Stay strong its a poison thats become socially acceptable. He was a wonderful person we had his memorial on Saturday there were so many friends on zoom. I would go AF feeling great then think I could do alcohol reduction which always turned into OVER drinking after a few days. 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. My relationship s with friends and family are better then ever. in the afternoons and then a wine (or so!) It started as a dry January, maybe drop a few pounds I picked up working from home with the COVID era. Things I normally wouldnt spend the money on but since I wasnt buying alcohol I was saving money. Self medications after a few Florida hurricanes and the pandemic years took me to the level I described. and who knew I had such a sweet tooth. Doctors told him to stop drinking 5 years ago or he would die. I mean they have a sixth grade education and have never heard the word scholarly. Beyondblue.org.au. Your email address will not be published. Im now 81kg an getting in great shape. Im about to try! I miss having a glass with friends. I am a Christian and god has helped me. Better Resistance. I was able to down a bottle of gin in 2 hours! Stool related to nail bed changes? Im awake most nights at 2 or 3, and Im exhausted. Pair this with spiking insulin levels that cause inflammation and youve got yourself a recipe for acne. I still exercised, but I didnt enjoy it anymore. Then it just dawned on me. Really realizing how much alcohol was slowing me down, overall. Sleep better, get more done, lost ony 3 pound up to now. I can relate to the othersDef feel mostly better. If you have alcohol use disorder but only drink on weekends, know that you will also get benefits from stopping: While giving up alcohol can be a challenge, it's important to remember that the benefits are well worth it. Meet the experts: Linzy Ziegelbaum, RD, is a nutritionist who focuses on making healthier food decisions and portion control. She also has an app The Alcohol Experiment. I lost 15 kilograms. I knew if I wanted to say goodbye to the weight, I'd have to say goodbye to the booze. New roommate with his own addiction issues. Much more flexible and feel younger. Also like the first commenter: I have had extreme smugness, even apathy. Be a badass. Fed up with drinking but dont know how to stop it. Free and wonderfully filled with the right balance of science, inspiration and a tremendous community. 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. Did it myself but had family support. I had gained so much weight and got very sedentary. I only had one surprise. Anyone who successfully stops drinking for a whole month is more likely to abstain from alcohol for 6 months. First alcohol consumption in almost 4 months. Always good to reconsider your relationship with sugar as well. 2007. There are many benefits to giving up alcohol, both short-term and long-term. Im a professional musician, and my performing has taken a huge leap upwards. Slowly, the sober life made sense and the desire to drink & use faded some. Alcohol literally stinks. Seeing the struggles and challenges faced by other people will remind you how far youve come, how miserable being addicted felt like and why you need to only go forward. I chose to live and watch my granddaughter grow up. Sleep is easy, I dont wake up with a feeling of regret or dread from the events of the night before. This is your achievement and you have deserved it. Yes. Then, after drinking plenty of empty calories, I fed my booze-fueled cravings with whatever I could get my hands onanything from bags of chips to Ben and Jerrys. Plus, I feel more at peace. 2 weeks for me. Days one to seven: Your nervous system will start to respond to the absence of alcohol. I dont have any help Im doing this all on my own. Im a 39 year old male. Surprisingly, I didnt notice substantial changes after I cut down my alcohol consumption by 50-75%. You only live once. Decided last Wed to go to my doctor + get treated for past PTSD from trauma + head on car crash. As far as chocolate was concerned I used very high cocoa level dark chocolate. Day 53 of being sober sleep is finally coming back feeling way more refreshed when I wake up. The changes have be amazing cognitively, emotionally and physically and I am grateful every day. 7 nights a week. Never looking back to that poison. Now 57, and I just enjoyed the best year of my life. I wasnt really over weight before but I have lost a little weight any my body looks more trim than before. !The Holy Spirit revealed to me that I was feeding my flesh that can never be satisfied. I never knew what real sleep was until now. I drank nearly every day previously some wine each day. Not too sweet, a little spicy, really excellent. I dont remember my dreams anymore. Glad i found HSM as it inspired me to keep going after a few weeks when i felt like having a drink as reading everyones journeys made me realise it was worth keeping going. Hi- Ive been drinking wine almost every night of the week, 2-4 glasses a night. Good luck. . I am a everyday drinker for sleep. When we got to 2.5 miles to turn around, wed have a beer first as a reward (negating the exercise). There was no