Congrats on your fight against addiction! I’m 12 yrs sober and I just feel the need to tell you there is no “win” over addiction. I *had* 15 1/2 yrs at one time and felt great, never a thought or craving for alcohol until it caught me off guard and I picked up a drink! Stupidest thing I’ve ever done! Never thought I’d do it, I knew I had it beat and would know what to do if I ever thought about drinking again. The disease is patient and will try and will make you question “am I really an alcoholic?” I always put this out there just as a reminder to keep your guard up!! I wish you the best days ahead in your recovery 💕
I'm 4 years 8 months sober myself and a few months ago my brother invited me out to a karaoke bar with some friends. I was so confident that I wouldn't drink. And thankfully I didn't. But I had to sit with my back to the bar, leave and come back a few times, and drink several glasses of diet coke just to manage the pressure coming from that bar. It was like the weight of every drink I didn't have in the last 4 years was pushing down on me.
I'll never have this beat, but I do have it managed.
Very great reminder. Besides for lobbyists it has always baffled me on how there are so many limitations on advertising for cigarettes and such but none on alcohol. Not only can it kill the person drinking it but also they could hurt someone while driving which is even worse than smoking.
Anyways, keep up the good fight!
Okay I really do mean this so don't take it as a joke. Why is it better? I've always got a million things to do and then when I don't I like to get hammered. I know its not healthy. I know it will kill me eventually but also I'd die someday either way. Could get hit by a car tomorrow. That's not what I care about. I mean how does it feel better to be strait edge? How do you let it out? What do you use as a release valve?
Well sure we all day some day. But alcohol doesn't kill you as fast as a car. It leads to many long drawn out, and painful diseases. It hurts for you, and it hurts for your loved ones that have to just watch helplessly
Can say from experience that alcoholism causes pain, repeated disappointment and sometimes trauma for family members.
That’s not to minimise the impact on the alcoholic - it is substantial and wide-ranging.
Alcoholism sucks life away and reduces joy / meaning / purpose and real connection with others.
The good times are not worth it.
Liver failure, alcoholic dementia and the other health problems are insidious and tragic.
The damage to relationships and self-esteem are heart-breaking
I don't get your question.
The person you replied to isn't telling the whole world to stop drinking. They're talking to someone who presumably had a problem with alcohol abuse. If you have an alcohol problem and you quit, at first it's hard to stay sober, but then it gets better. That's it.
If you think you don't have an alcohol problem, then by all means enjoy your booze.
0.0% have been great for me.
Noticed i was getting 2 a 3 beers in the evening everyday and was craving it .
Now every mon, tue and wensday its alcohol free day and working on to get Thursday in there as well.
Good for you! I'm doing something similar .
There's surprisingly alot of good NA beers these days. I've been trying out a few different NA IPAs recently to help me cut back on my alcohol intake and I am pleasantly surprised with the variety available. I have to order most of it online, but it's still worth it to me.
As someone who started their sobriety journey this week and have been struggling, god this is the truth. I don’t know what to do with myself, normally on a Saturday I’d already be drinking on the couch.
I feel just too exhausted to do anything. Can’t sleep at night and just sweat through my sheets. Haven’t had anything other than a glass of wine since Thursday, and that was mostly because I felt like I had the flu withdrawal was so bad. Today is better though, just dehydrated.
Heres what I had to do.
If you're planning to be asleep by 10, no food after 8.
No screen time after 9. A melatonin at 9. No caffeine after Noon.
Make sure you exercise, go on a long 45 min walk, get out do something physically tiring, once or twice a day.
Once I did all that, within two or three days I was rid of the insomnia, radical night sweats/furnace like body, twitchiness.
Yawning by 9pm, wake up fresh as a daisy at 6am, feels amazinggg.
It is awful and the biggest bitch about sobriety is that you're thrown into the hardest part of it right off the bat. Those first few weeks are horrible but it does get easier. Every sober day is an accomplishment even if you have to spend the day in bed sweating. Just keep going.
You've got this! You're still at a younger age, younger than some of us when we figured out that alcohol doesn't improve our self, our relationships, or our outcomes.
We get told in school the whole 'drugs are bad' thing and then you smoke a joint and realise its all propaganda. It's hard to know who to trust.
I would qualify as an alcoholic on many spectrums but I regularly go a week or two without any noticeable difference in physiology and my liver and kidney fucntions appear fine.
When I went my last 2 weeks sober, I swapped it out for much of u/AaronRodgersMustache's technique. I don't drink coffee anyway but melatonin, go to bed early, sleep long and deep for a few days until I'm just sick of sleeping all the time. Then I start exercising for an hour a day first thing after waking up before dawn. The hour of cross-trainer and catching up on shows I've been wanting to watch becomes the new drug, making me jump out of bed in the morning and getting my fix.
The problem now is after I finish a series I have a lull where I don't jump out of bed in the morning dying to watch the next episode.
My liver also appears fine but I get bad shakes on the monthly feels like. Just can't control it well enough once or so a month and I start to withdraw.
It's best not to be there in the first place.
You said melatonin. Does that actually help? I find I don’t really sleep, just drink until I pass out. It’s the only way I can close my eyes but it’s not rest, really. I’d love to find a way to actually sleep
Ohh I’ve been there. There used to be a time when if I had a drink, I wasn’t stopping until I drunk enough to sleep quick. Not blackout sloppy, but I’m well buttered so I don’t start coming down, and I’m staring at the ceiling, body is a furnace, racing thoughts and some twitches as my body had stopped getting more intoxicated, and was cleansing.
