I feel this soooo much, that anxiety of waking up and thinking "what did I do wrong last night". Missing calls from people who were with you in fear that they were calling to be like "man, what the fuck was up with you last night. You have a problem"
Funny how my waking up at 2:00am with intense anxiety then waking up every hour after magically stopped when I stopped drinking. I always attributed it to work stress etc but it was definitely the alcohol
I’ve gotta second this one. Sometimes when I’m really struggling I think about how I could lose my amazing sleep and it snaps me right back into my sobriety zone.
I am here right now, waiting to go running with my running club. I started running in Feb, and now can easily run a 5k. I'm getting ready and planning out a 4 day motorcycle camping trip to Nevada desert. There's no money or time set aside for drinking. I'm not scheduling anything that involves me recovering from getting too drunk. My mind is clear, I'm working from home, I know what I need to get done today. I also quit nicotine, no more "...at least I'm not drinking" excuse. It's probably been over 12 days. But I still get thoughts about smoking, which I shut down and no longer entertain.
I have my family back! My 2/3 sons are back. I can be trusted again. No clouded thinking. I lost weight. I sleep better. I'm welcomed at family events again. The list goes on.
Not waking up nauseous and praying for my day to end so I can go to bed. Not having to make sure I stop at the beer distributor to make sure I am stocked up every Friday. I am so thankful, I’ve been fully present during a family members medical crisis
Honestly, almost all aspects of my life have improved in the last 112 days. Sleep, time management, exercise and my relationships are the biggest ones that I notice. My mental health has drastically improved though I will say looking at your emotions and problems head on with no filter can be intimidating and difficult sometimes. Longest I have gone without a drink since I was 16 and I am about to turn 36. Life is still hard a lot of the time, but not impossible like it seemed when I was drinking every day.
What helped me combat the anxiety - and resist the urge to drink to again - was learning some of the science behind it. Alcohol is a depressant, to bring itself back to homeostasis, the body releases cortisol and adrenaline, which are basically anxiety juice.
Here is one that is good for anxiety. Look up the video on YT called "Dr. Weil explains how to do his 4-7-8 breathing technique." If you try it, I hope you find it helpful.
Try and take a walk. Focus on putting one foot in front of the other and notice your breathing. Counting your steps can be useful if you find your mind wandering.
Wanted to also mention that walking helped me in the beginning too, I know it doesn’t sound like much but I just walk for like 3 miles and get the “crazies” out. It would give me that dopamine hit my brain was looking for and I would feel calmer, it would also help me sleep. Now I exercise regularly because it just me feel so damn good 🙌🏼✨😎 But even some nice walks in the beginning to center yourself is soooooo good for the anxiety. Good luck Dandy, you can do thisssss!!! 🥰
Maybe try some breathing relaxation techniques. You can find them on youtube...lay back and follow the directions. I wish I knew where to find one that I used to do that I could recommend. It used to have me falling asleep in my recliner. Hope you feel better quick.
I now can do whatever the fuck I want to do. I could t do so many things bc I was either too hungover or tethered to a bottle. Everything I did HAD to include alcohol. Either it had to be there or I had to sneak it. I don’t have that anchor tied to me anymore.
For me it's just being better able to deal with emotions. When waves of anger, anxiety, sadness etc start hitting me I feel like at least now I have a surf board. Prior to that I was just accepting all the emotional and mental abuse I was flinging on to myself. Now I am able to see how a lot of that was bullshit and I can work my way through the shitty emotions.
Sex is better and you have memories. Listening to music or watching movies/shows you thought you knew. Money in the bank. Fewer medications to be on. Healthier. Family respects me and I'm getting friends back/new friends.
