Only good thing is the mornings! Physically, you may experience acute withdrawal Nov 28th 43yo Is very very difficult to start off with but gets better with time as the body starts to heal itself. Man man man I was drinking heavy for 7 years strong Im 33 know last year I lost 2 jobs due to alcohol abuse Im one year sober on march 1 2022..every since I put down the bottle life been great, Thankyou Ive just done a month no drinking.and am looking Ill and tired, I have been sober for 40 days now. I think a lot of us picked up alcohol in our teens, when we were supposed to be learning how to socialize without drinking, we instead did drink and it became the crutch. There are several medications (benzodiazepines, clonidine, etc.) Im just happy that I arent doing things that embarrass my family. You are finally controlling what has controlled you. After losing two family members I started drinking extremely heavily. Just stay positive. Im four months happily AF.Its also so wonderful not to have to lie anymore to the question every doctor asks : how much do you drink?. So, giving up alcohol may help you to improve your relationships with friends and family. Admittedly, I may have a few more xxxx gold after golf on a Saturday. Yes! hi jared. You can opt-out at any time. Looking forward to 3 months and trying to reduce chocolate a tea consumption. Ive complained for a long time about a fear of premature death. Sounds sad, I am counting days. Other then that, I do consume non alcholic beers to just scratch that itch. for up to six (6) guests providing majority of guests are present at the time of the request. If someone is in the habit of drinking consistently, especially an athlete, this leads to dehydration and depletion of certain necessary vitamins and minerals as a result, as well as sluggishness because youre not getting the hydration your body needs, says Linzy Ziegelbaum, RD, CDN, the founder of LNZ nutrition. One day at a time. One of the most significant benefits of giving up alcohol is that you may increase your lifespan. If you're ready to give up alcohol, and you are drinking every day, here is a timeline of what you can expect in regards to your mental and physical health when you stop drinking. Make physical exercise and meditation a permanent part of your life. Im 47 Days into my own personal Detox! I owe it a lot to them, because of them I get If the wife needs fuel in her car or the kids need medication I can go out at anytime and do it. Not really feeling it though. For some its an easy choice and for others a painful one. Lifeline is also available for support 24/7 on 13 11 14. I have always been very fit, eat healthy and love the gym. Now, to exorcise the sugar junkie . I have never eaten sweets, now thats all I want. Ive lost weight and Look and feel much, much better. Ive binged and restarted numerous times but I will not ever go back to the point I was at a year ago. Blamed lockdown & other factors. Im going to keep travelling this path. It was all or none. Skin clearer. I drank to forget the bad memories, then i realized drinking made me remember the bad/sad things . This is a great piece of motivational text that is vital for 35 million Americans fighting the battle to keep sober . Dont know when that started. You can do it. I never was big into sweets/soda but Ive been loving chocolate like the rest of you guys and diet ginger ale. Within a few months I was back to 8-9 drinks a night every night. My partner and I have vowed to quit for two months as our initial goal. I started running. Getting through each day will slowly become easier and more normal to you, and youll begin to find new hobbies that dont include drugs or alcohol. I just would like some encouragement and would like to know if anyone still had trouble thinking straight. Beyond Blue. I can honestly say I do not miss the liquid I used to seemingly not be able to do without. Im 6 months sober now and feel great . Thats so Awesome! I drink the 0% beers now Alan. Good luck.. Not going back, Its been a month now and l havent had a beer or smoked a joint. During this time, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal, such as tremors, anxiety, and nausea or vomiting. Timeline: What Happens When You Stop Drinking Alcohol? Going to 3 months now, Im 3 weeks in to my abstinence journey. No maybe on the weekend or just for a couple of months. When you negotiate, you can fk with the rules and conditions. At this point in my AF journey, Im now seriously wondering if I will ever drink again. Non alcohol beer has been a life saver, allows me to be in social environment without the akwardness! I have a domestic routine that involves getting all the tasks that were once impossible to even ponder DONE! But am going to continue, no hangovers are excellent ! Now, as the Brain Damage Control: Different stage of alcoholism affect the brain differently. They got him to the hospital. Alas NO weight loss, NO skin glow. My relationship with my 16 days into my AF trip, I have never slept so well, and have been living blissfully since then (except for the first 48 hours that were absolutely horrendous). Im now 81kg an getting in great shape. My relationship s with friends and family are better then ever. One day, after blood tests my Dr called me and said my liver results were badvery bad and I could have permanent liver damage.. and that I had developed diabetes type 2. All of this means that taking a break from booze could help you better fight off any seasonal illnesses. Tough life as my son passed away and shortly after my sister died of cancer that increased my drinking. My alcohol intake has steadily increased over the past 10 months, to what is now probably 4 or 5 bottles of wine a week. Ive never felt compelled to drink when alone, but have used it has a social lubricant for most of my adult life. Ha, same here. I was a first class wine lover and looked forward to my first glass after getting home from work. I know I am not all the way there, yet, but I realize I am moving in that direction. Once you have decided to become sober you might feel insomniac and restless. Cirrhosis causes the liver to become stiff and swollen in a way that impedes liver function and often needs a transplant. If not I would suggest that you go for an exam ..just to be on the safe side. When I failed, I felt really weak and hopeless. I do have high bloo pressure most likely due to drinking, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL Good luck to you! One of the most common side effects of giving up alcohol is insomnia.This is because alcohol acts as a sedative, so when