Need Encouragement
 

7 days sober. My problem is and has been a prob for so long I can't even remember; is that I just can't seem to get going in the mornings. I'm not really depressed. Nor is it from lack of sleep - I get plenty.

I wake up feeling ok. I think about all the things I could do from cleaning my house to getting out of my house and doing something fun. But I just lay in bed, kinda froze. I usually lay here til I fall back to sleep, which doesn't take very long.

At some point i do get up and going but it seriously takes hours. It is usually mid afternoon when I finally get up. I am wasting my life! :gaah

As much as I hate getting out of bed to go to work Mon-Fri; it is a blessing to me; otherwise everyday would be like the weekends.

ANyone been there?

I am still there at almost four months, Kitty.

I am unemployed, and have a major motivation deficiency.

I hang out here at SR and read my recovery books.

Considering that I was throwing away a whole life with drinking, I think I am doing OK and try not to be too hard on myself.

My first post to SR was about my not using all the time I had previously spent drinking in a more productive manner. I'm pretty sure it was Dee who said, "Give it some time you are just now getting sober. Early recovery is tough."

I say the same advice applies to you. You are a week sober. Don't expect change to occur as rapidly as you like. Therefore go easy on yourself about it. Sobriety is tough enough without you being tough on yourself.

I think everyone's different, but I had no motivation/energy at first. It took a few months to feel completely energized again. It gets a little better each day, though.

I just looked at it like healing from any other condition, like the broken wrist I had a few years ago..... it's hard to be patient, but it really will get better!

PK -
First, thanks for the Friday post. It helped me get through my day 2.

Second, you might be in good company with the sleep thing. Here's a song by the Beatles - mainly John Lennon.

The title - I'm Only Sleeping

The Beatles - I'm Only Sleeping - YouTube

PreciousKitty, good for you for having 7 days sober!

Maybe you could start with focusing on accomplishing one thing each day. Make a list of things you want and need to do and cross off one item each day. It might help.

The idea of the list is a great idea. At first it may not seem like much, perhaps with just one item on it per day. But keep track of it. At some time there will be two items per day on it and as time goes on, more. Perhaps you might view it as a tool right now but in the future you could go back and look at it and see the progress that you've made? I've been keeping what could be be considered a daily activity log with the idea that I might not make daily progress the way I want but that over time I'll see a positive trend to look back at and realize how far I've come.

You aren't wasting your life, you're just starting it!

Getting sober is the coolest and most important thing you could possibly do.....your mind and body are busy healing now, maybe the extra sleep is simply part of that process. :)

I have trouble getting out of bed when I don't have to also. Try to make a plan the night before, set a goal such as being in the gym by 9am. If you won't follow your own appointments, make one with someone else. I make a list just about every day to help with motivation. Make an A list, B list, and C list - in order of importance. A-list stuff must get done, B list stuff can be done if as long as the A-list is complete and so forth. Or make a list in accordance to the time of day. I have morning, afternoon, and evening rituals. I also use an app on my iphone called "Errands," its free and really helpful.

PK, I am only at 11 days but already I can feel the difference. I go to a 7:30 AM meeting every day so that helps, but a trick I used to use is to have a good book, and stop in the evening at a place where I knew if I got up and had coffee I would get going.

It's hard, and you are not alone.

I also have problems with motivating myself. I'm 38 days sober. I got off all my psych meds and am feeling my feelings. I think they made me complacent about sobriety. Hang in there and if you ever need to message about it I'm here to listen.

Hi PK,

Oh, I can definitely relate. In my 20s I'd just sleep most of the weekend and used to say to myself that it was because I'd worked so hard during the week (which was true in those days). Now I'm not so comfortable.

Once you are actually up, do you find that you are then okay to start your day?

Reason I ask is that if there is one thing you'd like to do (and I think it should be something that you'd like to do, not should be doing) then that might be a technique.

For me its making a cup of tea. Its not perfect. Sometimes I'll bring that back to bed and then read for several hours, then get up, but when that happens I figure that reading is productive.

As others have said however, don't be too hard on yourself at this early stage.

I try the coffee thing. but to be honest I think it gives me more anxiety and so it gets worse.

It's nice to know I am not alone though.

Thanks for all your responses.

Very helpful - Thank u