In the past, I had loved waking up early for morning workouts. This is when the detox process begins. And the older I get, the more noticeable this issue has become. Overwhelming smugness is another side effect which I have to keep in check. And I drink tea. For some reason it has hit me over the head that the root word of intoxicated is TOXIC. This is your achievement and you have deserved it. to keep my family! I just started sleeping better, having interesting dreams, working out 6 days a week, skin is softer, drinking 100 oz. . Felt no problem up to a week ago. I am delighted to be alcohol free and I make some pretty awesome mocktails. hope this helps shed some light to support people in stopping although i will never preach. And giving in to these triggers is your own choice. I drank nearly every day previously some wine each day. Last February we lost power do to a harsh freeze for a few days. After losing two family members I started drinking extremely heavily. Like punching your bully in the nose, knocking him out and becoming a much better person. i now cringe at the thought of vodka but I genuinely like the taste of beer so I have been drinking the 0 alcohol beer. Your liver gets a nice holiday at this stage and it doesnt need to work quite as hard to keep you healthy. I also started to drink a variety of alcohol in one session so Id feel better about not finishing a bottle or crushing 4 beers all at once. I feel good. 2.3. I was tired of living my life so lost. Skin and hair look healthy and you really start investing more in yourself eg: with love and care. We have gone over the things that help you become sober. BTW, the TIME I have now! By not drinking alcohol, your sleep will improve, which will also give you more energy and improve your physical and mental health. Which is why it is important to stay alert and keep track of all your triggers that might lead to a relapse. Since quitting I started exercising everyday and have lost weight with WW. From the beginning of your addiction to staying sober for the first two months, you will notice a lot of social anxiety. My mood is still really low. And, yes, even when enjoying healthier drinks, I limit myself to just one glass. Alcohol is found at least in traces in the blood for many days after consumption. Beyond Blue. Dont know when that started. I drank A LOT of those drinks but after a couple months it got easier and easier. I also have started eating a lot more of everything. Im actually worried I might give up drinking. Sorry this is so winded but its awesome to be able to share. Its hard but live on. And yes, THE CHOCOLATE consumption was through the roof! I am AF for one month but have an insatiable craving for sugar. Diminished anxiety. It will also effect the balance of nutrients in your body. One day at a time turns into one month at a time rather quickly and it gets easier with time. Worth fighting. Ive put this down to lockdown and having worked from home since the start of Covid-19 and needing to relax, this obviously isnt helping though. Its a mindset and yes you should and can do it. Indulge yourself in your favorite sport to keep your mind off negative things and also maintain a good health. But there are plenty of health benefits to cutting back or stopping for good. If I can do it ANYONE can do it. Come with me!! I have a partner that still drinks daily and is reluctant to stop but I can see her consumption dwindling so a good sign. i underwent numerous tests and had 6 litres of the 10 litres of fluid drained. I can honestly say I do not miss the liquid I used to seemingly not be able to do without. I urge anyone trying to stop drinking to stick at it. Im a 39 year old male. good luck to all its definitely worth it. My relationship s with friends and family are better then ever. Im not experiencing all the gains I hoped for but I wouldnt have been classed a heavy drinker in the first place; I was consuming an average of about 20 units a week. The next morning (er, afternoon) when I woke up, I was in punishment mode. Sadly this time the great sleeps havent happened. Sharper and deeper thinking. Never looking back to that poison. I just did my first Christmas and New Years in 25 year alcohol free. I had to laugh recently looking at a Fathers Day picture of me with the family. I to have a chocolate crave. My alcohol intake has steadily increased over the past 10 months, to what is now probably 4 or 5 bottles of wine a week. Stay strong its a poison thats become socially acceptable. I feel worse now than when I was drinking. One day at a time. I do feel a small improvement in my health, and hope to gain a greater degree of overall improvement as my alcohol free life continues. Admittedly, I may have a few more xxxx gold after golf on a Saturday. It shows how much alcohol ages you, and Im so happy about the difference in my appearance. Smugness has been another feature and Im not ashamed of that and the longer I abstain the more it will grow and I dont apologise for that. Worried about the weekend coming up. My anxiety was through the roof and my face was puffy and ugh, I felt awful but didnt even know it. I have been experiencing horrific night terrors did anyone experience the same? Suddenly last summer I decided to never drink again and Im so grateful that Ive been able to live AF. Regional brain volume changes in alcohol-dependent individuals during early abstinence: associations with relapse following treatment. It worked for me. Many will notice that their blood pressure has lowered if it was high before making changes. I noticed a person had mentioned that their chocolate consumption went through the roof, I had a similar thing but mine was ice cream . Gotta say, glad I realized what I was doing before it was too late. 3 months in, no change at all, dont feel better , sleep quality much worse, Im more stressed and miserable tbh, everyone is different, you read so many positive ha ha stories how wonderful life is, time for a balancing opinion. I think its really important to find something to replace the drinking with and to look forward