janitorking

anyone have any tips on dealing with the scathing irritability that often comes with early recovery? i can hardly take it sometimes. people that don't normally annoy me are annoying me. noises that really aren't that loud make me crazy. the only things that help me relax are the sedatives my doctor prescribed me. that worries me a little. trading one relaxant for another. all i know is i'm constantly holding back the urge to scream. maybe i should stop holding back and just scream. that probably wouldn't go over very well at work though.

tommyk

12 steps, spiritual principles, and meetings?

Chamabama

One thing that helps me is to pound it out on the treadmill or trails. But not recommended until you're past the initial detox!

24hrsAday

i have had the same problem in the past and (sometimes) still do.. i was on anti-depressants for my first 4-5 months this last time.. stay strong!

C23

Workout! It is amazing how the natural endorphins released in your body can put you in a better mood as well as relax you after wards.

Dee74

Looks like the consensus is exercise
I also play my guitar a LOT lol

D

luckedog

This may not apply to you at all. After examning why I get so irritable while detoxing is simple in my case-- My KING BABY wants his way NOW!( study on the first step ). In my case irritability is a manifistation of me being selfish! I want MY way and I want it Now- If I dont get it I get aggrivated with others and the situation! His Majesty, The Baby has A hard time taking the back seat. He feels more comfortable as the center of the universe.
I am working very hard to de-throne him believe Me it is A struggle when he has been King for so long. I am sure some of the irritability is simply chemical changes in the body while detoxing. I notice they lessen with time, Thank God.

MycoolFitz

I'll second all the above plus recommend some sitting meditation, just breathing and being it does wonders for irritability, anxiety, etc. Want to know more about it just let me know and anyway,I'd rather be sober and irritable right now then drink. Way to go.

“When we begin to practice [mindfulness], we don’t realize the long and difficult transformation required of us. We have to see through our pursuit of outward things, the false gods of pleasure and security. We have to stop gobbling this and pursuing that in our shortsighted way, and simply relax into the cocoon, into the darkness of the pain that is our life… when we’re perfectly willing to be there—in other words, when we’re willing for life to be as it is, embracing both life and death, pleasure and pain, good and bad, comfortable in being both—then the cocoon begins to dissolve.”

hopeful999

I am going to go out on a limb and say just try screaming. It won't hurt anyone. I've done it before to release frustration. Try it. And a get a good night's sleep, mate.

smacked

I was pretty much irritated with most things in life when I was hungover. Considering your last post, I bet you're not feeling too hot right now. Not sure that that is more consistent with recovery, or hangovers though.. I have definitely had my ups and downs, but I wouldn't say that I'm irritated with people more now at all.. but yes, absolutely when I was still playing with "quitting" (and not...).

Sweets79

Hi,

I wish I had some tips for you. I still deal with this myself. In the past I have taken a valium to calm down if I really felt on edge and like I was going to jump out of my skin. I think they are fine to have on hand, but only if used when needed.

Now, the thing that helps me the most is going to the gym and working out. I notice if I feel really frustrated or annoyed, I feel somewhat relieved when I'm done working out. Don't get me wrong, I am not jumping all around in an amazing mood because I worked out, but it helps.

I am still trying to find a way to deal with irritability though. If you find out anything that helps, let me know!

keithj

Alcohol is not my problem. It never was. For me, alcohol was a solution to all the problems I perceived in my life. I have a living problem. I couldn't live with drinking anymore, that part was obvious by the results and consequences in my life. But I couldn't live with not drinking. I found myself restless, irritable, and discontent. So I always returned to drinking. And the results were always the same.

I'm an alcoholic, and I recovered through the spiritual awakening of AA's 12 steps. That was after trying everything else under the sun. It was always the same. A little time sober, and the inevitable still worse relapse.

These days, I float along with the current of life instead of swimming against it.

janitorking

thank you all for the advice. one thing that i'm going to try is meditation and prayer. two things i've never done before so i'm not planning on getting it right the first time. the big book tells us that bottles are but a symbol. i'm starting to completely agree. my problem really isn't with alcohol. it's with living a healthy purposeful life. i felt a great deal of relief when i made my first amend as part of step 9. i felt like a million pounds had been lifted off my back. it was one less reason to have to look over my shoulder and wait for my past to come back and hunt me down. working the steps has been enlightening and exhausting. it feels like recovery and all of its demands have become who i am. this is not a complaint. i would rather be a fanatic slave to recovery than to alcohol. i'd be lying if i said the whole thing didn't make me tired. this is where i'm hoping prayer and meditation come in. caffeine helps too.
thanks again,
janitorking

1_day@_a_time

many would suggest this is a Step 2 problem.

Step 1 & 3 are strong possibilies too.

least

In early sobriety I was very anxious and irritable. I didn't want benzos (and couldn't get them anyway) so I took an herbal anti-anxiety, which helped me a lot. It contained valerian, hops, and scullcap. Chamomile tea helps too, to calm me. Give the herbal remedies a try. They've helped me and they're not addictive.