For me one thing that keeps me sober is the hangover and the days that follow… Depression…anxiety… just this overwhelming sense of dread… It lasts for days… Never used to be that bad when I was younger but now that I’m in my late forties it’s really bad… I know I get really drunk when I drink because I can’t just have one I have to drink until I’m obliviated … anyway I don’t know if there was a point to this except just wondering who else feels this way
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I started a video blog documenting my journey… I’m on day 6 right now, and moving close to day #7. My plan is to go watch the video I made on day #1 anytime I get a craving… If you want, you can take a look as well.
As you can see, I was a fucking mess. That’s motivation/reminder enough for me.
As Becsta said, try and play it out in your head… I doubt it’s going to end glamorous.
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I’m with you. One thing I’m very aware of is how I would feel the day after if I drank again. It is one deterrent. I would feel terrible and not because of the hangover. I would feel I let myself and everyone else down. Now that being said it’s not the only reason I stay sober.
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Oh yes, the anxiety, depression, desperation. How did we do that day after day?
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I often wonder this myself. You really see how serious addiction is when you’re on the other side reflecting on how you did something every day that was just terrible.
Gives me a chill go through my body thinking about that kind of control alcohol had over me.
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Let the lightness of no longer wearing chains chase away that chill. You are free, and nothing or nobody can put them back on you. You have the power to remain free for as long as you choose.
Me? I’ve chosen “forever”.
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Sounds exactly like me. The mental anguish and fear is the worst part of hangovers for me, I can deal with being exhausted and getting sick (although I’d rather not).
But the anxiety, dread, and hopelessness? The type which hangs around for up to a week? No thank you. That just started for me as well, 3-4 yrs ago (i’m 30), and it only gets worse every time.
A big reason why I have elected to never drink again, and thus never deal with a hangover again. Its a great deterrent. Day 248.
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For me, avoiding the bad is not enough. I have to focus on the good I am receiving because I am sober. The clear head I have everyday is my motivation. YES, I understand that it is essentially the same thing. But I’m choosing to put the emphasis on what I’ve gained rather than what I am leaving behind.
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Totally agree. The depression and anxiety sticks around well after the hangover. It’s like “second hangover”, but no amount of Gatorade will make the symptoms subside. Day 9 for me.
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It only gets worse, take it from me, I am 58. I was suicidal with the dread, anxiety, shame and dark thoughts that lived in my head every goddamn day while I was drinking. I am seriously surprised to be alive at times it was so bad. I never want to feel that way again.
To that end, I keep a list of all the sucky shit I left behind when I got sober.
I also keep a list of all the amazing wonderful changes that have entered my life in sobriety.
What a blessed relief to let that shit go. To be alive and HAPPY.
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I was going to add that yes, hangovers do get worse and worse as we age. I swear I read something just the other day explaining the science behind that but I forget what it is right now. And it isn’t because we are more tolerant and need more alcohol to get the same buzz, therefor more alcohol would mean worse hangover. No, I’m sure it was that our hangovers get worse even with less alcohol.
If anyone knows the science behind that please post. I will try to look it up when I get home from work. I suspect I read it in my book “Drink”.
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Congrats on your sobriety and thank you for sharing it makes me feel not so alone
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Congrats on your sobriety
I’m actually curious in this as well, if you end up finding it.
It would be very interesting to know
Unfortunately I couldn’t find it. However I did read on the internet today that as we age we have less water in our body (hence the lovely wrinkles and saggy, crepe-y skin) so more alcohol gets into our blood stream. Perhaps that explains greater hangovers? Our tolerance means we need more alcohol to FEEL drunk but our blood alcohol level would be much higher than a younger drinker. Double whammy!!
Note: Along with the body water content…women have more body fat than men and fat contains less water therefore women get a higher blood alcohol level faster then men do. Huh. I though we couldn’t drink as much simply because we’re “littler” but our body composition (that plus we have less of an enzyme that breaks down alcohol) is really what’s doing it. A man and a woman of equal size and weight would still not get equally drunk.
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Have you gone back and watched your videos? I thought this was a cool idea
Amen. You just said it all! The night’s sleep or there lack of were torturous! 
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One of my strongest motivators as well! The physical aspect is terrible but the mental is horrible.
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It used to take me weeks, WEEKS to feel better. I hate that feeling and its definitely a motivator in why i dont drink anymore.
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