Resentments are a common problem among recovering alcoholics. I enjoyed reading all the experiences. Sadly no weight reduction. Carry on with strength all its worth it. Memory loss, mood swings and no self control. Hey there. I saw a comment of 40 years sober and I hope to be able to say that myself one day. How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System? This is because alcohol abuse can lead to serious health problems, such as liver disease and cancer. Relief on your liver gives it an opportunity to stay well and minimise any damage that alcohol might have been trying to cause. Its a con, and you have been railroaded and (you) arent that stupid. He called every day very lonely. Ive made sure that Ive not become preachy about not drinking. High blood pressure. hi jared. I hope i am successful at quitting. You keep the pouring, glass-holding and drinking effect and it still has the beneficial compounds , resviritrol etc. By cutting off alcohol you will notice that your sleep quality has become much better. I am too. Adf.org.au. I love myself more, Im I am 3 months and 26 days AF and have never felt better! Today is day 76. You can opt-out at any time. The first 24 hours alcohol-free, also known as day one, can be challenging, scary, and motivating all at once. Gotta say, didnt really expect that from my grandparents, lol. "Everything in moderation" is a pretty good rule to live by, especially where alcohol is concerned. I know what you mean. Im 65; my bad drinking habits go all the way back to when I started college. Hi. Its a difficult journey, I wont lie but oh my god, the feeling I have when asked what I want to drink and to be able to say with a sense of belief in myself that I actually DONT drink any more. It is worth mentioning that nutritional status improvement occurs when someone strop drinking, which is one big reason why people may see many of the above improvements with sobriety. Feel great with all the listed benefits experienced. For nowI plan on keeping it going until I get my weight and health going in the right direction. I drank A LOT of those drinks but after a couple months it got easier and easier. not bad but truth is I feel worse off than when I had been drinking why is that. Diane, today 12/6/2021 I am at my 3 month mark of AF. I have been sober for a month now. Making me reflect on why I drank, what it was doing to me and my family and what had happened with alcahol in my parents lives, that still continues. TMI no more constipation. My prayers are with us all. Hi, I stopped drinking on the 4th January. Im at 8 months. Its only 8 days in but the low dose meds are making me not feel like alcohol + im eating 1/4 as the anxiety + panic is going. For more details, see our Privacy Policy. Im almost at 6 months. Now, observing other people get drunk can be entertaining. I feel clear and optimistic for the first time in 20+ years. Have you had any doctor visits, lab tests or x-rays since then? Ive never felt compelled to drink when alone, but have used it has a social lubricant for most of my adult life. Alcohol is so destructive, you get caught up in cycle, but you can break it. Your body may shake uncontrollably for up to 24 hours after it enters your body. I stopped it all and never looked back. I dont broadcast I dont want a drink, I just dont. Its a habit and for some reason I am so scared to change it. For the past five years, Ive tried to keep my drinks to fewer than 7 a day. 6. Loved your article, thank you for your inspiration & support! Im now looking forward to 60 days clean. Once you have reached six months of sobriety you will start to feel more comfortable with yourself but it can also lead to pink clouding. I found that many of my friends also wanted to try to stop or cut down, they did temporarily, however, this journey needs to come from within when you are ready!! Every day is a page. Doctors told him to stop drinking 5 years ago or he would die. But here's the thing: although it may have initially helped me head to dreamland, that alcohol seriously disrupted my REM cycle. I feel enormous pride, and Im making some other decisions that Ive been thinking about for a long time. Im very active in my job and like to run and exercise but my relief was sitting down with a beer or two at night that grew over time. Recently, my fingernails have also changed, in that they sometimes appear blueish at the cuticle, but this comes and goes. He hid it well from all of us. Rewarded myself after 11 days with no alcohol. One day at a time turns into one month at a time rather quickly and it gets easier with time. At first, my anxiety was through the roof. Once you have stayed sober for 6 months you will start feeling more and more calm and notice a great improvement in your relationships with friends and family. Im skinny and have gained 6 needed lbs. Going to 3 months now, Im 3 weeks in to my abstinence journey. Im a health care worker. I can relate to the othersDef feel mostly better. I feel 100% better! It in unavoidable but you can prevent it to some point. Overwhelming smugness is another side effect which I have to keep in check. Once you are nearly 6 months sober, your bodys natural levels of dopamine begin to restore and you will notice positive changes in your mood. I am 97 days AF and since day 40-50 i havent had a single craving for red wine or beer. Its so nice to read these comments from so many others that are in the same boat. Lifeline is also available for support 24/7 on 13 11 14. I did the same thing. Fed up with drinking but dont know how to stop it. It may sound counterintuitive, since most of us are likely to quickly fall asleep after a night of drinking more than usual, but too much alcohol actually screws with your sleep status, says Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, CDN, MPH, the owner of BZ Nutrition in New York City. The worst thing is it didnt affect my university grades, my job or my home life. So enjoy, and take it easy. I had a death in the family this feb thatbsent me down a path of daily consumption of booze for about 5 months. