Lack of motivation
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 53
Lack of motivation
I am on my third day sober, and I am experiencing a serious lack of motivation. I struggle to get out of bed everyday. I slept through my first class this morning because I simply didn't care to get out of bed. I thought that I was going to have more energy after quitting drugs and alcohol but this has not been the case so far. I thought that I was going to be motivated to study more and exercise, but this has not been the case. I have replaced my obsession with drugs and alcohol with nothing and now I feel like even more of a useless slob than when I was a drug addict.
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hogwarts
Posts: 3,233
Hi Mitch, I'm only on day 8 so I'm sure others will have better advice for you but, I think you have to be gentle with yourself these first few days/weeks maybe even months.
You aren't being a slob you are recovering, there is a lot your body needs to process to get better.
Hang in there!! I'm sure it will be worth it soon.
You aren't being a slob you are recovering, there is a lot your body needs to process to get better.
Hang in there!! I'm sure it will be worth it soon.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Florida., USA
Posts: 3,252
Hi Mitch.........there are many posts here from folks who spent lots of time sleeping in their early withdrawal days. Although I didn't have any trouble getting up or wasn't sleepy, I sure did lack motivation. I'm new in recovery and currently in the stage of trying to add new things to my life and sometimes I still struggle to find the motivation to embark on something new. I agree with the others that you have to be good to yourself. It will come. Each day that goes by, you'll see improvement in your energy and motivation.
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,506
Originally Posted by MitchMatch 
I am on my third day sober, and I am experiencing a serious lack of motivation. I struggle to get out of bed everyday. I slept through my first class this morning because I simply didn't care to get out of bed. I thought that I was going to have more energy after quitting drugs and alcohol but this has not been the case so far. I thought that I was going to be motivated to study more and exercise, but this has not been the case. I have replaced my obsession with drugs and alcohol with nothing and now I feel like even more of a useless slob than when I was a drug addict.
Wishing you well.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Alaska
Posts: 229
Big fat congrats on day 3! You're doing great. We all have our own experiences with this. Mine has been hungry, hungry, hungry and sleepless. Others have your experience. It'll all even out. Just give yourself some time, accept what it is and expect that it will eventually get better.
Hang in there and stay close.
Hang in there and stay close.
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 383
As an alcoholic I always wanted things to happen faster - I wanted that good job today, I wanted a more meaningful relationship with family and friends, and like you, wanted my life to improve the minute I stopped drinking. It did improve, but I had to learn patience, and I found it is more of a marathon than a sprint. Real change takes time.
In order for the desire to drink to diminish, we have to start living differently. This is a good opportunity for you to practice a major aspect of recovery: acceptance. We have to learn that it's ok to not feel great, or even good some days. In our addictions most of us were decidedly not ok with any discomfort whatsoever - alcohol removed the need to learn to cope with problems normally, and we began to believe that a solution was as quick as it takes for booze to hit the bloodstream, but that's a delusion that only works until our lives and bodies begin to fall apart.
Try and not gauge your sobriety on feelings - your feelings will steer you wrong. Be guided by recovery principles that you adhere to through thick and thin. You can find them in an addiction counselor's office, a peer support group like AA or NA, or in self help books. Recovery is about living differently, so try your best to figure out if you want to live differently, or if maybe alcohol has gotten you to the point where it is vital to find a way to change. Good luck and hang in there.
In order for the desire to drink to diminish, we have to start living differently. This is a good opportunity for you to practice a major aspect of recovery: acceptance. We have to learn that it's ok to not feel great, or even good some days. In our addictions most of us were decidedly not ok with any discomfort whatsoever - alcohol removed the need to learn to cope with problems normally, and we began to believe that a solution was as quick as it takes for booze to hit the bloodstream, but that's a delusion that only works until our lives and bodies begin to fall apart.
Try and not gauge your sobriety on feelings - your feelings will steer you wrong. Be guided by recovery principles that you adhere to through thick and thin. You can find them in an addiction counselor's office, a peer support group like AA or NA, or in self help books. Recovery is about living differently, so try your best to figure out if you want to live differently, or if maybe alcohol has gotten you to the point where it is vital to find a way to change. Good luck and hang in there.
Sober since October
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: In the world in my eyes...Somewhere I've never been before...
Posts: 7,355
Mitch, congrats on 3 days.
You are still very early in recovery. And your body and mind are recovering from serious disease actually. All the forces of the body are deployed to heal the "wounds" caused by drug and alcohol abuse. All the processes are mobilized to "repair" you and get back to normal life.