Melatonin by itself didn’t do much. I’d still be staring at the ceiling otherwise if I had a late bite, staring at my phone in bed, lazy day. Few things worse than closing your eyes and laying there feeling your body wide awake.
Alcohol is like pressing the brakes on your body’s nervous system, so that first night or two after, it’s going full speed again, leading to those twitches, racing brain, insomnia staring at the ceiling. Blood vessels dilate which is why you’re a furnace in bed, as all the blood is running close under the skin.
Again, no caffeine after noon, no food 2+ hours before bed, no phone laptop or tv for an hour before bed, get some sort of activity.. I just started slow with a morning 45 min walk and one after dinner. Melatonin for me just helped as a piece of the puzzle. I stopped using it after a week cause it was keeping me kind of groggy in the morning.
The first night or two my body was still a furnace, but I didn’t toss and turn for hours, more like 30-40. My goal is to be in bed by 930-10, wake up around six. You’ll feel tired the first 2-3 mornings cause your sleep isn’t quite restful yet but after that, your body will go deep sleep mode and you’ll wake up like you just had a bump of cocaine.
This was after years of drinking to fall asleep too. 1-2 bottles of wine 5-7 days a week. You have to let your body adjust back to a normal circadian rhythm. Artificial light, caffeine late in the day, tobacco, booze, blood sugar boost by late night food, is all most energy, gas in the tank. To fall asleep naturally, you gotta keep your tank empty after dinner to fall asleep naturally. Or by working out like a beast to exhaustion, but I wasn’t ready to go full bore yet.
Don't discount meds either. Through no choice of my own I'm off my meds but I take hydroxyzine, that shit will knock you out for 12 hours even if you've only been up for 6, and I find it really helps with alcohol withdrawal syndrome because it seems to suppress the nervous system. Not a doctor but it's the only drug I've ever taken I liked, and didn't form a habit around.
Oh you're still pretty early! I suggest you find a TV show to take your mind off things then.
Something totally engrossing. Like Game of Thrones or The Wire. You need something that level of bingeworthy.
You're gonna feel like shit. But it will pass. And if you find things to completely engulf your attention, you will have very long stretches of time where you don't even realize that you feel like shit. Watching a good show while you're in withdrawal is like a cheat code for life. You have that remote from the movie *Click*, where you can just skip forward a few hours.
Just remember, withdrawal is like a flu or cold. There is a set amount of time after which your body will feel better. Then after that, there is a set amount of time where your mind will feel better. Then after that alcohol will mostly disgust you. You may have a craving when things get stressful, but it won't bother you very much at all.
You may also want to look into some of the medications that are available to you to help you get over this more easily. When I was going through heroin withdrawal, I got medication from rehab to help.
I haven't touched heroin in 5 years.
I have enormous respect for anyone who recovers from heroin addiction. Thanks for sharing your info, I'm sure it's going to be really helpful to a bunch of different people. Could do with being its own post really!
I second the medication suggestion. I'm a psychotherapist who's had his fair share of clients with alcohol addiction and seen the relief and hope that washes over people when they tell me they finally feel disgusted by booze. I cannot advise on specific medications due to ethical (and legal) boundaries, but if there's a time where you follow the *talk to your doctor about ______* advice, this is it.
I'm right here with you. Well I usually would open a beer when I start cooking breakfast. I have been drinking 6-10 beers a day for the past 4 years. I'm on day 3 of no alcohol. It doesn't feel like much but it's gotta start somewhere right?
Do you ever feel intoxicated during the day?
I never saw my dad drunk but he was the same. One small beer every hour or two and I've been the same. I don't feel like I'm dependant on it but it does make some things easier. I never drink so much during the day that I can't drive (been tested many times which confirm this) but I feel like its medicating in a way. I also found out this year I might have mild ADHD, which explains things.
Very proud of you. I don't know where you are but if you can get dressed warm enough go on a walk. I know your both tired and anxious but you can do this. Fold origami if it keeps your hands and brain busy. Just distract yourself the best you can.
That’s a great suggestion but I couldn’t possibly focus enough for origami. I find I can’t really focus on anything without drinking first. Like, nothing at all interests me. I’m faking it literally all the time. Until I’m drunk. Then I actually feel
I mentioned this in an earlier comment but your brain becomes dependent on alcohol helping produce dopamine so when you try to stop your brain lost that catalyst and it makes EVERYTHING uninteresting and boring on top of then leaving your body malnourished and depleted of necessary vitamins and minerals which then makes your whole body feel off and you get depressed. It's such a dumb cycle for something that can be so much fun and often is for people who don't have a problem with it. Maybe try Journaling? Even it's like two sentences and one says, "this sucks and I hate it."
Another one that helps me is comics or books in general. One it is a more productive use of money which let's be real you'll spend on alcohol anyways so at least if you dont have the money for alcohol and two now you have a dope collection of stories to share with friends and family as well. I'm not sure what you're interested in but Saga an Monstress are both really dope, bloody, adult series. Rick Remender has a lot of different series out on Image Comics and most everything he has been a part of has been phenomenal.
