6 months sober - here's my story!

[jessie]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Hi Sausage,
I have this cyber gut feeling that you've already made the switch in your mind. I am putting money on you.
:goodjob:

[resrchqueen]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Congratulations... your story is so inspiring!

[ThreeDogNight]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Great update, Saucy! Thanks for sharing!!

[Topper12]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Truely Inspiring story!! Well Done !!! This Story will help me and many others!!! Good on ya!!!!!!!!:goodjob:

[SAUSAGE]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Update at 3 months - so what has changed?

Today is 3 calendar months (91 days) since I last had a drink. Time for another update!

So what has changed since last month (60 days)? Well at the end of last month my aim over the next 4 weeks was to focus on grateful thoughts ( for being sober) rather than deprivation thoughts ( that I no longer drink). Well certainly this is coming together. It is not something that happens overnight but I am definitely starting to see and really believe that an AF life offers so much more than a life of drinking. As many of you are aware I also cannot eat gluten and when 2 years ago I first found out this would be the case, probably for the rest of my life, I felt so deprived and fed up, why couldn't I enjoy normal bread, pasta, pastries etc etc like most people? Gluten seems to be in so many things and a GF ( gluten free) diet can be very restrictive, but then someone said to me, don't see being gluten free as a form of deprivation, focus on what benefits you gain in life by being eating GF - and that is so true and it is the same with living alcohol free.

The big change I have noticed in the last month starting at around day 60 actually, is I am so much less worried and anxious, starting to see everything from a glass half full ( whereas for about the last 10 years - the amount of time I'd been daily drinking - strange that isn't it!) I'd been a glass half empty person. I am also really able to apply the serenity prayer to different and difficult situations that crop up in every day life. With every difficult situation now, ( and let's face it we all experience problems and issues in an almost daily basis as we travel through life) I am able to calmly think, now is there anything I can do about this situation.... And if so what, and if not, well I can't do anything about this now , the only thing I can control about it is x etc and do this and move on. Like yesterday, I was in a situation at work where something had been managed suboptimally ( not by me I must stress) but I was able to stay calm and clearly think , now what can we do about this, what can we actually change ,we can't undo what has been done but how do we move forward from here and how can we make sure this never happens again and use it positively as a learning experience. One of my senior co- workers was getting really uptight about things and I was thinking , why can't you see how we can move on from this, use it as a learning experience for others, there is no point in dwelling on what we can't change, but we can change the future and manage things really well from this point. It was so sad to watch someone else go through that inner turmoil and sress when I could see things so much more clearer and calmer. Yet just 91 days ago I would have been all wound up and anxious just the same. This ability I attribute to being long term AF.

I still haven't lost much weight ( but then I only have a few lbs to loose to reach the weight I was in my 20's, and the last few are the hardest) but my skin continues to look better. Im 41 and I'm looking more like I did at 31 ( looking at old photos) - the same complexion, whereas previously I was looking tired, pale and slightly sallow. And I've saved loads of money! Haven't bought anything to treat myself yet but I think I deserve it now!

I still get odd drinking thoughts at the most random times but I am generally getting quite good at banishing them now. I am not complacent though, I know that with just one drink, all this could be taken anyway from me like last time, and do I have the strength for another quit in me? I don't want to have to try and find out!

I have so much more energy, not just physical but mental, I very rarely feel depressed or down ( whereas 4 months ago I was feeling really depressed and unable to cope with daily stresses and life. It was that that finally brought me back here.) I am keen to do things, push myself in new areas, different ways and even though sleep sometimes is still a problem, I still feel so much better in the morning than when I had been drinking. This positive perspective to life and clarity of mind is priceless. I am starting to think that a lot of the stresses and anxiety and depression that many many people experience in this modern world is linked to alcohol. But for those of you in the early days of quitting, don't give up, this doesn't happen overnight, I said earlier it didn't happen to me until I was past the day 60 mark - I guess the time span is different for everybody.

Don't quit quitting before the miracles start happening!

