Lillith

I'm wrapping up day 11 and I'm just full of gratitude right now. I'm grateful for big realizations - the primary one being I drank every day because I was stressed and depressed and trying to take the edge off. But the irony is, now I see that drinking only actually made me edgy and irritable and more depressed. And I was stuck in a vicious cycle. On day 11, I'm feeling like a new person both emotionally and physically. My stomach issues have already vastly improved, and last night when my eyes closed, I didn't wake until the sun was up. I can't remember the last time I slept like that. It's been YEARS! I'm in such a better headspace. And who knew on top of all this, I'd have strange little unexpected changes - like my sense of smell is super sharp now suddenly. Wild stuff! I'm so thankful I've made it to Day 11 and I'm so thankful I found this site several days ago when I was struggling through withdrawal. Grateful for you guys on here indeed.

least

Congrats on 11 days sober and I'm glad you're feeling a lot better. It is amazing, isn't it, how much better we feel without alcohol.

You ought to try our Gratitude forum. Lots of opportunities to give thanks. I like to hit up Morning gratitude each day with my first cup of coffee, and Bedtime gratitude in the evening.

We'd love to see you in Grats!

Lillith

Thanks for letting me know about that. Didn't even realize that was on here. Sounds like a very positive way to start each day. I need to start exploring this site more.

D122y

Glad you are feeling great soooooo quickly.

I was at your level of kindling around 20 years ago.

After a few days I felt amazing, but instead of staying quit I would drink again.

Fast forward to 5 years ago. I was drinking off and on about 5 times a month. Sometimes just a couple other times the whole bottle.

The recovery took over a year. So there was an exponential effect that occurred with each relapse.

Hope this makes sense and helps.

Thanks.

Lillith

Thank you for sharing that with me. I appreciate hearing what you went through. I definitely don't want to relapse. I'm grateful to God right now that I'm not experiencing any cravings. And I'm feeling so good right now that I don't dare want to go backwards to what I was living like before. I'm definitely motivated to stay sober. I realize my weakness and I know in my case there's no chance I could "drink normally." So I'm aiming to abstain completely.

ZIP

Well said and continued success to you. Like you, I found my health began to quickly improve, once I stopped downing alcohol everyday. It is still amazing to me the body's ability to heal and regulate itself...once you stop dumping poison into it.
On to 2 weeks!!!

Reid82

Well done on 11 days

theVman31

Congratulations lilith.
Total Abstinence is the only cure.
Stay safe
Vinny

FaithnotFear

Noam19

Congratulations Lillith! I'm on day 11 as well...12 by this evening. I had a couple months under my belt but had a short relapse when all this quarantine stuff started. But I'm back to an adjusted routine and going 24 hours at a time.

I think one of the best parts of sobriety is how healthy you finally start to feel once your body gets rid of all that poison. It's so refreshing. Hold onto that!

zoobadger

A tired day, or sick day (from a cold or something minor), is so much less miserable than the hangovers I suffered routinely for 30 years.

The worries and anxieties that I sometimes suffer are so much more bearable now that I'm sober.

So even though life remains challenging and things truly suck at times, they suck a whole lot less and are so much easier to bear without alcohol.

I struggle with a lot of unhealthy "what if" reveries. How much better and different would my life have turned out if I quit 25 years ago?

But, on the other hand, I remind myself that the joy I feel now is especially palpable because I'm like the guy who hit himself in the head with a hammer because it feels so good when he stops. And somehow, I managed to emerge from 30 years of alcoholism with a lot of good things in my life anyway.

I might have had a more productive life but had some kind of terrible luck. You never know. I've been really lucky that my drinking didn't cause any terrible harm, so there's that.

Lillith

Thank you everyone so much for all your responses. I truly value hearing about your experiences, and also appreciate your encouragement. This is such a great forum. I wish all of you continued success on your sobriety path too. And I'm hoping everyone is staying healthy out there with all that's going on. Such strange times we're living through right now. Good thing I'm an introvert and a homebody. 😉

Dee74

Congrats on your progress Lillith

least

If you want, you can read our stories in the Stories forum. I'm glad you are enjoying SR. We truly understand here.

Bwca

congratulations I'm on day 5 or 6 it's been a crazy ride lots of anxiety kind of in a haze improving little but I know this is probably all normal just that broken out in hives kind of threw me for a loop

Lillith

I absolutely will - Thanks!

Lillith

Keep on keeping on Bwca. It really does get better. You can do this.

Verdantia

Brilliant job on 11 days, Lilith. It is a vicious cycle: drinking, hangover, regret, remorse--then do it all over again. The benefits of sobriety to physical and mental health is astonishing; things will only get better. Wishing you the best on your sober journey.

Lillith

Thank you, Verdantia. I really appreciate it. And I am looking forward to continuing to restore myself. I realize now how much I needed to change for my well-being. Took me a long time to figure out, but very happy to be here.

Surrendered19

That is beautiful Lillith. The post all of us needed this morning. Your positivity is a valuable commodity right now. It gets better and better. I'm 4+ months and it has been the best time of my life, even with this virus floating around. I am grateful for every minute I can live with a clear and quiet mind. Have a great weekend!!