I’m just about 9 hours sober. Feeling ok so far, but I’ve never made it to a full 7 days and I’m worried I can’t do this. Tips and support are welcome! I’d love to hear about what got you through your first week.
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Hey @mreeclee ! Welcome to the forum. There are much more experienced and eloquent people here that will be along soon 
This community is fantastic and I attribute it to getting me through those first few days / weeks. I check-in daily; I read a little every day, even if I don’t write. It has given me so many tools to use to help me on this path.
My drug of choice is alcohol. For the first week after quitting it’s all I thought about. The AA mantra ‘One Day At A Time’ (ODAAT) is so relevant here. Just concentrate on getting through the day, as the future (week, month, year) can feel overwhelming. The next day, after some rest, you’re better equipped physically and emotionally to tackle that day, and so on. Soon the days start adding up.
For me, the physical symptoms were mild, a couple of nights sweating. My biggest challenge was emotional - my mood was up and down for a couple of weeks until it levelled out.
I found this community at about day 7 and it’s been so supportive and informative. It’s still relatively early days for me (Day 103) but I’m not sure I’d have made it to now without it.
YOU CAN DO IT!
Hope to see you around X
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My first week i did plenty of meetings met new sober friends went to the gym did a lot of walking and for me i wanted to get sober i was sick of being sick and 37 years later im still sober ,wish you well
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Are you ok up in Scotland Ray? Hoping your not near the flooding…
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My first week, I was sick as a dog and mostly spent it in bed feeling sorry for myself. Night sweats, depression, trouble falling asleep, sleeping until the afternoon, Netflix, junk food.
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Welcome 
I remember a lot of distracting myself and self care. I read a lot of sober blogs etc. I had trouble sleeping too so used to listen to meditation to help me relax.
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Night sweats. Not able to sleep more than a few hours. Still feeling a weird level of hungover after 72 hours sober. Mood swings mostly in a negative way, like anxiety and anger. Sugar and food cravings. Read up on PAWS as well. It doesn’t affect everyone, but my first attempt at quitting about 6 years ago, I suffered from it in a bad way.
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Were in the central belt just rain and wind but not to serious, north of Scotland getting it bad ,THANKS FOR ASKING X
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No problem, glad your ok Ray 
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I remember my first serious attempt at quitting, 4 years ago, much more than this past time. I think it really varies person to person depending on your habits and consumption. My DOC is alcohol, and I was blacking out daily with high proof liquor(in 2019).
The first day was just a really bad hangover. One I would’ve normally drank to get through, but I didn’t. No sleep that night. 2nd day was alright. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the horrible things I had done and was sad most of the day. Once it got quiet and dark I started seeing shapes forming and moving in my peripherals. Then hearing noises and voices that weren’t there. It felt like I was going crazy. Sweating, heart palpitations, muscle spasms, and auditory hallucinations all night. No sleep again. 3rd day I worked what is still my worst day at work to date, but I made it through. Once the quiet night came, the imaginary music started up again, but I was finally able to sleep a couple hours. The 4th night I crashed and felt much better physically by the 5th day.
Looking back, I should have involved some kind of medical help, but my attempt was not planned and I did not expect it to be so bad. I suggest you reach out if you find yourself in a scary place. Just remember, if you make it through this time, you don’t have to do it again. All the best 
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Week one was pretty tough, I won’t lie but this could be the last time you feel this crummy if you let it be. You absolutely can do this. Sober head on a pillow at the end of the day is how you get it done.
Lots of sleep for me and the permission to eat and drink anything I wanted other than alcohol. I also avoided stores when I could, too many options. I read a lot on here for hours and I probably wasn’t very nice to others in my life that week.
I had nearly constant hangovers for years and now the thought of a hangover is an actual deterrent. You can do this. This could be the last day you have to feel that bad.
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You have helped me, and I’m pretty sure @mreeclee too, by sharing your story. The imagery of the hallucinations is powerful and relatable for me. Thank you.
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You can do it!
Full disclosure: I quit smoking the same day, so the withdrawls overlapped, your experience will vary.
Day one: felt fairly normal, I’ve gone many single days without drinking, this felt like that, the only difference is I didn’t over do it the night before.
Later in the day I was on edge, agitated, hands shaking, brain cloudy.
Day 2: a lot like the end of day 1 but a bit more intense. Didn’t do anything, just sat around.