You ever wonder what it would feel like if you had a dead body in the backyard and say power company is digging pretty close to the site. That’s what I delt with my hiding spot for my booze. My wife would be downstairs and I would have to go and make sure she wasn’t close to finding it. A lot of stress to be taken off
no nausea. no shakes. no throbbing headaches. no delirium, no visual or auditory hallucinations, no paranoia, no sweating uncontrollably, no crippling anxiety, no embarrassment from drunken decisions, no DUIs, no decaying organs, no loss of memories, no rotting teeth, no vitamin and mineral deficiencies, no restless legs, no insomnia, no horrific vertigo, i could go on…. but these are just my anecdotal benefits… :)
It’s crazy how I was drinking to what I thought was helping my anxiety but just making it so much worse. Not that I don’t get some anxiety but it’s just wayyyyy less intense than it was when I was drinking
We all know that one, or many, things we did while drinking. Things, we best leave in the past. There are a few that I know, for a fact will never happen again as long as I don't drink today. Things that only happened because I was drinking. Knowing that the worst things in my life already happened is enough for me to not drink today. And being sober just has way more better days. It's worth it, it is..
It's really fucking slow, like so fuckin slow (or at least it feels like it) but it is getting progressively better. Like the more I just simply keep being sober the better my life seems to get. I'm not even really trying like I am but it seems automatic. Like putting in effort for a better life just happens without me thinking. It's actually.a pretty cool thing. Thanks for asking this.
Waking up refreshed and ready to go is probably 1A. I jumped straight out of bed and into my car for a doctors appointment within a half hour of waking up whereas it used to take me a loooooong time to even get out of bed.
I'm just kicking this off again after getting sober two years ago and then falling off for the last year, but from what I remember, the best part was having goals and feeling like I could achieve them. When you aren't dumbing down your brain all the time, your brain is free to be creative and forward thinking. You'll find dreams that you didn't even know you wanted to accomplish. It's a great feeling. Hopefully we both get back to that.
Clarity, early morning walks with my dog, cooking elaborate dishes and actually eating them, losing weight, so much less anxiety, reading my books and remembering what happened.
being back in the real world. by the end I had become consumed by drinking. it was taking all my energy and my attention. it was a nightmare. like being possessed by a demon. I had no need for glassware. straight from the bottle. alone in the garage.
Realizing that alcohol does nothing for me except create pain and misery. Getting deprogrammed that there is something desirable to gain from alcohol (there isn't, and if you think there is, it's an illusion). Realizing alcohol is nothing more than an addictive poison, pure and simple. I wouldn't have an occasional drink of arsenic, so why alcohol? This line of reasoning helps cut my cravings off at the start
The weekend without alcohol isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I thought I would bored out of my mind, teary eye because I miss alcohol. But I got to be alone with nature - hiking. I get to use the energy, which would have been drained by alcohol, to spend time outdoors then go back home and get a good nights rest. You might have already read the comments regarding better sleep, and again I say, this is an underrated gem. Better sleep.
Waking up well rested with no regrets or shame. More energy, sharper thoughts, more motivation and productivity, weight loss, better digestion, overall happier/more at peace. Fewer health concerns, less bloated, physically stronger, no more aches and pains, less irritable, work goes faster, more time for other interests.
My sober life is as good as I imagined it would be. But, I thought it would be impossible to accomplish, yet it’s so very possible. I actually can’t imagine going back now.
The sleep alone. Plus not waking up in a state of total panic and regret. I’ve also taken up gardening and gaming to help fill the time I would have spent drinking.
Sex. Is. Better. Sober. Yes you can feel awkward the first few times when you don’t have the social lubricant. But once it’s normal and casual and you have trust in yourself, it is so much better.
Now if I could just get that happening! 🤦♂️😂 I’m sure it is - the number of times I know alcohol “helped” get there and then absolutely did not help with the deed is far far more than I’d care to think about - lots of lost opportunity!
Where to start? I sleep great. I have wonderful relationships with my family. I am present with people when I am around them. I am honest and considerate. I live according to my values. I have a steady career. No more hangovers. No watching the sun rise because I partied through the night. I have true friendships. People are happy to see me. I am in love with a wonderful woman.
Feels like I now have an extra 6 hours every day. I now exercise, get all my daily chores done, work, and cook. Most days I’m looking for things to do for a couple hours.
being able to tackle the day head on! my sleep has greatly improved, I've always been off and on with drinking but oh man I have done so well this year with laying off the alcohol. I hit 300lbs and just couldn't take it anymore. I'm now at 235lbs... I feel so much better physically, more energy but most of all just happier and with a little happiness it's amazing how it changes my outlook on life and also how I make decisions.
