How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

[keyners]

Dear Board, I have been sober for 7 days and I am tired of it already. How long does it take to actually not miss alcohol anymore? Thank you.

[startingover]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Blimey Keyners, please give it a chance.
Your body and mind are going through so much at the moment, trying to repair the damage you have probably done over many many years. You are not going to feel better over night. For me it took a few months to feel better physically. But emotionally I started feeling stronger after about a week and was happy with my efforts to stay sober. Are you taking anything for the cravings?

[Tabbers (a.k.a. KTAB)]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Hi Keyners, you say you are tired of it, well I was tired of the constant merry go round of AL abuse, felling ill and hungover, lack of self respect and guilt at what I was putting my family through. I never ever want to forget how bad that felt.
So in answer to your question yes it does take time, I suppose how long depends on the person but I do agree with Starty give it some time and remember our bodies have been hammered. When we dry out it is a huge change and we are breaking habits that may have been there for years even decades, so it is no wonder there is a void felt. Here is a link to a thread I posted a while back, might be worth a read.
https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...ing-44048.html

Oh and well done on your seven days :goodjob:

[Panno]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Hi Keyners, maybe its time to take yourself off to the docs if you have not done so already, sounds like you could be suffering depression. Whilst I don't have long AF stretches I do know when I stop I am pleased I am not picking that bottle up!! Try adding a new hobby or change of routine into your plan. I agree with Startinover physically we are tired but mentally you should be starting to feel good now

Good luck on your journey and well done on the 7 days

[choice]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Hi Keyners,
I'm not really having a blast AF right now but it's because I'm dealing with a tone of crap. All I know is this is going to take time. Also, drinking gets worse not better ever. 7 days is cool. keep with it! Take good care of yourself and I hope you feel better soon.
-me (I can't stand the name I picked for myself at the moment... choice)

[mollyka]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Why don't you change it 'Choice' I'm sure you can? Keyners, what I'm beginning to learn is that I read a lot here but don't/didn't necessarily take it all in - I think I know everything, and I find the further I go along the less I know. When you listen to the long-termers here, mainly folks with a year or so of sobriety in the bag, I think the key is that rather than just carrying on life without the drink, life actually has to change. That's where I am now and am just post crisis for that very reason. I haven't changed my life I just (as someone previously put it) changed what I put in my glass. I haven't the solution yet but that's where I'm thinking at the moment anyway, and yes, one advantage of being an oul one like me is the wisdom of years and one thing I EMPHATICALLY agree with Choice aka 'brillo new name soon' is, drinking always gets worse, not better
Molly

[Guitarista]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

:h

[Pride before Fall]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Loved that post KTAB, saved it in my inspiration file! : )

I was really SO done with shame.

[Popeye]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Once you realise that you're not punishing yourself for past mistakes, rather, you are moving on and changing your way of life, it becomes something that you just don't do any more. Like when you were a kid, you maybe climbed trees but now you don't. (I must admit to climbing trees whenever I get the chance )

[Pride before Fall]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

I climb trees too, Popeye. Talk about literally seeing the world in a whole new way.

[mollyka]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

I can NEVER walk past a big mature tree without looking at the branches and assessing how hard or easy it would be to climb! Sorry irrelevant just sayin!

[Chillgirl]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

mollyka;949882 wrote: I can NEVER walk past a big mature tree without looking at the branches and assessing how hard or easy it would be to climb! Sorry irrelevant just sayin!

Molly I was a real tree climber too in my day, now I just hug them :l

[Coco-Nut]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

I am hoping it will be like cigarettes - seems like life isn't worth living when first giving up. Seriously - I really thought I would prefer to be dead than not be able to smoke... Now I'd prefer to contract diptheria than light up.

And I, too, enjoy a good tree climb whenever possible. It's just a little more difficult for me to manage, that's all. (It's these damned feet...)

