Was month 4 exceptionally difficult ?
 

In terms of mood swings, highs and lows, fatigue and energy, cravings, and all the other accoutrements that accompany sobriety ?

Some days I'm great - secure in my sobriety and feeling awesome energy wise. That might last a few days consecutively. Then, it shifts.

I'm feeling un poco loco. :grumble::grumble::grumble:

When I was at 4 months, there were days I struggled, but then there would be other days I was completely fine. One of the things I was dealing with at 4 months, was that the weather was getting nice out here. So between the winter AV switch to the summer AV switch, it was an adjustment. You sound like you're going through the same thing. One of the things I was very careful about (and am still careful about), is making sure I put myself in environments that support my sobriety.

I would recommend that if you're struggling to reach out. I had to reach out a few times to others during that time and it helped get me through. :hug:

Have you ever looked Into paws . I think it's broken down Into months

Oh AO, I'm going to be totally honest here. You have long, beautiful tresses and have had them all your life. You watch the Olympics and decide you want to be just like Dorothy Hamill when you grow up. Starting with your hair.

If day one of sobriety was sitting in the chair and getting a hair cut just like Dorothy, then 4 months of sobriety was that awkward in-between hair stage where you cannot use a barrette and it is still too short for a ponytail (of course, after realizing that you look nothing like Dorothy, are not Dorothy, never will be and started growing out your hair as soon as you could, vowing to never do anything so crazy with your hair by choice ever again for the rest of your life). Crazy kids. Hang in there! The 4 month strangeness passes.

Be gentle with yourself, as usual, and remember that you are in the Midwest and season changes mean activity and habit changes for everyone. In hindsight, having grown up in the Midwest where much of my life was lived dependent upon the season shifts it makes sense that I needed to be cognizant of this with sobriety as well. It really was important for me actually. Hugs to you and great job, AO!

Hang in there AO, my moods were still all over the place at Month 4.

I'd have good days, and then I'd have bad days!!

The important thing is to keep reaching out for support!! :)

This. Is. AWESOME. :hug:

I started feeling a lot better after three months as that was when I started to practice gratitude every day. It really made a difference. :)

Yeah, months four and five were filled with "wait a minute, I don't drink anymore? I don't drink anymore? Who is this person who doesn't drink anymore?" I liked it but it felt very strange. Just keep pushing through.

Around 4 months, I had crazy mood swings. I was all over the place with my emotions. Now at just about 6 months, the crazy swings are gone. It will get better, hang in there.

Hey AO

I think Strategery has a point about the weather change as well. One of my AA folks always comments about being careful when the season changes. It makes folks feel strange.. Having said that, I had lots of mood swings from month 3 onwards. Its par for the course I reckon. Over time, the magnitude and tenor will diminish. Nowadays, I still have mood swings but they pass within a short time. Hang in there !

For me the most difficult in terms of mood swings was the 5-6 months period. Last summer. Then shorter "crazy" periods coming and going, but I mostly stopped craving alcohol after ~6 months (and that was a big change given how intense and stubborn cravings I had initially).

Aren't you also relatively newly taking an antidepressant med? I remember your posting how it helps, but maybe it also needs a longer period of adjustment to achieve more stability, it's definitely a big chemical change for the brain.

I also liked Verte's post about seasons. I think it's quite common that experiencing everything "for the first time" in sobriety comes with challenges, for all of us. Maybe time for a new hairstyle, after all? A non-crazy one :)

Thanks Haennie. :hug:

I am on Lexapro 5mg. It's been 10 weeks. So I'm thinking I should be as stable as I'm gonna get in that dept (?)

Such good stuff. I never realized how much the weather affects me. It makes absolute sense that the transition would affect me. Both positively (spring, summer). Negatively (fall,winter).

Really gives me pause. Thanks :)

I was thinking that maybe it's a bit like sobriety itself in a way: creates a new state of the brain and mind and we need to learn to function in this new state in interaction with everyday challenges and normal changes in our environment.

Anyhow, not sure you realize, AO, but I think recently you sound so much better in your posts from what I recall months ago, or last year. I think things will only get better and more stable, just keep at it :)

I got a bad case of the blahs in month four feeling very flat for several weeks. Month 5 has been better.

Thank you for saying that. :hug:

Truth is, you all know me better than anyone in real life. I'm brutally honest here. Warts and all.

You can't imagine what that means to me Haennie.

Because it means, in spite of everything I'm facing, I'm making it... :)

What Strat and Verte said. I had mental bumps and bruises from months four and five. The weather shift is under appreciated sometimes. It's huge.

Hang in there. You won't be Dorothy Hamil forever.:)

Month 4 and month 8 were really tough. I felt unmotivated, tearful, forgetful and very anxious. I have just had another episode at 18 months but far less intense. It really does get better though and after each episode I feel like my batteries have been recharged. All the best xx

AO, it was just nuts for me the first six months :) Got to be totally honest, lol. Just up and down all over the place crazy nuts for at least six months if not nine. There was one low point about four to six months in (wish I'd journaled at that point but I wasn't consistent) where I was just flat on my face in bed for about a month. So depressed. I'd crashed from coffee and running. I had to rethink my exercise plan after that :) My brain wanted to ZOOM into recovery and have everything be wonderfully perfect like right NOW :) But of course it couldn't and so it had to heal in its own time, not exactly how I wanted it to.

The amazing thing about the first year is that's when I learned the most about how to "just deal" with life and have patience and compassion with myself, and with others.

And I hope to goodness I never have to start over :)

Thank you for this friend. May we never have to ever start over :)