Challenges
 

I am six weeks sober. I have had no cravings nor any compulsion or desire to drink in this time. I do have other challenges though. I find that I get irritated very quickly, much more so than when I drank. I am also now super sensitive and touchy, something I defnitely was not as a drinker. Lastly I am bored. The evenings seem to last forever. I go to gym every day after work but that only covers an hour. I find television a real yawn. My job entials reading all day so it is difficult to spend every evening reading.

I know I will have to find a satisfactory solution for this. Just exploring various possibilities as to what to do with all this extra time has already helped me tonight.

Sober life requires so much more than just being sober.

The anger is common, mine was typical and sounds a lot like yours. It gets better over time.

There are a billion ways to fill your time. What interests you?

Bingo.

Getting alcohol out of me was just the first thing. Learning to live was the next. I can never drink again - but nothing about my life is truly "about" the alcohol.

At first - where you are- sometimes just killing time to let my brain wander was what I needed to do; sometimes occupying myself....it annoyed me like it does most of us, but it all takes time.

Keep going.

Congrats on six weeks sober! :) Emotions can be very up and down in early recovery. Stay sober and it will get better.

I suggest volunteer work. Get out into your community and do something you enjoy that will help other people.

I'm on day 26 and can get irritated quicker too and put it down on caffeine, it's the one thing these days I have trouble curbing. It can give me nausea too due to the side-effects of the Campral, so must put in more effort there. Strangely, I find not drinking alcohol easier, but that can be thanks to the Campral as well.
Have you thought about rewarding yourself once a week or even a day that you do not drink? It doesn't need to be fancy or costly, but a small thing you could enjoy. They stress that it's important in my group to do so once a week.

I do it once a week, and I am ashamed to say that last time I got irritated there too. I never showed it, but I had to repeat myself a lot and pretend to laugh at the same joke a number of times. It didn't anger me to the point of rage, and what was funny was at the end, a form was given to me to read and sign off on, customary, given things like "no abusing the patients," I was taken aback, and then had to really laugh after the caretaker said that they really pride themselves on that one.

The new you is emerging or the real you. There are so many things that can fill in the time. Initially I was the same but deep down I was missing the companionship alcohol gave me. Recovery and sobriety is not just about removing the bottle. There is so much you can do online even joining groups such as travel if that is an interest. I do yoga and meditate and walk. I love cooking and social media. I work full time so that's about it, catching up with friends and going to see a play or museum and the days is gone.. Do something totally out of character. If you don't like museums or art galleries go to one.. Sobriety gives you endless possibilities. Its fantastic,

Thank you guys for the positive responses. I am going to work really hard at establishing an evening routine with options to fill time by doing interesting and fulfilling things. It will be a positive challenge.

A new world is out there waiting for you... :)

Hey Caprice- I had to smile at your share about being irritable when volunteering etc. Totally get it and actually - my husband and I are doing something we both love today, delivering meals for a charity here, and I'm kinda dreading it. And I'm 3+ yr sober :biggrin:

Glad you are here- figuring out what I do like and don't, etc as others said, is an evolution and while I'm on pretty even ground now, moods still affect me!!

My son got out of treatment March 26th. He's staying here with us until he can earn enough money to get a place of his own. He's very irritable. He's not sleeping, working very long hours to try and catch up, and somewhat restless. It just goes along with early sobriety. I remember in early sobriety I could not get through a whole day without taking a very long nap. For me, sobriety is like living in slow motion. Now, I love being sober because I get so much accomplished. Hang in there.

In my first week of sobriety after at least 3 years....that statement seems incredibly profound to me - but hopefully in a good way. I do not mean to lack compassion for your plight, but I am fortified to hear you have too much time on your hands in sobriety. For the past great while I have yearned for more time to do the various project props I have collecting dust around my home. I have puzzles and adult colouring books; a buskers amp for that senior citizens home project of singing old standards; old furniture pieces I want to refinish; a website blog domain I pay for but have not posted in; taxes I have not done in a number of years (eeek); closets I need to clean; gyms I don't go to; about 20 cheaps wigs that needs styling for that singing project thing; a drawer full of recipes I have not cooked; online courses I want to take.... I could go on and on

I'm sorry you are unable to read as I know that has given me a lot of pleasure in past sobriety.

I can honestly say that drinking has been my most all consuming hobby for way too many years - so it stands to reason that once we sober we wonder - now what do I do? Perhaps your creative muscle has atrophied - but I sincerely believe we all have one. Ha...I am pretty sure I even have an online course on my laptop I purchased about 6 months ago that is intended to help one find their life purpose. ha ha...and I'm pretty sure I can add another email address to it for a second user. Give me your email address and I'll add you (joke...maybe?).

There is a big ole world out there just waiting for you to take a big ole bite out of it. I don't buy there is nothing to do. Unfortunately, I don't know you well enough to say "hey, remember when you wanted to do this? or that?". Everybody has those.... don't they?

(oh yeahhhh....and an ebook on my phone called "Sober Curious" I have not read)

While I've relapsed a few times, I'll share my personal opinion (and this is also where the science portion of alcoholism comes in.) We've completely screwed up our brains and chemistry with the alcohol. It takes time for our minds to reset and find the natural balance that we destroyed. Not to mention that we were often numb to real emotions, maybe in some cases numb to them and now you've got a bad combination of your brain resetting itself AND having to truly experience those real emotions.