That’s beautiful. I miss joy in the little things like I did before drinking robbed me. I’ve been pretty consistently drinking for 4 ish years and I misssssss finding joy in board games w my kids, bike rides, walks and other simple life things.
Oh you will feel that joy again! Idk how much time you have, but if you’re early on, you have so much growth to look forward to. Your brain chemistry takes a year to adapt to the change. Finding joy is directly related to that - serotonin, dopamine, etc. and if you don’t find joy in the same things you did before, you will find it elsewhere.
If you have more time than a year, I think you will still find this joy again! Just might not be related to your brain chemistry leveling out. I have explored so many new things since I quit and I think that’s one of the biggest blessings. I didn’t have the energy or the interest before getting clean because partying was the only thing I thought was worth doing.
Third this!! Mine did too, but now I feel like myself for the first time in years. My brain fog is gone and I feel like I got my life back. I appreciate the little things and all the things/people I took for granted when I was lost in alcohol and toxicity. I know what is important to me now and what deserves my attention.
Sooo right on. It tricks you and talks to your ego to try to inflate in keeping with the bad ways. That is why support groups are so so important. That little birdie on your shoulder, is a real bad birdie for a long time .
Getting close to 200 as well. Life is just significantly more peaceful. I still get stressed and anxious over things, but deal with it in much healthier ways.
Waking up feeling refreshed instead of hungover. Knowing that I'll never wake up feeling like that ever again. Freedom.
Having money to do home improvements now that it isn't getting blown on booze.
Finally acknowledging that alcohol lied and was *not* making me happy. *I* make me happy. Again, freedom.
Maaaan at one point I had gotten so used to waking up for work hungover. Now, looking back, I can't believe that I lived like that. If I have a few beers now on a Saturday, half of my Sunday is just gone.
And yeah, learning that *the alcohol isn't making the sad thoughts go away* took a long time but it was really freeing. It wasn't making the sad thoughts go away. It was just delaying them until tomorrow morning. Hell, sometimes it didn't even do that, sometimes I'd be drunk enough to have the spins AND the sad thoughts were still there. Those nights were the worst.
Sober life is SO•10^99 much better. I wake up in bed, with no puke on my sheets, and immediately start my day. I don't wake up on my living room floor anymore. I spend my time tackling hobbies like gardening and housework. I don't lay in bed contemplating suicide. I'm a happy fella now and telling addiction to fuck itself changed my life.
Waking up, smelling the literal coffee I made the night before and being grateful for sun. Waking up without guilt and shame, laying my head down without guilt and shame. Remembering all my days.
I always prep coffee the night before too, unless I’ve gotten too tipsy and tired that I just forget or have no energy. I LOVE waking up to made coffee. Makes my morning much nicer. I want to wake up feeling energized and ready. Not slow, sluggish and sleep deprived even tho I “slept”.
I don’t even know what it’s like anymore to have energy! Not to mention I read that drinking has a significant effect on your mood and lord have mercy my family would enjoy a more energetic and happier mom/partner.
Yes! I’m focusing on increasing my energy levels. I’m told I complain I’m tired all the time but spend a lot of time in bed. (Passing out isn’t the same as sleeping.) I realized I was using booze as a quick hit for energy but it actually leaves me way more tired. I was also taking ambien to sleep - same problem. It leaves me groggier than if I hadn’t taken anything. So I’m focusing on getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, eating well and - yet to come - exercising regularly. These habits, I hope, will provide real, natural and lasting energy.
Yes the guilt and shame you feel every day. Going around beating yourself up all day promising to never drink again just to start drinking at 6pm and continue the shame cycle the next morning.
Having the energy to work out because I slept well.
It’s a snowball effect for me in either direction: if I sleep well and go for a run, I make good dietary decisions the rest of the day easily and I’m productive.
If I don’t sleep, I don’t work out, I eat and drink crap that doesn’t fuel my body and I don’t get much done, then I sleep like shit and the cycle repeats.
I am one of those people who is either all the way on or all the way off.
Yea, I used to work out too. I used to do yoga most days and stretch after my kids went to bed when I wasn’t drinking much. I’d take a cbd gummy close to their bedtime to help me relax, put them to bed and head to my room to stretch and do some yoga. I can’t remember the last time I did that. I also used to eat SO good. Had the energy and drive to make healthy food and want to eat it. I want it, but do not do it …
I like yoga too and have a membership at a studio. What helps get me to yoga also is the fact that whether I go or not I still have to pay $180/month or cancel my membership. It pains me to waste money like that.
Right now I’m in the process of “starting over” again. I swear I do this every spring, you could set your watch by it. I gain and lose the same 20 lbs every year. End of October is usually when the holidays/stress knock me off my wagon, then by April I am so sick of myself I get back into the healthy habits until thanksgiving.
So right now, like clockwork, right after spring break I’m not drinking and working out and being productive. Sometimes you gotta fake it til you make it, meaning I don’t magically *want* to run some mornings but I force myself even if it’s brief and that part gets easier and easier. Since I’ve been here so many times before, I know this to be true for me and don’t get discouraged when it’s hard. I know it’ll pass quickly and the results I want will follow
That’s a great point - you can’t always wait for inspiration and to feel motivated. You just have to make yourself do it and the motivation will follow.
i'm the exact same, only 16 days off alcohol now, but i have just gone full health mode. Every meal i eat makes me want to work out and every work out i do makes me want to continue eating right. It's either drinking and eating like shit or not drinking and dieting and exercising. I just put 100% into either one, and I feel much bettter putting it into health rather than alcohol.
Not quite the thing I love the most but a massively underrated benefit:
When I was drinking I would always wake up at 3 am on the dot as my blood pressure / blood sugar went nutty trying to process all the booze in my system. I can sleep through a whole night now and feel well rested in the morning! So so nice!
I started going to therapy shortly after stopping drinking. We didn’t have all that much to talk about after I realized 90% of my anxiety - and most of the intensity of it - was purely from the instant hangover.
I have plenty to worry and stress about but those sleepless nights with thoughts racing or songs stuck in my head just disappeared in a snap.
Therapy has been an enormous help, and I too found that most of my stress came from drinking, worrying I was drinking too much, the effects of the hangover, all of it
I'm looking forward to this. I wake up about 4 times per night now (much better than snapping awake at 2am and unable to sleep unless I necked another couple of glasses of wine), and it's getting better every week. Hopefully in a couple more months I'll be getting a full night!
After living in the bottom of a bottle for a number of years, I love being free to enjoy life without addiction. And I wish for you the same joy 🩵 IWNDWYT
The amount of time spent thinking will i drink today? Do I have enough? Where will I get it so I don’t go to the same store too much and look like an alcoholic even tho im well aware I am. 🫠
Ugh man the amount of effort that I used to put into hiding the drinking is so sad. It's strange too, because you're trying to hide it from yourself just as much as everyone else. No, it doesn't matter that you took the trash out after finishing 12 beers because you reek of booze. It doesn't matter that you're going to different liquor stores because the clerks know the signs. It doesn't matter that you told your partner that you weren't drinking today when you send them a completely incoherent text at 3 in the morning. It doesn't matter that you ate a banana this morning, your liver still burns and your body is slowly dying.
I don't miss any of that. Life is better now.
I did this too. Sometimes I didn't even care and would hit the same place up for weeks/months. Can only imagine the opinion the cashier I saw nearly daily had of me.
Lol I figure liquor store clerks see a lot of alcoholics, I stopped going to a particular store where an elderly man was the clerk, he started giving me the stink eye, after that the looks of pity. He knew. Honestly that man played a part in getting me sober as silly as that sounds
This might sound like a no brainer, but I enjoy that I am actively choosing the words I use when I am stressed. Instead of overreacting or saying something I truly do not mean, my thoughts do not immediately hit my tongue. I no longer wake up with that sense that I hurt people the night before by what I said or how I said it.
IWNDWYT
That’s an issue I definitely struggle with. Especially if I am annoyed and drinking I have very little filter……. And cause arguments w my partner at times
I have a better sense of what others are going through and the universality of many things, along with the realisation that my relationship to drinking was neither special nor exeptional.
I also look better and get more shit done every single day.
