alwayssober1

Hi everyone, 68 days sober, I still don't feel myself, I haven't had a drink since new years eve, feel like I've been sober a long time, the thing is though I don't feel myself, sort of drifting these past few months, fuzzy headed, my brain just feels dull, lost?

I was determined the first month, but now in my third month sober I am fed up feeling rubbish! Before I felt like I was firing on all cylinders, now I feel like I'm on one big come down!

I hope this isn't the new normal, when will my brain wake up?

PurpleKnight

What is feeling "myself"? . . . all you knew previously was drinking, unless you can remember further back to the time you didn't drink!!

My point is it's gonna take time to adjust, the haze will fade, the NEW YOU will emerge and you'll feel so much better, but the body needs to repair and adjust to not having what it has been used to on a daily basis!!

Hang in there!!

jdooner

Not sure how long you drank but guessing it was longer than 68 days. How do you know what "normal" is. You mean you don't feel the highs when drinking? That is normal but I am guessing you don't feel the lows. It takes time. Six months is a pretty good timeframe to start to feel a noticeable difference that is lasting, for me.

least

Give yourself more time to even out. Your brain is still relearning how to function properly, ie, without alcohol. It takes time.

It could also be attributed to PAWS. Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. The fuzzy headedness and feeling listless are some of the ways PAWS manifests itself.

BSwan09

I'm still right there with you, I quit the day after Christmas. After feeling what I would call normal for about 2 weeks I've noticed my concentration is suffering a little bit. Hopefully least is right and its just PAWS. Reading other people's posts it seems like it truly does just take time. They all say they feel "pretty much" normal. Hopefully that "pretty much" is just all in their head and are actually 99.99% normal.

FeelingGreat

Hi AS, have you had a chat to your doctor about how you're feeling? At least he/she can eliminate physical reasons or possibly depression.
It does take time for your body to adjust, and alcohol may have been masking some problems that you are now having to face.
Not sure where you live, but if possible getting outdoors if weather permits can blow away some cobwebs. Those first months can be really hard. You've done brilliantly so don't forget to pat yourself on the back.

Amajorityofone

I do not miss slurring, stumbling, the room spinning, vomiting, being stoned around my kid, smelling like dope, hangovers, making a fool of myself, driving drunk, drunk texting, drunk drama, ridiculously expensive bar tabs, wasting time, wasted days, getting pulled over, worried about getting pulled over, not remembering the things I said or did or associating with people that drink at all

Sorry, but this is not "normal." This is dysfunctional.

My advice?

Start setting some goals.
Give some thought to running a 5k and then training for it. Learn a second language or teach an inner city kid how to read. Join a league. Paint your house. Coach a little league team. Your life will take on a greater sense of purpose only when you start thinking on a higher level.

Sobriety does get better over time. Especially when you consciously do things that strengthen your resolve to remain sober.

matrac

Could also be underlying depression which may have been some of the impetus for drinking in the first place

matt4x4

Normal is sooooooooooo soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo suggestive.

When I was drinking. Jail was normal. Puking was normal. Crashing cars was normal. Losing my drivers license, house, kids, wife, car, job was all normal. It was normal to me. I had to change all that. I had to do the complete opposite of what I used to do. I had to put all of my faults and attributes on the table and look at them one by one. I had to change the way I think. Because alcohol has nothing to do with the problem at hand.

alwayssober1

Thanks again for all your replies, I do think its something to do with alcohol, I quit drinking a few weeks ago last summer, during them 2 weeks I felt tired, depressed, listless etc, but didn't connect it to alcohol withdrawal. After the 14th day I drank that evening, instead of waking up with a hangover I actually felt "normal", full of energy, walked my dog for 5 miles (normally only 1 mile), depression disappeared, back to being able to hold a thought in my head, being quick witted again etc.

Most likely PAWS? Anyway I'll keep going! Haven't had a drink this year, don't think I could even drink again after this experience!

Dee74

I drank for 20 years - my normal was being various levels of drunk.

You will find a new normal - you may even recognise elements of it from days before you drank so hard.

It will happen AS - have faith

SnoozyQ

Hi Alwayssober

It's a little soon for paws . But be patient , you are doing such a great job at 68 days .

Your alcoholic brain doesn't really get back to normal for about a full year after drinking.

I was very similar to you and had foggy brain etc with a myriad of symptoms .

I really started to feel better at 5 months , then went back into a fog at 6

Now , just on 8 months the fog has definitely cleared and continues to do so .

You have so much to look forward to . If you think about it , it's a small price to pay in time really ...considering we may have drank for a decade or more.

It stands to reason we wont get well overnight .

I promise you , it's worth the wait xx

Keep going , good on you xxx

karate

Several things -

Are you hydrated ?
Getting good sleep ?
Mentally relaxed ?
Do you get regular aerobic exercise ?
Eating well ,taking a multi vitiman ? Plenty of protein and fiber ?

These might not be the cure all fix for everyone , but none are harmful and most make a BIG difference .

fini

AS,maybe thiw will help:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post3836936

hang in there; it changes.

alwayssober1

Thanks for the information, good to know this will pass.,.just need a little patience!

alwayssober1

Karate, I'm eating well, drinking plenty of water, lots of walking in the day etc.

alwayssober1

Oh and I keep getting achy muscles, weakness, sometimes feel feverish? Might not be related to withdrawal but its making me feel rubbish.

Mrmellow11

I'm feeling the same way months into recovery now but I can say it gradually gets better for sure and I am with ya..I'll never drink again after this experience so maybe it's good we are going thru this..I agree with everyone in that we haven't felt "normal" in so long and it will take awhile to feel that way after we abused our bodies and brains for so long

alwayssober1

Spot on mrmellow11, being sober for over 2 months and still struggling with symptoms does make you open your eyes to the whole situation.

Definitely never drinking again, I imagine it would be a lot easier to relapse if it only took a week of withdrawal and that's it! Feeling like this makes me realize how damaging alcohol is to the body.

It will be interesting to see what the new "normal" will be for me in the future.

Mrmellow11

Yeah it would be much easier to relapse but going thru this makes me never want to drink again and I know I never will after feeling like crap due to drinking...it started for me exactly 9 days after I quit drinking