[Janice]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Sausage, thanks for your inspiring update...I believe you're right in that the key to success is staying positive & not seeing this new life we have as deprivation but enjoying & reaping the benefits of being free. Life is stressful enough at times but so much more when alcohol is apart of it. You certainly sound 'free' and I am so very pleased for you. Looking forward to following in your footsteps...thanks for the inspiration. xx

[Kaslo]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Big congratulations Sausage. Your story is very compelling. I tend to forget the struggle now, and the process and youve reminded me. You sound so well. Very inspiring.

Kas

[Turnagain]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Sausy....

You are making incredible changes....I can't wait to see what's next for you. Thank you for sharing your story and your progress.

xxx

[Beck]

6 months sober - here's my story!

You sound great Sausage!

For me, I always remember that some stress is normal, not being able to cope with it is not. If I drink again, I will not be able to cope. Funny how I used to think that alcohol helped me deal with stress but it really just helped me avoid.

Best,

[SAUSAGE]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Beck;1322184 wrote:
some stress is normal, not being able to cope with it is not. If I drink again, I will not be able to cope. Funny how I used to think that alcohol helped me deal with stress but it really just helped me avoid.

That is so true Beck - I will always remember that one. Had never looked at it this way before. Thank you.

[DizzyBee]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Thanks, Sausage. You really are an inspiration to me. I can see that you think about your sobriety, you don't just slog along, and I find that very helpful for my own sobriety.

I think it's when we forget and think we are in control that slip-ups happen, which makes regular reminders oh so important.

So thank you for taking the time out to write about your story, I can relate to a lot of it. I can also hear from your updates that this is the better, happier path for you. Oh, and...looking ten years younger doesn't hurt either, now does it.

:l

[Chief Bromden]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Very interesting and informational Sausage, thanks for all that. :goodjob:

(back to the books...)

[SAUSAGE]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Update at 4 months (122 days)

Well I've now completed 4 months AF!

This month hasn't been without its challenges, like when the silly nurse at the blood donor centre commented ( after I told her that I had stopped drinking alcohol every day ) that my haemoglobin levels might go up if I drank a couple of glasses of wine a day! I also last week survived a 3 night trip away from home to a conference, dinner and for various meals out and "drinks " with old uni friends and colleagues, where I was surrounded by alcohol - mostly by stating simply " no thanks I don't drink" or to people I hadn't seen in a little while , who knew I used to drink, " no thank you, I don't drink any more". The important thing I have learned here is to be very definite and determined in your voice, leaving no room for negotiation. Some people looked a little surprised or disappointed, but no-one attempted to try and pursuade me.

Things continue to get better- the clarity of mind and loss of anxiety continues to improve;

This might sound a weird thing to say, but I feel more articulate, able to explain myself better when I am talking!

I am able to apply the serenity prayer to different ( difficult ) situations and think - can I do anything about this? If so what, and if not, concentrate on the things that I can change. I haven't felt like this in about 12 years ( about the time I started drinking regularly). In recent years I have been going round in circles in my mind, worrying about things I cannot change.

People continue to tell me how well I look - I definitely look less tired / sallow.

I am much more motivated not just at work but in doing things around the house and with the family. I am taking better care of my home and more motivated to do things with the children.

As I complete 4 months I am still not complacent, I have been here before - more than twice as far before and then relapsed. But in some ways things were different last time because when I went AF for 8 months in 2008/09 I actually wasn't well in myself towards the end, as I was eating gluten and didn't know then that I couldnt eat it, so I never saw the true health benefits of being AF as I had other health issues going on. I think it is different this time. I really hope so.

I shall continue to count every AF day until I get past day 257 ( where I failed last time) and then I shall stop my daily counting and just work towards my 1 year anniversary. I bought myself a lovely watch - Eco driven by solar power, so no battery, as a gift to myself to mark passing 100 days recently. It cost less than the price of 2 weeks drinking ( and I've been AF now for over 16 weeks so can definitely justify spending this. ) Every time I check the time it is a great reminder of how far I've come.

Sausage x
Day 122 AF

[mollyka]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Lovely honest update Sausage - our quit dates are quite close so I follow your progress with great interest! You DO sound very strong this time round - good on you:l

[Enough!]

6 months sober - here's my story!

Sausage... Congratulations and thank you so much for taking the time to share your story. It is very motivating. Here's to ending the " going in circles"!
All the best...
Enough!