SO IRRITABLE, does it pass?
 

So. Day two here. Went to a family fathers day get together at the inlaws which is stressful enough. And USUALLY I am drinking during it. Everyone else sure is. I was so bitter, angry, frustrated, and irritable beyond belief. Everything anyone said or did made me so angry. For no reason whatsoever. Then on the way home, just listening to my husband breathe made me want to punch him. Is this normal? ALL I wanted to do was down 3 shots and I would have been GREAT right? lol. Or down a glass of wine. Ugh. So frustrating. I am sure this feeling ends but please, any support will help!

Sincerely,
I will throat punch you if just sit there quietly

P.S. I am really not an angry person! Just right now. :tapping

I sure hope so. I'm in an overall foul mood today. Most of it is probably anger with myself, though.

Great job not drinking at the family event, Cleopatra!

Heh heh. Yes, totally normal in early sobriety.

Please don't *actually* harm any innocent people, no matter how they look at you.

It was a roller coaster for about a month for me emotionally. It levels out, if you keep working on the reasons why people irritate you and why you feel a need to drink over other peoples' actions.

Here:

http://i2.wp.com/www.cubebreaker.com...puppies-06.gif

Daria, It's rough :( You on day one? Day two isn't much better but I think we can do this!!!!

Biminiblue,

HAHAHAH!!! That helped :)

Your posts is precisely the reason I avoid those situations. A few feelings might get hurt, but if you truly want to change, there will be a little selfishness on your part. Take some time, cool off. It'll be OK. Its only 2 days, right?

Cleopatra,

It passes. It really does.

You just made me laugh - even if you didn't mean to.

I haven't hit anyone since I was a kid, but an evening with my in-laws when sober caused me to punch myself in the head last year.

That, was day 4 I think.

I have no advice to give, other than to push through these early days, and keep venting here. Just don't drink. No matter what.

Then reflect on your heroics as you wake, sober again , the next day.

Fradley :)

Right. I think if it was anyone other than family I would have bowed out :(

Well...every time I tried to quit previous to SR......I definitely had outbursts of anger........infact my bf at the time told me to go get some beer.......what's really made a difference for me is the meds I'm on from my shrink. I can't remember the last time I got really angry...... I just don't get angry anymore.......I don't cry anymore ......I don't obsess anymore.....and I'm working and focused again. Everyone is different but for me .......I'm quite sure I couldn't be sober any length of time w o them.

Gosh I know right? What is it about in-laws? I am excited to go to bed sober tonight and I know for a FACT I will wake up tomorrow happy I didn't drink.

Yup, day 1 here! I'm trying to watch Sherlock on Netflix for "fun" and am even annoyed waiting for Netflix to load. I'm a mess. Lol. I wanted to hear that day 2 was rainbows and sunshine. ;)

Cleopatra,
I'm finishing day 4 and the irritability is slacking up for me.
I'm getting to where I can see myself getting frustrated and I just stop and take a few DEEP belly breaths.

It gets better every day, though.
You realize when you're irritable and that's a good step.

For me, it's the deep breaths, but you certainly may have something else that you like that may calm you. Try it.
if it doesn't work, try something else.

Stay STRONG.

I hated everyone and everything in the beginning. It did pass. Sometimes it came back bit milder. Patience.

And my mother in law still sometimes inspires me to want to throttle her but that might just be her natural state.

I've been clean and sober for about a year and a half and I get pissy and angry sometimes still.

It does pass. You will still have bad days sometimes. It will be easier to cope with them as you remain sober.

This too will pass Cleopatra. A few more days and you should be Ok.

What I do is just tell EVERYONE...I'am in a pissy "State of mind"...so BACKOFF give me my room and be QUIET ! They usually comply.

If all else fails...just "Hole up" until it passes ! YOU and your sobriety is number 1 !...especially this early !

Love you !

(ducking)

DD

Cleo- my foul mood didn't show up until day 4. Maybe you're getting it over with sooner! Hang in there.
Fradley, I love your posts! Haven't punched myself in the head sober yet, but I used to drunk. I hated myself drunk. I quite like myself sober!

That is totally normal for an alcoholic to feel that way. There is a chapter in the big book of alcoholics anonymous and it talks about an alcoholic being "restless, irritable, and discontent" until again taking that first drink. You should give it a read its called "the doctors opinion". Personally as time went on that I was sober my life changed. I adopted new principles in my life and my urge to drink went away. How do you plan on getting sober? AA is the way i choose. Goodluck!

You've described my daily mood exactly.
Sorry I'm no help, but I sympathize .

The irritability will pass, as will the roller coaster of emotions. Early recovery can be a bumpy ride but in time it will smooth out. :)

Well, I don't want to get throat punched so I will tell you that these feelings pass. Your addiction is angry because you're not feeding it. If you keep not feeding it, that addiction will wither away and die and those feelings will too. Hang in there and congrats on posting instead of taking that first drink. Smart decision!