Emotional Lability
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Earth
Posts: 164
Emotional Lability
Is some degree of emotional lability normal in early recovery?
Little things seem to upset me really easily lately. I find myself crying over things that seem like no big deal to other people. I also get bad anxiety, and freak out, and get angry, and laugh, and love, and cry some more. I'm already a sensitive person but I'm wondering if early recovery intensifies all these emotions.
(Background: I used to binge drink at night, most nights, then "sober up" for work. So I wasn't drinking 24/7, but I did use alcohol as a coping mechanism.)
I don't know if it's my recovery or something else, or both. There are a few other factors it could be so I'm trying to see if I can pin this one down. Could it be something chemical in my brain causing this? Has anyone else experienced this?
Little things seem to upset me really easily lately. I find myself crying over things that seem like no big deal to other people. I also get bad anxiety, and freak out, and get angry, and laugh, and love, and cry some more. I'm already a sensitive person but I'm wondering if early recovery intensifies all these emotions.
(Background: I used to binge drink at night, most nights, then "sober up" for work. So I wasn't drinking 24/7, but I did use alcohol as a coping mechanism.)
I don't know if it's my recovery or something else, or both. There are a few other factors it could be so I'm trying to see if I can pin this one down. Could it be something chemical in my brain causing this? Has anyone else experienced this?
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
My mind as well as my body was all over the place for months!!
The reality was my body was adjusting to not having alcohol, it took years to dig myself into this place and it was gonna take more than a few weeks to get me out!!
Hang in there, it gets better!!
The reality was my body was adjusting to not having alcohol, it took years to dig myself into this place and it was gonna take more than a few weeks to get me out!!
Hang in there, it gets better!!
Sober Alcoholic
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,539
Psalm 118:24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 15,203
What you're experiencing is normal. That's why early recovery is so difficult. The flood gates are wide open now that they are no longer numb with alcohol.
Have you got anything you like to do for physical activities? Go work out keep active, focus your mind on meditation.
An idle mind keeps your mind on all your emotions without a positive way to release them.
Have you got anything you like to do for physical activities? Go work out keep active, focus your mind on meditation.
An idle mind keeps your mind on all your emotions without a positive way to release them.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Gatineau, QC, CA
Posts: 5,100
Normal, and unpleasant. But good news is that intensity decreases with time.
But emotions are emotions, and they are there to stay. Getting used to dealing with them in a healthy way takes practice.
But emotions are emotions, and they are there to stay. Getting used to dealing with them in a healthy way takes practice.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,874
The emotional roller coaster can be a wild ride on early times, Clementina. We havevabused our bodies and minds; they are in recovery.
Things will level out, in time.
In the meantime, be gentle and kind with yourself.
Things will level out, in time.
In the meantime, be gentle and kind with yourself.
Ya**!
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Canada! wtf eh?
Posts: 1,123
Yeah, its quite a ride. The other day I was in the theater and had tears running down my face from watching the father figure be kind to his children. While I'm admittedly sensitive, lately its been hugely magnified.
I think "raw" was the word someone else used around here. Pretty fitting.
I think "raw" was the word someone else used around here. Pretty fitting.
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
I remember very early in sobriety and i heard a song by Rudimental & emili sande called free and i burst into tears yes early sobriety is full of emotions
as someone said the good thing about being sober is you get your feelings back
the bad thing about being sober is you get your feelings back
http://youtu.be/KDPW_g2AhAU
as someone said the good thing about being sober is you get your feelings back
the bad thing about being sober is you get your feelings back
http://youtu.be/KDPW_g2AhAU
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
I think it's VERY normal Clementina.
Dipping my lid, and with all due respect to awuh, I don't even ascribe it to PAWs myself, cos this hyper emotionality is nearly a universal experience, whereas PAWs is not.
I liken it to a dam breaking - we walled up our feelings for a long time - then the dam
wall came down - it takes the 'water' a little time to find it's level again, but it will
D
Dipping my lid, and with all due respect to awuh, I don't even ascribe it to PAWs myself, cos this hyper emotionality is nearly a universal experience, whereas PAWs is not.
I liken it to a dam breaking - we walled up our feelings for a long time - then the dam
wall came down - it takes the 'water' a little time to find it's level again, but it will
D
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Earth
Posts: 164
Thanks everyone for the support and encouragement.... It's so helpful to know this is normal and gets better!!
I imagine the holidays only make things worse, too. They tend to be a depressing time of year for people who are already going through a lot.
I imagine the holidays only make things worse, too. They tend to be a depressing time of year for people who are already going through a lot.
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