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 October 2020]. Seeing the struggles and challenges faced by other people will remind you how far youve come, how miserable being addicted felt like and why you need to only go forward. I think I will change up my lifestyle a bit after this full 12 months going AF and switch to 1 week of drinking with 1 month off and see how it goes. I do have lots of regrets and lots of inner healing and self love and forgiveness I still need to work on. I am on day 78. Dont believe everything you read, I have been working on reducing my alcohol intake, from 2 drinks a night to 2 a week. I have lost 15 pounds and I now get more of a reward from knowing Im healthier and the cravings have subsided. Take care of yourself, for sure!! I woke up a new person. And its not just the quality of food that affects your weight but the quantity youre taking in, especially if you didnt start off the evening with a hearty meal. The nutritional choices you make while under the influence arent optimal either. Ma little over 3 months AF. Because once you cross that hurdle it is all starting to go downhill. You go Sue! Not drinking was easy, dealing with lifes stresses without alcohol has been the difficult part. Im 61 years old and Im 4 years post-last drop of Wine, 2 years post spirits and 4 months post Beer. My doctor says it may start to come off around 6 month period when I am no longer replacing alcohol with popsicles! Of course, giving up alcohol is not always easy, and there may be some challenges along the way. I cant tell you how glad I am that I took that step that day. You can beat this thing and when you do, your body can forgive you. I never was big into sweets/soda but Ive been loving chocolate like the rest of you guys and diet ginger ale. I had 2 mini strokes during the month of August. I stopped counting days and months and just kept it in the day then days turned to weeks to months to years (About 26 but who cares) I can sleep. But if you're committed to sobriety, it's definitely possible to achieve your goal. From sleep and clear skin. Wish me luck! An Alcohol-Free Year: Insights from My First 6 Months | Better Humans 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Saitz R. Introduction to alcohol withdrawal. The day before NYs Eve 21, I stopped drinking alcohol completely. An amazing feeling of confidence, accomplishment, and FREEDOM. Sparkling waters, diet sodas and fruits like grapes have helped me greatly getting the carbonated feeling and sugar in my body that I missed from alcohol. That I get off! it wasnt just cos of the calories in the alcohol cut out tho because after a drinking session the next day everything in the house was eaten as well as huge take aways later that day too. In the end to stop drinking must come from me and not from anyone else. Once I reached my early 30s I began drinking a 12 pack a day and most of the time I would run out and go get another one. Today just to see.. The gains are amazing. i have been diagnosed with chronic liver disease and will be dead within a year if i continue drinking alcohol.i always thought it would never happen to me but guess what .. if that is not a wake up call to anybody i dont know what is. OF TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES I have started taking 5 HTP, which was recommended in the book, alcohol lied to me it boosts serotonin, which was previously boosted by alcohol. I have never eaten sweets, now thats all I want. Web50 Before-And-After Pics Show What Happens When You Stop Drinking. Only 3 weeks into my journey. Benefits too are more money in the bank (3 k per annum-estimates based on 2020 grog spending!) Sweets, especially ice cream was a real problem in the beginning. Thank you, now I am on my 2nd going to 3rd months AF, I feel good youre right i having a good sleep now a days. Im 55. 482 days sober and loving life. Im sleeping better, the weight fell right off, and my brain is much clearer. I still love the taste of a good beer, so I often have ONE (just one) on Friday or Saturday nights. I never thought I could quit but I did it! First 4 months were really difficult with all the chemical changes in the body and withdrawal symptoms eg: anxiety/ depression. Who knows what will happen tomorrow. Much more flexible and feel younger. Stay strong its a poison thats become socially acceptable. 