Im really not sure but congrats on 2 yrs.I had about 18 yrs of heavy drinking and other things when i entered the program i was told a year but every year i get i feel stronger and learn more of effects of what a toll it all took on ''my thinking'' especially ..my body, i feel bounced back after maybe a month or so but.im thinking we all may be different though.

you broke down your body for many years...I do not have real answer but to say it takes time to repair tissues damaged by drinking....I know from when I quit smoking ciggs that they said it takes 7yrs for the lungs to regenerate new tissue...so as any skin it is entirely new every seven years....longer than you thought eh? But brain cells do not regenerate...I destroyed many with drugs and drinking....so those are now gone...but the miracle of the brain is when we use it we are only using maybe 30% of its capacity...so there is lots left over to pick up slack of dead cells is my theory

What is wrong? I would think that physically you should have things back on track by now. Have you gone to the doctor? As far as mental health-I never knew "normal" I do like to be at peace though. If you are having mental health difficulties-I would too suggest getting a psychologist consult. We need to take care of ourselves in sobriety-and get help if we need it.

Thanks for all the responses Folks- very helpful.
One of the coolest changes for me has been sleep. I was a night time drinker- never actually falling to sleep, but rather passing out. I couldn't fall to sleep well for a very long time after quitting. My sleep patterns are just now starting to level out to something approaching "normal". I don't have words that do it justice, but it is one of the sweetest feelings I know to just fall asleep- peacefully, with my faculties in tact.
My main problem I was asking for was my mind. I don't think quickly or sharply. I was hoping it would come back. Bill says my brain cells won't come back, and that makes sense to me, in terms of regeneration. I do think better, minus the fog of the hangover and the anxiety of "the next drink", but still not where I'd hoped. The fiddler requires his dues I suppose. All in all, still a small price to pay for sobriety.
Thanks again :)

Well, how are you right now? What is it that you feel isn't right?

We all adjust to sobriety differently. I have continued to learn and grow since the day I got sober. I am very different from the person I was when I was 2 years sober - but that's how it should be! The idea is that we continue to change, grow and develop as sober human beings - that's the most brilliant thing about recovery!

Serenity, it's brain stuff that's bugging me. I think slowly- have to take a long time to make decisions. My memory is poor. I forget events and words. Have to write evrything down. This hasn't improved since I quit drinking. Was hoping it would improve.

define "normal"

There is no rule of thumb as far as mental issues go. We killed some serious brain cells with our drunken behaviour. Getting back to that point where everything is clear and our decision making is sound.May never come back. I have those same issues to this very day. I've been sober 27 years. We just learn to play with the cards we are dealt.

you mean your "new normal?" Remember the last time you were not in the drip of this disease you were a quareter century younger. Normal will not be what it was then

"New normal" Nicely put concept.

congrats on 2 years......i think it takes 2 years and a day :)

I'm not sure what "normal" looks like, but after drinking fairly heavily for the majority of the past 10 years, and solidly for the last year before finding AA, it took me a few weeks for my head to clear. It took me a few months for the worst of the cravings to entirely disapear, and 5+ months for me to start to get a grip on how to live life day to day without the constant of booze.
Physically it wasnt a hard adjustment at all after the first few days, but the path back to spiritual health for me will be long, and hopefully continue to be as amazing as it has been to date.

Our local AA meetings say Five

spencer maybe you could try doing some brain exercises? My mind works way slower than it once did - I start to question if I have dementia! I do things that excercise my brain, like crosswords, I go to quiz nights, I play scrabble (and get my ass whipped my ,y 16 year-old grandaughter!) I play bananagrams - you caqn do this stuff online - there are loads of them.

Just like our bodies need exercise so do our brains!

Congratulations on 2 years plus being sober. Don't fret - it will make you upset and that causes you to lose concentration. Just take a long walk or ride a bike. Enjoy great music and go to your local cafe and have an Expresso. The less you worry, the better you will feel.