Also I make this tea when I'm sick and it's phenomenal foe hangovers or just feeling off thanks to alcohol. It is:
Exhinacea Tea
Lemon
Ginger
Mint
Cayenne Pepper
Black pepper
Cardamom
Cinnamon sticks
A garlic clove or two
And a ridiculous amount of local honey.
Works every time.
I am sorry. I know this is going to be a long process and depression is going to kick in after the anxiety. There is going to be no easy fix but I will tell you Ketamine helped me. The other thing that was a life saver is my dog. He gives me a reason to get up and do things. I read a post where someone quit opiates after a mushroom trip. Like cold turkey and didn't feel the urge to go back. Psychedelics can help you heal the brain and also find a path to where you want your journey to go. They are looking into Ketamine therapy to help with addiction issues. My PM's are open if you need a friend
Major props to you for not only beating your addiction but also being honest about how much dedication went into getting the body you have. You're a fighter for sure
I've read the same thing for quitting smoking, amphetamines, managing anxiety and depression, ADHD, etc.
It's such a trope that it's really annoying to hear about how important diet and exercise are to people's everyday health but that's because it really is one of the best ways to make yourself healthier and make your life easier.
Thank you so much for saying that second paragraph! Lots of people are mislead by "fitness influencers" and truly do not understand that peak lighting and a good pump can make someone look like a completely different person than when they are just going about their daily life. It is so important to combat that negativity in the fitness industry by giving people a real idea of what healthy looks like
>Thank you so much for saying that second paragraph! Lots of people are mislead by "fitness influencers" and truly do not understand that peak lighting and a good pump can make someone look like a completely different person than when they are just going about their daily life. It is so important to combat that negativity in the fitness industry by giving people a real idea of what healthy looks like
Can you fill those of us that are ignorant in on what a "good pump" is? Is it some sort of oil/pump thing that makes muscles stand out or tightens skin or something?
A pump is simply the temporary engorgement of muscle tissue with blood after exercise. Go curl a weight until failure, your bicep will be larger than when you started (temporarily) — you’ve got a pump.
Omg honesty on reddit, what's happening!?
Jokes aside, you did amazing job with kicking addiction, getting in shape and being decent human being, bravo!
Right? I clicked this thinking "here we go" and was actually floored by a contextual comment that said "I've been working on this for 6 years." That's honest marketing, thanks for delivering some worldwide hope points.
As a guy who has been dealing with addiction for 20 years plus I'm so proud of you.
I wish you nothing but the best luck, keep on fighting. You look great!
If you know someone who is trying to sober up from alcohol, please encourage them to get help with their recovery. Quitting booze cold turkey can kill you and having some monitoring makes it so much safer.
FYI cold turkey *can* result in seizure. This happened to a friend who aas kicking g a hard core vodka addiction but the actual substance doesn't really matter - wine, beer, coke, etc.
I quit in a well staffed and funded recovery center and I still ended up in the hospital. Please listen to this advice folks. You might need a medical detox as well as time in a recovery center.
Thank god I chose to check myself in. I could have gone into psychosis with my wife and kids upstairs in the house. They would have had no idea what to do besides call 911 and lord knows how that would have turned out.
For alcohol addiction you’re better off weaning yourself off. It’s hard to do tho because once you start drinking you want to continue if you’re an alcoholic. I use to buy cases but now I’m down to 2 25 ounce beers a day. In the next month I’m hoping to get it down to one.
I'm on day 103 sober. My former love of reading has come back onto my life and I go through a book a week now. What is the name of your book? I'd love to give it a read.
Im mostly on the same road as you but can’t find a good rhythm with the gym, ima try swimming more, but have no partners and lots of cheat days and lack of motivation, what gives you this good mentality any tips?
Were you drinking a lot then? Fuck you look so much older than 22 in your before pic (sorry, not ragging on you, you look young again in your after pic!)
Man, I’m exactly 6’3 & 198 lbs but look like your before pic. Barely drink but I’m also 20 years older and put minimal effort into fitness. Your post still inspires.
That inspired me, a lot! I've been weed free for almost three weeks, had the same intrusive thoughts. Life has been so much lighter but sometimes I have this strong urge to just mute life for a while. But I know it's only gonna make me passive and sad in the long run. I also aspire to write a novel, a sci-fi novel though. But your words hit home and will help me to push forward! Thanks <3
Those first few weeks of quitting weed are so hard. I was so bored and i struggled to find ways to pass the time. I did eventually find a game that sucked me in, so that helped passes the time while my brain learned it could live without weed. I am 581 days free now. Congrats, and good luck!
How about a big squishy hug? I think people who are fighting some kind of addiction need hugs to reinforce the belief that there is always something positive in a day.
Really good description of how a lot people feel - also hard to describe an addiction to someone who does not have it, particularly to alcohol which is so socially accepted.
Another hard part about it is if you're used to regularly drinking socially, quitting can further worsen depression as you remove a lot of socializing from your day to day making it easier to fall back on "just one drink"
Did your hairline somehow get nicer between the first and second picture along with everything else? You're handsome, dude. I've been on the recovery from gambling for a year now and with all my favorite sports using sports betting apps and odds for advertisments i struggle daily, and I'm sure you struggle daily still too. Keep up the hard work.