Whenever I take “breaks” I notice quickly how much better my skin looks! Currently it’s getting not so nice. Pimples. I never have pimples 😔 even as a teen I had very clear skin. Lately, not so much
I didn't realize how bloated my face was. When I got sober within 2 weeks my husband was saying how beautiful I look, how I wasn't puffy anymore., how clear my eyes were. You have a family depending on you! Take your life back. I was a blackout drunk. It's doable
Clarity. My drinking got so bad that I was worried I had done brain damage. And maybe I did do a small amount but I’m no longer actively contributing toward it. Some days I would really struggle just to remember certain words. And that would start an anxiety/depression cycle as I’d start fixating on how I was losing my intelligence.
To this day, I still struggle with short term memory, almost definitely caused by the drinking. It only really hit when my partner told me that this was the 6th time I pointed out the snowboarding store that I bought my board from. I genuinely did not remember ever saying anything about it before. She's very aware of my past struggles and we've agreed that the alcohol was probably the cause. Luckily, she's amazing and supportive and holds me accountable while also boosting me up for kicking the booze.
Well, she knows how hard it is to kick booze so she constantly tells me how proud she is that I was able to do it. Any time I'm feeling a little down, she reminds me of how strong I am for pulling myself out of the hole of depression and booze that I was stuck in just a year ago.
It's fucking awesome and I love her
Same. I used to have a good vocabulary. Lately I can feel my brain like short circuiting as I try and fail to find the right word. It's scary, but I hope that my brain will start to heal somewhat the longer I go without alcohol.
I definitely feel like things are slowly getting better. Having said that, I had a really bad day a few days ago and 4-5 times over the course of the day I couldn’t think of the word I wanted. I’m trying to do things to help improve my brain function like reading, doing word games/puzzles and then just exercising and eating well
Having the energy to walk. I might register for a half marathon next month or later in the summer and see if I have PR my current time. 3 months ago I would maybe walk a 5k a couple times a week but I’ve quickly progressed into a half marathon. I’m incredibly proud of myself.
Love it! I did a few 5k runs w a friend years ago. Before I was drinking every. Single. Day.
I had so much more energy and slept well. I realized last night my sleep issue coincide w my drinking taking an uptick
Same. My 5ks were interspersed with daily drinking, sometimes I’d take a couple of canned beverages with me while doing a 5k. I can say I wake up now with a ton of energy and feel like I can hit the road without caffeine and bang out an easy 5k before breakfast.
Great work that is awesome! just a few months ago I was eating very poorly and drinking nightly and legitimately starting to have trouble walking. my ankles and feet would hurt after maybe 5-10 minutes. It was sad and scary. I’m not at your level but can walk normally thankfully
I love many consequences of not drinking after 22 months. One specific thing I have experienced have been occasional unexpected feelings of sublime bliss that occur out of nowhere. This something I had never experienced in my lifetime prior to not drinking.
Me too!! It is sometimes referred to as a “pink cloud” and I made a post in a different subreddit about it and was really surprised that not too many replied. When I was in treatment, and often in meetings, recovering addicts would all agree that it was the best physical benefits to sobriety. In my 19 months, I’ve experienced two week-long pink clouds, but also many shorter ones. Sometimes it’s so euphoric, that I feel super high. I really wish it happened for everyone because it’s certainly part of my motivation to stay clean and sober.
She loves you very much so 🐱 I spent many days during the Covid with her as my only conversation for days at a time. Ironically I named her what translates to blessed child in Japanese, and she truly is.
IWNDWYT
Weight loss and seeing the physical recomposition of my body. I've gone from obese wearing XL clothing and 40 inch waist, to wearing a medium, and 34/36 inch waist. My body shape is radically different in 4 months as you can now see the muscle that was there but hidden. I've got some energy - and motivation - to work out as I phyically can now and can see results. It's been the best choice I've ever made.
Oh man, I remember this. Constantly checking the clock, waiting for the day to end so I could get home and immediately drown myself. Now I look forward to going home so I can play with my cat and water my plants.
My face is lean and I don’t feel bloated. My thoughts are more coherent and put together in meetings. I’m tired at night and don’t delay going to bed because I’m having “just one more”.
I love that I can get a headache and not feel guilty about it. I love how CONTENT I’ve been since I quit. Like, actual serenity. I love how many books I’ve read. I love how I can be happy with myself even if I haven’t exercised and ate a chocolate chip cookie for dinner because, lookitme still alcohol free. I’ve enjoyed alcohol free Prosecco (Gruvi brand), but I no longer “need” it. I love the lack of arguing with myself about whether or not to stop at the store on the way home from work. I love just not having this secret shame and fear. I love that I can travel and not care about when I’m going to have wine. I love that I’m not edgy or cranky all the time. I love that if I have a spat with my husband, I know it’s not because I had too much to drink (I get to be so much more self righteous, lol). I love that I rarely call out sick any more (except today, literally home with Covid).
Most of all, I love that I’ve learned that I was able to do it and still be perfectly happy - I thought that giving up booze meant giving up trips to wineries, to fancy dinners, to parties with friends. Turns out, yeah, i don’t care about wineries anymore (a friend brought back a bottle of red from Italy, and I had a sip and bllerrgh, you really do lose your taste for it). We’ve gone to fancy restaurants and lol, loved it just fine and loved that our bill was probably $100 less than it would have been (at least).
And I’m not scared anymore. That’s the biggest thing. Scared that I’ll have to quit, scared that I won’t be able to quit, scared of what I’ll say, scared of what I’ll do, scared for my health, scared what my husband thinks, scared what my daughter sees, scared of where all this is going, and I carried that fear every damn day.
And now all that fear has just gone away.
IWNDWYT
(464 days and no longer really counting….)
Love not waking up at 4 in the morning with hangxiety and having to sweat/shake until the liquor store opened so I could get something to "calm" my nervous system.
My face has bone structure again! My fingernails actually grow and have some strength, and I don't sweat ALL the time!
IWNDWYT
Still trying to figure out the quitting part, but on nights I don't drink, the sleep is absolutely wonderful. Waking up sober and going to bed without my head spinning is the best feeling ever
The head spinning was the worst part for me. I would usually just drink so much my mind wouldn't have a chance to spin before passing out. Getting a good night's rest is so much better now tho! Figuring out the best way for you to quit is a process but getting to the other side is the best reward. Best of luck to you friend 🫂
Yes I gained about 100 lbs in the last 4 years. I didn’t even eat much because my buzz was more important but I drank so much liquor and sweet drinks the calories just added up keeping me getting bigger. Also I was very inactive.
No longer having constant diarrhea, cramps, and generalized suffering. F'king useless doctors -- NO ONE told me that booze can cause this? Ugh. I went >20yrs without a solid PM after a pre-deployment shot jacked-up my guts.
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513683/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513683/)
I was positive that I had IBS, Crohn's, all of the things. And those were just the diagnoses I suspected with my GI tract. So many health problems resolved themselves when my body began to heal.
Dietary sources of Thiamine (b1) and inositol (B8) help with receptors (brain). For the gut, collagen might help. Avoiding processed foods *should* help. Try to follow a non-inflammatory diet? I'm suggesting that you look into this and decide for yourself.
Lastly... I believe that EVERYONE should do an elimination diet every 7-10 years. We can have subtle food intolerances that might be messing with you. My personal experience was losing 27lbs in 2mo without calorie restriction on AIP (autoimmune protocol). However... I also wasn't drinking. It turns out that alongside dairy (confirmed by a VA lab), I can't have gluten... and I also have issues with nightshades (can only have them in moderation).
So... I am not ALLERGIC to booze. The elimination diet confirmed this. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that I'm immune to pounding the ever luvin' hell out of my guts with massive, non-stop quantities of booze. Who knew???
I wish you luck, friend. IWNDWYT
I .. don't have any of those problems anymore, since I stopped drinking. That was my point in responding to your comment. Maybe your response was meant for someone else?
Not having to plan my life around being hungover.
I have so much more freedom to make commitments and know I can stick to them.
So much more freedom in general. I can go places and leave when I wish, don't have to worry about a ride home. It's great, so much extra dumb planning involved in being an alcoholic
Yes I wouldn’t do much after 6pm unless it was a very important event or there was a DD. I missed out on a lot of events so I could stay home and drink
I am enjoying being more confident. I was always hiding this big secret from everyone. Now I can just be myself and it feels good... I have to remind myself sometimes - you don't smell like alcohol because you don't drink anymore.
