Hi, I'm just curious how long it took some of you to start feeling the physical effects of abstaining from alcohol? What are some of those effects?
It took me about 5 days and I was in a rehab center. I had hallucinations, the shakes it was bad for me.
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I don't remember numbers exactly, but I do remember it happening in pieces. After maybe a week I had more energy, started sweating less, BO lost the cheap vodka smell. Energy levels and ease getting to sleep/waking up bounced around for several weeks. Over a year sober and what I appreciate most is stamina. I run a crew working outside, mostly with younger guys, and I outlast most of them. Your heart works better when it's not constantly fighting a poison.
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Well the sleep problems will be around for a couple of weeks depending on how much you drank if you got the shakes and all that if you drink all the time you may want to get professional help people have grand-male seizure and the will make it pleasant give you a benzodiazepines so you can sleep and not shake if you get drunk after work every night and go to work in the morning you can tox in a few days
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Hello Brittany,
One physical effect for me early on as the feeling of overwhelming happiness. I would be triggered into wanting to go and get a six pack.
Since then those feelings have gone. My mental fog is slowly lifting the longer I’m in sobriety. I’m able to remember the good times and bad times again.
How’s your physical effects been for you?
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I also had feelings of extreme happiness and was even relieved of a lot of anxiety for the first few months. Now I'm back to my usual depressed/anxious self lol I had also noticed bloating go down, in my fingers and such. Rings I used to wear were falling off. My dreams changed drastically. Oh and I cry all the time haha now that I'm more in touch. I guess those aren't all physical changes, but yeah.
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Hi Brittany,
I am just curious, do you work the 12 steps? Because I do. And the feelings you describe happened to me as I was working on step 6.
I used to sweat SO MUCH oh my gosh. And i was constantly in a weird floating headspace if that makes sense. I was also detoxing from my depression medication so it was honestly hell. I would get hot and cold flashes constantly. And no matter how tired i was (which was all the time) i could never sleep. Id get 3-4 hrs most days. I got kind of chonky from overeating as to compensate for drinking. And over time my body started to regulate itself a bit more. Im 528 days sober today. I found a good medication for my ptsd/major depressive disorder, i have more energy and eating better, i stay hydrated with water and juice, i lost so much weight physically and emotionally just by simplying staying sober. And even tho i still struggle with sleep, i get a good 5-8 hrs a night. Our bodies go through a lot, but we are resilient beings. I dont reccomend detoxing by yourself, i highly suggest having medical help because what i went thru was hell. They can help you with the detox safely.
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Gotta get through those emotions. To me using was a way to avoid feeling... Now that I'm sober I look forward to facing my emotions head on even though I dread the outcome. One day, one thought at a time.
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I see. Sounds like positive effects are at your favor, right? Swelling going down in fingers. Crying! That’s a huge positive effect as we begin to actually feel what’s going on with our bodies and mind. As for the depression and anxiety I’m able to now realize that it won’t be forever like this. Plus I try to see what my body and mind is telling Or my third eye. Most of the time I’m just tired. Or I’m trying to figure out the future. I’m really trying just let my higher power bring me or give me what I need instead of my always chasing what I think I need. That helps relieve anxiety.
Keep crying it’s a healthy way to release those built up emotions we were able to hide so well well using and abusing…
I’m smiling right now 
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I can't say that I have. Which feelings are you referring to? I know I was kind of all over the place in my comment
In 12 step land, there’s sobriety and then there’s stopping drinking. When you work the steps you eliminate alcohol first, and then you learn how to live a great life without it.
When all you accomplish is quitting drinking, but you miss it every day, and you resent the fact that you can’t drink, and you live in fear of relapse, and you generally hold on to all the fears/pain that you tried to suppress by drinking, that’s referred to as a dry drunk.
I wondered if, now that you’ve gotten a taste for life without alcohol, you wanted to reintroduce joy?