Mish

Hi All
Just thinking out loud. I've been sober two weeks this Friday....I know I will make it to Friday that's not the issue. The first week (after withdrawals) was lovely. But over the last few days I've been quite moody and my thought process has been "so is this it?". Is it normal to go through a flat period? I have no desire to drink (nothing but a bit of AV talking here and there...but I know how to handle AV now) but a bit over the whole "Groundhog Day" scenario. I guess I'm just going to have to find a hobby or something. I know life is not always sunshine and lollipops but this flatness is tiresome. I'm snapping at the kids....hubby works away so he's managed to avoid Moody Mish. Might get the runners on....exercise has always helped my mood. Maybe it's AV trying a different tactic....maybe AV is the one saying "is this it?"....trying to get me to drink through boredom?? Worth a thought I guess. Hope everyone is having a great week x Mish

Marcher13

Oh yes Mish, entirely normal. There is the elation of the decision and early success, your body going through the healing process, then emotions settling down. Feeling flat is common, exercise and the outdoors definitely helps.

ETA I just noticed your location Mish, you're Aussie too -- our shorter days at the moment won't be helping.

Dee74

Hi Mish

Give yourself a chance

You're still in early recovery - your mind and body is still healing...and I'd imagine you're still in the early stages of working out who sober you is and what a sober life might be like.

It gets better - but please try and be patient. I found things seems to fall into place a little more after 90 days - I hope you find that too - or even sooner

D

trachemys

Mish, try and think back to having the same thoughts when drinking. When gettin wound up, there's always the elation as the buzz starts developing. "Oh, FUN!" Later, before properly blotto, there's a point where you ask the same question. "Ok, I'm drunk. Is that it?" Not content with the answer, we add more booze seeking the initial state but never reaching it.

Luckily, sobriety doesn't have to have that peak and fall. As long as you keep doing, it gets better and better. Your idea of exercise is a great one. I'm getting hooked on walking again and am eying the weight machines in the gym.

Nonsensical

Google "anhedonia and addiction".

It's altogether normal. Your brain will repair itself.

We drinkers aren't known for being patient, but you have to wait this out for the big payday.

Congrats on 2 weeks!

Mish

Not quite at 2 weeks yet Nonsensical....but thank you for the early congrats. I'll revisit your post on Friday at give myself a pat on the back for 2weeks ;-) I will definitely google "anhedionia and addiction" xxx

Thepatman

Dee has a great point. I never pulled a good 6 months or a year so never got a chance to know the real me without booze. This time I am doing this, I understand that things appear a bit on the boring side.

If all the people with extended time say it get's better with time, I believe it will and trust them.

Foolsgold186

Hi Mish,

I completely get this. I too am going through the exact same thoughts (I'm just 20 days sober, lapsed after 30!) I'm agitated in work, family and friends cant do or say anything right and my boyfriend is officially in fear of his life! I know things will get better and it's just me adapting to a new way of life. Difference is now I know its my only option.

Id rather be p*ssed off for a while than p*ssed lying in a gutter!

Hope things gets better for you!

Well done on nearly 2 weeks!

L x

KAD

Hi Mish. Quitting drinking won't solve all your problems, but it's guaranteed to solve that one. In the same way, it won't suddenly make your life more exciting either. That part is up to you. I'd say your suspicion that it just might be your AV's clever way of steering you back to the idea of drinking is likely to be the case. I'm around 5 weeks sober and I'm still physically and emotionally unsettled to a degree. My life has become more routine and predictable. Then again, drinking everyday was pretty routine and predictable, too. It was just physically killing me and wreaking havoc in every aspect of my life.

Jupiters

I'm on day 66 and this week has been particularly rough. I KNOW it is b/c I'm slacking on actually DOING anything though. I have some crap I'm trying to sort out that's draining me in everyway possible so when I hit that funky mood, I remind myself...it's temporary, and it WILL change. I know I need to start putting more into it and I will...but right now I'm allowing myself this time to just process and regroup
no urge to drink, like you ...the AV comes, it goes...but emotionally I'm pretty fragile.

hang in there. it does get better. I had 18mths once under my belt and remember it feeling pretty darn amazing.

PurpleKnight

2 weeks is still early days, after years pouring alcohol into our bodies, they won't heal/adjust in a matter of weeks, it's gonna take time!!

Hang in there!!

desypete

what i had to learn to do was to just be gratefull for whatever i have in my life to really appriecate being sober

i had to make a gratitude list
a list of all the things i do have in my life that if i carried on drinking i wouldnt have
things like a job, money, my family, my partner, my home, my food, being able to come online and complain about my life, lol you name it i have to be grateful for it as if i was drinking i wouldnt have them for long as i will end up loseing them over time

it also shows up how selfish a person i am as i wouldnt be grateful for anything really

just another one of life changing exceriszes that i have to put the effort into at the start but over time it become a new habbit

so yes its normal to feel so flat but thats because i am not looking at it the right way around
try and make a gratitude list and see how you feel
ask your self are you happy now being sober as you have so much in your life to be grateful for ?
if not go and take a walk down to the local kids hospitals and watch how the kids are suffering, that should melt even the hardest of hearts : )

FeelingGreat

Hi Mish, nice to hear from a fellow West Aussie. Take the kids out for a walk after school, maybe to the shops or kick around the footy. You'll be nicer to them and feel much better for it yourself.

Keep going; early sobriety is full of ups and downs, but most are fixable (and not with a glass of wine!), and you're doing the right thing.

SoberJohnny

It gets better pal. Two weeks is very short.. we have to realize we've been destroying our brain for many years and it does take some time to recover fully - mentally, emotionally, physically, and in every other way. The good thing though? It absolutely does happen.

ForgetfulKevin

Very useful thread for me this morning. Thanks, all!

Mish

Thanks for your support everyone. You have no idea how much you helped me put it all into context. I ended up going for a run and feel a lot better now. I guess the thing that struck a chord the most was that it is very early days....it's the longest I have gone without alcohol in years and I had this unrealistic expectation I would be doing a happy dance everyday! which would definitely not be normal because Life has it's ups and downs even without quitting alcohol. I have to admit I was wallowing in a little self pity too but the run has seemed to slap that out of me. I love you guys... You're the best! And it's wonderful see another West Aussie (Feeling Great) here. x Mish