Need help
Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,318
Well done Gaz, great achievement. Hopefully the coming weekend Will feel better. Its hard to imagine now but there will be a time when you see the weekends for what they are, a time relax and refresh ourselves and based on how I've felt on a Monday before they certainly haven't always been that way.
Keep going and keep posting.
Keep going and keep posting.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 274
My drinking was very similar to yours. It started as a tonic for social anxiety as a teen, but once I was an adult, it took on a life of it's own. Like you, I began to avoid social interaction so I could drink more freely alone and I was resorting to all kinds of tricks and weird habits to hide it from my wife and family.
When I decided I absolutely had to quit, abandoning alcohol seemed unthinkable. I can only speak for myself, but four and a half years later I can say that quitting was easier than expected and being sober is much more fulfilling than I imagined. I had to detox in a facility for 10 days inpatient and then I completed as much outpatient treatment as my insurance allowed. The treatment, especially the group therapy, made a world of difference.
And I had several episodes of months-long abstinence, but it's a lot less fulfilling when you're just taking a break with the intention of being more moderate when you start up again. Ironically, it was easier for me when I admitted that I couldn't control my drinking and vowed to never pick up the first drink ever again. For a lot of subtle reasons, being in permanent recovery is easier than taking a break.
When I decided I absolutely had to quit, abandoning alcohol seemed unthinkable. I can only speak for myself, but four and a half years later I can say that quitting was easier than expected and being sober is much more fulfilling than I imagined. I had to detox in a facility for 10 days inpatient and then I completed as much outpatient treatment as my insurance allowed. The treatment, especially the group therapy, made a world of difference.
And I had several episodes of months-long abstinence, but it's a lot less fulfilling when you're just taking a break with the intention of being more moderate when you start up again. Ironically, it was easier for me when I admitted that I couldn't control my drinking and vowed to never pick up the first drink ever again. For a lot of subtle reasons, being in permanent recovery is easier than taking a break.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 274
Originally Posted by Gaz boy 
Thanks for asking Leigh.
Well I'm still sober, managed to resist my first real weekend but it was really hard going. I said earlier weekends were my big drinking nights, something I really looked forward to since my teenage years.
Both Friday and Saturday my AV was kind of shouting really loud for me to just have a few. I had an unpleasant taste in my mouth both nights it was strange. I got through it by making tasty soft drink combos and eating fruit.
the other strange thing was both Saturday and Sunday I had total brain fog like a hangover without the nausea, though I did have a headache both days.
I wonder if my brain is so used to bad hangovers those days it defaults to that state without the alcohol.
Anyway I managed to resist so I'm feeling quite proud.
I'm hoping next weekend will be a bit easier but honestly I'm not too optimistic.
Well I'm still sober, managed to resist my first real weekend but it was really hard going. I said earlier weekends were my big drinking nights, something I really looked forward to since my teenage years.
Both Friday and Saturday my AV was kind of shouting really loud for me to just have a few. I had an unpleasant taste in my mouth both nights it was strange. I got through it by making tasty soft drink combos and eating fruit.
the other strange thing was both Saturday and Sunday I had total brain fog like a hangover without the nausea, though I did have a headache both days.
I wonder if my brain is so used to bad hangovers those days it defaults to that state without the alcohol.
Anyway I managed to resist so I'm feeling quite proud.
I'm hoping next weekend will be a bit easier but honestly I'm not too optimistic.
Based on what you've told us, you're surely experiencing alcohol withdrawal. Ten days in, you should begin to feel physically a lot better (I think).
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 15
Originally Posted by zoobadger
My drinking was very similar to yours. It started as a tonic for social anxiety as a teen, but once I was an adult, it took on a life of it's own. Like you, I began to avoid social interaction so I could drink more freely alone and I was resorting to all kinds of tricks and weird habits to hide it from my wife and family.
When I decided I absolutely had to quit, abandoning alcohol seemed unthinkable. I can only speak for myself, but four and a half years later I can say that quitting was easier than expected and being sober is much more fulfilling than I imagined. I had to detox in a facility for 10 days inpatient and then I completed as much outpatient treatment as my insurance allowed. The treatment, especially the group therapy, made a world of difference.
And I had several episodes of months-long abstinence, but it's a lot less fulfilling when you're just taking a break with the intention of being more moderate when you start up again. Ironically, it was easier for me when I admitted that I couldn't control my drinking and vowed to never pick up the first drink ever again. For a lot of subtle reasons, being in permanent recovery is easier than taking a break.
When I decided I absolutely had to quit, abandoning alcohol seemed unthinkable. I can only speak for myself, but four and a half years later I can say that quitting was easier than expected and being sober is much more fulfilling than I imagined. I had to detox in a facility for 10 days inpatient and then I completed as much outpatient treatment as my insurance allowed. The treatment, especially the group therapy, made a world of difference.
And I had several episodes of months-long abstinence, but it's a lot less fulfilling when you're just taking a break with the intention of being more moderate when you start up again. Ironically, it was easier for me when I admitted that I couldn't control my drinking and vowed to never pick up the first drink ever again. For a lot of subtle reasons, being in permanent recovery is easier than taking a break.
thanks Zoobadger.
sounds like we were very similar your story sounds exactly like mine. Along with the longest 88 day dry stint I've had several 4 week sober times and more single weeks here and there. But honestly I always knew it wasn't going to be for good. And after a dry spell I would drink a bit more because in my messed up mind I deserved it.