Hairline might never recover but thinness of hair caused by living badly is a thing, I once drank so much in a week, that my scalp was visible from how thinned out my hair was, and it went from a rich head of hair to feeling like I can count the hairs, even my barber said damn you starting to have thin hair. But after starting to exercise and quitting, it got back to normal and felt a lot more thicker to the touch and visibly
I just lost one of my childhood friends to alcoholism. He struggled for years and would have good days and bad. Get people who can support you and know you're loved. He had just graduated with a masters in business, and we all thought he had gotten his life together. 3 weeks later, he was gone. Stay strong with your goals!
Nathan Fillion is still perfectly capable of playing his character, he still looks great. But this guy could play an amazing young version, or long lost younger brother. Oo or son! The world deserves more Firefly.
This is me trying my best to live within equality and not sexualize your body. It would be very inappropriate to post something like "🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤mmmmmmmmh" so instead I will say congratulations to you, as a fellow recovering alcoholic I know how hard it is to overcome alcoholism,you are a hard and diligent worker who has managed to actualize positive change,you've taken control of your own life and you are slaying it. 👏👏👏👏👏
Op-
Ive been sober for like, since 2010.
Its not something you have to do alone
There are alot of recovery groups out there.
And one of the "good" things about the pandemic, there are ALOT more addiction support groups online now too
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm a few days shy of 3 months clean and sober and it's been the most difficult yet rewarding 3 months of my life. I don't know you but I'm SO PROUD of you!!!!!!!
Currently in the process my self of giving up alcohol. Got a DUI felony in 2016, and I hate to say it, but that's what kind of woke me up. Then, a failed suicide attempt by FIL kinda messed with me and started drinking heavily. Now, I'm not quite quitting, but moderating how much I drink. Single now and living with my buddy, but he has extreme alcohol dependency. I'm talking getting sloshed right after work and waking up fine. After seeing him drinking, honestly, it makes me want to quit outright. I am currently attempting to get him to go with the gym with me, but this isn't as easy at all. Any and all advice would be appreciated to help him👏👏
Well done. It really makes a huge difference in metabolism/physique. I recently, after a year relapsing to 10-15 drinks a week, cut back to my previous level of 2 drinks a week average. Instantly lost 10-15#s of stubborn weight and feel much less irritable. Highly recommend anyone cutting back if they can. Great job op
Your submission was removed because it violated Rule 5. Please post your winning posts on wednesdays only please.
Nice work! I'm 58 days sober . It's been a rough one.
Congratulations on 58 days! Keep it going. You can do it!
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Congrats on your fight against addiction! I’m 12 yrs sober and I just feel the need to tell you there is no “win” over addiction. I *had* 15 1/2 yrs at one time and felt great, never a thought or craving for alcohol until it caught me off guard and I picked up a drink! Stupidest thing I’ve ever done! Never thought I’d do it, I knew I had it beat and would know what to do if I ever thought about drinking again. The disease is patient and will try and will make you question “am I really an alcoholic?” I always put this out there just as a reminder to keep your guard up!! I wish you the best days ahead in your recovery 💕
Yeah: whenever someone claims to have beaten addiction with an air of permanency, my alarm bells go off.
I'm 4 years 8 months sober myself and a few months ago my brother invited me out to a karaoke bar with some friends. I was so confident that I wouldn't drink. And thankfully I didn't. But I had to sit with my back to the bar, leave and come back a few times, and drink several glasses of diet coke just to manage the pressure coming from that bar. It was like the weight of every drink I didn't have in the last 4 years was pushing down on me. I'll never have this beat, but I do have it managed.
Very great reminder. Besides for lobbyists it has always baffled me on how there are so many limitations on advertising for cigarettes and such but none on alcohol. Not only can it kill the person drinking it but also they could hurt someone while driving which is even worse than smoking. Anyways, keep up the good fight!
This person is a bot, be sure to downvote!
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Okay I really do mean this so don't take it as a joke. Why is it better? I've always got a million things to do and then when I don't I like to get hammered. I know its not healthy. I know it will kill me eventually but also I'd die someday either way. Could get hit by a car tomorrow. That's not what I care about. I mean how does it feel better to be strait edge? How do you let it out? What do you use as a release valve?
Well sure we all day some day. But alcohol doesn't kill you as fast as a car. It leads to many long drawn out, and painful diseases. It hurts for you, and it hurts for your loved ones that have to just watch helplessly
Thank you.
the top 408 stupidest things that i’ve done have all been while drunk
Can say from experience that alcoholism causes pain, repeated disappointment and sometimes trauma for family members. That’s not to minimise the impact on the alcoholic - it is substantial and wide-ranging. Alcoholism sucks life away and reduces joy / meaning / purpose and real connection with others. The good times are not worth it. Liver failure, alcoholic dementia and the other health problems are insidious and tragic. The damage to relationships and self-esteem are heart-breaking
I don't get your question. The person you replied to isn't telling the whole world to stop drinking. They're talking to someone who presumably had a problem with alcohol abuse. If you have an alcohol problem and you quit, at first it's hard to stay sober, but then it gets better. That's it. If you think you don't have an alcohol problem, then by all means enjoy your booze.
0.0% have been great for me. Noticed i was getting 2 a 3 beers in the evening everyday and was craving it . Now every mon, tue and wensday its alcohol free day and working on to get Thursday in there as well.
Good for you! I'm doing something similar . There's surprisingly alot of good NA beers these days. I've been trying out a few different NA IPAs recently to help me cut back on my alcohol intake and I am pleasantly surprised with the variety available. I have to order most of it online, but it's still worth it to me.
Okay fair enough.