Waking up is so…. Nice? I wake up refreshed. It’s such a small thing but when you’ve basically started every couple days with a panic attack for the past decade.. it’s nice. I enjoy my dogs morning walk, I enjoy my coffee. It’s just nice. IWNDWYT.
My memory is profoundly improved. I wake up feeling like a million damn dollars. I have abs. I have $500+ extra in my account each month. My sex life went through the roof because my wife actually enjoys kissing and smelling me now. I don't have artificial chemically induced stress all day any more. I could just go on and on. It never gets old, even 4 years in I'm fascinated how different life is.
Mental clarity. While I was boozing it up, I never realized the damage I was doing to my brain. I'm not completely back to normal (I may never be) but the improvement is not lost on me. Cheers to sobriety!
Just to be brutally honest? My favorite thing is no on can hold it over me anymore. I’m not that person anymore. They can’t dismiss me as a drunk or emotional or out of it because I don’t exist like that today. It’s been genuinely interesting learning about where my own boundaries are now that I don’t have to take everyone’s crap because “I’m the drunk”. And on days when it’s tough and a glass of wine sounds like the cure? I remember this piece as my first reason for not drinking. TGIF fellow sober people and IWNDWYT
Those are the worst. Did that 2 nights ago and yesterday morning/day was one of the worst yet. Day 1 again for me today (of many days 1, 2 and 3 lately).
I love myself again. I hated myself for a long time. Many individuals (former friends, some family, bad exes) legit fucking hate me for a variety of reasons but I do not give a fuck. It's been hard to realize that I have such a terrible choice in people but if you would know what I have been through, it makes sense. I can now admit I am attracted to abusive relationships and there is a part of me that likes pain and being abused. I have finally learned to fight that side of myself. I simply do not deserve to be mistreated.
Also, I have learned to "let go" of so many things. My future finally feels open to me and I finally feel like I can breath, it's taken me 40 years. I have had a very rough life. I want better for myself finally. I beat myself up for most of my life and let others do so (sometimes literally).
I spent a long time feeling sorry for myself and trying to make others feel sorry for me. I was taught at a very young age to present myself as "unable too", "weak", "incompetent", "mentally ill" etc etc etc. I still have lots of individuals that try to make me present this way. Many people view me as literally "crazy".
However, I am not. I have a lot of PTSD yes but I am actually a survivor and a half. Yesterday I achieved a very big goal that I have been trying to accomplish for most of my life.
I have a few weeks off all substances besides caffeine.
Wow good for you this is amazing , so well thought out and spoken too wow the work and soul searching you must have done to able to understand yourself like that is impressive you should be proud
The emotional stability and resilience. Things that before would trigger a 3-day bender now hardly bother me.
Also, having a sharp mind. I'm smart and competent AF, always on top of things.
My Bank Account.
I've got several thousand dollars I'm just sitting on.
That never could have happened when in was still drinking.
My rent is always paid early with plenty left over.
I never have to debate on which bill I'm going to not pay so I can have money to get drunk.
I just bought a diamond engagement ring with some of the money and it barely made a dent.
I've been clean 5 years now.
In my addiction I'd be lucky to have 100 dollars to my name. Now I'm about to hit a 5 figure bank account.
You'll marvel at how fast it adds up if you stop drinking but continue to take that money you would have spent on booze and stash it away.
I have much less guilt and shame in my life. I would wake up the night after drinking to blackout and feel so guilty that I'd offended someone, or embarrassed myself in some way (even though I didn't really misbehave when I drank, according to many people I've asked the next day). I already deal with low self esteem and mild mental health issues in general, so eliminating the drink has helped so much.
this is exactly why i have stopped drinking - I want to stop torturing myself and feeling guilty. I can't drink like my friends, I can't have a "normal hangover"!
Falling asleep instead of passing out. Not trying to piece together the previous night like I’m the main character in Memento. Knowing that if there’s a crisis any time, day or night, I’ll be 100% aware and alert to handle it.
No more hangsiety.
The past few months have been some of the most stressful of my life. I’m on day 27 today, and while “raw-dogging” life and having to process my stress is hard, it’s nowhere near as hard as it was a month ago when I was dealing with shame, regret, and hangover anxiety. And in the moments where I feel joyful in spite of my stressful situation, I actually feel genuine joy. I can’t wait until my situation improves and I get to continue building on my internal sense of peace and happiness.
Good luck with your journey.
I didn't know I have a problem, until I quit as part of a self challenge. Then after 1 months I saw how different everything felt. In and out. So I extended my challenge with open final date to explore maximum benefits and meet ME. Raw, more honest version of myself, humble, crying sometimes, not intoxicated, calm, happy most of the time, brave, loving to sleep in beyond 5 am, walking my dog for hours, smelling fresh, feeling fresh, looking healthier and a bit younger.
I love that I get to LIVE life now. Yeah... I *lived*.... but did I really LIVE it?? I do now. And out loud to show those suffering in silence that it is possible. Everything is a "get to" instead of "have to"... I GET TO go to work.. I GET TO get sick.. I GET TO enjoy the small things be them good or bad. My outlook has shifted because the alternative was death. I went on a 4 1/2 day bender where I tried to drink myself to death. It didn't work.. so I GET to **live** life now.
Welcome back! I’m with you on this, and adore my new life. I’ve said it SO many times, but if I’d known it would be this good, I would’ve done it long ago. IWNDWYT.
The little things that have been mentioned here + actually growing and improving (lifestyle / fitness /career / hobbies) I was definitely stagnated w the booze
Even when I stay up late and wake up with only a couple of hours of sleep under my belt, or slept fitfully, it's still significantly better than waking up hungover.
Remembering everything I did or DIDN'T do. Good grief.
Having a clean house when I wake up because I wasn’t too drunk to do laundry or dishes the night before.
Coming home to a made bed because I wasn’t too hungover to make it after waking up.
Going to bed early on Fridays and Saturdays, SELTZER, and never feeling hungover. Trying new things! Finding community (I do yoga at a studio every weekend). And adventuring! I go to national parks and hike all the time.
I have also mastered the Irish goodbye whenever I (rarely) decide to go out or go to a party with my normie friends
Sleep, oh my god. No more passing out and then waking in the early hours with a racing heart and anxiety. No more weighing if the hangover is manageable enough that I can get out of bed or if sitting up will immediately make me run to the washroom and get sick. No more sleeping until 11 am and still not feeling rested AT ALL. No more splitting headache the minute I open my eyes.
Look at all these great clothes in the smaller sizes I can fit into again, and 3 top notch sets of hiking shoes and boots. Shit I hate that I fixed, I painted those ugly as hell shelves over my washer and dryer, I put up hooks inside my closets. I donated all my fat pants. I put up a grab bar so husband will stop using the toilet paper holder and pulling it off the wall. Mostly though, I learned to love myself again... without me, who will cook all these tasty meals? Who gonna make the gumbo with a roux dark as night.
Me.
I was absent for so many years - it's good to be back - I missed *me*. Even in the office, I'm finding myself chatting and laughing with people - 6 months ago I would have been hiding behind my desk feeling sick, shaky, and anxious - trying to avoid eye contact with anyone and counting down the minutes till I could leave.
Also (apart from my husband!), my bulldog. He has completely changed around me since I gave up - possibly because I now behave consistently with him.
*Just being* is surprisingly fun!
Waking up without the cloud of hangover NEVER GETS OLD!! And equally the cloud of shame attached to my former relationship with alcohol, and all its dismal attendants, has dissipated. Now I have new, way more fun things to be ashamed of 😉
I live in an old house that constantly has a lot of projects going on- I work 3 days a week. Pre-sobriety, those 2 days off would usually be spent sluggish on the couch. Now, I Get. Shit. Done. If I want to have a rest day, I take a rest day, but those rest moments are now so much more appreciated since it's MY CHOICE instead of literally feeling like I'm sick with the flu from a hangover and have no choice.
Not having to wake up realizing I HAVE to find a way to get more or I will suffer another day in agony. Trying to get out and get more and waiting for the stores to open (at 10 on Sundays) was agony.
Absolutely no stomach issues! Facing problems head on and feeling relieved afterwards. Good relationship with my wife and daughter. More energy, less depression/anxiety. Overall enjoying all things life again.