negotiation. I do make myself a decaf cappuccino almost every night. It takes something big for you to wake up and take control. Life physically and mentally so much better. To everyone who is trying to quit this evil drug I wish you all the luck. Quick disclaimer here everyones experience is their own. Have lost 11 kilos, sleeping much better and while I still forget what I was going to do next it comes back to me much quicker. Not being able to walk was the last straw. Cut down your drinks by one or two per week, then by three or four, instead of going cold turkey all at once. I noticed I always had to have a drink in my hand. Worried about the weekend coming up. A lot of people use drinking as a way to induce sleep which is not healthy at all. Sleeping better, In the next two months I will wean myself off sugar. I stopped binge drinking 5 weeks ago. and may take longer to resolve. Berens says. I am also doing intermittent fasting, eating just one meal a day and have cut way back on sugar. I decided, never again, I am the only speaker in my life, not some foreign substance. Just read this Chris as I get ready to embark on my 30-day challenge. I exercise regularly, walk the dog, remember appointments. Havent decided if this is permanent. Literally everyday 12 beers no worries!!!. I realised I wasnt drinking out of grief anymore and was just drinking for the sake of drinking. It will be difficult to sleep without your usual coping mechanism and you will have a lot of sleepless nights. But the last six months are easily noticeable. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. U.S. Alcohol Drinking Alcohol Consumption Health Care A woman has shared her incredible three-week transformation after completely cutting out alcohol. This is the point where some more intangible benefits start to appear. I think giving up drinking is an incredibly hard choice to make (until youve got no other option). I do hope the joint pain will resolve, the blood pressure will come down and the sleep will improve. Instead, I found myself naturally reverting to my healthier habits. Four months today. your path from 1-12 months is amazing to follow. You will be (you) again. He hid it well from all of us. (No jinx ). I was not very good.) Drinking is so normalized and is a part of British culture. I am delighted to be alcohol free and I make some pretty awesome mocktails. Ive complained for a long time about a fear of premature death. One handle a day. I went from drinking very heavily every night to only a few, then down to a couple of drinks per night over a few months. These stories on sobriety are uplifting to say the least., How is it going are you still alcohol free. Since stopping drinking I sleep SO well, my face isnt puffy anymore its normal again, no weight loss but thats because Ive replaced booze with coke! [Updated 2021 Nov 13]. Hoping for more benefits as time goes on. This is a great piece of motivational text that is vital for 35 million Americans fighting the battle to keep sober . I think it has got worse over the years. This is your life, and your body needs you to stand up for it. Now, as the Everyday is a gift & new opportunity. But it was never a weekday occurrence I went awhile without. I didnt really replace it with anything unhealthy. I just achieved my first 12 months of being alcohol free. Surprised it is not in this list. Ive made sure that Ive not become preachy about not drinking. Without alcohol in my life, I soon found myself getting more into fitness, which made it even easier to turn down drinks. I stopped drinking in October last year. I have also experienced the craving of sweets that others have mentioned which in moderation hasnt been too bad for my weight. I had to leave an important meeting just to get home and have 3 drinks to stop a panic attack. Hello all, Ive been sober since mid March and Im curious as to what this smugness is about and how if manifest its self? Your behavioral unpredictability, anger issues, trust issues and anxiety may be the biggest cause of it. Today is day 76. One of the most significant benefits of giving up alcohol is that you may increase your lifespan. Ive just clocked up 5 months and my sleeping has improved dramatically along with marked reduction in stress and anxiety. On days like today, when I face stress or strife, I face it raw. I did not need alcohol in 2020 in fact it honestly never came to mind. An Alcohol-Free Year: Insights from My First 6 Months | Better Humans 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. However, every couple of months or so, usually when a special occasion pops up, Ill enjoy one glass of wine or a simple cocktail (like a vodka soda). Six months no alcohol,,,at first rapid weight loss,,,not my aim,,,,so started eating more and levelled out ,,,now will concentrate on my weight ,,,,,in age 77 male. I know I am not all the way there, yet, but I realize I am moving in that direction. What happens for one person may not be your experience. I drank around 2 to 3 bottles of wine per day, everyday over covid lockdown, so almost 1.5 years and before that was a binge drinker for 10 years..I was miserable. 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