Depression During Recovery?
 

I finally decided this Sunday to make a serious effort to quit. I wasn't at the point where I needed medically supervised detox, and physiologically I feel fine (for the most part).

However, my mood has been very negative since then. Don't want to get out of bed, don't want to eat, strong melancholy, etc.

Is this fairly typical during the recovery process?

Unfortunately, when you pour an anti-depressant into your body for so long this can be common, it will pass, but many need supervision in the initial stages of recovery simply to ensure that they don't make any permanenet decisions regarding temporary problems. No matter how much alcohol was killing me, it still worked for me even to the end, that was sad to let go of, like ending a marriage...

The good news is that anyone can recover!

As Steve said, your brain has learned to compensate for the alcohol. It's an anti-depressant during consumption, but a depressant after the fact; it royally screws up our brain chemistry. Don't dispair, you're only a few days out! I found my mood improved fairly quickly. One thing that may (will) help is healthy eating. Even if you don't feel like eating, down some B-vitamins, cranberry juice, healthy stuff. It'll speed up your physical recovery, and as a result your psychological recovery.

Welcome to SR!

:wavey:
Welcome to SR and our Alcoholism Forum.

There is a lot of information and some
of our experiences in the top sticky post here.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

You are in the initial stage of de toxing.
Mentally rather than physically but it's still de tox.

Depression is why I began AA...mine lifted about
2 weeks later....vanished by 2 months.

Hope this helps....good to see a new member..:yup:
Congratulations on your new journey

Just to avoid confusion alcohol isn't an anti-depressant. Judging from your description your talking about withdrawal from alcohol not from anti-depressants presumably?

Agree with others probably the effect of the withdrawal but if mood persists always good talk it over with your doctor.

If you have underlying depression then it may be possible that you have been self medicating using alcohol, this does not detract from the need for a good support program AA etc. With me this was the case so i am on anti depressants for another 2 months, it's all good, get all the help you can!

Meant to read depresant ( which alcohol is). Might be a Freudian slip?? I always believed booze would lift me up when I was depressed!

Yeah ns, that's funny and scary...! LOL How many times I've tried to cheer myself up by getting drunk, night after night, and for some reason not realised that it was making things worse! It's weird to think back on it - it's a terrible trap to fall into and such a hard one to get out of.

Unfortunately, polaris, depression and emotional disturbance are common symptoms of withdrawal, and Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. The good news is, if you were not depressed before withdrawal, it will pass. The other good news is, if you were depressed before withdrawal, you are in a much better place for drugs and therapies to be effective now you are sober! :)

In all truth bovine I shouldn't post before my morning coffee. But lets not address coffee, I ain't willing to look at it yet!

My evenings of alcohol were always "relaxing" but in an empty and numb sort of way. The mornings were always bleak and miserable times, as my body and mind felt like they were crushed. Alcohol is like having a best friend who builds you up, gains your trust, and then dumps you.

Hang on. You will feel better than you can ever imagine. Much better than your best drunk day.

Welcome to SR!