Day 3: Monday, felt fatigued, joints sore, sick, skin hurt, almost flu-ish. Laid on the couch all day watching youtube vids of people’s 1 year sober anniversary.
Day 4: sweaty, couldn’t think, couldn’t sleep, barely ate. Felt utterly useless.
Day 5: More of the same…
Day 6: I felt I turned a corner and actually felt better. I got up, I ate, I showered and my cravings were manageable.
Day 7: A bit better than day six. Withdrawal smptoms lessened little by little each day. Was still a sweaty insomniac mess, but at least I was showering again!
The rest was history!
I am soooo grateful that I won’t have to ever go through that again. Same with you.
Keep coming here, share your feelings and challenges, it helps, it really does.
You can do it!
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I had a number of years sober. I went back out like a moron and now this is day 4 for me. Just know it gets better. The hardest part is the beginning. If i give up now because its hard i will have to start again and go though it all until i make it past it. If I even try again Think about it like this. Im trying to get to an awesome park but to get to that park i need to walk through a field. The field is full of poison ivy, bugs, snakes and anything else you can imagine. If i stop part way through i just have to start from the beginning again but if i keep going no matter how difficult i will reach the awesome place i want and need to be.
My 1st day was terrible. I couldnt hold anything in my hands because of the shakes. My anxiety was through the roof. Could only sleep an hour or so at a time. Had night sweats. Did alot of pacing.
2nd day a little better but not much. Still shaking and my mind was so cloudy. It was also racing in every direction like there were 100 TVs in my head all on a different channel. I had doctor’s appointment to discuss the options so that caused anxiety because i imagined the worse case scenarios. But i was wrong. It was the right choice.
Day 3 still some shakes and anxiety but i was on a med from the dr that was helping reduce them. Had night sweats again. However i slept better than i have in a long time.
Day 4 (current day) woke up cloudy but better rested. Still anxious about the stress in my life and how im going to deal with everything but I’m confident i can. No matter what happens i need to face it sober.
So thats where im at today. Things that have helped me are i made a list of pros and cons of drinking vs not and gave each serious thought. I started a Journal to get things out of my head and on paper so i can look at them rationally. I have a AA sponsor and I have been to a meeting every day for support. I post on this ap and read other posts that show me others did it and that means I can as well. I went to my doctor and got help.
Well sorry it was so long but this is where im at and hopefully it helps. You can do it!
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Sorry to hear this Frank, but glad you’re back working on getting better.
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Thanks my friend!
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First time round was an absolute bastard because I detoxed from heroin, cocaine and alcohol all at the same time plus moving 1000 miles across Europe and I did it cold Turkey. I was really antsy and spaced out.
I’m week one again now and to be honest, physically I’m okay. I’ve got the shakes but ive had this switch go off in my head and I have fallen well and truly out of love with alcohol.
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My first week was sober by force. Hospitalized and in pain, (but I did this to myself). If your not honest with yourself then why bother…your only fooling yourself.
I took responsibility of my actions and knew that 30+ years of drinking was going to catch up with me hard core. And it did: liver damage, liver failure, jaundice, severe weight loss, serious dizziness, and a lot more…I know the worst part of it was the impact on my kids and family. I felt the worse in my life knowing I was a disappointment and failure, (that the disease talking, but oh how easy to give in). I’m not like that. I was never like that…but I allowed myself to get like that.
Choosing freedom over alcohol has resurrected that true self I always was…it was just buried in alcoholism for too many years.
But there is hope and freedom…if you want it. I tell you life is beautiful sober and clean and living in the present.
My journey this year alone has been filled with turmoil, pain, hurt, depression and everything else thrown in, (even one foot on the curb of being homeless). But my decision had to be made to finally do life and do it ODAAT. Honestly I would do it all over again knowing I would be where I am right now in this moment: next to my kids…my grandkids…my family…financially stable…in great health and with a positive outlook of hope and a future ahead of me.
This forum along with all the support that I make use of, since you must be the one to use these tools, have helped me get to where I’m at today, and I’m so humbled, blessed and grateful for that.
You have it in you. Find that strength and love of yourself and live that wonderful life you were meant to live. We’re all here rooting for you! 
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Thank you so much for this—I really like the park metaphor, it’s helping me a lot today, in fact. Really appreciate you sharing!
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Thank you! Your reply means a lot.
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