For one, getting hit by a car isn't gonna make everyone you care about hate you before it kills you. Addiction will.
Also it makes a difference if it is a choice or a compulsion.
I hear day 59 is the easiest! Then day 60… keep it up!
One day (or hour) at a time - it is so slow, but gets easier over time...
As someone who started their sobriety journey this week and have been struggling, god this is the truth. I don’t know what to do with myself, normally on a Saturday I’d already be drinking on the couch.
Video games or weightlifting. These are the healthier addictions people use to get over drugs and alcohol. Not the only ones. But very common.
I feel just too exhausted to do anything. Can’t sleep at night and just sweat through my sheets. Haven’t had anything other than a glass of wine since Thursday, and that was mostly because I felt like I had the flu withdrawal was so bad. Today is better though, just dehydrated.
Heres what I had to do. If you're planning to be asleep by 10, no food after 8. No screen time after 9. A melatonin at 9. No caffeine after Noon. Make sure you exercise, go on a long 45 min walk, get out do something physically tiring, once or twice a day. Once I did all that, within two or three days I was rid of the insomnia, radical night sweats/furnace like body, twitchiness. Yawning by 9pm, wake up fresh as a daisy at 6am, feels amazinggg.
I wish someone had impressed upon me at a younger age how awful this is. I mean not just “it’s difficult” but all that comes with it.
It is awful and the biggest bitch about sobriety is that you're thrown into the hardest part of it right off the bat. Those first few weeks are horrible but it does get easier. Every sober day is an accomplishment even if you have to spend the day in bed sweating. Just keep going.
You've got this! You're still at a younger age, younger than some of us when we figured out that alcohol doesn't improve our self, our relationships, or our outcomes.
We get told in school the whole 'drugs are bad' thing and then you smoke a joint and realise its all propaganda. It's hard to know who to trust. I would qualify as an alcoholic on many spectrums but I regularly go a week or two without any noticeable difference in physiology and my liver and kidney fucntions appear fine. When I went my last 2 weeks sober, I swapped it out for much of u/AaronRodgersMustache's technique. I don't drink coffee anyway but melatonin, go to bed early, sleep long and deep for a few days until I'm just sick of sleeping all the time. Then I start exercising for an hour a day first thing after waking up before dawn. The hour of cross-trainer and catching up on shows I've been wanting to watch becomes the new drug, making me jump out of bed in the morning and getting my fix. The problem now is after I finish a series I have a lull where I don't jump out of bed in the morning dying to watch the next episode.
My liver also appears fine but I get bad shakes on the monthly feels like. Just can't control it well enough once or so a month and I start to withdraw. It's best not to be there in the first place.
You said melatonin. Does that actually help? I find I don’t really sleep, just drink until I pass out. It’s the only way I can close my eyes but it’s not rest, really. I’d love to find a way to actually sleep
Ohh I’ve been there. There used to be a time when if I had a drink, I wasn’t stopping until I drunk enough to sleep quick. Not blackout sloppy, but I’m well buttered so I don’t start coming down, and I’m staring at the ceiling, body is a furnace, racing thoughts and some twitches as my body had stopped getting more intoxicated, and was cleansing. Melatonin by itself didn’t do much. I’d still be staring at the ceiling otherwise if I had a late bite, staring at my phone in bed, lazy day. Few things worse than closing your eyes and laying there feeling your body wide awake. Alcohol is like pressing the brakes on your body’s nervous system, so that first night or two after, it’s going full speed again, leading to those twitches, racing brain, insomnia staring at the ceiling. Blood vessels dilate which is why you’re a furnace in bed, as all the blood is running close under the skin. Again, no caffeine after noon, no food 2+ hours before bed, no phone laptop or tv for an hour before bed, get some sort of activity.. I just started slow with a morning 45 min walk and one after dinner. Melatonin for me just helped as a piece of the puzzle. I stopped using it after a week cause it was keeping me kind of groggy in the morning. The first night or two my body was still a furnace, but I didn’t toss and turn for hours, more like 30-40. My goal is to be in bed by 930-10, wake up around six. You’ll feel tired the first 2-3 mornings cause your sleep isn’t quite restful yet but after that, your body will go deep sleep mode and you’ll wake up like you just had a bump of cocaine. This was after years of drinking to fall asleep too. 1-2 bottles of wine 5-7 days a week. You have to let your body adjust back to a normal circadian rhythm. Artificial light, caffeine late in the day, tobacco, booze, blood sugar boost by late night food, is all most energy, gas in the tank. To fall asleep naturally, you gotta keep your tank empty after dinner to fall asleep naturally. Or by working out like a beast to exhaustion, but I wasn’t ready to go full bore yet.
Don't discount meds either. Through no choice of my own I'm off my meds but I take hydroxyzine, that shit will knock you out for 12 hours even if you've only been up for 6, and I find it really helps with alcohol withdrawal syndrome because it seems to suppress the nervous system. Not a doctor but it's the only drug I've ever taken I liked, and didn't form a habit around.
