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    Can I please just vent?

    Hey everyone?I haven't posted too often, but I am on here pretty much every day?reading everyones posts and check in on the Newbies Nest Rollcall.

    I am on day 53..and I am an explosive ball of emotions. These past few weeks have been particularly difficult. My counsellor is wondering if I am depressed?I was never depressed really before drinking?and I thought I was depressed during drinking - so why would I still feel depressed? Wait?it's not like I can't get out of bed or anything, I do look forward to every day. But there are just some days where I find it particularly difficult to cope with the way that I am feeling. I have my anxiety - but I am doing okay with that?it's just irritability still?and anger that I am dealing with.
    I don't know why I get so easily angered with people?to be quite honest, I think I am projecting. I am still mad at myself for some reason. Well?not some reason?there are several reasons. I just don't know how to tackle these emotions and deal with them. I am keeping busy and doing everything I can to get better and stick with sobriety - there are days where I want to drink to numb these feelings.
    I do, in a way, understand how people can get overwhelmed after quitting drinking.
    I thought that things were going to be so much better - I mean, they are?but not without it's difficulties?which is life?I have to remember that. This is life?meant to be experienced this way. I guess I was just too numb for too long.
    I also lost a few friends since I got sober?this hurts?I found out a friend never told me she was pregnant, and she was my best friend! She had moved away?and had a baby - and never told me. :/
    This is just a few things among other things?I am also aware of the ugly in this world more so?and it's sad?I know that we should look at the beauty, but sometimes it's hard.
    I am just sick of the hatred among people, the indifference, the abuse?
    I am just being a bit sensitive I know?

    But I just really needed to vent here. Because right now I am feeling alone. People think I'm not an alcoholic, but I know I am and this other way of thinking is dangerous.

    This post isn't meant to come across as sobriety being "worse", because my God, it's better than being drunk every day. I am just in the early stages of it. I couldn't be more grateful that I have been given this chance. Seriously a chance at a second, more fulfilled, happier life. I am happy - I am just having difficulties with my feelings.
    And I just wanted to come here and rant?I am just feeling lonely.

    Maybe I shouldn't have posted this in "just starting out" but newbies need to know, that sobriety really is a great thing, and it comes with good and bad. That's life.
    And it's better than not having a life, while actively drunk.

    Bri.


    PS. I previewed my post before posting this?wow. 53 days?I remember reading posts in the past when people were this far along?I alway sat there and wondered, "why can't that be me?"
    Well, it happened. It can be me. And it can be you too.

    #2
    Can I please just vent?

    Bris,
    If getting sober has a side effect, this is it. Back when Kuya was posting, she theorized that when we begin alcoholic drinking, our emotional maturity ceases to develop. We pretty much stop at that spot and our new coping skill is to gloss over our emotions with AL. I found that to be very much the case. No one had that theory back when I was experiencing it, so I thought I was just nuts ( and that may still be true). It was overwhelming, i wanted to escape from these constant thoughts and feelings, they were new and foreign to me, and that made them uncomfortable. Here is the good news: Learning to deal with emotions is a SKILL. It can be learned, and the more you use that skill the better you get at it. None of us got here overnight, it takes some time to sort thru all of this. It's new territory and sometimes it is scary, but please believe me, you will learn those new coping skills and it is a great feeling. It is a feeling of being NORMAL, and it feels good. Make no mistake, we are all ALCOHOLICS here. Do not run from what we are and what you are feeling, embrace it! This is growth and THIS is recovery! I promise it gets easier, but it takes some time. You are doing great! You are a different Brisius than you were 53 days ago, a better version., and still improving. What you are feeling is NORMAL. It is healthy....it IS life! Hang in there! Byrdie
    All you gotta do, is get thru this day. AF 1/20/2011
    Tool Box
    Newbie's Nest

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      #3
      Can I please just vent?

      Byrdie said it all so well. I still have these periods of overwhelming emotions. Awkwardness, not sure how to act sometimes. But life really is so much better after.
      No matter how far you go or how fast you run, you can't get away from yourself. ....said at an AA meeting. It stuck with me.

      Comment


        #4
        Can I please just vent?

        I know that when I managed to stop drinking, it was such hard work to get to that point, and so much self discovery, that at some level I expected it to be my answer to all my problems. Then as has been said, I started to feel all sorts of emotions - it was not what I was anticipating. I thought the world on the other side was going to be wonderful, and it was a bit of a let down when it was not so. Things that I may have missed, ignored or drank away were there and real.
        It took me a while to be ok with this and work out that it was still better AF!
        Well done on your 53 days!
        “The only courage you will ever need is the courage to live the life you want"

        Comment


          #5
          Can I please just vent?

          Bri. This article is worth reading. It explains a lot and helped me understand that there is an answer to how I was/am feeling.

          The Condition Many Recovering Addicts And Alcoholics Don't Know About

          In short though what you are experiencing is normal...you are getting better and with each passing day life will get a little brighter.
          Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that but simply growth, We are happy when we are growing.

          William Butler Yeats

          Comment


            #6
            Can I please just vent?

            Another excellent article. If you read it you'll see you are doing all the right things

            Why We Don’t Get Better Immediately: Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) | What…Me Sober?
            Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that but simply growth, We are happy when we are growing.

