5th step blues??? - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

lifelong936 · 01-07-2008, 05:28 AM

I did my 5th step on Saturday. I was nervous and scared before I did it. After I did it I felt good for the rest of the day and most of Sunday but late yesterday evening I had this intense saddness come over me. Has this happened to anybody else after doing this step?

sugErspun · 01-07-2008, 07:59 AM

Absolutely.

I finished my 5th step about a month ago - I wasn't going to meet with my sponsor again to move through 6 and 7 for another week after that.

That was one of the hardest weeks I ever had. Irritable, snapping, restless, sleepless, tired - all my character defects were sitting on the table glaring at me. I just wanted to sleep and forget about life. (The holiday's and shopping etc did not help much).

Once we moved through 6 and 7, and I began putting together my list at step 8 ( more action)- I felt better, and have since.

My suggestion - get through 6 and 7 and start working on 8.

I hope this is helpful.

~A

CarolD · 01-08-2008, 12:34 PM

Welcome to SR!

jimhere · 01-09-2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifelong936

I did my 5th step on Saturday. I was nervous and scared before I did it. After I did it I felt good for the rest of the day and most of Sunday but late yesterday evening I had this intense saddness come over me. Has this happened to anybody else after doing this step?

You can't fill up a cup that is already full. Or as one teacher said, you can't put new wine into an old wineskin.

In order to be filled up, you must first be emptied out. The housecleaning process is about facing and being rid of what blocks us from God.

Steps Six and Se ven are about change and change is not based on what I'm going to get, it is based on what I'm willing to get rid of. Get rid of what is not God and God shows up.
Jim

beckwayro · 09-30-2009, 01:17 PM

I have found that after spilling my guts to someone I feel remorse about telling it all-It seemed like a good idea at the time but later I ask myself why did I do that? If you had moved on to steps 6 and 7 directly after doing your 5th step you probably would not have felt badly-You would have felt a bit of peace at understanding that your higher power was taking the 5th step with you and therefore moving on to step 8 where you can take action for past wrongs-Hang in there and keep on working your steps!

CarolD · 10-01-2009, 07:58 AM

beckwayro.....Welcome to SR...

CodysDad · 12-03-2012, 09:54 AM

Thank you for this thread/topic!

I spent four hours with my sponsor on Saturday, working the 5th; and we meet again next Sunday to hopefully finish.

I am so depressed, uncomfortable, remorseful... hurting.

My sponsor told me to remember that the guy who did all these things, acted all these ways, and accumulated all these resentments is no longer me. It's okay to be hard on the person who did those things, but not on the person working the step.

I get that, and I also see and understand that certain aspects of my life are going to have to change. I know it will all be for the better, but this is all the most uncomfortable thing I've ever done-- and I have drank listerine when I was out of booze, and have slurped spilled wine out of a carpet.

jsch · 12-03-2012, 10:05 AM

Yes. Just finished 5, and I have been feeling guilty and shameful. I guess it's cause I am in a way reliving and thinking about all the dirt I did. I know it's not me now but I feel bad just thinking about it. I still have strong resentments and regret the past. So I am hoping this gets removed in the next steps as I have heard. Thanks for the post. I was feeling alone in this and was beating myself up for feeling this way.

sugarbear1 · 12-03-2012, 10:13 AM

We finish the 5th step in one day, no matter how long it takes then an hour of deep reflection to make sure nothing was left out and then into step 7, a prayer and some meditation to let it all leave me.....

I had 3 days of deep reflection and somberness after my most intense 5th step (even after 6 & 7 that night--and yes, I've done more than one--different stages of early recovery and different intents). After those 3 days, I was just even.....breathing well, comfortable and happy.

"AA can and must change" ~Bill W.

bbthumper · 12-03-2012, 10:17 AM

Don Pritz used to talk about how his spiritual experiences were always accomanied by pain. I can relate to that. Growth hurts. The important thing is to keep moving. There is light at the end of the tunnel!
COngrats on making it as far as you have.