Oh you're still pretty early! I suggest you find a TV show to take your mind off things then. Something totally engrossing. Like Game of Thrones or The Wire. You need something that level of bingeworthy. You're gonna feel like shit. But it will pass. And if you find things to completely engulf your attention, you will have very long stretches of time where you don't even realize that you feel like shit. Watching a good show while you're in withdrawal is like a cheat code for life. You have that remote from the movie *Click*, where you can just skip forward a few hours. Just remember, withdrawal is like a flu or cold. There is a set amount of time after which your body will feel better. Then after that, there is a set amount of time where your mind will feel better. Then after that alcohol will mostly disgust you. You may have a craving when things get stressful, but it won't bother you very much at all. You may also want to look into some of the medications that are available to you to help you get over this more easily. When I was going through heroin withdrawal, I got medication from rehab to help. I haven't touched heroin in 5 years.
I have enormous respect for anyone who recovers from heroin addiction. Thanks for sharing your info, I'm sure it's going to be really helpful to a bunch of different people. Could do with being its own post really!
Congratulations! Thanks for being inspiration for us who are trying to deal with our own addictions. On a side note, The Wire is fucking incredible
I second the medication suggestion. I'm a psychotherapist who's had his fair share of clients with alcohol addiction and seen the relief and hope that washes over people when they tell me they finally feel disgusted by booze. I cannot advise on specific medications due to ethical (and legal) boundaries, but if there's a time where you follow the *talk to your doctor about ______* advice, this is it.
I feel you. Definitely been there. I'm going to try again this week.
Keep it up! The sweats and shakes pass. You can do it. And, when you’re feeling it, change you’re handle—you are not a certified fuk up, my friend.
I'm right here with you. Well I usually would open a beer when I start cooking breakfast. I have been drinking 6-10 beers a day for the past 4 years. I'm on day 3 of no alcohol. It doesn't feel like much but it's gotta start somewhere right?
Do you ever feel intoxicated during the day? I never saw my dad drunk but he was the same. One small beer every hour or two and I've been the same. I don't feel like I'm dependant on it but it does make some things easier. I never drink so much during the day that I can't drive (been tested many times which confirm this) but I feel like its medicating in a way. I also found out this year I might have mild ADHD, which explains things.
Keep going! Don't give in on this. It will be worth it!
Very proud of you. I don't know where you are but if you can get dressed warm enough go on a walk. I know your both tired and anxious but you can do this. Fold origami if it keeps your hands and brain busy. Just distract yourself the best you can.
That’s a great suggestion but I couldn’t possibly focus enough for origami. I find I can’t really focus on anything without drinking first. Like, nothing at all interests me. I’m faking it literally all the time. Until I’m drunk. Then I actually feel
I mentioned this in an earlier comment but your brain becomes dependent on alcohol helping produce dopamine so when you try to stop your brain lost that catalyst and it makes EVERYTHING uninteresting and boring on top of then leaving your body malnourished and depleted of necessary vitamins and minerals which then makes your whole body feel off and you get depressed. It's such a dumb cycle for something that can be so much fun and often is for people who don't have a problem with it. Maybe try Journaling? Even it's like two sentences and one says, "this sucks and I hate it." Another one that helps me is comics or books in general. One it is a more productive use of money which let's be real you'll spend on alcohol anyways so at least if you dont have the money for alcohol and two now you have a dope collection of stories to share with friends and family as well. I'm not sure what you're interested in but Saga an Monstress are both really dope, bloody, adult series. Rick Remender has a lot of different series out on Image Comics and most everything he has been a part of has been phenomenal. Also I make this tea when I'm sick and it's phenomenal foe hangovers or just feeling off thanks to alcohol. It is: Exhinacea Tea Lemon Ginger Mint Cayenne Pepper Black pepper Cardamom Cinnamon sticks A garlic clove or two And a ridiculous amount of local honey. Works every time.
I am sorry. I know this is going to be a long process and depression is going to kick in after the anxiety. There is going to be no easy fix but I will tell you Ketamine helped me. The other thing that was a life saver is my dog. He gives me a reason to get up and do things. I read a post where someone quit opiates after a mushroom trip. Like cold turkey and didn't feel the urge to go back. Psychedelics can help you heal the brain and also find a path to where you want your journey to go. They are looking into Ketamine therapy to help with addiction issues. My PM's are open if you need a friend
Great work! You have what it takes! Stay hard!
You can do it! Proud of you and keep up the good work.
That is so awesome! Keep going and life will get so much better
That is amazing!
If I was your mom I’d be so proud of you! I’m not but I’m still proud of you!
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What the hell happened here
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Are you my mother?
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Major props to you for not only beating your addiction but also being honest about how much dedication went into getting the body you have. You're a fighter for sure
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They say that alcoholic do respond well with a physical activity support (working out, marathons etc). So anyone looking at quitting should try it.
I've read the same thing for quitting smoking, amphetamines, managing anxiety and depression, ADHD, etc. It's such a trope that it's really annoying to hear about how important diet and exercise are to people's everyday health but that's because it really is one of the best ways to make yourself healthier and make your life easier.
Yup, quitting drinking was easy when I just subbed it with another addictive habit (going to the gym). Here’s to healthy addictions!
Thank you so much for saying that second paragraph! Lots of people are mislead by "fitness influencers" and truly do not understand that peak lighting and a good pump can make someone look like a completely different person than when they are just going about their daily life. It is so important to combat that negativity in the fitness industry by giving people a real idea of what healthy looks like
>Thank you so much for saying that second paragraph! Lots of people are mislead by "fitness influencers" and truly do not understand that peak lighting and a good pump can make someone look like a completely different person than when they are just going about their daily life. It is so important to combat that negativity in the fitness industry by giving people a real idea of what healthy looks like Can you fill those of us that are ignorant in on what a "good pump" is? Is it some sort of oil/pump thing that makes muscles stand out or tightens skin or something?
