jambo

hi i stopped drinking a week ago..i class myself as a problem drinker and just started to question what all the drinking lark was all about,,my drinking mainly felt like something to make th evenings more palatable tv and wine after hard days work..but i dont want to do it anymore as i felt it was getting out of control and i started to scare myself,,would wake up in morning saying not doing that again then would do it agin the next night,maximum, a bottle of wine. anyway didnt really experience anywithdrawel symptoms except slight insomnia and lucid dreams...thing is things that happpend years ago whilst drunk have popped up n my conscience and i felt awful shame this eve and generally quite raw about my brothers death(he died over 10 years ago!) so i feel quite depressed and vulnerable ...has any body else experienced these kind of emotions when gave up alcohol?
thanks in advance for any replies

Boleo

The Good News Is - When we quit drinking, we get our feelings back.

The Bad News Is - When we quit drinking, we get our feelings back.

Bikeguy

It takes time for our bodies and minds to adjust without alcohol. It's Ok to be down from time to time, everyone is, but most people don't fix the problem by drinking. Drinking does nothing but compound our problems and emotions, dulling the good parts and heightening the bad parts. Do yourself a favor on the bad days, go for a walk, clean the house or turn in early, tomorrow will be a better day.

Anna

Yes, for sure I was overwhelmed with feelings when I stopped drinking. I really had no idea how much I had been avoiding dealing with things. It will get better, but it takes some times, so be patient with yourself.

Zebra1275

Drinking made me numb, when I quit drinking I was no longer numb. I had to get used to that.

MsCooterBrown

I am all in for the go to bed early when you are having a bad day..the next day things always seem to be at least a bit better! Sorry about the loss of your brother..drinking doesn't let us feel anything including proper mourning..sometimes you get hit with all kinds of stuff you never dealt with. I hope it gets better for you.

MrDavid

The say in AA: "the pains of drinking had to come before sobriety and emotional turmoil berfore serenity". How true...Keep growing my friend until you get out of that emotional rut and find some much needed peace along the seaside of "emotional serenity". Welcome...to Sober Recovery.

~God bless~

artsoul

Hi Jambo - I definitely felt down off and on for a while, had no energy and no interest in doing anything. I felt a little lost, too, like I didn't know who I was anymore.

The good news is that it gets a little better each day. I'm hardly the person I was a year ago and I'm so grateful that hung on. Alcohol really messes with the chemicals in our brains and when we take it away, it takes time for our brains to readjust. Your feelings are normal.

If you find that your depression continues or gets worse (or you feel that it will lead you back to drinking), see a doctor. There's no shame in asking for help.:ghug3

rws177

I'm really sorry to hear about your brothers passing. I lost my father a few years ago and that is when my drinking really started to pick up. I never really delt with or mourned his loss, just numbed it with drinking. In the past 1.5yr or so I think that I have come to terms with it now that I was forced to feel those feelings I was avoiding.

jambo

hey guys thnk you all so much for the replies really helped me i came in from work switched on the computer and you were all here waiting for me xxx made my day!!!