What's your experience with sobriety?

Hello there -

I've been lurking around this sub for a while - very much appreciating the posts, resonating hard and feeling a lot less alone, so thank you for existing and sharing your experiences.

There was a post recently asking about experiences with cannabis which was really insightful - it's something I've used for years, consciously as a way to manage social difficulties presented by autism, more compulsively to feed the dopamine needs of ADHD. I'd always been able to justify smoking as helpful but long-term, I can't really deny that it's been a contributing factor in repeated burnout cycles and developed isolation. Since getting diagnosed last year and waiting for medication assessment, it seemed the right time to have an extended break and see what my brain is like without it.

Today marks 90 days weed-free (also 50 days nicotine free; almost 6 months alcohol free), which is the point where all the withdrawal timelines suggest that dopamine regulation is back to 'normal'. In some ways I definitely feel better, but mood is consistently flat and functionality remains non-existant. I'm aware that these timelines will be based on neurotypical responses, and that I may well still be in burnout.

So, curious as to what experience this community has of sobriety? Have you always been? If not, what was it like getting sober? Have you maintained it long-term? How has it impacted (positively or negatively) on your AuDHD/life in general?

Thank you for your time ^-^