Getting a great nights sleep and not waking up hung over. Being able to not wonder when I’ll have my next drink. Gaining confidence after many months of not drinking bc I’m doing this super important thing and sticking to it everyday. Focusing on much more fulfilling things. Feeling a sense of self again. Finally being able to see it for what it is.
Body-wide inflammation, skin rashes, and a lot of chronic pain gone. Weight loss too. Lower blood sugar levels (was probably prediabetic at one point).
Not stressing about getting to the liquor store after work...or going before because I know they'll be closed. I don't make plans around my ability to find a drink. Waking up with no hang over. Remembering things.i don't lose my temper. The shakes are gone. All the random body pains have subsided. The bonus on top of all that, I lost 50 lbs
One thing I’ve noticed about myself that I haven’t seen many people saying is that I haven’t been so short tempered or argumentative. I feel like I’ve calmed down a lot, and I listen more. I used to fly off the handle and be a bit of a dick when I was drinking. I hated being like that.
No more hangovers!!! That alone is enough to make me think twice about it. Plus, I have WAY more time to spend on my hobbies. Just got 4 years back in March 😁 I will not drink with you today!!
A simple one that’s made a big impact for me are the quality of my weekends now. They seem to be twice as long now that I don’t spend half the time in bed recovering.
Freedom in many ways. No more rolling the dice with that first sip not knowing if it will be a scholarly high brow tasting or a sloppy stumbling brain take over to wake up feeling shitty with who knows what kind of surprises.
[удалено]
This. Not having that sense of dread every waking moment.
No hangxiety, no hangover 🎉🎉🎉 and the mental peace that comes from that, even when all is going to hell around me 🙏
I feel this soooo much, that anxiety of waking up and thinking "what did I do wrong last night". Missing calls from people who were with you in fear that they were calling to be like "man, what the fuck was up with you last night. You have a problem"
This is the best.
Sleep is immeasurably better.
Funny how my waking up at 2:00am with intense anxiety then waking up every hour after magically stopped when I stopped drinking. I always attributed it to work stress etc but it was definitely the alcohol
I’ve gotta second this one. Sometimes when I’m really struggling I think about how I could lose my amazing sleep and it snaps me right back into my sobriety zone.
LIFE!!!!🌷🐦🍦🏖️☀️🦋There's so much I didn't notice .
This.
Can you give examples of things you didn’t notice before?
NO HANGOVERS!!!!
I am here right now, waiting to go running with my running club. I started running in Feb, and now can easily run a 5k. I'm getting ready and planning out a 4 day motorcycle camping trip to Nevada desert. There's no money or time set aside for drinking. I'm not scheduling anything that involves me recovering from getting too drunk. My mind is clear, I'm working from home, I know what I need to get done today. I also quit nicotine, no more "...at least I'm not drinking" excuse. It's probably been over 12 days. But I still get thoughts about smoking, which I shut down and no longer entertain.
I can get in the car and go in a moment's notice, if needed.
Coffee. Omg so much better. I used to be so anxious from hangovers, sometimes I couldn’t drink any coffee for a day or two.
The clarity and control is totally worth it.
I have my family back! My 2/3 sons are back. I can be trusted again. No clouded thinking. I lost weight. I sleep better. I'm welcomed at family events again. The list goes on.
That is so good to hear. Great job man!
Not waking up nauseous and praying for my day to end so I can go to bed. Not having to make sure I stop at the beer distributor to make sure I am stocked up every Friday. I am so thankful, I’ve been fully present during a family members medical crisis
Agree with this one!
Honestly, almost all aspects of my life have improved in the last 112 days. Sleep, time management, exercise and my relationships are the biggest ones that I notice. My mental health has drastically improved though I will say looking at your emotions and problems head on with no filter can be intimidating and difficult sometimes. Longest I have gone without a drink since I was 16 and I am about to turn 36. Life is still hard a lot of the time, but not impossible like it seemed when I was drinking every day.
