Feeling a little tired.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 56
Feeling a little tired.
I'm going to be 14 days sober tomorrow and I'm feeling very tired. Kinda like I'm tired of fighting. I play the scenario of what would happen if I just gave in and I don't want to experience the end result. However, I am very tired and just want to give up and give in because I have never been so exhausted on a daily basis in my life. I'm just venting and don't plan on drinking but sometimes I feel it's just too hard to stay sober. I just feel very lonely in all of this. I know I'm doing something that is going to be worth it in the long haul but right now I just don't see the point. Thanks for letting me rant. Good night.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: California
Posts: 1,914
Better to vent and get it off your chest!
I agree with everything your saying. I think a lot of people feel like that, and it's hard to remember but our chemical balance has been thrown off for years due to our drinking. I try to remember that and know that the longer I have sober the better I will feel, physically and emotionally.
Good choice coming here instead of having that drink!
I agree with everything your saying. I think a lot of people feel like that, and it's hard to remember but our chemical balance has been thrown off for years due to our drinking. I try to remember that and know that the longer I have sober the better I will feel, physically and emotionally.
Good choice coming here instead of having that drink!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,614
Hi Ice, you're not alone, we are here with you.
It is so frustrating and can get lonely and boring, but try to put healthy things in your body- some veggies steamed make me feel pretty good, green tea and from what I hear a B supplement does not hurt.
It is so frustrating and can get lonely and boring, but try to put healthy things in your body- some veggies steamed make me feel pretty good, green tea and from what I hear a B supplement does not hurt.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 28,801
Alcoholics definitely can use some extra B.
I think most of us felt tired as you state in early sobriety. Afterall, booze is loaded with sugar and very little nutrients. Take that away and your body is crying tiredly for that fix. We alcoholics keep looking for that relief.
The good news is that after about a month or so, give or take, your energy returns. It may be slow in coming but it will come back. As you heal physically and mentally you will not feel so fatigued. The important thing is to eat well, drink pure water and treat yourself with kindness and patience. Better days are on the horizon. Strive for it.
I think most of us felt tired as you state in early sobriety. Afterall, booze is loaded with sugar and very little nutrients. Take that away and your body is crying tiredly for that fix. We alcoholics keep looking for that relief.
The good news is that after about a month or so, give or take, your energy returns. It may be slow in coming but it will come back. As you heal physically and mentally you will not feel so fatigued. The important thing is to eat well, drink pure water and treat yourself with kindness and patience. Better days are on the horizon. Strive for it.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 149
Originally Posted by Ice71 
I'm going to be 14 days sober tomorrow and I'm feeling very tired. Kinda like I'm tired of fighting. I play the scenario of what would happen if I just gave in and I don't want to experience the end result. However, I am very tired and just want to give up and give in because I have never been so exhausted on a daily basis in my life. I'm just venting and don't plan on drinking but sometimes I feel it's just too hard to stay sober. I just feel very lonely in all of this. I know I'm doing something that is going to be worth it in the long haul but right now I just don't see the point. Thanks for letting me rant. Good night.
Undiagnosed depression is a major reason for the desire to drink and relapse.
Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (protracted withdrawal syndrome), or PAWS, can be involved with depression which many addicts and much of the public do not understand. Feeling tired can be depression along with other symptoms re: PAWS. Understanding the lingering effects of substance abuse can go a long way toward educating addicts about relapse prevention and maybe most importantly, giving them hope that this, too, shall pass, it did with me, especially depression.
Identifying the symptoms of feeling tired with loneliness and sharing it at AA meetings, not only helped me, but as reported by others, it helped them. By reaching out, it appears you’re on the right path.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 56
Thank you everyone. I'm laying in bed and resting. I do take my B vitamins everyday along with 5 other vitamins. I have a rootbeer when I get home from work too. I drink water all day and only have one coke sometime in the morning. I don't drink coffee. I eat pretty decent too. I can't wait to reach that energy level again. You all are the best.
Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by Ice71
Thank you everyone. I'm laying in bed and resting. I do take my B vitamins everyday along with 5 other vitamins. I have a rootbeer when I get home from work too. I drink water all day and only have one coke sometime in the morning. I don't drink coffee. I eat pretty decent too. I can't wait to reach that energy level again. You all are the best.
I love rootbeer and just had some now too while in bed and I am only on day one of quitting but I know you and I can do this! You are doing great! 14 DAYS IS a huge accomplishment. You are trying to get out of a routine and so am I! We can do this. STAY STRONG!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 56
Originally Posted by Tryingtoheal87
I love rootbeer and just had some now too while in bed and I am only on day one of quitting but I know you and I can do this! You are doing great! 14 DAYS IS a huge accomplishment. You are trying to get out of a routine and so am I! We can do this. STAY STRONG!
