Lapi

I'm feeling very depressed

SportsFan15

Lapi, im sorry to hear youre still depressed. I was sober 1.5 years and eventually relapsed and am now going to AA at least once a week and working the steps. I never ever thought I'd go to AA - I swore I wouldn't. But I just wasn't progressing in recovery. I felt "stuck." I don't agree with everything in it, but I don't have to...nothing is perfect, certainly not me.
I also went to talk therapy for a few years. It really helped. Both were essential but AA was the turning point for sobriety for me.

It's helping lift my depression because it's lifting the ton of guilt and shame in my shoulders.

Maybe give it a try?

MythOfSisyphus

Welcome, Lapi. I'm sorry you're still depressed but I commend you on the year sober. I realize it's frustrating but I continued to notice changes and improvements in my mind and mood for maybe two and a half or three years. It takes a while to get back to normal.

Of course, it could be totally unrelated. Getting sober might not fix the depression, especially if depression wasn't brought on my drinking.

Best thing is to find a good doctor. There's a lot that can be done for depression. And seriously- congrats on staying sober! No matter what else happens that at least will give you much better quality of life.

Stronger2017

Welcome to SR, Lapi. I’m really sorry to hear you are feeling depressed. I see a counselor for my psychology issues and that’s been working for me. Have you considered doing something like that?

Lorax1981

Same thing happened to me at a year. It got better slowly but surely. Keep it up and don’t rule out seeing your doctor.

Dee74

Hi Lapi - welcome to SR

I wonder what you've changed in your life besides just not drinking? Has it been a lot?

D

AAPJ

Perhaps things havn't changed much for you in the first year. But it seems likely that things would have gotten worse if you had continued to drink another year.

I guess I am suggesting that you are ahead of where you would be and at least to me that's a big victory.

hpdw

Hi Lapi welcome to SR .You have done great with one year sober, well done

To add to what Dee says has there been anything specific to make you feel low ?
I am at nearly 4 months and certainly have highs and lows . The past 3 or 4 weeks have been quite low with the winter setting in and also I have had issues with the benefits system ,pensions and the like so I look at my mood as being caused by situations which I know will change . The winter will turn to spring my benefits and stuff will be fixed out in due course .
One thing is guaranteed ! if I drink everything will feel a million times worse .

FreeOwl

Hiya...

I'll echo Dee's question.

By a year, I was only just about starting to be sober enough to start working on sobriety.

I found depression to be a big part of my journey as well.

The first year was a roller coaster.

The second year, was a lot of growth.

It took work though; counseling and journaling and active changes in my life.

Here, 4 years on, I have decided to use a seasonal SSRI to help me through the winter months and it's turning out to be a good decision.... but, that's the culmination of a few years of work in therapy, changes in my life, efforts to use other methods to manage my depression, working with both a therapist and a doctor. I decided to go the seasonal route because I live in the far northern climes and the cold and short days have a clear and physiological effect on me.

Anyway - bottom line point is - it's totally "OK" and even quite "normal" to be confronting depression in sobriety. Taking away the alcohol is establishing the conditions to begin understanding what we need to heal and what we need to address in ourselves.

I encourage you to get yourself a good therapist and delve into your emotions as a starting point in working with your depression.

BixBees505

True depression is an actual illness that medical people can help with. Great comments have been offered, but please go to the doctor and report your depression/hopelessness.

Exercise much? I am not one to imitate in this regard . But it is proven to change brain chemistry for the better, improving mood.

I see this is your first post here on SR. The SR community has been a tremendous support to me, source if inspiration, ideas, and comrades toward and now in sobriety. I say WELCOME and I hope you share here and receive all we can offer.

Stayingsassy

Exercise if you are less likely to go to the doctor. For me that alone was enough, in fact it worked when antidepressants did not. There is the factor of improvement in exercise: over time you bike longer, run faster, lift heavier, achieve a pull-up: I think it’s the sense of action and achievement as well as the chemicals released. That said some people are physically limited, or they are just not physically strong people and exercise is difficult for a long time, but there are still proven benefits to a light swim or walk, helping a neighbor move boxes, weeding gardens, joining a community volunteer harvest for the poor...all kinds of ways to get exercise and feel as though you have done something. I know what it feels like to feel s though you can’t get out of bed. Commit and force yourself to get up and do 1/2 Hour a day, then tell yourself you can lie down after that, sometimes that helps.

ScottFromWI

I had a similar problem with Anxiety Lapi. I was sober for almost 2 years before I finally went to someone that could help me with that too. Anxiety, Depression and other underlying issues are very treatable - but we have to accept them as separate/distinct issues that need separate/distinct treatment to fix.

Lapi

Hi!
Thanks- already visiting doctor about depression.
Long wait

Lapi

Thank you for text.
Yes I'm seeing doctor about depression.
But you can't see from side- doctor said I'm more joy full then him.
He couldn't get me through.
I learned how to hide my feelings so I don't upset my friends