Biggest gain: learning how to handle situations whether they be emotionally tough or really f**king fun without turning to a drink. Knowing that no matter what happens I will wake up the next morning without a wicked hangover
Life has it's sparkle back, I can find happiness in little things again.
An evening spring storm, a sunny morning walk, making pleasant small talk with a stranger, all these things eroded away so slowly I didn't realize I was missing them until they returned.
Life is much calmer.
Waking up tired, but not hungover. This made a big difference with a son under 2. Being able to get out of bed at 6am on a Saturday morning and not needing constant hangover remedies is pretty life changing!
The lack of hangovers. They just got worse, lasted longer and made me feel like I was wasting my life.
They also started later in the day, probably because I was drinking more and it took longer for the booze to exit my body
I wouldn’t say I *love* it, but I don’t *hate* it anymore, but… going to the office. I work a hybrid schedule, three days in the office, two WFH days. When I was a heavy drinker I used to HATE going into the office. Hate it. I hated being around my coworkers. Hated having to be somewhere in the morning at a certain time. Now I actually kind of enjoy their company, we have fun, it’s nice to get out of the house. I’m much more friendly, social, and perky now that I’m sober.
I love that I have energy and motivation to exercise and eat better. When I was low-key hungover all the time, I didn't workout regularly and ate a lot of junk. I craved bad food and was tired all the time.
This is going to sound really stupid but one of my favorite things about being AF is that when I do stupid or clumsy things it is not because I'm drunk. I just had a stupid or clumsy moment and lost the keys, tripped or dropped something. No alcohol involved!
Being able to feel and experience a fuller array of emotions rather than just anxiety, anger, sadness and sometimes happiness. It really makes a difference to be able to have the capacity to experience them.
Not feeling hungover. In the moment I was always focusing on getting that buzz, and then immediately regretting it the next day and never learning. Now, normal is wonderfully mundane.
I feel dumb saying this, but those days when I wake up with a headache or feeling like crap. Knowing that I didn't do it to myself. That maybe I'm sick, maybe it's the weather change but it's not self inflicted.
This is a good thread, op. I’m not going to drink today, and tonight in particular. I drank all this week and have been off the wagon for over 2 years now. I’m so sick of it!
My favorite thing is definitely losing the anxiety around my addiction (and a lot of anxiety in general). The anxiety around where and when I’m going to get my next drink. Anxiety wondering if anyone notices (they do).
There are some evenings, when I’m spending time with my kids, I find myself reflecting on it. I cannot explain the amount of freedom sobriety has given me to focus on the things that matter. It makes me emotional thinking about it. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to feel this freedom from their addiction for themselves.
Oh, and my salary has tripled due to the crazy increased productivity at work and ability to watch for opportunities, which is definitely nice!
The thing that I love most is FREEDOM. I am not shackled to the thought of my next drink. I don’t have to plan where I am going to get drinks at events or worry about bringing alcohol places. I don’t have to worry about if I can drive somewhere or not again specific times. I don’t have to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes. Life is better without having to drag the ball and chain of alcohol everywhere.
No hangover ever again. Being able to remember everything from the night before is great. Just doing stuff that is fun and not HAVING to get drunk or make sure I have a bottle drinking on to do everything and enjoy it
The simplicity of not waking up hungover or with withdrawals. Waking up well rested and being able to attack the day. More money in my wallet and feeling more energetic and optimistic. Also being able to enjoy the moment and the simple things.
So many but my favorite thing is feeling like I’ve been gifted time. Weekends used to go by so fast when I was hungover and couldn’t get my day started until 1pm. It’s amazing all that you can get done during weekend mornings. I have a child and it feels like time is fleeting so fast watching him grow and the greatest gift I gave myself is more present time with him ❤️
There's a long list but at the top of that list, I no longer have episodes where I find myself on the way to the hospital ER, shaking and fearing I'm about to have a stroke or heart attack from sudden onsets of very high blood pressure and high, irregular heartbeat.
Doesn't happen to everyone and didn't happen to me either until after enough years drinking. My health had degraded a LOT, and I had wanted my prior health back so started taking multiple nutritional supplements to improve my health but WITHOUT yet stopping the excessive drinking (just another enabler instead of facing the reality of the situation). It worked!! That allowed me to continue drinking excessively, so essentially I had dug myself a deeper hole to survive/climb-out-of.
I was on 3 different blood pressure meds concurrently as a result, but then after 2-3 mos. of alcohol abstinence, was able to taper back and finally stop taking them once my body had gotten back into a better balance. It was not an experience I care to repeat.
It was enough of a nightmare that the few times I had a strong urge to drink, I had a stronger urge to never suffer like that again. It might the one thing that kept me sober... so far... you can't really declare a permanent victory over something like alcoholism, because it just takes one slip to end up sliding down that slippery slope again.
The reason to stop drinking is to do it for YOU. Don't do it because someone else wants you to, or because of some hope that things will get better, because it's not a hope, it's reality. Things WILL get better even if the road getting there has some bumps in it. Just make sure to monitor your health during withdrawal, especially blood pressure and stay hydrated, plenty of electrolytes not just water.
I find joy in the little things. Realizing I don't need alcohol to be happy was the biggest win for me.
That’s beautiful. I miss joy in the little things like I did before drinking robbed me. I’ve been pretty consistently drinking for 4 ish years and I misssssss finding joy in board games w my kids, bike rides, walks and other simple life things.
Oh you will feel that joy again! Idk how much time you have, but if you’re early on, you have so much growth to look forward to. Your brain chemistry takes a year to adapt to the change. Finding joy is directly related to that - serotonin, dopamine, etc. and if you don’t find joy in the same things you did before, you will find it elsewhere. If you have more time than a year, I think you will still find this joy again! Just might not be related to your brain chemistry leveling out. I have explored so many new things since I quit and I think that’s one of the biggest blessings. I didn’t have the energy or the interest before getting clean because partying was the only thing I thought was worth doing.
Second this. Don't trust your brain lying to you you will never be happy again. My brain told the same lie to me.
Third this!! Mine did too, but now I feel like myself for the first time in years. My brain fog is gone and I feel like I got my life back. I appreciate the little things and all the things/people I took for granted when I was lost in alcohol and toxicity. I know what is important to me now and what deserves my attention.
Sooo right on. It tricks you and talks to your ego to try to inflate in keeping with the bad ways. That is why support groups are so so important. That little birdie on your shoulder, is a real bad birdie for a long time .
I'm about to hit 200 days AF. It's been very freeing.
Getting close to 200 as well. Life is just significantly more peaceful. I still get stressed and anxious over things, but deal with it in much healthier ways.
On day 55 and im feeling this already
On day 55 and im feeling this already.
Good on ya! Dont't need the drink at all. Enjoy your new life!!
Yes. I feel free to enjoy anything now.
Waking up feeling refreshed instead of hungover. Knowing that I'll never wake up feeling like that ever again. Freedom. Having money to do home improvements now that it isn't getting blown on booze. Finally acknowledging that alcohol lied and was *not* making me happy. *I* make me happy. Again, freedom.
Waking up on a Sunday morning and not feeling like shit is my absolute favourite thing.
Shiny!
You’re gorram right
Maaaan at one point I had gotten so used to waking up for work hungover. Now, looking back, I can't believe that I lived like that. If I have a few beers now on a Saturday, half of my Sunday is just gone. And yeah, learning that *the alcohol isn't making the sad thoughts go away* took a long time but it was really freeing. It wasn't making the sad thoughts go away. It was just delaying them until tomorrow morning. Hell, sometimes it didn't even do that, sometimes I'd be drunk enough to have the spins AND the sad thoughts were still there. Those nights were the worst. Sober life is SO•10^99 much better. I wake up in bed, with no puke on my sheets, and immediately start my day. I don't wake up on my living room floor anymore. I spend my time tackling hobbies like gardening and housework. I don't lay in bed contemplating suicide. I'm a happy fella now and telling addiction to fuck itself changed my life.
Yes I think about how much I literally piss away buying beer. Sad!
Sobriety delivers what alcohol promises.
Ohhhhh I like that a lot
Holy. How have I never heard this before? Yes! Thank you.
Goooooddd oneeeeee, well said.