214.7 pounds I have a little social anxiety and it would alleviate that. GL all! Fingers crossed . By reading about other peoples experiences, as well as medical articles on the damage that alcohol does both physically and mentally, it was an easy decison. Thought my good path would rub off as I was doing quite well but instead I slid. Almost 3 months off alcohol now. (No jinx ). I also want to say congratulations to many of you that have posted! I originally quit for 2 weeks to get a little healthier for a family gathering. I spent a week in Rehab and the withdrawals were absolutely horrendous. Your risk of developing cancer will decrease, and your liver function will have greatly improved. My alcohol intake has steadily increased over the past 10 months, to what is now probably 4 or 5 bottles of wine a week. Wine is my poison. The Democrats have you brainwashed. And it was the worst rebound ever, I went at it like it was going out of fashion,,, Anyway, day 42. So even tho this reads 3 months that may just be a start to improve the net can suggest 1 month its all contingent on how long and how much you were hurting yourself. Also like the first commenter: I have had extreme smugness, even apathy. I spent months lamenting the damage it looks like I did. Good luck xxx. Located on the historic peninsula of Charleston, South Carolina, Lantana Recovery takes a modern approach to Substance Use Disorder treatment, offering intensive clinical care while also immersing our clients in local Charleston culture. So, giving up alcohol may help you to improve your relationships with friends and family. i still dont know what to expect in my future as only 3 months in . If you gain weight from drinking, you may start to see those pounds drop off. He stopped eating and drank a handle a day. But I do get depressed alot of thinking what drinking caused. And the older I get, the more noticeable this issue has become. It will also effect the balance of nutrients in your body. Unfortunately, you can't completely avoid withdrawal symptoms, but you can reduce their severity by weaning yourself off gradually. But I truly believe third times a charm. It impairs your sleep-wake cycle too. but Ive definitely increased sugar intake, its getting better though, at day 53. I replaced it with sweets. Im looking more forward to the differences I will see in myself than I did looking forward to that time in the evening that I set aside to start my evening of drinking. I guess its a comfort and one that I know I need to change. I dont have nightmares anymore, off an ssri, and so much more. There was no negotiation. Perhaps a B-Multi might help? Your social anxiety might peak in this time. I would say its at about 20% of what it was when I quit. Hangovers and increased appetite, feeling fatigued, greyish skin etc. 7 nights a week. but I fell for that the last time on day 10 AF. Then a week passed,then 2,3 and finally 30 days sober. I began to see my flesh as a rabid dog (similar symptoms). Its not the action im addicted to its the taste. MAY WE CELEBRATE A NEW YEAR Instead, I found myself naturally reverting to my healthier habits. Its a mindset. For a lot of reasons you will feel a little low because the toxins are starting to leave your body and you will see the lack of serotonin or the happy chemicals. A year and a half ago, I dropped from 4-8 commercial beers a day down to just two a day. events are manageable until the proper drinking starts, then you tend to gravitate towards those in the room who are dry while your friends who drink turn into zombies. Im looking forward to the health benefits. My relationships with family, friends, and my girlfriend is so much better. This is great for those who want to maintain their weight and/or start cutting fat. Two weeks felt so good I thought, Why not 3 months? Here I am. But the worrying thing is that they are a normal light pink until the top third, at the end of the nail bed where they are a darker pink. Ive hit 6 months AF. It matters that you did. ~ Cassandra Clare. God is great, Ill never drink again. It was hard, very hardbut I did it . my diet has been so much better, my face is no longer red and puffy, Im losing weight like crazy, and my relationships have significantly improved. Nah, a beer every now and then is fine, you dont have to quit!. Ive enjoyed reading other folks experiences theyve been very wise and helpful. Guess Im a bit slow , It is inspiring to see so many comments of success I would be celebrating 4 weeks today but I had a relapse celebrating a little food fortune.. Refresh the page, check Medium s site That was the wake up call after seeing my lab results. They did dialysis and tried to save him. AF. I will have a blood test to find out in the near future. No booze for last 2 months, feeling better, but have replaced the evening drinkies with 0 beer. No groups just lifestyle change and personal accountability. It has been more of a mental ride than physical. Goodman GD, Kaufman J, Day D, et al. At this stage your risk of experiencing cardiovascular disease and several cancers starts to reduce (World Cancer Research Fund, 2007; Roerecke et al., 2017). But for months I seemed to fall into the pattern of 1-2 days sober, then back to drinking. Your sleep quality should continue to improve, and this (amongst other benefits) should provide an improvement to your overall health. White Cheddar rice cakes are my crutch. Sleep better, get more done, lost ony 3 pound up to now. Still tired, and really miss a Manhattan, but its just not worth it. Pair this with spiking insulin levels that cause inflammation and youve got yourself a recipe for acne. single. I offered the doctors a sprint race when im done and show them my cure for it. I am almost 56, getting vertical normal ridges, quite deep ones at that. Not too sweet, a little spicy, really excellent. This made the sugar volume very low and also the carbohydrates. This is similar to possible weight loss. I know i can have a drink.but do i really want one.? It is sugar replaced by sugar. Hi, You can volunteer at a sober house as a sober companion or a sober coach to help others deal with their alcohol addiction. I reckon I have saved around 75 per month so far also. I think thats helping. I miss beer quite a bit, but I like my new lifestyle a bit more. I havent lost weight although I am careful what I eat. Research showed the number of Talk about vague, unexciting, and un-motivating. 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