It's been 5 days since I drank, 10 since I was drunk. And I am completely exhausted! Yesterday I fell apart at around 4 pm and just had to go to bed at 5. Today I reached the point of exhaustion and tears at noon. I'm sure the fact that I had to spend 5 half hour chunks fighting not to drive to the liquor store is part of that. Maybe this is normal, but I have to work, and especially I have to be functional when I'm taking care of my daughter during the day! Any tips on just coping with a normal level of responsibilities without major meltdowns?
Where am I?
In The Monument Community you can ask and answer questions and share your experience with others!
Hi there @clever_topaz_658 Welcome! I know many folks here can relate to this, including myself! It takes a lot of self-awareness and courage to reach out. I've been sober three years now and can say that reflecting on the early days -- the exhaustion was real. The emotional energy it takes to prioritize our health and wellness can be heavy, so know that you are not alone in that. For me, something that helped was breaking up my responsibilities into bite-sized actions. I only added to my daily list what was attainable. Because not only was I more productive when I got clear on what I could realistically achieve in a day, but I was energized by crossing off tasks (literally, I would make hand-written lists and cross off completed items in red pen).
I also encourage you to give yourself some major compassion. It sounds like you're juggling a lot, and deserve some recognition! Already, you are taking incredible steps forward, and it's no small accomplishment. Keep reaching out -- we're here for you.
Thanks for the kind words! I'll keep at it. :)
Hi - I am brand new here, and I am on Day 6. Yesterday, on Day 5, I took TWO naps! From 9:30 - 11:00 and then again from about 5:45 - 8:00 pm! I think it was because of the emotional exhaustion of dealing with stressful things with no alcohol? Our home internet was down all day, and we work from home, so my partner and I were both conducting conference calls with bosses and clients from inside our camper van together (because it has a cell signal booster). Then, he wanted to make a decision about whether or not we should refinance our houses - meaning we had to decide how much longer we want to live here, when we might want to sell, etc. That's stressful stuff! No wonder my brain wanted to shut off!
So, Clever Topaz, I completely empathize with you because my brain is also exhausted. I like Monument Daisy's suggestion that we be realistic about what we can accomplish in a day, and not create added pressure on ourselves to do more.
You're all doing great!
Northern Light
Curious - how is your sleeping? One of the biggest issues I had with moving to a more sober lifestyle was the way alcohol effects sleep patterns and feeling exhausted all day. And upon further research, found out I may have a sleep breathing problem, known a sleep apnea, in which you stop breathing for short periods of time.
Again, I do not know your situation, just an FYI that perhaps a bigger issue (sleeping) was playing a part in the underlying effects of drinking at night. Good luck with your journey, your on the right path and it will get better.
Crisp
My sleep schedule is terrible, but it kind of has to be right now, I think. I wake up at 1 am to teach English online to kids in China, then stay up until 7:30 when my daughter goes to bed. I usually nap for an hour or two in the middle of the day also.
I'm still a little tired, but fortunately it has gotten so much better since I started naltrexone. That took almost all of the mental struggle away!