"brain fog", dazed, fatigued, zoned-out, spacy...
 

Hi everyone

The subject line says it all. That is what I have experienced (from time to time) in the past and what I have recently been experiencing. Since I'm 32 days into my sobriety and no longer even give alcohol a second thought anymore, I'm not sure this is withdrawal related but I don't know. I also suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, hypo, OCD, depression, Tourette's and a lot of other stuff too (including terrible allergies) plus I've been on Ativan and other benzos for about 12 years off and on (is my brain "fried"?).

Anyway, I just feel extremely bored, depressed, fatigued, unmotivated, apathetic and I always seem to have plenty of brain fog and a dazed or "anesthetized" feeling in my head. The only thing I have found that gets rid of this feeling are stimulants of some sort (pseudoephedrine, caffeine, alcohol, etc) but they never seem work for very long. I also find myself sleeping in as late as I can, not wanting to get up and "face the day" some mornings because my days are filled with boring, routine and very mundane activities although I must say I REALLY enjoy cleaning up animal poop (yeah, right).

Can anyone relate?.

- Thanks so much, IHaveChanged

Well, it sounds like a visit to your dr would be a really good idea. See what advice he has to offer.

As far as the tired, depressed feelings, it will probably take awhile for your brain chemistry to readjust itself.

Find something that you love doing. Have you started volunteering yet? There is a whole community out there looking for people to help out! Most places have a homeless shelter where you can join in and help serve meals.

I went to a doctor at 50 days and was experiencing similar problems. I was asking about some meds that I used to be on and he told me to wait another 40 days and see if I am feeling better. The Doc I saw specializes in addiction, and said it's going to take more than 50 days to get my body and brain "back to normal". He said he would put me on meds if I really felt like I needed them, but I guess it's going to take more time for my brain to adjust to not being drowning in alcohol and drugs.

I have been sleeping almost 12 hours a night, and was a bit concerned about this, but the Doc assured me this is normal as well. I guess having my CNS depressed for so long resulted in my body needing more sleep than normal.

This is just my situation, I know not all bodies are the same, and not all addictions produce the same physiological results but I am in a similar situation and I had the same questions.

Yes, do see a doctor, but don't allow him/her to talk you out of a medication because you're not 60/90 days in sobriety. There are all sorts of low doses of drugs like Prozac that will not be impacted by drinking or not drinking.

For me, I felt like I was actually doing something, and being proactive, instead of just waiting for my feelings to beat me up.

That's my two cents. Thanks to everyone who posted.