MattDavid91

Hello everyone,

For the past 5 years I've experienced bad periods of anxiety and depression. It first started when i was around 21 and had a bad panic attack, then decided to quit drinking (I was drinking daily for a few years prior). It got really bad, then i convinced myself that i could drink again...Somehow ive noticed that i get this way almost every time i try and quit alcohol.

I decided to quit drinking 35 days ago and since then ive had a horrible bout of depression/anxiety. Thankfully ive had no panic attacks, but I constantly feel like im going crazy, over analyzing everything thinking i have some major mental illness. Nothing makes me happy and i feel out of it (disconnected) all the time.

Can anyone relate to these things and if so, what helped you? Is this normal for an alcoholic to experience these things when they quit drinking after 35 days?

Thanks!

Soberwolf

I can relate, welcome to a excellent supportive sober community

Congratulations on 35 days aswell

SoberRDarrell

Hi Matt, I can relate to how your feeling.. my last drinking session finished it for me, severe anxiety, depression and very disconnected from reality and "normality" I also was over analysing things I had said and done and the damage I was doing to myself and others though my drinking.. Its a pain but it but them feelings should wear themselves out! Iv been there so many times and I would get back to normal ! Keeping the mind busy is the trick to it!

Darrell.

Anna

Hi Matt, it's not unusual to experience depression and anxiety when stopping drinking and if it's a result of drinking, things should improve soon. For me, The depression started long before the drinking, so I needed to get that properly treated to help support my recovery.

least

Congrats on 35 days sober. I'd suggest if the depression and anxiety don't get better in a couple months, see your doctor. Help is available with meds and/or therapy.

lovingliving

Going through the same thing and its only been about a week or so. Ive decided to go to counselling as I don't want to go on meds until I have been at least 30 days as I think it will improve with time.

Hang in there, your doing great

talldude

Been a little over a month of sobriety and am dealing with the depression and mild anxiety. Then other times I feel absolutely nothing. My negativity is telling me that I can only feel when I'm drunk or high, that I must return to it to feel human, that I am a shell of a person with substances.

I am acknowledging negative thoughts without letting them control the direction of my behavior. Like right now...I feel no connection with anybody in the world - void of all emotion. I know that I could make a few phone calls and be high within the hour, chillin with some people or just bein high alone. But I will not let myself go that route. Instead, I will go home after work and work out, read, and play guitar. I am not ready to go out sober into public and meet people. My brain is just messing with me by dangling the high friends or drunk friends in front of me. lol

If I keep myself busy and make little goals for myself, then the depression loses its force. The sadness seems...normal...to me, however, from what I've experienced and read about quitting drinking or quitting drugs. Keep on saying no to the substances. As I read somewhere recently, it took you a while to become an addict, and it will take you a while to recover.

ScottFromWI

I definitely get it Matt. I finally had to admit/accept that anxiety was probably just part of me - and the drinking might have made it "go away" at one time, but in the end it just made it worse.

Quitting drinking in itself was not a solution for my anxiety though, I view it as a completely separate issue that I needed to find a solution for. I've personally used some therapy and meditation/mindfulness and it seems to help a lot.

lein

I agree.The depression and anxiety could have been underlying the drink. A lot of people who have never drank have these conditions. Drink can exacerbate it, but if its not going away, you may need treatment for them as a seperate issue from the drink as Scott says

blueberry2015

God yes x When I got to 3 months sober first time around my anxiety and depression went crazy, I really felt that I was losing the plot, alas it lead to relapse for a few weeks. My doctor upped my medication and finally I am at a stage whereby my anxiety and depression is pretty much under control. The problem was for me as I was drinking on antidepressants before, I wasn't giving them a chance to work or to see if I was on the correct dosage - take alcohol out of the mix and BOOM I hit a low psychologically. My advice is to see your doctor without delay x Wishing you all the best x

hellrzr

Completely normal. Attending some AA meetings and talking to others who can relate will help you a lot. It takes a solution and time to get past.

Edit: I should have added that you might need some medical help and should see a doctor if things become unbearable. For me, I didn't have anxiety at all before I started drinking heavily and the more I drank the worse it got. Every time I stopped I about came out of my skin! Makes for a great excuse/reason to keep drinking. For me, attending AA and talking with others who also delt with it helped me see that it was normal and would take time. There are those though who have depression and anxiety as a separate issue and if that's your case you should see a doctor and be completely honest with them.