jmd003

Today is day 2 for me and I'm struggling. Not with any desire to drink. That's the last thing I want. But all day long I've been feeling awful. Depressed. I feel like even without drinking, life won't get any better. I've been walking around in a depressed fog all day.

Is this common after quitting? Yesterday I felt happy about it and today I just woke up depressed.

Will this pass? Is it a symptom of withdrawal?

IOAA2

Hi and welcome. I have no idea of your drinking history but will say that alcohol is no health drink and is a depressant so being depressed might be expected. If your physically hurting, shaking and so on see a doctor as withdrawal is nothing to take lightly. Reading the many posts here can be enlightening. I needed to be honest about my alcoholism and accept the fact that I cannot drink in safety any longer.

BE WELL

Zalie

Ugh, I feel for you! I'm on day 3 and it's a bit of a roller coaster. Today I feel *physically* better, not so jittery or on edge, but I think I've got the Ativan to thank for that. I am an emotional wreck however and feel almost manic at times. I'm hoping it's just my brains fried wiring trying to figure out where the new normal is. Friends who have been through recovery have told me it gets a bit better every day, and 90 days out I'll be able to look back and think man I was a total mess! I feel like myself again! Lots of b vits, lots of water, trying to get into daily routines, that's my plan for recovery. I hope you hang in there- we'll all lead much better lives as our sober selves!

Thepatman

Yes it shall pass. It's perfectly normal. You are having emotions and not getting them numb with Alcohol. Give it time and I guarantee things will feel a lot more normal.

Great job on 2 days!! Keep going, one little day at a time, baby steps works best!

Mags1

Hi jmd I went through lots of emotions when I stopped drinking, happy, of course that I'd stopped, but then I had to learn recovery.

I do it by coming here and read posts, writing down my feelings, having a rant etc.

Of course, you may want to visit your GP for any advice and help.

Congratulations on day 2

jmd003

Thanks. I have no physical symptoms except for my body feeling heavy. Which is not a problem I suppose, as in it being medically relevant. I've felt this way in the past many times and it was usually after having been stressed out or very active. It's the physical manifestation of fatigue.

I'm pretty relaxed, just... depressed. I have a long drinking history. I did have some sober time before my relapse 2 days ago. So I've been through withdrawal before. This time it's just the depression that makes everything seem to terrible and hopeless.

But, if it goes away and I turn back to my normal way of feeling, it's ok. I'll just wait for it to go away.

Mags1

I found that since I've been sober I feel so honest, after years of hiding alcohol, never facing up to how much I was drinking.

With my honesty comes a multitude of feelings and emotions I am trying to deal with.

It takes time, for us to accept our new selves, but every day is more enlightening and more positive that this is how I want to live my life, alcohol free.

PurpleKnight

It's still early days at Day 2, but as withdrawal symptoms pass, keep in mind your emotional/mental outlook has been clouded with alcohol, and until the body adapts to being "starved" of it and levels out, your gonna feel some weird things and moods are going to swing, this is just your body re aligning itself.

So ride it out, plenty of fluids, good food, plenty of rest . . . the body without the poison of alcohol will do it's thing and one day soon you'll wake up feeling amazing!!

360shoes

Hi jmd,
It's normal. It will either improve on its own or you will have to put a little work in to help it. Either way it gets better.

It helped me to kind of refine my definition of better in the beginning.
No hangover. Better
No letting myself down. Better
Sometimes sad and didn't feel so hot. Still better.
One more day away from it. Much better.

There was a lot of better even in the days where the best I could do was lay in bed with a pint of hagan daz.

I would certainly talk to someone if I didn't get a break from the depression here and there. Just a glimpse is all I needed at first. But if I didn't get a glimpse I would have looked for some more help.

Took me a little time on how to learn how to make myself feel better all by myself. Heaven knows for years all I knew was opening a wine bottle to do it.

It gets so much better. I'm really pretty happy and pretty grounded most of the time now.

Keep looking forward and try practicing some things to learn how to try to comfort yourself in a good way. It takes practice!

Good job! Keep it up!

neferkamichael

Jmd003, 2 days and struggling? You are FANTASTIC, congratulations. Just suffer through it, it'll take time, put it gets better. Rootin for ya.

jmd003

Just so you know, the way I'm feeling is clearing up quite fast. I'm beginning to relax and feel better. I'm so happy to be sober! I look forward to the next night sober. Last night my sleep was of low quality, but now I'm starting to feel like it'll be a good night during which I can restore.

I've eating. Not ideally, just random things I had cravings for. I took some vitamins. Drank enough water. The nutrition part of it really makes a difference. I think I'm going to build up a healthy eating pattern and use supplements for the next month or 2. After those 2 months my diet should be healthy enough to not need them anymore. But after the abuse on my body, it makes sense to give it something extra for a while to help it recover.

I'm already getting my energy back. My favorite activity used to be taking long walks and I'm getting the good feeling about that back. So I'll be picking that up again soon as well. And maybe find a fun sport.

And I want to get back to learning things. Keeping my brain active. I always loved that.

Healthy diet, physical exercise and mental stimulation are all very important for being healthy and mentally sharp.

So that's my goal. To implement those elements. For the rest of my life. And included in the healthy diet, the element of alcohol will be non-existent.

I'm feeling optimistic about this. I know that during early withdrawal, there can be times where I feel depressed again for a little while. But I've now also seen the positive side and it's perfectly realistic. The depressed point of view really isn't.

I'm looking forward to creating a healthy, happy me!

KateL

Well done, it will get better. Day 2 is wonderful x