day 4 and depressed
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2
day 4 and depressed
hello all, first, this site is amazing. i'm on day five of abstaining, and am very depressed. been drinking almost 8 years straight, am 27, 10-16 beers almost every night, a few attempts to quit yielding a few days sober here and there, usually aided by ambien.
I was recently laid off by steak and ale restaurant group, was a waiter there for a year, the company went bust, and have returned to physical labor. The drinking and all the physical work must have gone to my head hard, because it just caused great depression when i'd take a night off of booze.made it four nights last week, no depressants whatsoever, gave in to despair last saturday, and have made it four nights again.
guess what i need to hear is that the depression will eventually lift, right? I've been on anti-depressants before, but would still drink on them, and don't feel that's the answer this time. depressants do in fact make you depressed, i know that, and a few nights natural sleep wont cure that. Just feel that depression feeling in my stomach, that god, i need to die because this is an intolerable feeling. I'm not going to anything stupid, and i'm not going to drink anymore. I went to my first AA meeting sunday, but it's hard to get to them because i work evenings lately, and i can't drive because of a dui. I can 't just cry to my girlfriend, ah, well, i'm not able to write a coherent post right now.
This pain has to be my brain adjusting, i know. Just looking for a few replys from people who have had this depression when quitting. That nothing is enjoyable, not even drinking is appealing at this point. Have to keep trooping, i know.
Thank god for this sight, your posts on withdrawal have made me feel there may be an end to this malaise.
thanks for reading.
I was recently laid off by steak and ale restaurant group, was a waiter there for a year, the company went bust, and have returned to physical labor. The drinking and all the physical work must have gone to my head hard, because it just caused great depression when i'd take a night off of booze.made it four nights last week, no depressants whatsoever, gave in to despair last saturday, and have made it four nights again.
guess what i need to hear is that the depression will eventually lift, right? I've been on anti-depressants before, but would still drink on them, and don't feel that's the answer this time. depressants do in fact make you depressed, i know that, and a few nights natural sleep wont cure that. Just feel that depression feeling in my stomach, that god, i need to die because this is an intolerable feeling. I'm not going to anything stupid, and i'm not going to drink anymore. I went to my first AA meeting sunday, but it's hard to get to them because i work evenings lately, and i can't drive because of a dui. I can 't just cry to my girlfriend, ah, well, i'm not able to write a coherent post right now.
This pain has to be my brain adjusting, i know. Just looking for a few replys from people who have had this depression when quitting. That nothing is enjoyable, not even drinking is appealing at this point. Have to keep trooping, i know.
Thank god for this sight, your posts on withdrawal have made me feel there may be an end to this malaise.
thanks for reading.
I got nothin'
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: My house.
Posts: 4,890
Hi, pencil. Welcome to SR! 
I'm not a doctor, so it's tough to say how time will treat your depression...Besides, we can't give out or ask for medical advice. Maybe you could go to a doctor and be honest about your addiction problems and your depression. Hang in there! Keep reading and posting.
I'm not a doctor, so it's tough to say how time will treat your depression...Besides, we can't give out or ask for medical advice. Maybe you could go to a doctor and be honest about your addiction problems and your depression. Hang in there! Keep reading and posting.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Depression is why I decided to committ to AA
Fortunately, mine was diagnosed as situational depression
and by 2 months ...my depression vanished.
As you have been fighting depression before you drank
this may or may not be true for you.
While 4 days is a good beginning....it's too soon to tell
you are barely de toxed at 4 days.....IMO
...Welcome to our recovery community
Fortunately, mine was diagnosed as situational depression
and by 2 months ...my depression vanished.
As you have been fighting depression before you drank
this may or may not be true for you.
While 4 days is a good beginning....it's too soon to tell
you are barely de toxed at 4 days.....IMO
...Welcome to our recovery community
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 6,608
Congratulations on not drinking for 5 days. Its really something when you have the history of drinking most of have. As far as the depression, I am sorry. It does make it more difficult, but sometimes depression lifts a bit after the alcohol is gone being that alcohol is a depressant and we have saturated ourselves with it or at least I did. Monitor it and then seek help from a doctor if you need to. If you drink while taking depressants it will effect the ability of the drugs effectiveness. My husband is on anti-depressants and he would sometimes drink while taking them and I could see a big difference in his moods. Just an opinion and not medical advice.
I am just very glad you are here and you decided not to pick up a drink for 5 days and hopefully, make a better life for yourself too! Welcome to SR!