[Sunnyvalenting]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

I was advised that it would take about 6 months of abstinence for the habituated neuro-pathways of addiction to rewire. I felt much better right away once I was AF but noted a distinct improvement at about 5 months when I felt I could "trust" myself again. It takes what it takes. At least it isn't cancer! This is a good place for you to complain and compare.
Welcome and congrats on your week of abstinence. You will learn new things now. You may find new outlets and friends or rework your relationship with old ones. Keep a long term perspective and be very good to yourself. You deserve the best and it can only come for you if you are sober.
Sunny

[babysteps]

How long does it take to enjoy being sober?

Keynors, I'm no expert, still behind you (this time) so I'm reading here alot. As I just read this, copied and pasted from 'Monthly Abs'. What do you love about your af life (I think ) as I think it has some great reminders.

johnnyh
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15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a drink

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1. Cultivate continued acceptance of the fact that your choice is between unhappy, drunken drinking and doing without just one small drink.

2. Cultivate enthusiastic gratitude that you have had the good fortune of finding out what was wrong with you before it was too late.

3. EXPECT as being natural and inevitable, that for a period of time (and it may be a long one), you will recuringly experience.
(a) The conscious, nagging craving for a drink.
(b) The sudden, all but compelling impluse just to take a drink.
(c) The craving, not for a drinks as such, but for the soothing glow and warmth a drink or two once gave you.

4. Remember that the times you don't want a drink are the times in which to build up the strength not to take one when you do want it.

5. Develop and rehearse a daily plan of thinking and acting by which you will live the day without taking a drink, regardless of what may upset you or how hard the old urge for a drink may hit you.

6. Don't for a split second allow yourself to think: 'Isn't it a pity or a mean injustice that I can't take a drink like so-called normal people'.

7. Don't allow yourself to either think about or talk about any real or imgagined pleasure you once did get from drinking

8. Don't permit yourself to think a drink or two would make some bad situation better, or at least easier to live with. Substitute the thought : 'One drink will make it worse - One drink will mean a drunk.'

9. Minimise your situation. Others have greater problems, how joyful such people would be if their problem could be solved by just not taking one little drink today. Think gratefully how lucky you are to have so simple and small a problem.

10. Cultivate and woo enjoyment of sobriety.
a) how good it is to be free of shame and guilt
b) how good it is to be free of the consequences of a drunk just ended or of a coming drunk you've been never able to prevent before.
c) how good it is to be free of what people have been thinking and whispering about you, and of their mingled pity and contempt
d) How good it is to be free of fear.

11. Catalogue and RE-Catalogue the positive enjoyments of sobriety, such as:
a) The simple ability to sleep and eat properly; and wake up glad you're alive; glad you were sober yesterday; and glad you have the privilige of staying sober today
b) the ability to face whatever life may dish out, with peace of mind, self-respect, and full possession of all your faculties.

12. Cultivate a helpful association of ideas:
a) Associate a drink as being the single cause of all the misery, shame and fear you have ever known.
b) Associate a drink as bein the only thing that can destroy you newfound happiness, and take from you your self-respect and peace of mind.

13. Cultivate Grattitude:
a) Grattitude that so much can be yours for so small a price;
b) Grattitude that you can trade just one drink for all the happiness sobriety gives you.
c) Grattitude that MWO (AA) exists, and you found out about it in time.
d) Grattitude that you are an alcoholic, you are not a bad or wicked person, but you have been in the grip of a complusion.
e) Grattitude that since others have done it, you can in time bring it to pass that you will not want or miss the drink that you're doing without.

14. Seek out ways to help other alcoholics - and remember the first way to help others is to stay sober yourself.

15. And don't forget, when the heart is heavy and resistance is low, and the mind is troubled and confused, there is much comfort in a true and understanding friend standing by. You have that friend in MWO (AA).__________________
AF since 15th March 2010

The journey is the goal. As long as you're fighting the good fight and you're not giving up on giving up, you're winning. It's not about how often you get knocked down, it's about how often you get up again. Sobriety the goal for sure. But striving to get to that goal is what it's about. Not getting there. Because the journey never ends. The journey is the goal.