It's the morning of my 12th night sober now, and I feel really good today, the brain fog has lifted, finally and I'm nowhere near as irritable. I am still having crazy vivid dreams but sleeping better than I was last week for sure.
last night I went to the gym got home at 9pm and didn't crave alcohol at all for the first time. I know the cravings will still come but I was just grateful for one evening without them.
thanks so much for the support it really helps.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 15
Originally Posted by Britbird80
Well done Gaz, great achievement. Hopefully the coming weekend Will feel better. Its hard to imagine now but there will be a time when you see the weekends for what they are, a time relax and refresh ourselves and based on how I've felt on a Monday before they certainly haven't always been that way.
Keep going and keep posting.
Keep going and keep posting.
If I keep at it it will get better, just got to keep going, weekend cravings are about 10 times bigger than midweek ones. I'm trying to be positive about that only having to deal with that intensity twice a week.
It starts at about 5pm and seemed to stop about 10pm both nights. I dropped from one day at a time to 5min at a time lol.
my wife suggested going to a movie this weekend, it's summer here so I could even just have a long walk, I have to change my weekend habits and be away from the house for at least some of those hard hours.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 15
I wanted to give an update and thank everyone on this forum for helping me, directly and by posting their own stories.
I'm just about to go to sleep and finish my third sober Saturday night. This weekend was a lot easier than last. I had some cravings Friday night but I went to the gym then read the forum and a book I downloaded and got through.
Tonight wasn't nearly as bad, I was watching a movie and about an hour into it realised I hadn't thought about drinking. I'm now looking forward to another Sunday morning without a hangover. I'm starting to realize I enjoy my weekends because it's the weekend and I don,t have to go to work, getting really drunk because I didn't have to go to work was a habit I had been doing since I was young. But the drunk part wasn't what I really enjoyed about weekends.I don't know if that makes sense.
Anyway thank you all so much, today I feel good and I'm sober, I hope I can maintain that for the rest of my life.
I'm just about to go to sleep and finish my third sober Saturday night. This weekend was a lot easier than last. I had some cravings Friday night but I went to the gym then read the forum and a book I downloaded and got through.
Tonight wasn't nearly as bad, I was watching a movie and about an hour into it realised I hadn't thought about drinking. I'm now looking forward to another Sunday morning without a hangover. I'm starting to realize I enjoy my weekends because it's the weekend and I don,t have to go to work, getting really drunk because I didn't have to go to work was a habit I had been doing since I was young. But the drunk part wasn't what I really enjoyed about weekends.I don't know if that makes sense.
Anyway thank you all so much, today I feel good and I'm sober, I hope I can maintain that for the rest of my life.
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 278
I'm now looking forward to another Sunday morning without a hangover.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,161
I spent decades wasting away the weekend.
I've spent the last 3 years actually living them.
I prefer the latter a million times more.
Drinking brought me nothing it promised.
Weekends were made for living
I've spent the last 3 years actually living them.
I prefer the latter a million times more.
Drinking brought me nothing it promised.
Weekends were made for living
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,513
GazBoy, good job on feeling better and doing so well. And, I get what you mean about enjoying the weekends because they're weekends. I wasn't sure I'd enjoy much of anything when I stopped drinking, but I do. 
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,945
Good going, Gaz. I like the gym idea. There’s a corny adage something like the only bad workout is the one you don’t do. The gym’s not for everyone, but I find even if I’m tired or hungry, I soon get into the swing of things and never regret going along. It was definitely a big factor in my early sober days. Instead of drinking or thinking about drinking, I’d head to the gym. Obviously it’s possible to overdo it and get injured, so everything in moderation apart from you know what. Doing well 👍
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 15
Thanks guys, It's early days for me and I know there will be difficult times ahead but just at the moment I'm really enjoying the positives of being sober rather than drunk. We've just booked a holiday for the week before Easter, that might be tricky, I always drank lots on holiday, I'd pack a bottle in my suitcase just in case I had problems with supply when I first arrived. Then scout out the nearest bottle shops as soon as I got there. So I will be triggered then and have to get through it.
No hangovers is the big one, what I really like is not worrying about just how hungover I'm going to be, I used to wake about 5:30am often on the couch with the TV still on feeling sick and ashamed trying to remember how much I had drank and worrying whether I'd be feeling really bad all day or get away with just a morning hangover. I love waking now, later in the morning and better rested, realising I will feel fine today.
Hodd, the gym was what got me through the first 10 days, I nearly gave in last Sunday evening but decided to have a workout before making the decision whether to have a drink, I felt so much better after a hard workout while listening to one of my sober podcasts the craving was gone when I got back home. It might be the feel good endorphins or just getting away from the drinking environment temptations but it's working so I'm going to just keep going.
No hangovers is the big one, what I really like is not worrying about just how hungover I'm going to be, I used to wake about 5:30am often on the couch with the TV still on feeling sick and ashamed trying to remember how much I had drank and worrying whether I'd be feeling really bad all day or get away with just a morning hangover. I love waking now, later in the morning and better rested, realising I will feel fine today.
Hodd, the gym was what got me through the first 10 days, I nearly gave in last Sunday evening but decided to have a workout before making the decision whether to have a drink, I felt so much better after a hard workout while listening to one of my sober podcasts the craving was gone when I got back home. It might be the feel good endorphins or just getting away from the drinking environment temptations but it's working so I'm going to just keep going.
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