            William Butler Yeats

            Comment


              #7
              Can I please just vent?

              Wow, wow, wow, TJAF - thanks for the articles! I am going to share them in the Nest and in the LOAM thread. Thanks.

              Bri - hope you're ok. I felt like SL - what? No happy glowing feeling 24/7?

              Pav

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                #8
                Can I please just vent?

                And to add on the physical perspective.
                Everything we put down to alcohol / hangover - physical aches pains - come to light and have to be dealt with too
                We realise we can't blame ourselves & our drinking for some things - shit happens - we get stomach troubles -limbs do ache - we are really tired.
                We now just deal with it differently -instead of just blaming our drinking..... !

                Very liberating when you realise it - even if you are in pain ...:thumbs:

                Comment


                  #9
                  Can I please just vent?

                  Hugs, Bri. :hug:

                  While the world is ever changing, and we all have a 20/20 rear-view mirror, it may be okay that for now, you aren't with some of your friends. I used to joke that when I would go back home and visit my family, that I could never live there again, because all of their social activities happen around alcohol- ALL of them. It is their normal.

                  So at first, they would admonish me and chastise me for my choice. When I stood firm, they quietly made plans to go anyway and didn't invite me.... (thanks Facebook, for letting me see what "fun" I missed ). I don't think they meant to hurt my feelings, but they didn't know what to do with me and my "non drinking" status, so they didn't include me- I mean, they could have given me a choice, but perhaps because I'm new in this they didn't want to sabotage my efforts?

                  None of us are mind readers, so at the end of the day, what truly matters is that you look forward and embrace day 54. 55. 56.

                  I'm proud of you! Patty
                  "God didn't give you the Strength to get back on your feet
                  so that you can run back to the same thing that knocked you down."
                  :hug:

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Can I please just vent?

                    Hey Bris,

                    Congrats on 53. Days ... It's just awesome ...

                    I don't know if you been reading weird posts Which I have been posting since last few days. Like too I have been having crazy thoughts and crazy ideas. Some people might think I am a nut. But I tell you writing it out helps. As your post says you wants to vent it out ... Well do so ...DAILY .. we are all easy. Remember sharing helps and we are on the same boat .. Recovery is worth the effort.
                    Rahul
                    --------------------------------------------
                    Rewiring my brain ... done ...
                    Updating brain "attitude" firmware ... done ...
                    Rebooting ... done ...
                    Restarted program called "Life" ... started successfully ...

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Can I please just vent?

                      Bri- I am reading your post and I understand exactly what you are saying. I also lost touch with a very good friend recently and it really hurts. But it is what it is and these things will happen in life sober or not.

                      Quitting drinking is not easy after abusing AL for so many years since it took a huge chunk of our lives in many levels more than just physical or emotional. This is recovery and it does not happen overnight. It?s a process. Every process has its stages and steps. I think that the fact that you are experiencing all these mixed feelings/emotions is wonderful in itself and proves to show that you are HEALING. Your mind and heart are finally getting through to you, which was not possible while drinking and numbing the real you.

                      Now with all these feelings, can you imagine the devastation AL will do?

                      Listen to your heart and embrace your sober days. Things will fall into place in all aspects of life. Just be patience and give it time.

                      I myself have a few important goals to reach but I know that none of them will happen if I keep drinking. In fact, I know that I had not reached these goals yet due to my drinking.

                      I wish you success in your journey to sobriety.:l:h

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Can I please just vent?

                        "Ugly in the world"

                        Hiya,
                        Last night I went round to my family for a roast dinner, yum! In your message you mention being more aware of what is "ugly" in the world. My mum was chatting to me, she has never had a problem with alcohol but has problems with insomnia. She was telling me how every night before she goes to sleep she looks at something beautiful.... this ranges from pictures of kittens, or nature or reading a poem that she finds lovely or letters and cards that my brothers and sisters and I sent her when we were little.

                        I love my mum so much and I thought to myself these are words of wisdom ..... because of my alcoholism, that at the moment is still active I have night time terrors so I am going to start doing this every night before I attempt to sleep!
                        DD xx
                        New life started on 1st May 2014, One day at a time I will work at continuing it forever!

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Can I please just vent?

                          Thank you everyone for you insight and advice.
                          You're all right - and this is what I lack most of - is patience. I need to be 100% patient in my journey.
                          Thanks TJAF for the articles, I have them bookmarked.
                          But it is true - while actively drinking, we do become emotionally stunted...physically as well I find (I did gain a lot of weight from drinking)...I guess nothing worked properly while drinking because all my body did was drink.
                          I definitely didn't do anything productive while drunk 24/7 so I guess I also feel guilty and like crap that I wasted all this time. I began school and for the first year I just drank instead of studying and now I am scrambling to catch up but I need to realize that I have to take it one day at a time and just take it easy as well. Any bridge that I am thinking about right now that I feel will be difficult to cross I shouldn't fret about just yet. I will cross that bridge when I get to it.
                          I guess I really shouldn't put a lot of pressure on myself.
                          I do need to be gentle & patient.
                          And DD, that is a good idea - to do before bed.

                          **Thanks** everyone. Day 56 now.
                          Bri.

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