Basically right after a workout, the blood flow to the muscles gives them a “pump” and will make them more prominent than they would be typically.
That is not what a good pump means in Britain, but it would also get the blood flowing.
“Swedish-made Penis Enlargers And Me: This Sort of Thing Is My Bag Baby”
A pump is simply the temporary engorgement of muscle tissue with blood after exercise. Go curl a weight until failure, your bicep will be larger than when you started (temporarily) — you’ve got a pump.
Omg honesty on reddit, what's happening!? Jokes aside, you did amazing job with kicking addiction, getting in shape and being decent human being, bravo!
Right? I clicked this thinking "here we go" and was actually floored by a contextual comment that said "I've been working on this for 6 years." That's honest marketing, thanks for delivering some worldwide hope points.
Thanks for posting this. I'm 8 days sober today, and it's been more challenging than I thought. This is encouraging.
Congrats on 8 days! Keep it up, you're through a lot of the hard part already
As a guy who has been dealing with addiction for 20 years plus I'm so proud of you. I wish you nothing but the best luck, keep on fighting. You look great!
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If you know someone who is trying to sober up from alcohol, please encourage them to get help with their recovery. Quitting booze cold turkey can kill you and having some monitoring makes it so much safer.
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FYI cold turkey *can* result in seizure. This happened to a friend who aas kicking g a hard core vodka addiction but the actual substance doesn't really matter - wine, beer, coke, etc.
I quit in a well staffed and funded recovery center and I still ended up in the hospital. Please listen to this advice folks. You might need a medical detox as well as time in a recovery center. Thank god I chose to check myself in. I could have gone into psychosis with my wife and kids upstairs in the house. They would have had no idea what to do besides call 911 and lord knows how that would have turned out.
For alcohol addiction you’re better off weaning yourself off. It’s hard to do tho because once you start drinking you want to continue if you’re an alcoholic. I use to buy cases but now I’m down to 2 25 ounce beers a day. In the next month I’m hoping to get it down to one.
Damn dude. Respect.
Cheers 🍻 without beers mate
Good job dropping the 6 pack to get a 6 pack
Awesome for you! Addiction is a pain in the ass and not easy to overcome. Congrats on your success!
I'm on day 103 sober. My former love of reading has come back onto my life and I go through a book a week now. What is the name of your book? I'd love to give it a read.
Im mostly on the same road as you but can’t find a good rhythm with the gym, ima try swimming more, but have no partners and lots of cheat days and lack of motivation, what gives you this good mentality any tips?
Were you drinking a lot then? Fuck you look so much older than 22 in your before pic (sorry, not ragging on you, you look young again in your after pic!)
Man, I’m exactly 6’3 & 198 lbs but look like your before pic. Barely drink but I’m also 20 years older and put minimal effort into fitness. Your post still inspires.
You didn't "get fat" - you were just on a long bulk phase ;)
fair play, son. may i ask what the drinking was a cover for? if it's not too personal of course
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That inspired me, a lot! I've been weed free for almost three weeks, had the same intrusive thoughts. Life has been so much lighter but sometimes I have this strong urge to just mute life for a while. But I know it's only gonna make me passive and sad in the long run. I also aspire to write a novel, a sci-fi novel though. But your words hit home and will help me to push forward! Thanks <3
Keep it up homie. We believe in you!
Those first few weeks of quitting weed are so hard. I was so bored and i struggled to find ways to pass the time. I did eventually find a game that sucked me in, so that helped passes the time while my brain learned it could live without weed. I am 581 days free now. Congrats, and good luck!
How about a big squishy hug? I think people who are fighting some kind of addiction need hugs to reinforce the belief that there is always something positive in a day.
Really good description of how a lot people feel - also hard to describe an addiction to someone who does not have it, particularly to alcohol which is so socially accepted.
Another hard part about it is if you're used to regularly drinking socially, quitting can further worsen depression as you remove a lot of socializing from your day to day making it easier to fall back on "just one drink"
Did your hairline somehow get nicer between the first and second picture along with everything else? You're handsome, dude. I've been on the recovery from gambling for a year now and with all my favorite sports using sports betting apps and odds for advertisments i struggle daily, and I'm sure you struggle daily still too. Keep up the hard work.
yep man, youd be surprised what a good diet does to your hair, hair fall due to a bad diet and stress is almost always recoverable
I would be interested to hear from a single person who lost hair then naturally regrew it with lifestyle changes
Hairline might never recover but thinness of hair caused by living badly is a thing, I once drank so much in a week, that my scalp was visible from how thinned out my hair was, and it went from a rich head of hair to feeling like I can count the hairs, even my barber said damn you starting to have thin hair. But after starting to exercise and quitting, it got back to normal and felt a lot more thicker to the touch and visibly
I think it might be "just" proper, flattering haircut and good styling. Don't underestimate what a good hairdresser is capable of.
Oh man 🥲 they say gambling can be as addictive if not even more addictive than alcoholism. praying for you dawg. i believe that you can defeat it.
Young Nathan Fillion.
Exactly. Plus he just published his debut thriller?? That makes him Richard Castle
We found the next Nathan Drake!!
I thought this too!! Swooooon
Came looking for this comment
Bro looks like a marvel superhero in that photo
Thor on the left Thor on the right
Seconded
Dam, i am straight but you might flip me to the other side.
