Hello Kevin105,

When an alcoholic stops drinking but has not yet addressed the background issues that led to drinking, there is often a feeling that is described as being: “Restless, irritable and discontented”. Maybe that is what you are feeling now.

Too much thinking or analysing can be a problem, especially if you are not getting clear answers. Acceptance of reality is the foundation stone upon which recovery may be built. Therefore, if you have some understanding of alcoholism and if you think that you are an alcoholic, the next stage is to actually accept what that means, which is not always an easy thing to do.

Activity or a change of routine may help for a while but is probably not the long term solution. I know plenty of alcoholic who made huge geographical changes, even moving to different countries, but the problem followed them wherever they went. They were running away from themselves and that is something that cannot be done.

I do not have the right to tell you what to do but I can tell you what has worked for me and countless other people. It is often necessary to bring about a profound change of thinking in order to recover from alcoholism. There are probably many ways of achieving that objective and the one that has worked for me is the AA programme of recovery.

Make decisions. Even if its not the right decision, just making a decision is important.

Like a prize fighter in the ring, you gotta step up toe to toe and engage life. I was a runner and a hider, but not today, today I engage.

1is2many

Yeah, just had a good workout and feeling better. Thx for the feedback...

I had the same problem of fatigue, and lack of desire for anyone and anything in life...all around bad feelings of loss and isolation. When I did the 12 steps of AA, I was able to let go of all the negativity from my past, and this was a huge weight lifted from my shoulders! I highly recommend!

God Bless

Kevin105,
Get the serotonin flowing!!! Fitness and working out is a massive recovery aid for me. I became a part time fitness instructor (teaching evenings and weekends) at the age of 25 after having "cervical problems" in my teens. I'm in my 40's now and whilst I've had a dual career in fitness and law (recently "retiring" from fitness due to injuries) the fitness side of me always seemed to pull me through the bad times -. no matter how long it took!
For me though as life got difficult and my anxieties swallowed me up, I started to hide behind the actress of the self confident instructor who performed on "stage" for the duration of a class" - and the adrenalin and serotonin was medication enough that probably levitated me from reaching the depths of hell and alcoholism much sooner. ......
I still work out but not as often as I would like due to my caring responsibilities but when I do I feel invincible - my insecurities and anxiety fade and I feel on top of the world and the most important thing is I don't crave the drink!!!! I'm not saying you should find a new "addiction" but finding mental and physical peace is paramount to recovery and if you enjoyed working out and it provided you with feel good hormones then give it another shot...... who knows where it may lead.

I intergrated a workout routine into my recovery around a year ago. It will get your through tough times, a word of caution though is balance will be key. If the working out is feeling "too good" or you're working out until you become numb, it might have morphed into an addiction subtly, so I recommend working out every other day, three or four days a week.

This post was perfect for where I am at. Lately I just have not been feeling "it" with that same restless feeling. I know that feeling well, before I did my steps, I used to utilize the restless state to justify strange and non-spiritual behavior. I know I have a brain that when trying to organize or figure out on it's own, won't be able to correctly to it's own satisfaction, so I do the opposite now when I am restless. I force myself to give up everything I think is important, and I rest.

When I decide to rest, I find my mind quieted, and then I find the meditative state I need that silences the anxieties, fears, questions, and motives, my ego feeds me as a stream. I've learned God rarely talks to me when I am " busy" and "getting shit done", but I find he won't stop a higher flow of consciousness when I slow down, give myself a break, and enjoy being alive for once.

Great topic that isn't discussed enough in my opinion, thanks.

Thanks everyone! Yes, I'm very much into fitness, particularly weight training, and sure now that a big contributor to my funk was because my fitness center had been shut down for about a week due to flooding.. Thankfully it opened today and feeling much better now.

I don't have much advice since I'm kind of In a similar situation, but when I do start feeling like that I need to get out of the house. Go drive around, go to the park and be with nature for a bit.

Exercise is great, there is no doubt about it but like all things in life it should be balanced. I have run marathons in the past because I thought I would feel better but it became like a drug to me and numbed my emotional pain. When I stopped running due to a lengthy injury was when all that stuff began to surface and it fueled my addiction which started with narcotic pain medication. I began drinking when I could no longer find pills.

I had a sick mind which needed to be healed. It took counseling and outpatient treatment to get me there, plus the AA 12 steps. It was a long road but one I was glad to have taken because it brought me out of that mistaken mindset that said, running will cure all of my emotional and physical problems. but, I thought it did so I over did it, and I was running away from myself. I was using exercise as a crutch to avoid facing the emotional pain I had been avoiding for so long.

Nowadays, I am content to run approximately, 2-3 miles, 2-3 times a week and I am happier now then I have ever been in my life!

God Bless

Very cool that so many of you are into fitness, to whatever degree fits your lifestyle. Sure you have to do the mental work required of recovery, but taking care of yourself physically sure helps. Especially this time of year when spring is emerging and nature harkens. Love nature hikes/walks. Great for the soul...

Kevin105,

Good to see you here on the post! Thank you for your honest and openness of what you’re feeling. I wish and hope to see more people not only on this page, but all across AA, 12 steps or any recovery group to have these high-self-closure and be accountable to one another!

What you’re feeling is quite normal. Sometime the unpleasantness feels wrong, but just because it feels negative doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad sign. You have been on day 6 and a lot of times things get harder, but there’s a bright future and great reward for discipline! Andy Andrews said it well, “Discipline is the ability to make yourself do something you don’t want to do in order to get a result you really want to get.”

I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all actually! Change of routine can keep your mind occupied, but obviously you want to do what is healthy and good for the body for certain.

Praying for a good and successful recovery my friend!