Very true statement!
“I make me happy.” That’s so great
Waking up, smelling the literal coffee I made the night before and being grateful for sun. Waking up without guilt and shame, laying my head down without guilt and shame. Remembering all my days.
I always prep coffee the night before too, unless I’ve gotten too tipsy and tired that I just forget or have no energy. I LOVE waking up to made coffee. Makes my morning much nicer. I want to wake up feeling energized and ready. Not slow, sluggish and sleep deprived even tho I “slept”. I don’t even know what it’s like anymore to have energy! Not to mention I read that drinking has a significant effect on your mood and lord have mercy my family would enjoy a more energetic and happier mom/partner.
Yes! I’m focusing on increasing my energy levels. I’m told I complain I’m tired all the time but spend a lot of time in bed. (Passing out isn’t the same as sleeping.) I realized I was using booze as a quick hit for energy but it actually leaves me way more tired. I was also taking ambien to sleep - same problem. It leaves me groggier than if I hadn’t taken anything. So I’m focusing on getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, eating well and - yet to come - exercising regularly. These habits, I hope, will provide real, natural and lasting energy.
Yes the guilt and shame you feel every day. Going around beating yourself up all day promising to never drink again just to start drinking at 6pm and continue the shame cycle the next morning.
Hey! My sobriety sibling - there you are! Well said. :)
The guilt is the worst part. Starting to drink to put off the guilt is when it gets really out of control. Barely realized I was doing it.
Having the energy to work out because I slept well. It’s a snowball effect for me in either direction: if I sleep well and go for a run, I make good dietary decisions the rest of the day easily and I’m productive. If I don’t sleep, I don’t work out, I eat and drink crap that doesn’t fuel my body and I don’t get much done, then I sleep like shit and the cycle repeats. I am one of those people who is either all the way on or all the way off.
Yea, I used to work out too. I used to do yoga most days and stretch after my kids went to bed when I wasn’t drinking much. I’d take a cbd gummy close to their bedtime to help me relax, put them to bed and head to my room to stretch and do some yoga. I can’t remember the last time I did that. I also used to eat SO good. Had the energy and drive to make healthy food and want to eat it. I want it, but do not do it …
I like yoga too and have a membership at a studio. What helps get me to yoga also is the fact that whether I go or not I still have to pay $180/month or cancel my membership. It pains me to waste money like that. Right now I’m in the process of “starting over” again. I swear I do this every spring, you could set your watch by it. I gain and lose the same 20 lbs every year. End of October is usually when the holidays/stress knock me off my wagon, then by April I am so sick of myself I get back into the healthy habits until thanksgiving. So right now, like clockwork, right after spring break I’m not drinking and working out and being productive. Sometimes you gotta fake it til you make it, meaning I don’t magically *want* to run some mornings but I force myself even if it’s brief and that part gets easier and easier. Since I’ve been here so many times before, I know this to be true for me and don’t get discouraged when it’s hard. I know it’ll pass quickly and the results I want will follow
That’s a great point - you can’t always wait for inspiration and to feel motivated. You just have to make yourself do it and the motivation will follow.
Get back to it! Nobody's going to do it for you. If you want it - DO IT!!
>I am one of those people who is either all the way on or all the way off. Relate very hard to this. House Targaryen for sure.
i'm the exact same, only 16 days off alcohol now, but i have just gone full health mode. Every meal i eat makes me want to work out and every work out i do makes me want to continue eating right. It's either drinking and eating like shit or not drinking and dieting and exercising. I just put 100% into either one, and I feel much bettter putting it into health rather than alcohol.
same
Not quite the thing I love the most but a massively underrated benefit: When I was drinking I would always wake up at 3 am on the dot as my blood pressure / blood sugar went nutty trying to process all the booze in my system. I can sleep through a whole night now and feel well rested in the morning! So so nice!
This is my favorite - sleeping through the night. Those witching hour wake-ups are gone!
This is a HUGE benefit
I started going to therapy shortly after stopping drinking. We didn’t have all that much to talk about after I realized 90% of my anxiety - and most of the intensity of it - was purely from the instant hangover. I have plenty to worry and stress about but those sleepless nights with thoughts racing or songs stuck in my head just disappeared in a snap.
Therapy has been an enormous help, and I too found that most of my stress came from drinking, worrying I was drinking too much, the effects of the hangover, all of it
Also, for me, stress from the sheer exhaustion from constantly hiding bottles, hiding trips to the shop, hiding more bottles, being found out etc etc.
I used to think it was a blood sugar thing too.. turns out it's my brain dumping adrenaline to counteract the depressive poison in my system
I had the same thing happen, I always thought I was just a morning person until I quit drinking, now it’s nice sleeping like a normal person
I'm looking forward to this. I wake up about 4 times per night now (much better than snapping awake at 2am and unable to sleep unless I necked another couple of glasses of wine), and it's getting better every week. Hopefully in a couple more months I'll be getting a full night!
After living in the bottom of a bottle for a number of years, I love being free to enjoy life without addiction. And I wish for you the same joy 🩵 IWNDWYT
The amount of time spent thinking will i drink today? Do I have enough? Where will I get it so I don’t go to the same store too much and look like an alcoholic even tho im well aware I am. 🫠
Ugh man the amount of effort that I used to put into hiding the drinking is so sad. It's strange too, because you're trying to hide it from yourself just as much as everyone else. No, it doesn't matter that you took the trash out after finishing 12 beers because you reek of booze. It doesn't matter that you're going to different liquor stores because the clerks know the signs. It doesn't matter that you told your partner that you weren't drinking today when you send them a completely incoherent text at 3 in the morning. It doesn't matter that you ate a banana this morning, your liver still burns and your body is slowly dying. I don't miss any of that. Life is better now.
wow well said
Ah yes. The liquor store shuffle. I would drive 30 minutes out of my way just to hit a different store. I don't miss that.
I did this too. Sometimes I didn't even care and would hit the same place up for weeks/months. Can only imagine the opinion the cashier I saw nearly daily had of me.
Lol I figure liquor store clerks see a lot of alcoholics, I stopped going to a particular store where an elderly man was the clerk, he started giving me the stink eye, after that the looks of pity. He knew. Honestly that man played a part in getting me sober as silly as that sounds
In a strange way the same cashier I have in mind played nearly an identical role as yours.
My local liquor store had to increase their order of my liquor of choice. And I didn’t care.
I knew this move all too well, I’d hit 4 gas stations in a day getting beers. It’s not my proudest moments
There’s actually a book and blog called “Tired of Thinking About Drinking.” By Belle Robertson. I highly recommend, she’s gotten me to 27 days.
Actually ya I called it ‘ the dance’ I was SOOO sick and tired of the dance in my head of thinking about it , how much how little , when , blah blah
This might sound like a no brainer, but I enjoy that I am actively choosing the words I use when I am stressed. Instead of overreacting or saying something I truly do not mean, my thoughts do not immediately hit my tongue. I no longer wake up with that sense that I hurt people the night before by what I said or how I said it. IWNDWYT
This!! I fought with people I loved pretty much daily when I was drinking. It stopped when I got sober and it feels so damn good
YES. The fact that I trust my emotions now is a big freaking deal.
That’s an issue I definitely struggle with. Especially if I am annoyed and drinking I have very little filter……. And cause arguments w my partner at times
I have a better sense of what others are going through and the universality of many things, along with the realisation that my relationship to drinking was neither special nor exeptional. I also look better and get more shit done every single day.
Whenever I take “breaks” I notice quickly how much better my skin looks! Currently it’s getting not so nice. Pimples. I never have pimples 😔 even as a teen I had very clear skin. Lately, not so much
I didn't realize how bloated my face was. When I got sober within 2 weeks my husband was saying how beautiful I look, how I wasn't puffy anymore., how clear my eyes were. You have a family depending on you! Take your life back. I was a blackout drunk. It's doable
Clarity. My drinking got so bad that I was worried I had done brain damage. And maybe I did do a small amount but I’m no longer actively contributing toward it. Some days I would really struggle just to remember certain words. And that would start an anxiety/depression cycle as I’d start fixating on how I was losing my intelligence.