it's no longer in your system, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. it changed my whole outlook on life! If you stay away from booze, you'll be hangover- and hang-xiety-free, which means more peaceful nights and fewer worrisome mornings. We want to take you through some of the improvement and progress that you can notice if you decide to quit or reduce your intake significantly. To find out if ditching alcohol can improve your complexion, we challenged Laura Hogarth, a 40-year-old mother-of-two from Falkirk, to spend a month without consuming a drop of booze. single. I just lost my nephew from vodka. However, Ive been battling with darkness under my eyes for years and Ive just recently noticed that the darkness is fading! Your liver will start to repair itself. I miss beer quite a bit, but I like my new lifestyle a bit more. Many thanks to you all xxx Take care and keep being good to yourself xx, Were glad that youre along for the ride hope you keep the changes up, and take care of yourself too . 66 days Alcohol free and feel a whole lot better,my aim is to do one year!! I guess its a comfort and one that I know I need to change. Will build a schedule around it Haha. JBean, That was me. I would have a private party everyday and enjoyed every minute of it. First week horrific withdrawals but now sleep has drastically improved, BP had dropped and eating habits have improved. I feel worse now than when I was drinking. 12 pounds shed, seems to have leveled off. Dig deep, stay focused because if I can do this, you can also. Sleep dictates our energy levels to an extent (SleepFoundation.org, 2020) so exercise or any form of movement can become easier and more enjoyable. Literally everyday 12 beers no worries!!!. The pandemic hit and started beinge drinking for 3,4, even five days straight. Its ok to make your own path and, where possible, be patient with the process. Smug Club, for sure. Its a habit and for some reason I am so scared to change it. Ive lost 60 lbs in 3 months of no alcohol. Its pretty clear that the person who wrote this does not know what the phuck they are talking about. Thank you for this information it has been extremely informative and helpful. New roommate with his own addiction issues. It is nice to read all the comments and be able to relate. Never problems sleeping but felt tired for a time. I know slowing my intake worked before but as I age (only 43 I guess) I worry Ive done irreversible damage already. I guess I was just obese and cutting all those calories made a huge difference. Your skin will look healthier, blood pressure may lower, and immune system function and liver inflammation will improve. Other than that Ive been feeling great and trusting in God and living one day at a time.. Hi everyone. But I love me some gummy bears and chocolate! I wake up an hour earlier than I used to NOT TIRED and not hungover! As others have mentioned here, my coffee and chocolate cravings and intake have increased 10 times fold but those 2 are better than Vodka. AND YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY AS YOU WANT. 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. I couldnt even walk myself to the bathroom because of the shakes. I like to drink the majority of the day on Saturday and Sunday. It worked cuz I didnt feel like I was missing drinking. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of "Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder" and "7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety.". It was just a habit. Better nutrition, more consistent workouts. Nothing changed unless you look closer at the can. We are all authors of our own books. During all those times I would say to my self please God make this stop in the afternoons and then a wine (or so!) I was having 2 to 5 drinks a night, sometimes shots of liquor, sometimes very strong stout beers. Lead by example and dont do it for anyone else. I noticed a person had mentioned that their chocolate consumption went through the roof, I had a similar thing but mine was ice cream . It seems to be subsiding. 6 months sober. Finally, you may start to Just drank pretty much every day. Stop counting days, weeks, months. Have you continued to receive mental clarity and benefits as time has gone on, or is month three pretty much the most relevant? When I quit I didnt set a time frame but more of an open goal. Once you stop drinking, your body will slowly detoxify itself and get rid of all the toxins that were affecting your physical health and youll start appearing healthier. Its a difficult journey, I wont lie but oh my god, the feeling I have when asked what I want to drink and to be able to say with a sense of belief in myself that I actually DONT drink any more. I was so worried how hard this was gonna be now? Everything is true. Got through my first Xmas last year and New Years Eve it was fine . It has amazed me, the adjustment period. The first week was incredibly tough and no benefit outweighed the desire to drink. Im 55. Like punching your bully in the nose, knocking him out and becoming a much better person. Earlier this year I managed 4 1/2 months AF. Still have the urge to grab a few brews on Friday and Saturday. Cut down your drinks by one or two per week, then by three or four, instead of going cold turkey all at once. I was wondering if you know what the effects are of having a drink after a long period of abstinence? I stopped Monday as soon as i knew what i was doing to my body, it is something i have needed to do for years but i guess i just needed that reality check. For 15 hard years i have been drinking almost everyday(minimum 4/7 weekdays) I know what you mean. My mood is still really low. Hi Camilla, I can relate. If you're like most people, you probably enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage. My heart aches for his mom. Quitting i think made me depressed at first as i needed 9-10 hrs sleep a night and i didnt feel any benefits until about 3 weeks ago when i suddenly noticed i wasnt craving a nap anymore at the wknd and i felt good to go all day. I feel great but have some struggles still. I am 3 months AF this week. Maybe I never was enough of a problem drinker in the first place for this to make a big difference. Once the full 12 months is up I am really looking forward to cracking that Westmalle Tripel and enjoying the beautiful taste. Last time, I made it to six months before I gave in. 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. Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. 30 days today. 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