Plure

Good morning Everyone and Happy Valentine's Day!

Just wanted to pick your brain on something. I'm a bit over 4 months sober and starting to feel a real sense of normalcy and vitality in my life which is great. However, I'm still dealing with the occasional PAWS flare up and coming to grips with feelings and emotions that alcohol had so successfully covered up for so long. These can be very intense and sometimes trigger anxiety or a mild PA. I've read this is part of the process but I didn't expect these feelings and emotions to come flooding back with such intensity. Funny thing is they are not always negative, even the positive ones can be a tad overwhelming.

Just curious what others' experience with this has been in this area. Did it cause an increase in cravings? So far this hasn't yet happened, but wondering what I might expect.

Thanks to all my SR buddies!

24hrsAday

thanks for posting this plure... i have over 8 years sober now and guess what? i am still in the process of uncovering feelings that i covered up while drinking/drugging!
it takes time.. but, it IS well worth it!

PurpleKnight

The challenge for me was dealing with feelings/emotions when I got Sober, everyone is different but putting in some work into new methods to deal with beginning to feel again may be worthwhile in the long run.

For me I now go for long walks after work to clear my head, plenty of exercise, making sure I got some time on my own during the week to relax, I improved my diet, more sleep, less coffee, warm showers before bed, all these things have helped me deal with life as an alternative to alcohol, and funny enough this is what normal people do it dawned on me some time ago!!

Reaching for the default of alcohol is now not an option, we need live, breath and feel life as it happens, no more numbing it away, so we need a few different tools in the toolbox of life!!

Mark1014

First, congratulations on your sober time. You and I are on the same amount of sober time and I could have written your post myself. Certainly anyone has good and bad days whether they ever drank or not, but my (unhealthy) coping method is now gone and I only rarely have a fleeting desire to guzzle a few. I finally have enough perspective now to think it through. I do struggle a bit with melancholy/anxiety but want to give my emotions a few more more months to even out before I talk to a doctor. Also, I have some personal relationship things to tackle....things I drank through before. Again, I want to be on solid footing to make sound decisions. For me, giving this all a little more time seems to be the way to go. I'm so happy to see that you're doing well. Keep on going!