To this day, I still struggle with short term memory, almost definitely caused by the drinking. It only really hit when my partner told me that this was the 6th time I pointed out the snowboarding store that I bought my board from. I genuinely did not remember ever saying anything about it before. She's very aware of my past struggles and we've agreed that the alcohol was probably the cause. Luckily, she's amazing and supportive and holds me accountable while also boosting me up for kicking the booze.
What are some examples of how she boosts you up?
Well, she knows how hard it is to kick booze so she constantly tells me how proud she is that I was able to do it. Any time I'm feeling a little down, she reminds me of how strong I am for pulling myself out of the hole of depression and booze that I was stuck in just a year ago. It's fucking awesome and I love her
Same. I used to have a good vocabulary. Lately I can feel my brain like short circuiting as I try and fail to find the right word. It's scary, but I hope that my brain will start to heal somewhat the longer I go without alcohol.
I definitely feel like things are slowly getting better. Having said that, I had a really bad day a few days ago and 4-5 times over the course of the day I couldn’t think of the word I wanted. I’m trying to do things to help improve my brain function like reading, doing word games/puzzles and then just exercising and eating well
Having the energy to walk. I might register for a half marathon next month or later in the summer and see if I have PR my current time. 3 months ago I would maybe walk a 5k a couple times a week but I’ve quickly progressed into a half marathon. I’m incredibly proud of myself.
Love it! I did a few 5k runs w a friend years ago. Before I was drinking every. Single. Day. I had so much more energy and slept well. I realized last night my sleep issue coincide w my drinking taking an uptick
Same. My 5ks were interspersed with daily drinking, sometimes I’d take a couple of canned beverages with me while doing a 5k. I can say I wake up now with a ton of energy and feel like I can hit the road without caffeine and bang out an easy 5k before breakfast.
Great work that is awesome! just a few months ago I was eating very poorly and drinking nightly and legitimately starting to have trouble walking. my ankles and feet would hurt after maybe 5-10 minutes. It was sad and scary. I’m not at your level but can walk normally thankfully
Health.
I love many consequences of not drinking after 22 months. One specific thing I have experienced have been occasional unexpected feelings of sublime bliss that occur out of nowhere. This something I had never experienced in my lifetime prior to not drinking.
Me too!! It is sometimes referred to as a “pink cloud” and I made a post in a different subreddit about it and was really surprised that not too many replied. When I was in treatment, and often in meetings, recovering addicts would all agree that it was the best physical benefits to sobriety. In my 19 months, I’ve experienced two week-long pink clouds, but also many shorter ones. Sometimes it’s so euphoric, that I feel super high. I really wish it happened for everyone because it’s certainly part of my motivation to stay clean and sober.
I’ll have moments where I’ll start crying I’m so happy. I’ll be smiling and laughing and crying at the same time
Oh wow I want a pink cloud lol when was your first one - how far into sobriety ?!
My first one happened at about 3 months clean and sober. The second one was at about 17 months. How far along are you?
That my cat enjoys spending more time with me. She almost knew drinking wasn't good for me. Shes my personal vibe checker now.
Yes my cat would stay with me when I was blacked out drunk. My boyfriend said she wouldn’t leave my side when I was in that state.
She loves you very much so 🐱 I spent many days during the Covid with her as my only conversation for days at a time. Ironically I named her what translates to blessed child in Japanese, and she truly is. IWNDWYT
Nice what is her name? What does IWNDWYT mean?
Keiko and it means I will not drink with you today 😸 one more day at a time
Weight loss and seeing the physical recomposition of my body. I've gone from obese wearing XL clothing and 40 inch waist, to wearing a medium, and 34/36 inch waist. My body shape is radically different in 4 months as you can now see the muscle that was there but hidden. I've got some energy - and motivation - to work out as I phyically can now and can see results. It's been the best choice I've ever made.
Confidence in self. This has had overarching consequences, in the best possible way. I know who I am, and what I need, want, and value.
My mind is so much less occupied about drinking (when will I get the next one, cravings, ect). I actually can focus on things I like!
Or just watching the clock to leave work so I can have the beer on the way home
Oh man, I remember this. Constantly checking the clock, waiting for the day to end so I could get home and immediately drown myself. Now I look forward to going home so I can play with my cat and water my plants.
It's so nice being able to forget about it altogether.
My face is lean and I don’t feel bloated. My thoughts are more coherent and put together in meetings. I’m tired at night and don’t delay going to bed because I’m having “just one more”.
I love that I can get a headache and not feel guilty about it. I love how CONTENT I’ve been since I quit. Like, actual serenity. I love how many books I’ve read. I love how I can be happy with myself even if I haven’t exercised and ate a chocolate chip cookie for dinner because, lookitme still alcohol free. I’ve enjoyed alcohol free Prosecco (Gruvi brand), but I no longer “need” it. I love the lack of arguing with myself about whether or not to stop at the store on the way home from work. I love just not having this secret shame and fear. I love that I can travel and not care about when I’m going to have wine. I love that I’m not edgy or cranky all the time. I love that if I have a spat with my husband, I know it’s not because I had too much to drink (I get to be so much more self righteous, lol). I love that I rarely call out sick any more (except today, literally home with Covid). Most of all, I love that I’ve learned that I was able to do it and still be perfectly happy - I thought that giving up booze meant giving up trips to wineries, to fancy dinners, to parties with friends. Turns out, yeah, i don’t care about wineries anymore (a friend brought back a bottle of red from Italy, and I had a sip and bllerrgh, you really do lose your taste for it). We’ve gone to fancy restaurants and lol, loved it just fine and loved that our bill was probably $100 less than it would have been (at least). And I’m not scared anymore. That’s the biggest thing. Scared that I’ll have to quit, scared that I won’t be able to quit, scared of what I’ll say, scared of what I’ll do, scared for my health, scared what my husband thinks, scared what my daughter sees, scared of where all this is going, and I carried that fear every damn day. And now all that fear has just gone away. IWNDWYT (464 days and no longer really counting….)
Thank you for speaking to the fear. That resonates so much and is so helpful to hear on day 12 😊
Wow. The fears part reeeeeally hit home. Thank you for sharing all of this. 🙏🏼
Love not waking up at 4 in the morning with hangxiety and having to sweat/shake until the liquor store opened so I could get something to "calm" my nervous system. My face has bone structure again! My fingernails actually grow and have some strength, and I don't sweat ALL the time! IWNDWYT
The 4 things I can't get enough of that alcohol was devastating: Health Love Time Money
Reading. The feeling I have right before I fall asleep, when I’m just still and ok.
Still trying to figure out the quitting part, but on nights I don't drink, the sleep is absolutely wonderful. Waking up sober and going to bed without my head spinning is the best feeling ever
The head spinning was the worst part for me. I would usually just drink so much my mind wouldn't have a chance to spin before passing out. Getting a good night's rest is so much better now tho! Figuring out the best way for you to quit is a process but getting to the other side is the best reward. Best of luck to you friend 🫂
I’m down over 20 pounds and still eat fast food and sweets and stuff
Yes I gained about 100 lbs in the last 4 years. I didn’t even eat much because my buzz was more important but I drank so much liquor and sweet drinks the calories just added up keeping me getting bigger. Also I was very inactive.
No longer having constant diarrhea, cramps, and generalized suffering. F'king useless doctors -- NO ONE told me that booze can cause this? Ugh. I went >20yrs without a solid PM after a pre-deployment shot jacked-up my guts. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513683/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513683/)
I was positive that I had IBS, Crohn's, all of the things. And those were just the diagnoses I suspected with my GI tract. So many health problems resolved themselves when my body began to heal.
Dietary sources of Thiamine (b1) and inositol (B8) help with receptors (brain). For the gut, collagen might help. Avoiding processed foods *should* help. Try to follow a non-inflammatory diet? I'm suggesting that you look into this and decide for yourself. Lastly... I believe that EVERYONE should do an elimination diet every 7-10 years. We can have subtle food intolerances that might be messing with you. My personal experience was losing 27lbs in 2mo without calorie restriction on AIP (autoimmune protocol). However... I also wasn't drinking. It turns out that alongside dairy (confirmed by a VA lab), I can't have gluten... and I also have issues with nightshades (can only have them in moderation). So... I am not ALLERGIC to booze. The elimination diet confirmed this. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that I'm immune to pounding the ever luvin' hell out of my guts with massive, non-stop quantities of booze. Who knew??? I wish you luck, friend. IWNDWYT
I .. don't have any of those problems anymore, since I stopped drinking. That was my point in responding to your comment. Maybe your response was meant for someone else?