01-07-2008, 05:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
lifelong936 Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: greensboro, nc Posts: 33	5th step blues??? I did my 5th step on Saturday. I was nervous and scared before I did it. After I did it I felt good for the rest of the day and most of Sunday but late yesterday evening I had this intense saddness come over me. Has this happened to anybody else after doing this step?

01-08-2008, 12:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
CarolD Forward we go...side by side Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Serene In Dixie Posts: 37,601	Welcome to SR! __________________ Each Day Sober Is A Victory!! Joy In AA Recovery!

09-30-2009, 01:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
beckwayro Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Rochester MN Posts: 1	Blues can be normal I have found that after spilling my guts to someone I feel remorse about telling it all-It seemed like a good idea at the time but later I ask myself why did I do that? If you had moved on to steps 6 and 7 directly after doing your 5th step you probably would not have felt badly-You would have felt a bit of peace at understanding that your higher power was taking the 5th step with you and therefore moving on to step 8 where you can take action for past wrongs-Hang in there and keep on working your steps!

10-01-2009, 07:58 AM	#6 (permalink)
CarolD Forward we go...side by side Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Serene In Dixie Posts: 37,601	beckwayro.....Welcome to SR... __________________ Each Day Sober Is A Victory!! Joy In AA Recovery!

12-03-2012, 10:13 AM	#9 (permalink)
sugarbear1 ~sb Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: MD Posts: 9,865	We finish the 5th step in one day, no matter how long it takes then an hour of deep reflection to make sure nothing was left out and then into step 7, a prayer and some meditation to let it all leave me..... I had 3 days of deep reflection and somberness after my most intense 5th step (even after 6 & 7 that night--and yes, I've done more than one--different stages of early recovery and different intents). After those 3 days, I was just even.....breathing well, comfortable and happy. "AA can and must change" ~Bill W. __________________ Someday everything will all make sense. For now, laugh at confusion, smile through tears, & remind yourself that everything happens for a reason. All Big Book quotes are from the first edition. Linked with the permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

01-07-2008, 07:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
sugErspun Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,697	Absolutely. I finished my 5th step about a month ago - I wasn't going to meet with my sponsor again to move through 6 and 7 for another week after that. That was one of the hardest weeks I ever had. Irritable, snapping, restless, sleepless, tired - all my character defects were sitting on the table glaring at me. I just wanted to sleep and forget about life. (The holiday's and shopping etc did not help much). Once we moved through 6 and 7, and I began putting together my list at step 8 ( more action)- I felt better, and have since. My suggestion - get through 6 and 7 and start working on 8. I hope this is helpful. ~A

12-03-2012, 09:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
CodysDad Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: here. Posts: 19 Blog Entries: 46	Thank you for this thread/topic! I spent four hours with my sponsor on Saturday, working the 5th; and we meet again next Sunday to hopefully finish. I am so depressed, uncomfortable, remorseful... hurting. My sponsor told me to remember that the guy who did all these things, acted all these ways, and accumulated all these resentments is no longer me. It's okay to be hard on the person who did those things, but not on the person working the step. I get that, and I also see and understand that certain aspects of my life are going to have to change. I know it will all be for the better, but this is all the most uncomfortable thing I've ever done-- and I have drank listerine when I was out of booze, and have slurped spilled wine out of a carpet.

12-03-2012, 10:05 AM	#8 (permalink)
jsch Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Ca Posts: 51	Yes. Just finished 5, and I have been feeling guilty and shameful. I guess it's cause I am in a way reliving and thinking about all the dirt I did. I know it's not me now but I feel bad just thinking about it. I still have strong resentments and regret the past. So I am hoping this gets removed in the next steps as I have heard. Thanks for the post. I was feeling alone in this and was beating myself up for feeling this way.

12-03-2012, 10:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
bbthumper Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 1,152	Don Pritz used to talk about how his spiritual experiences were always accomanied by pain. I can relate to that. Growth hurts. The important thing is to keep moving. There is light at the end of the tunnel! COngrats on making it as far as you have. __________________ *~BBThumper* ~All Big Book Quotes from the 1st edition A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell. C. S. Lewis

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