Yes WE can get through this. Congrats on day one. I will see you on your day two and beyond.
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
Ice,
Sorry you have some PAWS or Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. I had terrible PAWS for several months, at three I got a lot of relief, and by six months I could deal with it. I think mine lasted longer because I quit smoking 3 packs a day and drinking more than 30 units of alcohol a day at the same time. I was going through a week long in hospital detox, and figured why waste it on only one of the two drugs that I was addicted to.
Your thoughts were mine too back then. I wasn't wanting to drink for the buzz but to stop the weirdness. Then I would think it all the way through like you have and realize that I wanted nothing to do with going through all that again.
I had insomnia, one week constipated the next diarrhea, memory issues ( not uncommon and mine healed,) I was energetic for a week then tired for two and I had a mood swing several times a day. I was calm for a week and got angry at the drop of a hat the next week. I had anxiety attacks twice that really scared me because I never had them before.
So I joined here and AA, saw a counselor and had my docs doing bloodwork every two weeks then monthly for six months. I quit rehab after a few days because I didn't need a babysitter and knew I wanted no part of drinking.
Like you I acknowledged the thought of ending minor and temporary PAWS then having to start all over again when I realized why I was quitting to begin with. Because I was waking and drinking for the shakes and hangover. Nothing several shots of my wife's Johnny walker in my coffee would not fix.
That was five years ago this coming September 21st, with no relapses, and never planning to have one no matter what. I was likely to have died of my drinking within a year, two at most. Soon I will be past that estimate by three years! And I'm fully recovered. That does not mean I can drink again but because I am free of the alcohol prison, not on a temporary release, not on parole like I might go back to what I know.
I get it, and am proud for you. Thanks for reminding me how bad the first few weeks were for me. While I will never drink again, your post inspires me because you are me, and a reminder of how easily I could have rationalized an irrational urge to drink, just like I "quit" every morning for years, then rationalized a reward for not drinking for ten minutes or so, before I really quit.
Hats off to you Ice. There is always something we need to think all the way through. Remember life doesn't get better, we do.
14 days was huge for me. You?
Sorry you have some PAWS or Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. I had terrible PAWS for several months, at three I got a lot of relief, and by six months I could deal with it. I think mine lasted longer because I quit smoking 3 packs a day and drinking more than 30 units of alcohol a day at the same time. I was going through a week long in hospital detox, and figured why waste it on only one of the two drugs that I was addicted to.
Your thoughts were mine too back then. I wasn't wanting to drink for the buzz but to stop the weirdness. Then I would think it all the way through like you have and realize that I wanted nothing to do with going through all that again.
I had insomnia, one week constipated the next diarrhea, memory issues ( not uncommon and mine healed,) I was energetic for a week then tired for two and I had a mood swing several times a day. I was calm for a week and got angry at the drop of a hat the next week. I had anxiety attacks twice that really scared me because I never had them before.
So I joined here and AA, saw a counselor and had my docs doing bloodwork every two weeks then monthly for six months. I quit rehab after a few days because I didn't need a babysitter and knew I wanted no part of drinking.
Like you I acknowledged the thought of ending minor and temporary PAWS then having to start all over again when I realized why I was quitting to begin with. Because I was waking and drinking for the shakes and hangover. Nothing several shots of my wife's Johnny walker in my coffee would not fix.
That was five years ago this coming September 21st, with no relapses, and never planning to have one no matter what. I was likely to have died of my drinking within a year, two at most. Soon I will be past that estimate by three years! And I'm fully recovered. That does not mean I can drink again but because I am free of the alcohol prison, not on a temporary release, not on parole like I might go back to what I know.
I get it, and am proud for you. Thanks for reminding me how bad the first few weeks were for me. While I will never drink again, your post inspires me because you are me, and a reminder of how easily I could have rationalized an irrational urge to drink, just like I "quit" every morning for years, then rationalized a reward for not drinking for ten minutes or so, before I really quit.
Hats off to you Ice. There is always something we need to think all the way through. Remember life doesn't get better, we do.
14 days was huge for me. You?
Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 5,785
The exhaustion goes away. Just keep sticking with being sober and it will go away. I went through the same thing, 
In terms of drinking again. DO NOT DO IT! IT IS NOT WORTH IT. With my very last relapse (almost 6 months ago). I had just gotten through the cravings and thought I could drink since I wouldn't experience cravings any more. I was very wrong. I had to work through those cravings all over again for another 2 weeks.