I am just very glad you are here and you decided not to pick up a drink for 5 days and hopefully, make a better life for yourself too! Welcome to SR!
To Thine Own Self Be True
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 1,946
Yup, my depression lifted by about 45 days.
I felt so low.
But there are LOTS of morning meetings. You need to get into action, your life depends on it!!
Get online and check out all the AA meetings in your area. Start making plans to get there. Take a bus, bike, whatever. If your booze was that far away, you would find a way, eh?
Call AA central, often they can help to find you a ride and you will get hooked up with a guy with some time in your area too!
Work this thing!!! We all have been there, trust me, do whatever you have to do to just not drink today. And don't leave before the miracle happens!
Welcome!
PS Get a Big Book and start reading. If you can't buy one right now, go online and read the online version!!!
I felt so low.
But there are LOTS of morning meetings. You need to get into action, your life depends on it!!
Get online and check out all the AA meetings in your area. Start making plans to get there. Take a bus, bike, whatever. If your booze was that far away, you would find a way, eh?
Call AA central, often they can help to find you a ride and you will get hooked up with a guy with some time in your area too!
Work this thing!!! We all have been there, trust me, do whatever you have to do to just not drink today. And don't leave before the miracle happens!
Welcome!
PS Get a Big Book and start reading. If you can't buy one right now, go online and read the online version!!!
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,761
I've struggled with depression most of my adult life. Been on antidepressants for ten years or more. I only started drinking in March of last year, but by end of summer '07 I knew I was in deep trouble. I was more depressed and anxious than ever and my solution was to drink myself into a stupor. I realized by early fall I was drinking more wine and more often and often drank early in the day to stop the shakes.
I decided to stop drinking last December but it wasn't til 60 days ago that I actually wanted to stay sober more than I wanted to drink. I was blessed that nothing really awful happened to me, or to anyone else, tho I did lose the respect of my daughters and that hurt bad.
I strongly support what TTOSBT suggested, about finding meetings in the morning and calling the AA hotline about having someone pick you up to take you to meetings. And when you go to the morning meetings, make your circumstances known, not being able to drive and feeling depressed. You'll surely find help from the members.
I think CarolD was right: you've only been sober 4 or 5 days, barely detoxed. Give your sobriety more time and you'll likely start feeling better emotionally. There's another little 'thing' that goes along with getting sober, and that's PAWS. Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. After the alcohol is all out of your system, after the 'acute' withdrawal is done, there are still emotional changes and issues having to do with your body and mind adapting to the lack of alcohol.
For me, my feelings were all over the place, from really up to really down, and my moods changed so fast it was hard to keep up. I only have two months sober so I'm still having some of that going on, but it is getting better. My antidepressants are actually helping since I'm not drinking one or two or more bottles of depressant every day.
I'm glad you found us. I credit my friends here for helping me stay sober. If you should have cravings to drink, please post on here before you pick up a drink. We'll try to talk you out of it and support your sobriety all the way. Please keep coming back, this is a wonderful place with loving and caring members. And don't forget, if you have anything frustrating on your mind, there's always Whiner's Anonymous!!
:ghug3
I decided to stop drinking last December but it wasn't til 60 days ago that I actually wanted to stay sober more than I wanted to drink. I was blessed that nothing really awful happened to me, or to anyone else, tho I did lose the respect of my daughters and that hurt bad.
I strongly support what TTOSBT suggested, about finding meetings in the morning and calling the AA hotline about having someone pick you up to take you to meetings. And when you go to the morning meetings, make your circumstances known, not being able to drive and feeling depressed. You'll surely find help from the members.
I think CarolD was right: you've only been sober 4 or 5 days, barely detoxed. Give your sobriety more time and you'll likely start feeling better emotionally. There's another little 'thing' that goes along with getting sober, and that's PAWS. Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. After the alcohol is all out of your system, after the 'acute' withdrawal is done, there are still emotional changes and issues having to do with your body and mind adapting to the lack of alcohol.
For me, my feelings were all over the place, from really up to really down, and my moods changed so fast it was hard to keep up. I only have two months sober so I'm still having some of that going on, but it is getting better. My antidepressants are actually helping since I'm not drinking one or two or more bottles of depressant every day.
I'm glad you found us. I credit my friends here for helping me stay sober. If you should have cravings to drink, please post on here before you pick up a drink. We'll try to talk you out of it and support your sobriety all the way. Please keep coming back, this is a wonderful place with loving and caring members. And don't forget, if you have anything frustrating on your mind, there's always Whiner's Anonymous!!
