Emotions of early recovery
 

Flopping heck! All over the place. Serene and positive one minute, a depressed mess the next. These are the feelings I've always tried to escape from.

This heat doesn't help physical stuff either!

How does everyone else deal with these roller coaster of emotions?

And it's stupid how that makes me want to use. Oh because the emotional ride of being addicted to *insert substance here* is oh so smooth as we all know...

I just work my way thru them and let them happen. Not much I can do besides that...I feel your pain :(

Thanks. Yeah it's just getting used to it I guess and working through stuff.

Every day whether good or bad seems to build upon itself a set of lessons learned, hindsight, good and bad memories. Each day we have sober we can call it the past in 24 single hours. Those hours add up and eventually, if we are paying attention, we learn better coping mechanisms to stay healthy. Just keep holding on. Just keep trying. IMHO

It gets easier as the days add up, you will still have the stresses of everyday life, but we find new ways to deal with them. Glad you are on and posting as much as you are.

Thanks Newhouse.


Delilah I am posting quite alot aren't I!? I seem to need to. There's a constant flow of thoughts that need to come out and I'm trying not to burden my husband with them. He's been through enough with me over the last 12 years.

Every event that's really high or really low momentarily kicks in the impulse to drink. It's not a strong impulse but it often catches me off guard.

I think as we go on, we find ways to deal with our emotions rather than just being a victim to them. With drugs or alcohol we can pretty much instantly change the way we feel even though it doesnt always bring us what we want, we know it will be "different"
In sobriety, we have to develop coping mechanisms. And to do this, its using trial and error.
Some of the things I do to change the way I feel are going for a walk, having a hot bubble bath, chatting on here, chatting to a friend, listening to music, researching a topic I am interested in, having a nap, or simply getting under the duvet and allowing it to "cuddle" me, having something to eat or meditation.
I am no expert but these things do help me and I am sure that the more we practice, the more we will be confident that we dont have to succumb to negative feelings and feel that the only alternative is drugs or drink

That roller coaster of emotions is what us addicts have been running away from for so long.
Remember you don't need to deal with everything at once.
Take deep breaths. Be gentle with yourself. Don't use or drink. Take each day as it comes and ride that wave.
Remember you won't ever have to feel like this again if you don't pick up. It will pass.
Sending you a big hug xxx

I know how you feel. I had 6 days before yesterday and then I succumbed to the pressure I was feeling cause of the holiday and a recent break up. So I'm back at day one...again...it's ok though cause I didn't drink today and that's what's important. I am attending a meeting tomorrow and hope to get a couple of numbers so that I can fight these urges and don't give in to that cunning and baffling enemy that is alcohol. Good luck to you friend and it will get easier. I don't have the experience in sobriety to say it from that standpoint but I have the misery in alcohol to know it will as long as we don't drink.

What you are feeling are appropriate emotions, the kind of things you are expected to feel as you go on this journey. You just have to feel them but the most important thing is you don't beat yourself up for feeling them, it's OK to feel low, ride it out, it will get better! Try and think of the positives, you are recovering, you are improving, one step at a time. Changing life time, learned habits will not happen overnight. I often look back to see how I have changed, the steps are small and subtle, but they are there!

Keep strong, you're doing so well :)

Thanks for your comments and advice everyone. Just feeling like a terrible wife and mother and friend right now. So sick of it all being about me. I wish I could go through a day without some mental or emotional or physical complaint to burden my husband with. I wish I had more headspace for the kids, they're such awesome people.