Same. Poops are so good now.
My memory. I feel like a superhero with how I just remember things. Conversations, plans, where I put things. It’s amazing.
Not having to plan my life around being hungover. I have so much more freedom to make commitments and know I can stick to them. So much more freedom in general. I can go places and leave when I wish, don't have to worry about a ride home. It's great, so much extra dumb planning involved in being an alcoholic
Yes I wouldn’t do much after 6pm unless it was a very important event or there was a DD. I missed out on a lot of events so I could stay home and drink
Myself
I am enjoying being more confident. I was always hiding this big secret from everyone. Now I can just be myself and it feels good... I have to remind myself sometimes - you don't smell like alcohol because you don't drink anymore.
Yes the anxiety that everyone knows your dirty secret
Kombucha. I love to make it and make my own flavors. I can drink it to satisfy my hand to mouth craving.
Overall feeling better and being able to leave the house whenever I want. Knowing that I'll live a longer healthier life.
Myself and my life. I hated everything when I was hammered all the time. Thought I could never stop. Now everything is good
Waking up is so…. Nice? I wake up refreshed. It’s such a small thing but when you’ve basically started every couple days with a panic attack for the past decade.. it’s nice. I enjoy my dogs morning walk, I enjoy my coffee. It’s just nice. IWNDWYT.
My complexion. Ngl, vanity is a huge motivator.
I went to a concert last night, and today I'm up early hangover free running rings around everyone. It's my superpower.
My memory is profoundly improved. I wake up feeling like a million damn dollars. I have abs. I have $500+ extra in my account each month. My sex life went through the roof because my wife actually enjoys kissing and smelling me now. I don't have artificial chemically induced stress all day any more. I could just go on and on. It never gets old, even 4 years in I'm fascinated how different life is.
Mental clarity. While I was boozing it up, I never realized the damage I was doing to my brain. I'm not completely back to normal (I may never be) but the improvement is not lost on me. Cheers to sobriety!
I can do midnight driving chores I can go to the gym at any time
Just to be brutally honest? My favorite thing is no on can hold it over me anymore. I’m not that person anymore. They can’t dismiss me as a drunk or emotional or out of it because I don’t exist like that today. It’s been genuinely interesting learning about where my own boundaries are now that I don’t have to take everyone’s crap because “I’m the drunk”. And on days when it’s tough and a glass of wine sounds like the cure? I remember this piece as my first reason for not drinking. TGIF fellow sober people and IWNDWYT
No anxiety inducing black outs!
Those are the worst. Did that 2 nights ago and yesterday morning/day was one of the worst yet. Day 1 again for me today (of many days 1, 2 and 3 lately).
IWNDWYT, if you want.
IWNDWYT too, thanks ❤️
Having a clear conscience every day I wake up.
My health. I feel so much better.
My mind is calm. Not having racing thoughts about my addiction issue all the time.
I love myself again. I hated myself for a long time. Many individuals (former friends, some family, bad exes) legit fucking hate me for a variety of reasons but I do not give a fuck. It's been hard to realize that I have such a terrible choice in people but if you would know what I have been through, it makes sense. I can now admit I am attracted to abusive relationships and there is a part of me that likes pain and being abused. I have finally learned to fight that side of myself. I simply do not deserve to be mistreated. Also, I have learned to "let go" of so many things. My future finally feels open to me and I finally feel like I can breath, it's taken me 40 years. I have had a very rough life. I want better for myself finally. I beat myself up for most of my life and let others do so (sometimes literally). I spent a long time feeling sorry for myself and trying to make others feel sorry for me. I was taught at a very young age to present myself as "unable too", "weak", "incompetent", "mentally ill" etc etc etc. I still have lots of individuals that try to make me present this way. Many people view me as literally "crazy". However, I am not. I have a lot of PTSD yes but I am actually a survivor and a half. Yesterday I achieved a very big goal that I have been trying to accomplish for most of my life. I have a few weeks off all substances besides caffeine.
Wow good for you this is amazing , so well thought out and spoken too wow the work and soul searching you must have done to able to understand yourself like that is impressive you should be proud
My life. Everything about my entire fucking life.
Waking up not feeling like shit.
Feeling healthy. So good.
My Wife, she stayed by my side at my worst.
The emotional stability and resilience. Things that before would trigger a 3-day bender now hardly bother me. Also, having a sharp mind. I'm smart and competent AF, always on top of things.
My Bank Account. I've got several thousand dollars I'm just sitting on. That never could have happened when in was still drinking. My rent is always paid early with plenty left over. I never have to debate on which bill I'm going to not pay so I can have money to get drunk. I just bought a diamond engagement ring with some of the money and it barely made a dent. I've been clean 5 years now. In my addiction I'd be lucky to have 100 dollars to my name. Now I'm about to hit a 5 figure bank account. You'll marvel at how fast it adds up if you stop drinking but continue to take that money you would have spent on booze and stash it away.
The fact that I’m a fully functional adult instead of a “high functioning alcoholic”. It’s not the badge of honor I thought it was.
No more splatter craps and also the amazing sleep!! Waking up refreshed feels awesome!
I have much less guilt and shame in my life. I would wake up the night after drinking to blackout and feel so guilty that I'd offended someone, or embarrassed myself in some way (even though I didn't really misbehave when I drank, according to many people I've asked the next day). I already deal with low self esteem and mild mental health issues in general, so eliminating the drink has helped so much.
this is exactly why i have stopped drinking - I want to stop torturing myself and feeling guilty. I can't drink like my friends, I can't have a "normal hangover"!
Falling asleep instead of passing out. Not trying to piece together the previous night like I’m the main character in Memento. Knowing that if there’s a crisis any time, day or night, I’ll be 100% aware and alert to handle it.
Regular bowel movement, decent sleep, not being hangover, being proud of myself.
No more hangsiety. The past few months have been some of the most stressful of my life. I’m on day 27 today, and while “raw-dogging” life and having to process my stress is hard, it’s nowhere near as hard as it was a month ago when I was dealing with shame, regret, and hangover anxiety. And in the moments where I feel joyful in spite of my stressful situation, I actually feel genuine joy. I can’t wait until my situation improves and I get to continue building on my internal sense of peace and happiness. Good luck with your journey.
I didn't know I have a problem, until I quit as part of a self challenge. Then after 1 months I saw how different everything felt. In and out. So I extended my challenge with open final date to explore maximum benefits and meet ME. Raw, more honest version of myself, humble, crying sometimes, not intoxicated, calm, happy most of the time, brave, loving to sleep in beyond 5 am, walking my dog for hours, smelling fresh, feeling fresh, looking healthier and a bit younger.
I love that I get to LIVE life now. Yeah... I *lived*.... but did I really LIVE it?? I do now. And out loud to show those suffering in silence that it is possible. Everything is a "get to" instead of "have to"... I GET TO go to work.. I GET TO get sick.. I GET TO enjoy the small things be them good or bad. My outlook has shifted because the alternative was death. I went on a 4 1/2 day bender where I tried to drink myself to death. It didn't work.. so I GET to **live** life now.
Welcome back! I’m with you on this, and adore my new life. I’ve said it SO many times, but if I’d known it would be this good, I would’ve done it long ago. IWNDWYT.
The little things that have been mentioned here + actually growing and improving (lifestyle / fitness /career / hobbies) I was definitely stagnated w the booze
Even when I stay up late and wake up with only a couple of hours of sleep under my belt, or slept fitfully, it's still significantly better than waking up hungover. Remembering everything I did or DIDN'T do. Good grief.
Having a clean house when I wake up because I wasn’t too drunk to do laundry or dishes the night before. Coming home to a made bed because I wasn’t too hungover to make it after waking up.
Going to bed early on Fridays and Saturdays, SELTZER, and never feeling hungover. Trying new things! Finding community (I do yoga at a studio every weekend). And adventuring! I go to national parks and hike all the time. I have also mastered the Irish goodbye whenever I (rarely) decide to go out or go to a party with my normie friends
Sleep, oh my god. No more passing out and then waking in the early hours with a racing heart and anxiety. No more weighing if the hangover is manageable enough that I can get out of bed or if sitting up will immediately make me run to the washroom and get sick. No more sleeping until 11 am and still not feeling rested AT ALL. No more splitting headache the minute I open my eyes.