:ghug3
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ga
Posts: 23
Pencil, congratulations on your 5 days. In the past two years
I don't think I've ever gone longer than 4 days without a drink.
Just when I would start to see the faintest glimmer of who I used
to be, some little something would happen on day 5 and I would
throw it all away for a bottle of wine.
I wish I could offer you some sage advice on the depression,
but I'm still pretty new at this. All I know is the longer I stay
sober, the more manageable the depression becomes.
You're in my thoughts. Stay strong!
pg
I don't think I've ever gone longer than 4 days without a drink.
Just when I would start to see the faintest glimmer of who I used
to be, some little something would happen on day 5 and I would
throw it all away for a bottle of wine.
I wish I could offer you some sage advice on the depression,
but I'm still pretty new at this. All I know is the longer I stay
sober, the more manageable the depression becomes.
You're in my thoughts. Stay strong!
pg
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,537
Hi Pencil - I promise, your state of mind will change quite a few times as you get better. In the beginning I kept feeling like I was waiting for something. There's a big void in our lives where drinking used to be. All those feelings & reactions we didn't allow ourselves to have because we were numb, now need to come out. It's all so new & strange in the beginning. Don't despair. Be proud of yourself for reaching the conclusion that you need to stop - I wish I had when I was your age. (Many, many moons ago...
)
)
Turning it all around
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 330
Pencil,
When I quit, I accepted every symptom with open arms. I wanted to feel like crap. I wanted all the emotions. I wanted the physical pain. I turned it all into motivation to never drink again. As each symptom faded, I knew I would never experience it again. I am thankful that my experience was very uncomfortable. It has ended. It will end for you as well. If you need to see a doctor for something to take the edge off, there's nothing wrong with that. It makes sense that we re-develop life skills because we have turned from the slightest conflict for so long. Prayers
When I quit, I accepted every symptom with open arms. I wanted to feel like crap. I wanted all the emotions. I wanted the physical pain. I turned it all into motivation to never drink again. As each symptom faded, I knew I would never experience it again. I am thankful that my experience was very uncomfortable. It has ended. It will end for you as well. If you need to see a doctor for something to take the edge off, there's nothing wrong with that. It makes sense that we re-develop life skills because we have turned from the slightest conflict for so long. Prayers
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Northeast US
Posts: 1,340
Pencil, I've been going through the same thing. Have been depressed for much of my life, on treatment, off treatment.... blah. I'm in the process of discovering how my brain is sans alcohol, and it is indeed pretty freaky I am on day 19 now, and it did get better after the first two weeks. I'm not saying I'm Pollyanna now, but things are looking a little brighter, mainly because of the wonderful people I've met here and on AA. The AA people are calling, inviting me and giving me rides to meetings, and I've got to say even though I'm not sure I can do the program (still struggling with the HP deal), the emotional support has been, mmm, well, I don't think I'd still be sober without it. I would definitely be having a harder time getting out of bed in the morning.
Keep reaching out. Help's there.
I am on day 19 now, and it did get better after the first two weeks. I'm not saying I'm Pollyanna now, but things are looking a little brighter, mainly because of the wonderful people I've met here and on AA. The AA people are calling, inviting me and giving me rides to meetings, and I've got to say even though I'm not sure I can do the program (still struggling with the HP deal), the emotional support has been, mmm, well, I don't think I'd still be sober without it. I would definitely be having a harder time getting out of bed in the morning.Keep reaching out. Help's there.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 333
hi there - I know what you mean. For me, the 'worst' bit about being sober is dealing with real life. You can no longer hide behind the drink and realise that, actually, whatever is going on in your life, is still going to be there! Thinking straight is a new experience for me, and I've felt pretty down about certain things in my life lately. But, and it's a big but, without the drink, you'll be so much better equipped to deal with it!
I have been diagnosed with clinical depression and am on Anti-d's - probably for the rest of my life, but I am now, finally -der -, aware that actually the alcohol was a big part of that! It's like a big smoke screen has blown away. Yes, it's painful, yes, I sit and cry quite a lot but I know it's going to be ok!
Good luck
sas
DAY 28!!!
I have been diagnosed with clinical depression and am on Anti-d's - probably for the rest of my life, but I am now, finally -der -, aware that actually the alcohol was a big part of that! It's like a big smoke screen has blown away. Yes, it's painful, yes, I sit and cry quite a lot but I know it's going to be ok!
Good luck
sas
DAY 28!!!
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