ActualAlcoholic

It's going to be a strange journey, isn't it? Good luck in yours

Dee74

I think insomnia is pretty common in the early days Actual, so it'll be hard to pinpoint whether it's the meds or not.

I take a old style tricyclic antidepressant for pain and it actually sends me to sleep rather than the other way.

D

HenryKrinkle

Not being able to sleep really amp'd up my anxiety. Every night I would go to bed worried I would wake up in a few hours and not be able to get back to sleep, which frequently happened. Talking with the doctor put my mind at ease as I felt I was taking active steps to address the issue and ultimately we found a solution that worked well. I have enough things to worry about right now, and something as basic as sleep should not be one of them.

121313

congrats! 😜

TigerLili

Day 6 here.

I relate to everyone who is having difficulties sleeping. In my first recovery, everyone said that insomnia was normal, you'll be ok blah blah but in my case it wasn't normal. I literally didn't sleep for days at a time and ended up having a breakdown and being hospitalised for a short time. I was given a prescription for something to help me sleep and eventually ended up on a mood stabilizer drug I take at night that has a positive side effect of heling me sleep.

Some other things I do for insomnia are use lavender and marjoram essential oil in a diffuser (proper oil, not synthetic), reduce caffeine and listen to a 'sleep symphony' while I'm drifting off. There are lots of different types of music designed to help you sleep.

I've been having trouble staying asleep since I stopped drinking, waking up multiple times during the night, but last night I stayed up later than usual and slept through the night without waking up once. It's a relief.

Fdm

Better day at work today, but I'm beginning to think that stopping drinking is enhancing my clarity of things, which is enhancing my displeasure with the work environment. As long as I'm in the field, I'm fine, but at the office, I find myself frustrated. Needless to say, I make sure to be in the field a lot, LOL.

I'm also having trouble falling asleep, but that may be due to drinking a medium McCafe white chocolate mocha in the afternoons the past 2 days. On the flip side, I kick ass on the treadmill for 30 hard minutes as soon as I walk in the door. I may run on it tomorrow.

I get a little aggravated at home too. I'm a bit snappy tonight.

I'm not drinking, though.

MariahGayle

Your Funny FDM Glad to hear your all "holding tight". On the down hill slide in day 8 & decided I will go to an AA speaker meeting tonight (have not been to a meeting in quite a while). I have been using an over the counter sleep aid & lightly massaging some into my scalp and lightly over my face & pillow & have been sleeping very good....so much better than when I drink. You "Guys" probably don't think too much of smelling like lavender, but it is very calming

Beanie25

Hi all. I was really tested yesterday, just typed a whole post about what happened, to get it out really (oh well). But just to say I am here sober and stronger today, for being able to handle it..I don't want to jinx things, but feeling like I've turned a corner. Keep going everyone. Have a good safe, sober day.

dazmistry

I'm the same mate im having to discover a new me, message me if u like

dazmistry

Well done mate message me if you like

dazmistry

Hi all I'm 2 weeks sober im going good but today I really suffered with post acute withdrawal, I have been a mess and so wound up n my mood is all over the place and I can't do anything and don't want to ://

zerothehero

Thanks for placing "post acute withdrawal" into my vocabulary. It inspired me to search, and I found this excellent website:

Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms - Relapse Prevention Strategies

It has lots of helpful info about addiction and recovery. According to the site, if you are two weeks sober you are still going through acute withdrawal. It could be a matter of definition, but the website makes a lot of sense to me. Because I've never tried long-term sobriety, I've never looked into PAWS and the concept of recovery, but at day 9, and after almost landing in the hospital over Christmas, I'm embracing the process of recovery.

What a long strange trip it's been, and will continue to be - only clearer this time.

MariahGayle

8 days of sobriety today - Went to an AA speaker meeting last night (first one in over a couple of mo) - was a good speaker, she talked more about her recovery that her drinking, which I thought was good. A friend I met while I was in outpatient treatment program was there & picked up her 1 year chip last night, so was glad to be there to see that. I've started over "many" times over the last couple of years....I'm feeling a bit different about it this time.....really "surrendering" to the fact that for me to ever drink again will just keep me "stuck" & miserable in a place I am really sick & tired of being in.

Muhv

I am on my second week, feeling very good, no cravings. I am a little anxious that I might relapse. When is it going to be? Will I be able to recognize a craving and will I have enough willpower to stand up against it. I'm just worried about it. I want my first fall to be over, I know I will not drink, but I just want it to be over and done.

I decided I won't count days, I'll only count weeks. It's just too much of a trouble to remember days.
I wish everyone a nice weekend. It's almost 22:00 here, so I'm off to bed. Goodnite!

dazmistry

Exactly the same as me!!! I never understood why I couldn't last in recovery and why there was something wrong with me until I read good book passages to recovery and they spoke about paws and then it all made sense it's still there but knowing what it is and that it gets better helps me to recover

TigerLili

Take care of yourself, dazmistry. Early recovery is hard and our alcoholic heads will do anything they can to get us to drink. It's ok to not do anything and to not want to do anything. It's also called 'resting' ;-)

Dan Dare

I can't believe they say "recovery" takes 2 years.
I wish I didn't read that...
However, I'm not even sure I am experiencing acute withdrawal, either...
The first three days sure felt like it.

D.D.

Dee74

woah DD - I haven't read that link for a while but I think they mean may take up to 2 years....

not everyone gets PAWS, and very few will have to deal with it for 2 years...from my reading here at SR it's mainly benzo abuse and things like that with the long timeframe.

I had a day here and a day there in my first 6 months - that was it.

D

Dan Dare

Ahh - what a relief! Thanks!
Since my last drink I've done gigs and gone to parties, (holidays) and it has not been as tough as I thought it would be.
That doesn't mean I'm not being very careful!
Moods have been generally good because I feel I am accomplishing something positive...
I still have flashes of apprehension. I'm a damn newbie.
But going on 20 days is a start, eh?

D.D.

Dee74

It's a good start

I found things got easier once I 'took the drink off the table as an option'.

Maybe thats happening for you too?

D