My Life Got Better
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,645
My Life Got Better
...just from staying sober.
Alcohol really messed with my mind, body, and soul.
Mind - my head is clearer so I make clear-headed decisions. And most importantly, I don't make REALLY BAD decisions that I actually believe to be good decisions because I'm severely intoxicated. That doesn't happen anymore. If I make a bad decision, it's made with a clear head and I can live with that.
Body - alcohol made me so sick - physically. I used to wake up with a completely white tongue, yellow eyes, stomach in knots, unable to function at all. I was slowly killing myself. That doesn't happen anymore.
Soul - Alcohol took my soul. I used to hate myself. Couldn't look myself in the mirror. Couldn't look other people in the eyes. I wanted to disappear and no longer exist. None of that is the case today. I have my soul back.
And it's only been 8 months.
If you're an alcoholic and you're struggling, alcohol is likely to be the culprit. It wants to hold you back and steal your mind, body, and soul.
Here's the kicker, just a week ago I was having some anxiety and I briefly thought about having a drink - actually many drinks. I was driving at the time and I was looking at 4 full days off work. No one would really know, I told myself. But I didn't go anywhere near a liquor store. The idea that everything would be just fine if I were to binge drink is bull****. All I did was go home and forget about even entertaining the idea of a drink. It went away and I woke up the next day clear-headed. Who knows the hell that would have ensued if I went the other route. No thanks.
Alcohol really messed with my mind, body, and soul.
Mind - my head is clearer so I make clear-headed decisions. And most importantly, I don't make REALLY BAD decisions that I actually believe to be good decisions because I'm severely intoxicated. That doesn't happen anymore. If I make a bad decision, it's made with a clear head and I can live with that.
Body - alcohol made me so sick - physically. I used to wake up with a completely white tongue, yellow eyes, stomach in knots, unable to function at all. I was slowly killing myself. That doesn't happen anymore.
Soul - Alcohol took my soul. I used to hate myself. Couldn't look myself in the mirror. Couldn't look other people in the eyes. I wanted to disappear and no longer exist. None of that is the case today. I have my soul back.
And it's only been 8 months.
If you're an alcoholic and you're struggling, alcohol is likely to be the culprit. It wants to hold you back and steal your mind, body, and soul.
Here's the kicker, just a week ago I was having some anxiety and I briefly thought about having a drink - actually many drinks. I was driving at the time and I was looking at 4 full days off work. No one would really know, I told myself. But I didn't go anywhere near a liquor store. The idea that everything would be just fine if I were to binge drink is bull****. All I did was go home and forget about even entertaining the idea of a drink. It went away and I woke up the next day clear-headed. Who knows the hell that would have ensued if I went the other route. No thanks.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,560
I loved your post - thanks so much - it will inspire many. 
.
It's incredible how we think drinking is helping us cope & get through hard times. It actually increases our anxiety & makes decision making very difficult. All the messes we had to clean up - the regrets & guilt. No point in ever returning to that horrible place. Congratulations on your 8 months.
OverthePanic - 8 days is also a huge triumph - we know how hard those early days are. Congrats.
.It's incredible how we think drinking is helping us cope & get through hard times. It actually increases our anxiety & makes decision making very difficult. All the messes we had to clean up - the regrets & guilt. No point in ever returning to that horrible place. Congratulations on your 8 months.
OverthePanic - 8 days is also a huge triumph - we know how hard those early days are. Congrats.
I am happy for you. Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Back in the USA
Posts: 2,661
Originally Posted by ThatWasTheOldMe;[url=tel:7602778
7602778[/url]]...just from staying sober.
Alcohol really messed with my mind, body, and soul.
Mind - my head is clearer so I make clear-headed decisions. And most importantly, I don't make REALLY BAD decisions that I actually believe to be good decisions because I'm severely intoxicated. That doesn't happen anymore. If I make a bad decision, it's made with a clear head and I can live with that.
Body - alcohol made me so sick - physically. I used to wake up with a completely white tongue, yellow eyes, stomach in knots, unable to function at all. I was slowly killing myself. That doesn't happen anymore.
Soul - Alcohol took my soul. I used to hate myself. Couldn't look myself in the mirror. Couldn't look other people in the eyes. I wanted to disappear and no longer exist. None of that is the case today. I have my soul back.
And it's only been 8 months.
If you're an alcoholic and you're struggling, alcohol is likely to be the culprit. It wants to hold you back and steal your mind, body, and soul.
Here's the kicker, just a week ago I was having some anxiety and I briefly thought about having a drink - actually many drinks. I was driving at the time and I was looking at 4 full days off work. No one would really know, I told myself. But I didn't go anywhere near a liquor store. The idea that everything would be just fine if I were to binge drink is bull****. All I did was go home and forget about even entertaining the idea of a drink. It went away and I woke up the next day clear-headed. Who knows the hell that would have ensued if I went the other route. No thanks.
Alcohol really messed with my mind, body, and soul.
Mind - my head is clearer so I make clear-headed decisions. And most importantly, I don't make REALLY BAD decisions that I actually believe to be good decisions because I'm severely intoxicated. That doesn't happen anymore. If I make a bad decision, it's made with a clear head and I can live with that.
Body - alcohol made me so sick - physically. I used to wake up with a completely white tongue, yellow eyes, stomach in knots, unable to function at all. I was slowly killing myself. That doesn't happen anymore.
Soul - Alcohol took my soul. I used to hate myself. Couldn't look myself in the mirror. Couldn't look other people in the eyes. I wanted to disappear and no longer exist. None of that is the case today. I have my soul back.
And it's only been 8 months.
If you're an alcoholic and you're struggling, alcohol is likely to be the culprit. It wants to hold you back and steal your mind, body, and soul.
Here's the kicker, just a week ago I was having some anxiety and I briefly thought about having a drink - actually many drinks. I was driving at the time and I was looking at 4 full days off work. No one would really know, I told myself. But I didn't go anywhere near a liquor store. The idea that everything would be just fine if I were to binge drink is bull****. All I did was go home and forget about even entertaining the idea of a drink. It went away and I woke up the next day clear-headed. Who knows the hell that would have ensued if I went the other route. No thanks.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,169
Originally Posted by ThatWasTheOldMe 
The idea that everything would be just fine if I were to binge drink is bull****. All I did was go home and forget about even entertaining the idea of a drink. It went away and I woke up the next day clear-headed. Who knows the hell that would have ensued if I went the other route. No thanks.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 259
As I increased my drinking I also stopped using any type of internal coping mechanisms to deal with stress, anger or emotional pain. Instead I started to rely on alcohol because, as a depressant, it slowed my thoughts while deadening my emotions even more. And only in that state would I allow myself to think or recognize the many problems piling up in my life, due to alcohol. But I didnt see it that way. I lied to myself that alcohol was allowing me to deal with issues but I wasn't really dealing or solving anything when drinking. After a few hours of drinking, all the emotions I was trying to suppress would come pouring out, usually in unhealthy ways. So, alcohol was really making things worse but I was in a bad cycle. So, the next day Id again wake up with the same problems, plus the ones I created while drunk and then try to shut down emotionally until I was able to get to the bar and start drinking agin to "solve my problems"
Getting sober, I had to relearn how to deal with issues and its been a good journey. Now things that would have set me off, like the news, someone talking on the radio, some minor work mishap etc, barely register with me. For me, embracing a sober life has been great and I dont regret it.
Getting sober, I had to relearn how to deal with issues and its been a good journey. Now things that would have set me off, like the news, someone talking on the radio, some minor work mishap etc, barely register with me. For me, embracing a sober life has been great and I dont regret it.
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