That voice that says "______ is more pleasurable drunk" can eventually be proven wrong with more experiences.
Truth bomb
Thank you all, I am reading each one and they are helping me breathe. I am fighting some real anxiety right now.
What helped me combat the anxiety - and resist the urge to drink to again - was learning some of the science behind it. Alcohol is a depressant, to bring itself back to homeostasis, the body releases cortisol and adrenaline, which are basically anxiety juice.
Here is one that is good for anxiety. Look up the video on YT called "Dr. Weil explains how to do his 4-7-8 breathing technique." If you try it, I hope you find it helpful.
Try and take a walk. Focus on putting one foot in front of the other and notice your breathing. Counting your steps can be useful if you find your mind wandering.
Wanted to also mention that walking helped me in the beginning too, I know it doesn’t sound like much but I just walk for like 3 miles and get the “crazies” out. It would give me that dopamine hit my brain was looking for and I would feel calmer, it would also help me sleep. Now I exercise regularly because it just me feel so damn good 🙌🏼✨😎 But even some nice walks in the beginning to center yourself is soooooo good for the anxiety. Good luck Dandy, you can do thisssss!!! 🥰
Maybe try some breathing relaxation techniques. You can find them on youtube...lay back and follow the directions. I wish I knew where to find one that I used to do that I could recommend. It used to have me falling asleep in my recliner. Hope you feel better quick.
The confidence to tell my safe but dysfunctional job to fuck off and get a much better job!
I just did this. You can do it too!
Way better skin.
I now can do whatever the fuck I want to do. I could t do so many things bc I was either too hungover or tethered to a bottle. Everything I did HAD to include alcohol. Either it had to be there or I had to sneak it. I don’t have that anchor tied to me anymore.
Realizing it's not the drinking that's enjoyable but the time spent with friends and family that is what's truly enjoyable.
For me it's just being better able to deal with emotions. When waves of anger, anxiety, sadness etc start hitting me I feel like at least now I have a surf board. Prior to that I was just accepting all the emotional and mental abuse I was flinging on to myself. Now I am able to see how a lot of that was bullshit and I can work my way through the shitty emotions.
Ooooooh I love the surfboard analogy!!!
I look so much better. After a long winter, I'm starting to just wear t-shirts again, and damn if I don't look nice and slender in them.
Hope.
Sex is better and you have memories. Listening to music or watching movies/shows you thought you knew. Money in the bank. Fewer medications to be on. Healthier. Family respects me and I'm getting friends back/new friends.
You ever wonder what it would feel like if you had a dead body in the backyard and say power company is digging pretty close to the site. That’s what I delt with my hiding spot for my booze. My wife would be downstairs and I would have to go and make sure she wasn’t close to finding it. A lot of stress to be taken off
I relate to this so much keeping the drinking a secret
no nausea. no shakes. no throbbing headaches. no delirium, no visual or auditory hallucinations, no paranoia, no sweating uncontrollably, no crippling anxiety, no embarrassment from drunken decisions, no DUIs, no decaying organs, no loss of memories, no rotting teeth, no vitamin and mineral deficiencies, no restless legs, no insomnia, no horrific vertigo, i could go on…. but these are just my anecdotal benefits… :)
Anxiety is fading and what used to be bad days are much more manageable now. Being sober is like a superpower when you’re having a rough go at it.
It’s crazy how I was drinking to what I thought was helping my anxiety but just making it so much worse. Not that I don’t get some anxiety but it’s just wayyyyy less intense than it was when I was drinking
We all know that one, or many, things we did while drinking. Things, we best leave in the past. There are a few that I know, for a fact will never happen again as long as I don't drink today. Things that only happened because I was drinking. Knowing that the worst things in my life already happened is enough for me to not drink today. And being sober just has way more better days. It's worth it, it is..
No hiding my recycling under other things in the bin from my Neighbors.
Oh I feel this one
Much more time to enjoy life.
Sour stomach is gone
It's really fucking slow, like so fuckin slow (or at least it feels like it) but it is getting progressively better. Like the more I just simply keep being sober the better my life seems to get. I'm not even really trying like I am but it seems automatic. Like putting in effort for a better life just happens without me thinking. It's actually.a pretty cool thing. Thanks for asking this.
