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Congratulations !
If
you are reading this you may be taking your first steps toward a new and
exciting life as a sober individual. Your courage will be rewarded ! But a
strong warning - go to see a doctor, your body needs attention, you are
physically ill and you need medical support. Unassisted withdrawal can be
dangerous, and even fatal!
At this moment, you may be plagued with
fear, anxiety and self-doubt. You will, also, probably be feeling lonely,
guilty, paranoid and depressed. On top of this you feel like shit physically.
You may be dehydrated, shaky, sweaty, hypersensitive and
unable to sleep properly and generally exhausted. You will wake up in the middle
of the night soaking wet from perspiration. You will feel hot and cold all day.
All this will pass. You are ill ! Your body is ridding itself of toxic
substances which have saturated your body for a long time. It is an
uncomfortable and sometimes torturous experience, but one which is unavoidable
and temporary. If you are working, take a week off. Remember you are seriously
ill and you are saving your life ! ! !
An important point of warning - seek
medical advice and help. See your doctor or get to a detox clinic, if possible.
If not, make sure you have someone supportive with for as much of the day &
night, as possible. A cold turkey can sometimes be very physically dangerous and
even mortal, especially if your alcohol/drug abuse is chronic. The body might
react with a withdrawal fit, similar to an epileptic fit. So if you are not able
to get medical supervision, try to have someone with you and/or have emergency
numbers ready, just in case.
If you are drying out, with or without
medical support, try to make yourself as comfortable as possible. Clear the
house of all  alcohol/drugs.
Give your money or cards to a trusted friend. You will have a tremendous thirst,
so stock up on water, fruit juices, tea ( not coffee - it worsens dehydration)
and get easily digestible foods, soups, etc. You may also want a bucket handy.
Cravings for sweet things are common, (especially if you are an alcoholic), as
your body demands carbohydrates. If you don’t like bananas, get sweets and
chocolate - don’t worry about your figure or teeth for the moment, deal with
that later. Anyhow, its probably less sugar than you got through alcohol.
If you smoke, it may or may not be
advisable to try to stop that at the same time. While stopping smoking would be
a good thing, there is also a danger that you can just overload the demands and
pressures on your system by trying to quit now. One thing at a time, may be
better for some. Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself, and also get
advice from some medical people.
Remember you are not quitting alcohol as a
way of punsihing yourself or of ritual pirification. You are doing it to save
your precious life. In fact, find things to treat, reward and distract yourself.
Get in videos, books, magazines, etc., Eat snacks and sweet things that you used
to like. Keep yourself as rested and distracted as possible.
If you are at home, plan and organise to
stay indoors for 1-2 weeks. If you must go out, do not pass bars, supermarkets
or liquor stores, or old hits or haunts. Plan outside tours carefully and where
possible do them in the company of sober close ones or others longer in
recovery. Even going to a recovery support group ALONE can be dangerous for some
in the first few weeks.
At times the physical discomfort and urges
to drink/use will become horrendous. Remember this will pass. What do you do
when you have a bad flu ? Dig in and sweat in out, no. Well this is more like
pneumonia or malaria, right ? But it doesn’t last and the resulting relief is
beyond belief.
Get emotional support to if possible. Your
partner will need to know what to expect, and must have the patience of saint,
but it will be worthwhile for him/her as well. They must understand that you are
seriously ill and in serious discomfort. Your life is at stake !
You probably also feel weepy and
worthless. Don’t hold it in, cry like a baby, you’ll feel better. You are
not worthless, this very act proves your worth, your courage and your strength.
Only weak people avoid this and they die miserably. It takes a lot to do this
and you’ve got it. Recall times when you won against the odds before. Think
about your plans for the future, free from the chains of drink/drugs. Dream,
scheme and be positive. Think about the benefits of sobriety and not the
illusory « loss » of giving up.
However, you will NOT succeed, unless
you do two things.
1) Sincerely acknowledge that you are an addict and
2) accept fully that you are seriously and mortally ill.
You can recover and lead a full life, but only if you stay abstinent from all
mind-altering drugs.
Don’t look at the months and years in
front of you, it gets easier once you’re through the first days, weeks. Do it
one-day-at-a-time. Get to as many support meetings as possible. Some areas have
many SOS meetings, almost every day. Others may not be so frequent, and so go to
any recovery meetings, as long as they are for abstinence. Take what you can.
Also get the phone numbers of supportive friends within the recovery movement.
If you are having a difficult time phone them. But phone also when its going
well. Get into the habit. These people have been there and can’t be shocked.
They will understand and support you.
Each day you will begin to feel a little
better, and after 4-7 days the worst will be over and you will start to feel the
best you have in a long time. The sweats and shakes will disappear, your
sleeping patterns and appetite will normalise and positive and more coherent
thoughts will come more easily. You may be a little absent-minded, but don’t
worry you are unlikely to have dementia or brain damage. This will pass, also.
But don’t get over-confident, you are still only just recovering. Going sober
can be like loosing a loved one or a treasured friend - you feel a sense of
loss, grief, jealously, etc., Remember, it was a false friend and an enemy, not
a lover. Be gentle on yourself and be careful !
 Make
a Daily Plan :
1) Your daily "Sobriety
Priority"-
Pledge to make sobriety your N°1 priority, and promise to
let nothing stand in its way everyday or hour.
Don’t just « give up» drinking/using - choose a sober
life. (see Sobriety Priority).
2) Practice « Closing the Gap » -
Get real about the painful consequences of taking a
drink/drug by recalling your worst physical and mental experiences. (see Urges
and Cravings)
3) Avoid all drinking/using places and
acquaintances.
4) Get to a meeting once a day, if
possible.
5) Keep a list of phone numbers with you
at all time.
6) Reward and enjoy yourself in sober ways
- this is not penance, you are getting a life. Use it !
Make a plan of things to do each day.
7) Read as much on the subject as possible
; « knowledge is strength »
8) Eat regularly and have non-alcoholic
tricks to hand, as thirst may remain for a while.
9) Do your sobriety a day at a time, or a
morning, an hour, whatever suits you.
10) Take care of yourself - you are
precious - believe it !
If you or your family/friends don’t think so...
We certainly do !
So get to an SOS meeting NOW!
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