sobriety26

I was sober for 3 months than I relapsed,my sober days were not difficult at all,I could still function and had energy but had paws for 2 weeks which caused my relapse,anyways my point is now I have been feeling really tired,everytime someone comes around or visit me they point this out to me,I even had a friend tell me I looked better while I was drinking,I look in the mirror and I look horrible,my face looks droopy and tired I am only 26 and my face looks saggy how is this possible,this didn't happen the first time I was clean,im on.day 16I did hear my sister mention in the beginning of me being sober I looked tired but it was only once,did anyone else experience this,feeling worse the second time around.i

ScottFromWI

Each time you return to drinking, things can get progressively worse as far as the toll it takes on your body and mind. Some people call it "Kindling " - where the detox gets worse every time and the recovery is longer and harder.

Having said that, have you seen a doctor? It's always a good idea to do so and make sure nothing is amiss physically.

Lastly, you mention that PAWS "caused your relapse". PAWS is simply a collection of symptoms, it cannot "cause" you to drink - drinking alcohol is a conscious choice that we make. The key is to have a solid recovery plan in place so when cravings/paws/situations in life present themselves we have an alternative plan to deal with it rather than drinking. Do you follow any formal recovery plan of any kind? Meetings/Couseling/Self help?

sobriety26

thanks scott and I agree,paws did not cause my relapse,Ijust ddidn't want to deal with that overwhelming feeling,and i have not seen a doctor yet but will soon for sure!!d

Dropsie

I am sorry that it is harder for you this time; on the looks front I am 110 percent sure that you will look great in a month.

Everything good takes time...

sobriety26

dropsie thanks so much for replying back!!

Mountainmanbob

Yes and I also had a very horrible time this last time sobering up. It was far worse than the times before which seemed like a piece of cake at the time.

The AA Big Book talks about a still worse relapse. And naturally there can be a still worse recovery.

Best I (we) don't go back there.
Who knows what it will be like next time.
If there is a next time?

MB

Delfin

I looked like crap for a few months after I quit 6 months ago. My skin was really dull and gray, so I hydrated and hydrated and I finally look like my old self. My energy is better too but still not great. Sparkling water has been my savior. I wish I'd bought stock!

Stay with it, S, and you'll start to see and feel the benefits with time.

D.

fantail

Yeah, I feel you. My first time sober I rode my bicycle literally near a thousand miles without training first, at three months in. So. Much. Energy.

This time at three months in I was so tired all the time that I was having trouble functioning properly at work.

For me kindling was very very real.... and the recovery has been tougher too.

The nice part is it keeps me from deluding myself that it "wasn't so bad".

Hang in there. Keep reminding yourself that if you give in, that just means you'll feel worse for longer next time. And yeah, see a doctor... I need to do that too.

MelindaFlowers

Sobriety change for me when I accepted that I would never be a moderate drinker.

Period.

And like others have said, I stopped earlier (for 10 days) in my drinking and felt great right away. After about four more years of drinking I felt very tired and out of sorts when I stopped drinking.

ALinNS

This is a progressive sickness, I fought it for 30 years and every relapse worse than the last. My last one was November, I had been sober for 8 months, it was a 36 day binge and I recall thinking the first day, good god it's like I never stopped......but that didn't stop me. It takes our bodies time to heal, some more than others but it does come back and stays as a reminder to never drink again and why.

Andrew