Outonthetiles

For me, waves of depression were a side effect that no one warned me about. It has largely passed, but I still get brief periods of sadness about a specific relationship that I destroyed and a person I hurt very badly. It's gotten better, but it's always lurking below the surface.

Plure

Hi Kgr, I agree with others, just give it time. Alcohol wrecks such havoc on our neurochemical balance that it takes a while for things to reach a new homeostasis where you feel normal. It also wrecks havoc on our social life with damaged relationships and regrets for those we have wronged, which takes a while to mentally process. That's one of the aspects of AA that is so strong...addressing past wrongs and moving past them.

In addition to the social depression from regret, I also agree that some people, like myself, have an organic issue that may need treating with meds or therapy, or both. In my case, I've suffered with anxiety and panic since being a teenager, along with some mild depression that's a lot more subtle but still negative on my life. I was using alcohol as my med, which worked OK, until everything fell apart.

Now I take a relatively small amount of an SSRI antidepressant, and it has really helped me.

Hang in there!