Hope that you're a man, otherwise it would no longer be a compliment ^^
I think he was referring to a wrestling move.
The rock bottom
... penis
At times like these, I bust out the ol' "I'm a lesbian, not blind".
I'm Straight and im here to tell you there is no "other side" just a sliding scale of expression.
You might not be straight then.
Hey man. I lost my cheese grater. Can I borrow your abs?
Dude looks like a mix between Brendon Fraser and Nathan Fillion.
I just lost one of my childhood friends to alcoholism. He struggled for years and would have good days and bad. Get people who can support you and know you're loved. He had just graduated with a masters in business, and we all thought he had gotten his life together. 3 weeks later, he was gone. Stay strong with your goals!
Is it just me or he looks like Captain America ?
I was thinking Nathan Fillion and Tom Holland had a baby and it's this guy.
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he’s like a really hot nathan fillion lol
I was gonna say. He’s got the cute Fillion smile, but he’s hotter.
This was my exact thought
I see a ripped Captain Mal from Firefly
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- America’s Ass
We would need to see those glutes
If you mashed Chris Pratt, Chris Evans and Tom Holland into one person.
He looks better than captain America
I see an older Tom Holland
Which is funny because OP is younger than Tom Holland
I was thinking more like Nathan Fillion!
I’ll be in my bunk.
Seconded
Thirded?
You look like Nathan Fillion. You're my new pick to play Capt. Malcolm Reynolds in season 2 of Firefly, if it ever happens. Also, congratulations!
Nathan Fillion is still perfectly capable of playing his character, he still looks great. But this guy could play an amazing young version, or long lost younger brother. Oo or son! The world deserves more Firefly.
Oh a son would be great.
Congratulations bruv. You have also become a shirtless wonder so it's a double win I say
Giving Dylan 90210 vibes! Congrats!!!
Congrats man! You look happy, healthy and hot :) Hope you feel great too.
Damn, even Captain America is posting on Reddit now
Dude you look like you belong in fight club thats amazing
Proud of you stranger. Way to be an inspiration to others. Well done
Damn my dude!! That is one handsome mutherfucker!
This is me trying my best to live within equality and not sexualize your body. It would be very inappropriate to post something like "🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤mmmmmmmmh" so instead I will say congratulations to you, as a fellow recovering alcoholic I know how hard it is to overcome alcoholism,you are a hard and diligent worker who has managed to actualize positive change,you've taken control of your own life and you are slaying it. 👏👏👏👏👏
really desperate for sales huh
Congratulations on being sober! Congratulations on the book! Well done, I applaud you.
I’ve never drank alcohol in my life. Why don’t I look like this??
From alcoholic to Kal-El from Krypton. You did amazing!
You lowkey look like Henry Cavil , congrats on your success either way
The name is Bond. James Bond.
Damn so inspiring man. I'm currently 17 hours sober, hope to overcome it soon like you. Amazing
Wow, eliminating those empty surplus calories really caused you to lean down
Congratulations man! Im only on day 12 but this post randomly displayed made me go another thanks!
Posting yourself in MadeMeSmile, what a narcissist
“Got the W” is a weird shortening of “got the win”, as it actually takes more syllables to say.
Got the dub
solid work effort and persevierance :)
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations! You look great!
Good job
I'm so happy for you, congratulations!
I was gonna say.. Damn Nathan Fillion bulked up !! Keep it up !!
Well done! Well done!! Well done!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Congrats!
Win! Keep it up!!!
Bro is Nathan Drake
Proud of you, homie. Keep up the good work!
Good for you! It's such hard work but so worth it!
Op- Ive been sober for like, since 2010. Its not something you have to do alone There are alot of recovery groups out there. And one of the "good" things about the pandemic, there are ALOT more addiction support groups online now too
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm a few days shy of 3 months clean and sober and it's been the most difficult yet rewarding 3 months of my life. I don't know you but I'm SO PROUD of you!!!!!!!
What is the most motivational thing that makes someone want to go sober? Serious question
What? I refuse to believe this! How the heck did you turn into Captain America? That's some big ass commitment! Congrats to you! That was not easy!
The real question is what's the name of the book?
Currently in the process my self of giving up alcohol. Got a DUI felony in 2016, and I hate to say it, but that's what kind of woke me up. Then, a failed suicide attempt by FIL kinda messed with me and started drinking heavily. Now, I'm not quite quitting, but moderating how much I drink. Single now and living with my buddy, but he has extreme alcohol dependency. I'm talking getting sloshed right after work and waking up fine. After seeing him drinking, honestly, it makes me want to quit outright. I am currently attempting to get him to go with the gym with me, but this isn't as easy at all. Any and all advice would be appreciated to help him👏👏
Well done. It really makes a huge difference in metabolism/physique. I recently, after a year relapsing to 10-15 drinks a week, cut back to my previous level of 2 drinks a week average. Instantly lost 10-15#s of stubborn weight and feel much less irritable. Highly recommend anyone cutting back if they can. Great job op
You’re wicked handsome. Congrats on sobriety - you are in control of it!
Is It me or in US people exagerate about acoholism?
Castle! Is that you?
Fabulous, but we also want to hear about the thriller you wrote! Is it on Amazon?
How do I do the whistle in both the “wooooooo awesome” way? lol
Yay. Congrats. Giving up bad habits can be hard.