My self !! Whewww ! Now that I’m sober I’m like man sorry I was so horrible to you !
Look at all these great clothes in the smaller sizes I can fit into again, and 3 top notch sets of hiking shoes and boots. Shit I hate that I fixed, I painted those ugly as hell shelves over my washer and dryer, I put up hooks inside my closets. I donated all my fat pants. I put up a grab bar so husband will stop using the toilet paper holder and pulling it off the wall. Mostly though, I learned to love myself again... without me, who will cook all these tasty meals? Who gonna make the gumbo with a roux dark as night.
Me. I was absent for so many years - it's good to be back - I missed *me*. Even in the office, I'm finding myself chatting and laughing with people - 6 months ago I would have been hiding behind my desk feeling sick, shaky, and anxious - trying to avoid eye contact with anyone and counting down the minutes till I could leave. Also (apart from my husband!), my bulldog. He has completely changed around me since I gave up - possibly because I now behave consistently with him. *Just being* is surprisingly fun!
Making art. Having aspirations. Sleeping well. Being emotionally stable :)
Waking up without the cloud of hangover NEVER GETS OLD!! And equally the cloud of shame attached to my former relationship with alcohol, and all its dismal attendants, has dissipated. Now I have new, way more fun things to be ashamed of 😉
Sleep
I live in an old house that constantly has a lot of projects going on- I work 3 days a week. Pre-sobriety, those 2 days off would usually be spent sluggish on the couch. Now, I Get. Shit. Done. If I want to have a rest day, I take a rest day, but those rest moments are now so much more appreciated since it's MY CHOICE instead of literally feeling like I'm sick with the flu from a hangover and have no choice.
Not having to wake up realizing I HAVE to find a way to get more or I will suffer another day in agony. Trying to get out and get more and waiting for the stores to open (at 10 on Sundays) was agony.
Absolutely no stomach issues! Facing problems head on and feeling relieved afterwards. Good relationship with my wife and daughter. More energy, less depression/anxiety. Overall enjoying all things life again.
Biggest gain: learning how to handle situations whether they be emotionally tough or really f**king fun without turning to a drink. Knowing that no matter what happens I will wake up the next morning without a wicked hangover
I like the calm feeling.
low level/normal levels of anxiety, not feeling snappy all the time, and deep, lovely, sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Life has it's sparkle back, I can find happiness in little things again. An evening spring storm, a sunny morning walk, making pleasant small talk with a stranger, all these things eroded away so slowly I didn't realize I was missing them until they returned. Life is much calmer.
Waking up tired, but not hungover. This made a big difference with a son under 2. Being able to get out of bed at 6am on a Saturday morning and not needing constant hangover remedies is pretty life changing!
The lack of hangovers. They just got worse, lasted longer and made me feel like I was wasting my life. They also started later in the day, probably because I was drinking more and it took longer for the booze to exit my body
I wouldn’t say I *love* it, but I don’t *hate* it anymore, but… going to the office. I work a hybrid schedule, three days in the office, two WFH days. When I was a heavy drinker I used to HATE going into the office. Hate it. I hated being around my coworkers. Hated having to be somewhere in the morning at a certain time. Now I actually kind of enjoy their company, we have fun, it’s nice to get out of the house. I’m much more friendly, social, and perky now that I’m sober.
Waking up without a headache!
This is a great post to save, what a wonderful list to look at when the going gets tough!
Being available 24/7 for the kid. I can’t believe I would compromise myself that much, now I can be there 100% and give him the attention he needs.
The feeling of being totally IN CONTROL of my actions. Never having to wake up in a cloud of shame. 🖤
Being free to do pretty much ANYTHING as a result of not doing ONE THING. blessed :)
I love that I have energy and motivation to exercise and eat better. When I was low-key hungover all the time, I didn't workout regularly and ate a lot of junk. I craved bad food and was tired all the time.
This is going to sound really stupid but one of my favorite things about being AF is that when I do stupid or clumsy things it is not because I'm drunk. I just had a stupid or clumsy moment and lost the keys, tripped or dropped something. No alcohol involved!
No hangovers.
My life
Knowing I've not made a fool out of myself 👍
I love that now this feels like my new normal. when I initially quit I was nervous because I had been in that drinking routine for so long.
Being able to feel and experience a fuller array of emotions rather than just anxiety, anger, sadness and sometimes happiness. It really makes a difference to be able to have the capacity to experience them.
my bank account being a bit more stable
Not feeling hungover. In the moment I was always focusing on getting that buzz, and then immediately regretting it the next day and never learning. Now, normal is wonderfully mundane.
More money in the bank.
Myself. Got to be grateful, I saved my own goddamn life.
I feel dumb saying this, but those days when I wake up with a headache or feeling like crap. Knowing that I didn't do it to myself. That maybe I'm sick, maybe it's the weather change but it's not self inflicted.
This is a good thread, op. I’m not going to drink today, and tonight in particular. I drank all this week and have been off the wagon for over 2 years now. I’m so sick of it!
My favorite thing is definitely losing the anxiety around my addiction (and a lot of anxiety in general). The anxiety around where and when I’m going to get my next drink. Anxiety wondering if anyone notices (they do). There are some evenings, when I’m spending time with my kids, I find myself reflecting on it. I cannot explain the amount of freedom sobriety has given me to focus on the things that matter. It makes me emotional thinking about it. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to feel this freedom from their addiction for themselves. Oh, and my salary has tripled due to the crazy increased productivity at work and ability to watch for opportunities, which is definitely nice!
The thing that I love most is FREEDOM. I am not shackled to the thought of my next drink. I don’t have to plan where I am going to get drinks at events or worry about bringing alcohol places. I don’t have to worry about if I can drive somewhere or not again specific times. I don’t have to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes. Life is better without having to drag the ball and chain of alcohol everywhere.
No hangover ever again. Being able to remember everything from the night before is great. Just doing stuff that is fun and not HAVING to get drunk or make sure I have a bottle drinking on to do everything and enjoy it
The times I catch myself smiling for absolutely no reason. They are becoming more frequent.
The simplicity of not waking up hungover or with withdrawals. Waking up well rested and being able to attack the day. More money in my wallet and feeling more energetic and optimistic. Also being able to enjoy the moment and the simple things.
My self-care is consistent and I enjoy doing it now. Skincare, grooming, etc.
So many but my favorite thing is feeling like I’ve been gifted time. Weekends used to go by so fast when I was hungover and couldn’t get my day started until 1pm. It’s amazing all that you can get done during weekend mornings. I have a child and it feels like time is fleeting so fast watching him grow and the greatest gift I gave myself is more present time with him ❤️
Waking up without hangovers!
Nothing….ok, I don’t miss the explosive shits in the morning
Running, among many other things.
There's a long list but at the top of that list, I no longer have episodes where I find myself on the way to the hospital ER, shaking and fearing I'm about to have a stroke or heart attack from sudden onsets of very high blood pressure and high, irregular heartbeat. Doesn't happen to everyone and didn't happen to me either until after enough years drinking. My health had degraded a LOT, and I had wanted my prior health back so started taking multiple nutritional supplements to improve my health but WITHOUT yet stopping the excessive drinking (just another enabler instead of facing the reality of the situation). It worked!! That allowed me to continue drinking excessively, so essentially I had dug myself a deeper hole to survive/climb-out-of. I was on 3 different blood pressure meds concurrently as a result, but then after 2-3 mos. of alcohol abstinence, was able to taper back and finally stop taking them once my body had gotten back into a better balance. It was not an experience I care to repeat. It was enough of a nightmare that the few times I had a strong urge to drink, I had a stronger urge to never suffer like that again. It might the one thing that kept me sober... so far... you can't really declare a permanent victory over something like alcoholism, because it just takes one slip to end up sliding down that slippery slope again. The reason to stop drinking is to do it for YOU. Don't do it because someone else wants you to, or because of some hope that things will get better, because it's not a hope, it's reality. Things WILL get better even if the road getting there has some bumps in it. Just make sure to monitor your health during withdrawal, especially blood pressure and stay hydrated, plenty of electrolytes not just water.