In terms of drinking again. DO NOT DO IT! IT IS NOT WORTH IT. With my very last relapse (almost 6 months ago). I had just gotten through the cravings and thought I could drink since I wouldn't experience cravings any more. I was very wrong. I had to work through those cravings all over again for another 2 weeks.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 56
I read this thread again today since I was so out of it last night. Thank you everyone for the support and insight to what's happening within my body. I feel more confident now that I understand what's happening.
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
Ice,
That's what I needed too. I wasn't lacking in determination to quit permanently and recover from the parts alcohol damaged over time. But I kept hearing a short sentence Dee said here once that it took time to do the damage and it will take time to heal.
I also used what I called a shotgun strategy using everything at first, Hospital detox got me the head start I needed to begin my recovery. I then added AA to supplement here at the suggestion of some friends and they were right, face to face was invaluable to me too until I was past the worst of the dis-ease of initial recovery. From the beginning before detox I read my doc completely in and he monitored my vitals internally and externally with no meds, just reassurance none of the biggies hit me. My family was involved in the planning despite their denial of my alcoholism. They all said I didn't have a drinking problem, I should just cut back. My best friends were supportive even my old drinking buddies save one who kept taunting me thinking I was craving and caving and just needed a push. I had to explain that even if God came down from heaven, and she granted me not only perfect health, but the ability to drink as much as I wanted with no ill effects I'd have to refuse. I am not deprived, just managed to survive. I drank my fill. I know what it tastes and feels like. I am, and was, done. When folks start on about how they are missing out on the fun I see they are planning their relapse.
I detested the malt mouth I had from drinking beer all day every day and cut that with a glass or five of wine and often scotch rocks water and a twist of lime to cleanse my pallet. I hated the taste by then of everything alcoholic I drank.
So with friends and family, professional medical and mental health caregivers assisting, AA for the first three months, and here for five years, I took what I needed and left the rest. I don't recommend my way as some find comfort in acting as if alcohol was at fault and had an evil goal to get them. Others like rituals like meetings and the readings up front and at the end, and face to face. I needed everything for a while until I didn't.
At six months I almost stopped coming here because some in the group seemed to have a consensus that relapse was inevitable. Or the result of thinking I was recovered. Or not being vigilant. Sure I get the very rare thought asking myself if I ever wanted to drink again. My answer was do I want to die from the dis-ease of alcoholism at the levels I drank. That no trumped any momentary thought. No desire, just intellectual. I quit smoking for 18 months a couple of decades ago and said to myself one day I wanted to see if it was true that it had a rush and momentary high. I wanted to see what it was like. Dang idiot I was I did, then within a week I was back to my two pack a day habit. I could not work up to quitting again until I went to the medical detox.
That taught me that it isn't the substance, it is me wanting to go back to my way of confronting with cigarettes. Same with booze. But this time, I went in determined to not try "one for old time's sake." Or the hundred other self-deluding paths back to my drugs of choice, alcohol and smokes.
I actually convinced myself I forgot what smoking felt like and that I could regulate myself to a less harmful one or two smokes a day.
Forgot what drinking or smoking was like? Wanted to try it again? I had smoked tens of thousands of cigarettes, I knew what they tasted like and the morning old man coughing at 30, and at the end puking it up along with the scotch I needed to keep down to get the shakes and cotton head to ease up some.
I'm not afraid to discuss it, and despite the folks who do the revolving door routine of quit, relapse, repeat, I and many others are recovered proof that relapse is not inevitable once one actually quits.
To me, quits means no conditions, no I'll stay sober unless . . . .
Something bad happens
Someone leaves me or dies
I have relationship issues
Or life throws any curve ball at me.
Life does not, nor ever will get better, only we do.
We can get better . . . .
At coping with loss
Grieving losses
Dealing with failure
Dealing with success
Fixing things not people
Accepting love
Passing love forward
Forgiving, never forgetting
Never losing our self-respect again.
Life suck sometimes, we can only deal with it sober.
Drinking and smoking were my adult binkies.
Kids suck on a binkies, get no food, no suckling human contact, yet accept a poor substitute! Security.
Alcohol was one of my adult binkies. Smoking the other.
In both cases, like smoking, I didn't smoke. The cigarette smoked. I was just the sucker.
I'm no sucker now, by choice.
That's what I needed too. I wasn't lacking in determination to quit permanently and recover from the parts alcohol damaged over time. But I kept hearing a short sentence Dee said here once that it took time to do the damage and it will take time to heal.
