BabyJane

Does anyone else feel like they were a "high functioning" alcoholic / addict? I know that it may be a myth having to do mostly with false perceptions BUT when I was drinking and drugging I was still getting s**t done and lately (in sobriety) I can barely get out of bed man!!! What is the deal? Why is it so hard for me to just do daily "life" stuff sober?

Frustrated. Any tips? What can I do to motivate myself to get going?

Sazzle

I believe I was a high functioning alcoholic. I got 3 promotions at work, drank to excess 4-5 nights a week and massive binges at weekends.

I think it is the sudden change in diet that is making you exhausted. It's a lot of sugar that had just been cut out and needs replacing for a bit.

I just plain stared into space for 2 days and slept forever!

This too, shall pass

S x

ChangingforGood

Oh yes! I feel your pain. I feel like when I was taking my pain pills I got tons of things done during the day. Now I cant even drag myself out of bed! I sit down doing nothing all day and feel like its to tiring to even get up and get a drink of water.
From what ive read, this does pass. Its going to be hard waiting for this to pass because mentally its screwing with me big time.

Natom

Well I wasn't high functioning in the respect of actually getting stuff done. But I could talk for England and walk for miles on my drug of choice, which just happened to be a stimulant, go figure. I couldn't really live life as an addict, at all.

Dee74

I think we have to remember in all the 'productivity' (and I put that in inverted commas because although my output was great, I'm not sure I did that good a job really) we were really abusing our bodies and minds dreadfully....

It takes a little time to recuperate.

Set a reasonable amount of tasks and goals per day and do them.
Eat well, get exercise.

Things will be good again soon...try and ride it out Baby Jane

D

endlesspatience

are you sure you are getting nothing done? I tried this. I wrote down each night what I wanted to achieve the next day: small things, easy goals. Then the next day I'd check if I'd achieved those goals. Usually I did if I was sober. If I was drunk I didn't even pick up the notebook to see if there'd been any progress.

Change4good

Energy returns. Your body has to heal. Give it time. I know it may seem hard, but give it a shot. There is a reason you joined here. Think about the reasons you quit.

BabyJane

Very good ideas and THANK YOU so much for your replies and support!

Good point, Im only a few days in. I can take this time to set some goals and rest, get my strength up... I'm lucky I even have time to just relax! Usually that was one of my excuses for not getting clean - I had "too much going on" - haha.

Well today all I've got to do, honestly, is stay sober. And I can do that!
You guys rock thanks again!

ChangingforGood

Im going to try the task list thing. Maybe once I do that ill realize I am getting things done but without realizing it

sugarbear1

Do a search....alcohol does act like a stimulant for many of us alkies....of course, we also "think" we get a lot done. In early sobriety, I realized I was doing a lot during my drinking days, but it really wasn't a great job.....

Give yourself time to heal. The motivation returns ten-fold! And you'll see you do a much better job at everything sober!

Love & hugs,

Auvers

Fatigue, lethargy can definitely be symptoms during the weeks and months following quitting. Loss of interest in a lot of stuff. All part of the brain getting used to functioning without the alcohol. It gets better slowly.

instant

Your engine and spirit ran on the juice and had been doing for some time. My emotions and basic biological functioning took at least six months to sort itself out.

HFA

That's why my login is HFA.. I could crank out lots of work at home. Beer kept me filled. Work was never a problem. Got all my projects done. Even some I took on the side. But then I wasn't. It caught up with me and I had to stop drinking.
Now a couple months in I feel low and sluggish. I had over a year sober once before, it does pick up.

FreeFall

BabyJane, I can totally relate. I felt like I was accomplishing more before I quit. Realistically, I knew that wasn't accurate, but it felt like that. I was very good at multi tasking, and never drank until I got all the important stuff done. So, you can imagine how much I wanted to get it all done so I could drink. Now that I don't drink, I'm not racing toward any kind of reward. I have more quality hours in the day now, but recovering is exhausting so I do less than before. Each month it gets better. Daily life isn't hard because you're sober, it's hard because your body is adjusting and healing. Pretty soon, you'll find your to do list is not as challenging when you're sober-you can check off more items and get through them much faster and have time left over to do fun things.

Take power naps. Drink ice tea or coffee. Short lists idea was a good one. Cut yourself some slack-you are accomplishing something huge by not drinking or doing drugs-sometimes other stuff gets bumped to low priority for awhile. You can always catch up if you need to.

Cleopatra1

hey baby,, hope you feel ok today!
i agree with all the lovies above,, ive just had my first whole weekend with out any drink , and i only slept for 4 hrs the 1st nitgh, but was ok,, last night i slept for 10 hrs!! solid,, it was bliss, and i know ive gotten up late today (11.30 am) but who cares!!! i have nothing planned till latas, and i feel AMAZING!!
keep it up huin lv cleo xxx

SunnyFlower

Hi BabyJane! I felt alot like you, tired, fatiqued, could barely make it through my job etc, when I first sobered up.

I am at 2 months sober and for the first time in ages I not only had the energy but the desire to finally clean my house. (Boy, did it need it). Didn't go to bed until 2 a.m. this morning and am up bright and early.

It is true...our bodies need time to heal and repair itself after all the damage we have done to it. I think my body is still on the mend, but it's getting better.

Alcohol robs us of important vitamins and minerals. I've been keeping in close contact with my GP and found through blood work that my B & D Vitamins were very low.

So I am now taking Vitamins daily.
Drinking water helps flush out toxins.
Rest Another vital element to help heal our bodies.
Eating right and exercise (both of which I am still struggling with)
Patience- Just remember time is on your side-It does get better!

Goodluck! And keep your posts coming!