One Week Sober

Well, phew, one week sober, can't say that I haven't been counting the days at some points, but it is indeed one full week without a drop of alcohol of any sort.

And just to prove the point, I have committed to antabuse daily so even if I do succumb and have a drink I will be violently ill as the alcohol will process into some sort of acetylene (like nail polish remover) and I will feel an urge to regurgitate it. So that's a pretty strong incentive to not drink.

Only, over the Easter weekend it was my wife's birthday and we all went out to a fine restaurant Bistro Tartine and I watched as they drank Reisling, then Merlot, then Shiraz. It was odd at first but I loosened up when I took a valium (these were prescribed by my doctor for anxiety and delerium tremens)and we all managed to have a good night. I even went along for a cocktail afterwards (chai tea) and then to the nightclub where it is always weird to be sober.

Then, the day after that, it was Anzac Day, a traditionally big drinking day where everyone gambles on two up and drinks copious amounts of beer. Instead, I was down the backyard digging holes for the new chicken house. It is amazing how much productive work I can get done when I am not hung over or starting drinking mid morning.



Next day was another public holiday, so was up early and had concreted the footings and the wire into the ground by lunchtime. I hope there is enough security for the chooks so the fox can't get to them.


Had so much energy, and had that curious feeling of strength that I went over and cleared the pumpkin and watermelon patch that had started to go off seeing it is the beginning of autumn. There were so many little froglets and legless lizards in there it was amazing! Now I need to find something to plant there for a winter crop - any suggestions?


Went to the library yesterday and borrowed heavily on alcoholism and addiction recovery - will be featuring a few of the most salient points I get from the articles over the next few days. In the meantime, here's to being clear-headed, calm and sleeping a lot.

Oh, I forgot - I am having 5mg of Valium each afternoon at four and am having the most relaxing deep sleeps I have had for literally decades! Just last night I slept from 730pm to 11pm, woke up on the lounge, then went into the bedroom and slept through until 7am! For sure i have been doing a bit of physical work in the garden, but these nearly 12 hour nightly sleeps are exactly what I need.

It is like I am catching up on all those nights bumbling around the house at 1am trying to screw the cap off a bottle of vodka quietly so my wife wouldn't hear. Sheesh. Sleep is such a better option.

5 comments:

  1. just be careful that you don't end up with benzo addiction (valium, xanax, etc). It happened to me and had to be the worst withdrawls ever. congrats on the week though!

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  2. 5 years sober, never felt so good, realize how retarded alcohol makes you.

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  3. I too have been sober for one week. Your passage, "It is amazing how much productive work I can get done when I am not hung over or starting drinking mid morning," stood out to me. This is absolutely true. It is really motivational to see how many others out there are just like you.

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  4. It's a beautiful world.

    Listen and be patient.

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  5. I have been sober for 4 days now. I have found your blog very inspiring and will be reading much of it in the near future as a means to remind me of what I can be like 96 more days from now being sober. Thank you for sharing your story with the world. I am taking your lead and started a blog myself. It is not nearly as elegant as yours but I think writing it out will help keep me sober. Look at you it is working for you, but I see you are not just relying upon an online blog of sobriety. Feel free to check it out and maybe post something with a suggestion or two so I can get better at it. I am totally new at blogging. http://liquoraddiction.wordpress.com/
    Thank you for your good example, I am sure you have uplifted so many people that you will never even know about.

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