Thank you for this.
Iwndwyt
Not having to fight off the urge to drink every day
My favourite thing, by far, is not being drunk.
Waking up refreshed and ready to go is probably 1A. I jumped straight out of bed and into my car for a doctors appointment within a half hour of waking up whereas it used to take me a loooooong time to even get out of bed.
Memory is much better.
I'm just kicking this off again after getting sober two years ago and then falling off for the last year, but from what I remember, the best part was having goals and feeling like I could achieve them. When you aren't dumbing down your brain all the time, your brain is free to be creative and forward thinking. You'll find dreams that you didn't even know you wanted to accomplish. It's a great feeling. Hopefully we both get back to that.
I’m with you!
I can finally have less than 2 drinks
I can use a screwdriver when I stop shaking
Learning to not suppress my feelings, regardless of how good or bad they may be
Clarity, early morning walks with my dog, cooking elaborate dishes and actually eating them, losing weight, so much less anxiety, reading my books and remembering what happened.
being back in the real world. by the end I had become consumed by drinking. it was taking all my energy and my attention. it was a nightmare. like being possessed by a demon. I had no need for glassware. straight from the bottle. alone in the garage.
Thank you for this.
Mental clarity ✨Emotional intelligence, inner peace.
Realizing that life is still survivable even when I’m sober.
Realizing that alcohol does nothing for me except create pain and misery. Getting deprogrammed that there is something desirable to gain from alcohol (there isn't, and if you think there is, it's an illusion). Realizing alcohol is nothing more than an addictive poison, pure and simple. I wouldn't have an occasional drink of arsenic, so why alcohol? This line of reasoning helps cut my cravings off at the start
The weekend without alcohol isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I thought I would bored out of my mind, teary eye because I miss alcohol. But I got to be alone with nature - hiking. I get to use the energy, which would have been drained by alcohol, to spend time outdoors then go back home and get a good nights rest. You might have already read the comments regarding better sleep, and again I say, this is an underrated gem. Better sleep.
Finding life again.
Waking up well rested with no regrets or shame. More energy, sharper thoughts, more motivation and productivity, weight loss, better digestion, overall happier/more at peace. Fewer health concerns, less bloated, physically stronger, no more aches and pains, less irritable, work goes faster, more time for other interests.
My sober life is as good as I imagined it would be. But, I thought it would be impossible to accomplish, yet it’s so very possible. I actually can’t imagine going back now.
I can get a haircut after 5pm!
Not constantly having the wine witch on my shoulder, arguing with me about whether I can drink tonight or not. It's no longer on my mind.
I figure I’ve saved about $50,000 since quitting.
Not doing or saying anything really embarrassing
im not flushing my life down the toilet. simple as that
Not having to deny yourself calories from delicious food because you've saved them for booze 👀
Peace of mind. Natural energy.
Feeling good in a daily basis and fitness improving with more ease
Half my day isn’t consumed anymore, im able to enjoy all parts of my day
Normal sleep schedule
The sleep alone. Plus not waking up in a state of total panic and regret. I’ve also taken up gardening and gaming to help fill the time I would have spent drinking.
All of the video games I've played throughout the years. The dialogue, gameplay, everything feels new
I feel…. Good. Listening to music brings me joy. I feel content in life and a have a clarity that I had forgotten existed.
Sex. Is. Better. Sober. Yes you can feel awkward the first few times when you don’t have the social lubricant. But once it’s normal and casual and you have trust in yourself, it is so much better.
Now if I could just get that happening! 🤦♂️😂 I’m sure it is - the number of times I know alcohol “helped” get there and then absolutely did not help with the deed is far far more than I’d care to think about - lots of lost opportunity!
Having a real, sincere, meaningful relationship with my Mom and Sister.
Where to start? I sleep great. I have wonderful relationships with my family. I am present with people when I am around them. I am honest and considerate. I live according to my values. I have a steady career. No more hangovers. No watching the sun rise because I partied through the night. I have true friendships. People are happy to see me. I am in love with a wonderful woman.
