Originally Posted by BASEjumper

I'm reminded of a lecture I heard once about the stages of recovery. It was about how as you drink alcohol it stimulates the production of chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. When you drink heavily/regularly, your brain stops producing them naturally as it's getting them from the alcohol.

After you quit drinking, your brain has to find an equilibrium again with the production of these chemicals.

At first it over produces them (You feel great, problem solved eg 'pink cloud')
Then it over compensates and underproduces them (You feel low again, why am I doing this etc 'the wall')
Then they swing up and down twoard equilibrium (good days and bad days)
Then equilibrium (your 'new normal')