I also used what I called a shotgun strategy using everything at first, Hospital detox got me the head start I needed to begin my recovery. I then added AA to supplement here at the suggestion of some friends and they were right, face to face was invaluable to me too until I was past the worst of the dis-ease of initial recovery. From the beginning before detox I read my doc completely in and he monitored my vitals internally and externally with no meds, just reassurance none of the biggies hit me. My family was involved in the planning despite their denial of my alcoholism. They all said I didn't have a drinking problem, I should just cut back. My best friends were supportive even my old drinking buddies save one who kept taunting me thinking I was craving and caving and just needed a push. I had to explain that even if God came down from heaven, and she granted me not only perfect health, but the ability to drink as much as I wanted with no ill effects I'd have to refuse. I am not deprived, just managed to survive. I drank my fill. I know what it tastes and feels like. I am, and was, done. When folks start on about how they are missing out on the fun I see they are planning their relapse.
I detested the malt mouth I had from drinking beer all day every day and cut that with a glass or five of wine and often scotch rocks water and a twist of lime to cleanse my pallet. I hated the taste by then of everything alcoholic I drank.
So with friends and family, professional medical and mental health caregivers assisting, AA for the first three months, and here for five years, I took what I needed and left the rest. I don't recommend my way as some find comfort in acting as if alcohol was at fault and had an evil goal to get them. Others like rituals like meetings and the readings up front and at the end, and face to face. I needed everything for a while until I didn't.
At six months I almost stopped coming here because some in the group seemed to have a consensus that relapse was inevitable. Or the result of thinking I was recovered. Or not being vigilant. Sure I get the very rare thought asking myself if I ever wanted to drink again. My answer was do I want to die from the dis-ease of alcoholism at the levels I drank. That no trumped any momentary thought. No desire, just intellectual. I quit smoking for 18 months a couple of decades ago and said to myself one day I wanted to see if it was true that it had a rush and momentary high. I wanted to see what it was like. Dang idiot I was I did, then within a week I was back to my two pack a day habit. I could not work up to quitting again until I went to the medical detox.
That taught me that it isn't the substance, it is me wanting to go back to my way of confronting with cigarettes. Same with booze. But this time, I went in determined to not try "one for old time's sake." Or the hundred other self-deluding paths back to my drugs of choice, alcohol and smokes.
I actually convinced myself I forgot what smoking felt like and that I could regulate myself to a less harmful one or two smokes a day.
Forgot what drinking or smoking was like? Wanted to try it again? I had smoked tens of thousands of cigarettes, I knew what they tasted like and the morning old man coughing at 30, and at the end puking it up along with the scotch I needed to keep down to get the shakes and cotton head to ease up some.
I'm not afraid to discuss it, and despite the folks who do the revolving door routine of quit, relapse, repeat, I and many others are recovered proof that relapse is not inevitable once one actually quits.
To me, quits means no conditions, no I'll stay sober unless . . . .
Something bad happens
Someone leaves me or dies
I have relationship issues
Or life throws any curve ball at me.
Life does not, nor ever will get better, only we do.
We can get better . . . .
At coping with loss
Grieving losses
Dealing with failure
Dealing with success
Fixing things not people
Accepting love
Passing love forward
Forgiving, never forgetting
Never losing our self-respect again.
Life suck sometimes, we can only deal with it sober.
Drinking and smoking were my adult binkies.
Kids suck on a binkies, get no food, no suckling human contact, yet accept a poor substitute! Security.
Alcohol was one of my adult binkies. Smoking the other.
In both cases, like smoking, I didn't smoke. The cigarette smoked. I was just the sucker.
I'm no sucker now, by choice.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Posts: 1,371
Well put Itchy. Just what I needed to hear this evening.
Ice, hang in there. I still get fatigue every now and then. Exercise and eating well seem to help reduce it though.
Ice, hang in there. I still get fatigue every now and then. Exercise and eating well seem to help reduce it though.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,087
What's your diet and exercise routine like?
Granted, your body is still healing itself, so it's using up all the extra energy you have to do so. Have you by chance been to a doctor for a check up, and quick test of your blood, urine, stool, etc.? If not, you may want to consider it.
There's a chance your body is just lacking some vitamin(s) or nutrient(s), and a quick check up will let you know what, if anything, is missing. Granted, I understand your body needs more energy than normal during this period, but it shouldn't be totally wiping you out like you've described. A quick check up and tests with the doctor never hurt anyone.
Granted, your body is still healing itself, so it's using up all the extra energy you have to do so. Have you by chance been to a doctor for a check up, and quick test of your blood, urine, stool, etc.? If not, you may want to consider it.
There's a chance your body is just lacking some vitamin(s) or nutrient(s), and a quick check up will let you know what, if anything, is missing. Granted, I understand your body needs more energy than normal during this period, but it shouldn't be totally wiping you out like you've described. A quick check up and tests with the doctor never hurt anyone.
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