Drinking was my old life - it had to go.
I thought it would be a lifelong battle too, but the more I built a sober life I love, the less not drinking anymore mattered to me

congrats on day 25 Vinny

D

August252015

^^^And to OOTTs point - it is ultimately not painful to live in the new life we can make when we embrace the changes. It's awesome.

VinnyMcM

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!