You've Stopped Drinking Alcohol - What Happens Now?
Posted: Sunday, August 24, 2008
by Samantha James
When you stop drinking alcohol and alcohol been a big part of your life, there is going to be a big void.
Drinking is time consuming. Depending on how severe your drinking problem was, you may have spent every day and night drinking. All of a sudden you stop. Now what do you do?
Usually when you come off of a drinking career, you have left a trail of damage done to your life as a result of alcohol. You probably aren't in the best of health, you may not have a job, your living situation may not be up to your standards, and your finances are probably in bad shape if not in total ruin. Not to mention damaged relationships.
The first question from people addicted to alcohol who have stopped drinking is usually "Now what?"
The Answer:
As painful as it is, now you start rebuilding your life. You may have compromised many of your own standards due to alcohol and your living situation, your social situation, your financial situation and your health situation need work. As difficult as it may be to get started, as you may well be depressed from deleted serotonin levels in your brain, sometimes it helps to compartmentalize each area of your life that needs to be addressed and just tackle one area at a time. Break it down so you're not so overwhelmed.
You may also be tired much of the time. The reason for the tiredness is since you stopped drinking, your body has literally put itself under construction to rebuild from the damage and much of your physical energy has been directed to the reconstruction.
When you first stop drinking you are not going to be mentally up to par right away. When you reach the point where you are mentally able, you go out and get a job and start on the path to getting your finances into shape. You start focusing on rebuilding your health. Chances are you have suffered some liver damage at the very least. As elementary as it sounds, simple things like eating well and getting the proper rest will do a world of good for a recovering alcoholic. Alcohol takes every vitamin out of your system every time you drink. So chances are you have vitamin and general nutritional deficiencies.
Then there are the damaged relationships. It will take time to build the trust again. Don't expect the significant people in your life to come around right away. Chances are they won't, and it is important to protect yourself from a lot of rejection when you are in such a vulnerable state, so the best advice you can take on salvaging relationships is take it slowly.
In fact, when you are recovering from an alcohol addiction it is a good idea to take every issue you need to deal with slowly. If you put in the effort you will succeed. Be a little patient and chances are you will get where you want to go sooner than you thought you'd get there.
If you think you have a drinking problem, visit us at:
Drinking is time consuming. Depending on how severe your drinking problem was, you may have spent every day and night drinking. All of a sudden you stop. Now what do you do?
Usually when you come off of a drinking career, you have left a trail of damage done to your life as a result of alcohol. You probably aren't in the best of health, you may not have a job, your living situation may not be up to your standards, and your finances are probably in bad shape if not in total ruin. Not to mention damaged relationships.
The Answer:
As painful as it is, now you start rebuilding your life. You may have compromised many of your own standards due to alcohol and your living situation, your social situation, your financial situation and your health situation need work. As difficult as it may be to get started, as you may well be depressed from deleted serotonin levels in your brain, sometimes it helps to compartmentalize each area of your life that needs to be addressed and just tackle one area at a time. Break it down so you're not so overwhelmed.
You may also be tired much of the time. The reason for the tiredness is since you stopped drinking, your body has literally put itself under construction to rebuild from the damage and much of your physical energy has been directed to the reconstruction.
When you first stop drinking you are not going to be mentally up to par right away. When you reach the point where you are mentally able, you go out and get a job and start on the path to getting your finances into shape. You start focusing on rebuilding your health. Chances are you have suffered some liver damage at the very least. As elementary as it sounds, simple things like eating well and getting the proper rest will do a world of good for a recovering alcoholic. Alcohol takes every vitamin out of your system every time you drink. So chances are you have vitamin and general nutritional deficiencies.
Then there are the damaged relationships. It will take time to build the trust again. Don't expect the significant people in your life to come around right away. Chances are they won't, and it is important to protect yourself from a lot of rejection when you are in such a vulnerable state, so the best advice you can take on salvaging relationships is take it slowly.
In fact, when you are recovering from an alcohol addiction it is a good idea to take every issue you need to deal with slowly. If you put in the effort you will succeed. Be a little patient and chances are you will get where you want to go sooner than you thought you'd get there.
If you think you have a drinking problem, visit us at:
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)I've been drinking 4-6 beers every other night for about 20 years and stopped two weeks ago. The first week I was full of energy and did a lot of exercise - long hikes, swimming, biking and then crashed in exhaustion. This week I'm still incredibly tired, but I don't feel like drinking so that's good. It's helpful to know tiredness is part of the recovery.
i just stopped , and feeling realy tired , i am glad to come across this web site to confirm that this is part of the process of geeting wekk
My husband just stopped drinking a week ago after being on a three day "I don't know a thing" drunk. He has been very tired but can't sleep after being sick his throat is so raw he can't swallow so he has been staying awake so he don't choke on his own spit. Is it normal for someone's mouth to water so bad to where you have to spit all the time?????All I can tell you "sober for 7 months" is it's one hell of a rollercoaster ride after you quit drinking. Memories were the hardest part, your childhood thoughts come back to you. If that's all he's having he's doing good. It will just take time.
Ps. Watch out for the 3 month mark and 6 month mark as it starts to sink in that you are continuing off where you left off before you started to drink.
It's alot to take in!!
The sleep will also get better.
Everyone reading this who has stopped drinking Hang in there!!!
The smiles will return in time and it is worth the wait!! TRUST ME!!
I stopped drinking today.......i lost so much time drinking.....i lost so much respect from people around me from myself...i am depressed that i did this...but today is a new start...i can't allow another minute to be consumed by alcoholWell done ... left by a friend from NYC
I stopped 1 month ago and was 120KG's (now 106kg and in freefall) the 1st few weeks will be tough however take it from me IT WILL GET BETTER and you will see dramatic changes in your life, your concentration, your work, everything ... let’s say you have a drink(s) in the afternoon say 5ish... the time of 3pm to 7pm will be the most difficult once it passes treat yourself to a lime drink, small ice cream, apple pie ... there are lots of treats you can reward yourself at the end of each day of not drinking
Don’t know about your situation however I new it was time to stop when my small children said ... Ohhhhh Dad...why do we have to go to the bottle store all the time (on the way home from school)
I wish you all the best, Im not an expert but I’m beating it and that should (I believe) be shared
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