sortofhomecomin

Has anyone else experienced this? Did your interest in music return? Listening to music used to be an important part of my day, but now I just don't seem interested.

Dee74

I didn't lose interest in music but I lost interest in a lot of other things that had been important to me.

It all came back eventually.

How long have you been sober now? Sept?

It took a good few months for me.

D

sortofhomecomin

Yes my sobriety date is as per my sig, Sep 28th. Glad to hear your interest in the activities you used to be interested in came back.

Grungehead

The first time I got sober was in April of 1990. I had grown up playing golf throughout my childhood (and played competitively in HS and college) and it was one of my favorite things to do in life. Of course I had incorporated drinking into it, and after I got sober I couldn't imagine playing golf without drinking would ever be fun again.

I didn't pick up a golf club for a year after I got sober. But eventually I did and found out that I still really enjoyed it...AND...found out that I was a lot better at the game when I stayed sober for the entire round. I actually got better enough at it that I ended up becoming a golf professional at a really nice country club. I worked there for several years before one of the members made me an offer I couldn't refuse to work for his company.

A more recent example is with poker. I used to drink and play online poker a lot, but after I got sober I found the association between the two was strong and I avoided it. I remember being bored over Thanksgiving in 2014 (got sober in April 2013), so I decided to give it a try again. Like with golf I found I enjoyed poker even more sober and was better at it too. My point is that not only did the enjoyment of activities I associated with drinking return in sobriety, but I found them even more enjoyable being sober.

ScottFromWI

A lot of things change after we quit drinking - our health, our minds, our daily activities, etc. We also gain a much different perspective on the world around us. I personally started drinking daily when I was in my late teens and didn't quit until my early 40's, so I literally drank for the better part of 3 decades. The first year after I quit I literally had re-learn how to live my life in a sense - and I probably never learned some of the lessons I should have in my formative years.

So yes, I think it's entirely normal for our interests to change - and it's quite possible that your love for music will return at a later date.

Stayingsassy

Ha. Yeah I lost interest in damned near everything.

In sobriety, (I don’t even have 18 months yet) I focus on what matters, not what I like. I can’t find anything that rewards me, so I just give back to my family, and when that exhausts me, I rest. Getting my dopamine reward system back is going to be a process and probably won’t go back to what it would be if I hadn’t damaged the hell out of it, but I believe my brain will adapt to smaller surges over time. I think that’s sort of what’s happening. I dunno. I’m just surviving over here!

And that’s a fact, for once, I am surviving (and not working on dying).

Fronting

There is definitely for me something about alcohol that brings me to music. It's no surprise lots of famous rock songs were written and performed while the artist where under the influence.

sortofhomecomin

Thanks all. Great responses.

steve-in-kville

My experience was a similar. I drank for almost two decades, the last 12 -15 as an alcoholic. Unlike Scott, I took up hobbies that I would have hated in my younger years, like gardening. I also re-discovered things that I hadn't done in 25+ years like writing. journaling and poetry. I'd say for me to "level out" might have been about three months or so, until I "re-invented" myself.

Hang in there.

FBL

Music is a HUGE part of my daily life. I used to think my enjoyment of it was directly tied to my drinking. I couldn't have been more wrong! I enjoy music more than ever sober. I believe it will happen for you too. Just give it some time.

August252015

Hey sortof- good question - and great job on being sober since Sep 28!

I was not a music guru like a couple friends of mine but music ALWAYS ties me to a specific place/time/person/etc. The power of some songs to do that has sometimes floored me- and I definitely took "time out" from much listening. It mostly seemed flat, any kind of it.

I too found other things I did when drinking heavily to be of less interest- and one lifelong passion like reading something that returned early in the form of gobbling recovery memoirs.

Over the time I have been sober, my interest in running returned (my husband and I did a 5K a month in 2017 and then I did a 15K last Jan) and new passions like hot yoga emerged.

It all took time

One of the best things about being sober is figuring out what I like and being able to do it.

steve-in-kville

Good for you, August!

I am a firm believer in physical movement/exercise has a positive roll in not only sobriety, but mental health issues. For some years, I've had an interest in bicycle touring... I have most of the equipment to do an weekend unsupported ride. Even bought a trailer to pull behind my bike! I commute to work 11 months out of the year and I do suffer when I'm not riding consistently.

August252015

^^^so agree- as my husband says, you are even better when you do yoga. I suffered a back injury last Mar and it was almost as tough to deal with emotionally as physically.

One of the things my husband and I established with that monthly 5K was the annual tradition of a "monthly something." In 2018 we did a different kind of physical activity - from sky yoga in ribbons to indoor rock climbing- each month. This yr we are going to do some sort of volunteer/community work every month.

Making good new habits is def as important as quitting the bad ones!

Tynesider22

I found it grew in sobriety. It stopped being stuff in the background of drunkenness, and started being how I was entertaining myself.

What kind of music are you into? Can you listen to it and get engrossed again?

biminiblue

I changed what I listened to in early days mainly because I was pretty fragile and the music I had been listening to took me back to thinking about drinking.

I switched over to instrumental music mainly. I also listened to Christian music, it fed me with its positive message.

Now I'm back to more of a mix.

Wholesome

Anhedonia, or lack of interest in things is common in early sobriety.

Ride it out. It gets better.

I'm back in to music today in a major way and seriously studying it again after a 20 years away. Also I'm listening to totally different stuff than I was when I partied. It's one of the greatest joys of my life and something that I feel like I got to reclaim after finally quitting drinking for good. It's my new healthy addiction.

MCAL880

I’m only on day three here, but I’m going through something similar. There was nothing better than a generous pour of wine while I listen to music and cook a lovely evening dinner. Yesterday I half heartedly baked some chicken, no music in the background, rushed through the whole process, where previously I would have relished in every detail. I can only have faith it gets better.

I can’t help but take note of your screen name, as it is also the title of my favorite U2 song. Purely coincidental? Either way, hope you start to feel better soon, we can do this!

sortofhomecomin

Well done on stopping, you are already past the worst of withdrawals. Yes my screen name is indeed named after the U2 song, one of their best in my view.

Dave42001

I love music more than ever now too, especially live music. Now that I have extra $$ due to not buying booze or drugs I can even get the better seats up front!

Stick with it, everything gets better but takes a little time!

Wishing you the best!

SoberCAH

That is certainly some wisdom, Sassy.

Instead of seeking personal gratification, try to do good things for others.

Thanks for reminding me.