Recovery Learning to navigate my newfound sobriety

[Dreamflyer]

Greetings! I'm currently on Day Nine sober after struggling with drugs and alcohol for the past 28 years. Although I feel much better than expected, I'm reminded of why I became an addict in the first place.

My social anxiety, OCD and hypomania have returned with a vengeance. Even something as simple as just going food shopping completely overwhelms me; I agonize over everything from what size ketchup to buy to whether or not I should make eye contact with the other customers.

I feel kind of like a fish out of water, but I'm learning. I have to keep reminding myself that I survived the first 25 years of my life as a teetotaler, and I can do it again. It's already gotten better than it was a week ago, and I'm sure that it will continue to do so.

Anyway, I guess I just needed to vent for a minute. And to say that if anyone else is going through this, you're not alone.

Peace and Love,
Dreamflyer

 

[endlessnameless]

Oh I know exactly how you feel. No matter how many times I get sober I always feel the very same way in early sobriety. For me its a combination of the acute anxiety that comes from having both gotten newly sober and having isolated myself during the initial 1-2 weeks of withdrawals because I'd feel far too awful to deal with people as well.

I've just entered my 3rd day of sobriety however this time I've taken measures to mitigate the anxiety and the depersonalisation it causes in very high levels so I'm hoping not to have that feeling this time. I'm also not isolating myself away from people as a result.

Don't let it deter you - trust me when I say that if you just keep going on as you are you will very soon get used to it. No doubt your system is likely overloaded with all the stimuli around you due to having numbed yourself with drugs and alcohol for so long. Like I said I get the very same feeling when I kick opiates. It definitely gets easier and it doesnt necessarily take that long either. If it does, perhaps you should talk to your GP about it but considering you're freshly sober, allow your system to find its bearings and get used to the new you. Allow your senses to get used to the world around you and your nerves will eventually settle down - they're bound to be a bit raw in the beginning.

Congratulations on reaching nine days, thats an absolutely massive achievement. Imagine how you'll be in another 9? And by the New Year?

 

[crazyhairman]

If I could draw a line of mental stability of the last 8 years sober it would be basically 0 the first year.