My weekends last longer. I kid you not every weekend feels like a 3 sometimes 4 day weekend. It’s nice.
Having a better sense of self-worth
The clarity of my choices, my beliefs, decisions
Knowing my kids can depend on me to pick them up after a night hanging out with friends.
Not hurting my beautiful partner nearly as much as I did when intoxicated.
The mornings
Honesty. Towards myself, and my close ones.
Feels like I now have an extra 6 hours every day. I now exercise, get all my daily chores done, work, and cook. Most days I’m looking for things to do for a couple hours.
It has been 4.5 months
A regular bed time just kind of developed on its own and even if i didnt get enough sleep, i was just tired, not exhausted and all my muscles shaky.
Getting drunk every day makes me stupid. Now I’m less stupider.
being able to tackle the day head on! my sleep has greatly improved, I've always been off and on with drinking but oh man I have done so well this year with laying off the alcohol. I hit 300lbs and just couldn't take it anymore. I'm now at 235lbs... I feel so much better physically, more energy but most of all just happier and with a little happiness it's amazing how it changes my outlook on life and also how I make decisions.
💜
Being able to make appointments on any morning of any day
This.
I can meditate before bed!
Getting a great nights sleep and not waking up hung over. Being able to not wonder when I’ll have my next drink. Gaining confidence after many months of not drinking bc I’m doing this super important thing and sticking to it everyday. Focusing on much more fulfilling things. Feeling a sense of self again. Finally being able to see it for what it is.
Mornings! I’m up with the sun. I don’t think that will ever get old
I found out how to communicate with others and form meaningful relationships again.
I can hold down a job.
every aspect of my life improved. never been happier or healthier. sobriety feels like the greatest gift i've ever given myself.
Mornings!
I know I won’t die due to alcohol related issues.
No hangovers More time Happier
No more anti-depressants.
Body-wide inflammation, skin rashes, and a lot of chronic pain gone. Weight loss too. Lower blood sugar levels (was probably prediabetic at one point).
The lack of anxiety, clarity of mind and better sleep.
My fiancée didn't leave me which is the best of all. Also the mornings are about 6000000000 times better when one doesn't have a hangover.
Clarity
My kids don’t mind talking to me now. IWNDWYT
not in a perpetual state of recovering from a hangover.
My Poop is way better
LOL
Morning hugs from my kids.
My smile is real now.
Does anyone miss the heartburn?
Not stressing about getting to the liquor store after work...or going before because I know they'll be closed. I don't make plans around my ability to find a drink. Waking up with no hang over. Remembering things.i don't lose my temper. The shakes are gone. All the random body pains have subsided. The bonus on top of all that, I lost 50 lbs
I get to choose what I want to do every day without waiting for the hangover to go away.
Just about everything
I'm more comfortable in my own skin. I don't actively hate myself like I once did. I am able to have moments where I am content and at peace.
I love myself. Ive got stuff Im still working on but I havent been able to say that in years and mean it.
More time to do/achieve things in my life. Time is valuable.
No shaky hands
Not being afraid of dying from alcohol related problems or developing cancer and put my kids through all of it.
One thing I’ve noticed about myself that I haven’t seen many people saying is that I haven’t been so short tempered or argumentative. I feel like I’ve calmed down a lot, and I listen more. I used to fly off the handle and be a bit of a dick when I was drinking. I hated being like that.
A real relationship with my kids !
No more hangovers!!! That alone is enough to make me think twice about it. Plus, I have WAY more time to spend on my hobbies. Just got 4 years back in March 😁 I will not drink with you today!!
THE SLEEP. My god, the sleep. It’s glorious.
A simple one that’s made a big impact for me are the quality of my weekends now. They seem to be twice as long now that I don’t spend half the time in bed recovering.
Being alive
Mental clarity!
No more hospital visits
Freedom in many ways. No more rolling the dice with that first sip not knowing if it will be a scholarly high brow tasting or a sloppy stumbling brain take over to wake up feeling shitty with who knows what kind of surprises.
Oh my gosh guys, I woke up this morning simply in awe of everyone sharing. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. Have a beautiful day!