Be patient with yourself. Let your body do its work - it's smart and grateful enough to amend all the harm we've been causing.
Drink a lot of water, sleep as much as you can, take one day at a time - eventually you'll be fine.
Keep it up.
And best wishes to you on the sobriety journey.
You are still very early in recovery. And your body and mind are recovering from serious disease actually. All the forces of the body are deployed to heal the "wounds" caused by drug and alcohol abuse. All the processes are mobilized to "repair" you and get back to normal life.
Be patient with yourself. Let your body do its work - it's smart and grateful enough to amend all the harm we've been causing.
Drink a lot of water, sleep as much as you can, take one day at a time - eventually you'll be fine.
Keep it up.
And best wishes to you on the sobriety journey.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,526
Welcome MitchMatch. Well done on reaching Day 3. We know what hard work it is.
I was physically & emotionally exhausted for a few weeks after quitting. I agree with MidnightBlue & others - we've beaten ourselves up very badly - we need to be patient as we heal. One day, out of nowhere, I rejoined the human race. You'll be a bit better each day, and you will get there.
I was physically & emotionally exhausted for a few weeks after quitting. I agree with MidnightBlue & others - we've beaten ourselves up very badly - we need to be patient as we heal. One day, out of nowhere, I rejoined the human race. You'll be a bit better each day, and you will get there.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Nutmegger
Posts: 1,799
Just think about it, most of us had been dosing ourselves with a copious amounts of a neurotoxin daily. It is almost like going into shock, your body has been at Defcon 4 for so long and now…….silence.
I kind of imagine my brain going…."Hello????? Waiting on the dopamine here.. Yo, where is that serotonin? " There are neuro, cardio, muscular, cognitive, vascular, renal, endocrine, etc, changes going on.
There is a saying tossed around in recovery…"don't do something, just sit there". Probably the hardest thing in the world to do. The ride you are embarking on will likely be one of the coolest things you have ever done, it is a pretty amazing realization to finally understand that we have everything we need within us.
And when your body figures out that the neurotoxin train doesn't stop here any more it will dust off those dusty neural circuits and get to work.
I kind of imagine my brain going…."Hello????? Waiting on the dopamine here.. Yo, where is that serotonin? " There are neuro, cardio, muscular, cognitive, vascular, renal, endocrine, etc, changes going on.
There is a saying tossed around in recovery…"don't do something, just sit there". Probably the hardest thing in the world to do. The ride you are embarking on will likely be one of the coolest things you have ever done, it is a pretty amazing realization to finally understand that we have everything we need within us.
And when your body figures out that the neurotoxin train doesn't stop here any more it will dust off those dusty neural circuits and get to work.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Island Park , NY
Posts: 373
Mitch welcome to SR and hang in for the ride on your journey to sobriety! We all felt in different ways bad in the early stages of quitting , but all of us here are with you on that journey and all the hills and valleys that it will incur! Just remember that soon you will be free to grow into a whole different world that will amaze you, and all the benefits you will no doubt learn to be grateful for. Stay Strong and Well ! Bobby
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,373
What you're going through is perfectly normal for day 3, or at least my day threes.
I dunno about you but I drank and drugged for years - it's going to take a little time for your mind and body to recuperate Mitch.
Of course, if you're concerned - see you Dr. Be safe.
D
I dunno about you but I drank and drugged for years - it's going to take a little time for your mind and body to recuperate Mitch.
Of course, if you're concerned - see you Dr. Be safe.
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 53
It's nothing I'm about to see a doctor for, I just think I probably need to be patient. I know it's probably not a healthy substitution, but I have been smoking cigarettes and it has been making me a feel a lot better. I know that nicotine is technically a drug, but it is not mind altering like the previous poisons that I have wasted so much time and money on.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,534
For what it's worth, Mitch, I was incredibly tired for my first month of sobriety. I couldn't believe how much I was able to sleep! Things leveled out after a few weeks.
As many others have said, hang in there and go easy on yourself. You are doing hard work right now!
As many others have said, hang in there and go easy on yourself. You are doing hard work right now!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: inland empire ça
Posts: 71
Originally Posted by MitchMatch
I am on my third day sober, and I am experiencing a serious lack of motivation. I struggle to get out of bed everyday. I slept through my first class this morning because I simply didn't care to get out of bed. I thought that I was going to have more energy after quitting drugs and alcohol but this has not been the case so far. I thought that I was going to be motivated to study more and exercise, but this has not been the case. I have replaced my obsession with drugs and alcohol with nothing and now I feel like even more of a useless slob than when I was a drug addict.
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