to. Just drank pretty much every day. Lost everything, wife n kids,my job of 23 years, was nearly on death bed, my health was shocking. Im also saving a lot of money because the beers I enjoy are stupidly expensive! After about 1 month of being alcohol-free, acne and inflammatory skin conditions such as rosacea clear up (provided theyre not being triggered by factors other Wishing you the best! Once the full 12 months is up I am really looking forward to cracking that Westmalle Tripel and enjoying the beautiful taste. Have you read This Naked Mind by Annie Grace? So yes, a few good things. Another benefit of giving up alcohol is that your mind may be clearer. Alcohol is soooo not good for us. You are not going to drink as many calories and that will reduce how many you are consuming daily. Trying hard not to get into the ice-cream habit but I figure a bowl of ice-cream is better than a bottle of wine! It will give you blurred vision, decrease reaction times, impaired memory etc. Sometimes almost both. My biggest concern is I dont know if I can ever go back to just social drinking. Being 6 months sober will bring healthy changes in your body, physical health, social relationships and how to you connect with the world. Oh and I lost 8 pounds so far!!! I have energy, passion, drive, concentration & guess what? Was it easy: No, it took 3 months before I started feeling better and 6 months before I lost any weight (Im a 61 male, weighed 211 when I quit, 190 now). I have also experienced the craving of sweets that others have mentioned which in moderation hasnt been too bad for my weight. Thanks Jon. Its a mindset. I did it and am still my old self again after 7 years. I skip margaritas, rum and Cokes, or anything else thats overloaded with sugar. Ok so Ive posted many times about my road. If you're one of these individuals, you may have decided that it's time to quit drinking. Good luck to all . This February will make 1 year sober. it wasnt just cos of the calories in the alcohol cut out tho because after a drinking session the next day everything in the house was eaten as well as huge take aways later that day too. Problem solved! I had a month sober and blew it I promised my son I would continue being sober because he likes to be around me sober. Train 5-6 days per week sensibly. This might sound weird because isnt that the point of being sober? It can be a surprise for some, but alcohol rarely has a positive, long-term effect on peoples sex lives. Subsequently, they questioned my alcohol intake and I decided that day I had to come clean with myself, partner and family members. I have been sober (alcohol & tranquilizers) for over 40 years, but today is THE critical day. For me everyday I say to myself, today really isnt a good day to drink. one foot at a time and we all will make it. After sometime with that routine I developed terrible anxiety hangovers Which led me to drinking in the mornings. I use to think, 2 days yepee. I found strawberries and watermelon very helpful for the sugar cravings. I would definitely go see a different doctor for a second opinion. First week horrific withdrawals but now sleep has drastically improved, BP had dropped and eating habits have improved. My BP is down now I take my regular medications for that and has been great very scary I did go into the hospital to detox and had to stay for lactic acidosis. My hairstylist confirmed this when I walked into the We felt alone and turned to drink. My normal personality is quiet and somewhat shy. 3 months in also. Weight loss occurred and bloating went away. Not being able to walk was the last straw. Remember that being alcohol free is a life choice. I hope nope I know Ill be there in about 2.5 months. This is the number 1 for me and what keeps me going. Thank you for sharing. Dig deep, stay focused because if I can do this, you can also. BLESSINGS TO ALL. it was like a plague of locusts moved through the house. Has anyone noticed, like me, that their eyesight is better in the morning? Get some nice drinks in, I found fizzy water with ginger cordial an absolute must, it gives you a back of the throat kick, put ice in a nice glass and its a refreshing drink, that gets you through. Think the booze and fags caused it. Yes! Is very very difficult to start off with but gets better with time as the body starts to heal itself. The positives are so many I couldnt list them all here but if I could give my top 3 in no particular order, 1. Never a heavy drinker as such and abstaining during the week, I was tending in the middle of the Covid 19 restrictions, to let go on weekends a little too freely to the detriment of quality time with my Son and work around my old house. All my medical testing came back with healthy liver, healthy kidneys, healthy heart have a routine check up next month as that will mark 1 year since the liver told us something was going wrong if I didnt stop. Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Think about quitting at times but because of life circumstances nothing takes the edge off like a couple of beers. Your worries and problems are still there, they still need to be dealt with, but with a clear head and guilt free mind are easier. Then to none. I believe my mind will become more clear as time goes on and I often look up articles that predict what I will experience going forward from my 3rd month of sobriety I am at now. As others have mentioned here, my coffee and chocolate cravings and intake have increased 10 times fold but those 2 are better than Vodka. How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System? Thats fantastic! Every single nail is like this, and have been for the better part of a year. Thought my good path would rub off as I was doing quite well but instead I slid. I cant tell you how glad I am that I took that step that day. But after being gone 13 months she served him papers. This article wouldnt get someone out of bed in the morning. . Physically, you may experience acute withdrawal I spent months lamenting the damage it looks like I did. 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