The answer to both questions is yes. The brain is detoxing. Your emotions after being pickled for some time are getting used to the new you. Years of drinking numbs everything so give yourself more time sober wise.

Congrats on 7 days.

Very normal. I would get dark and depressed because my coping mechanism was not there. I had to find positive steps to take. I was like a fighter in the ring , still am, I have to train and keep moving or the mike Tyson ( alcoholism ) will knock me the f out.

Be bold and take action. Go volunteer, help somebody. The positive endorphins will flood you and those bad feelings will disappear.

Personally I found a room full of friends that made me feel not alone and also I learned how to cope. See I just couldn't learn what I didn't know.

Be bold. Go out and GET sober

1is2many

7 days is awesome. Keep going

Glad to hear from you both it's normal. I might see what sort of volunteer work is available in my area and if i can fit it in to my working week :)

Day by day and thanks :)

Very normal. Like gr8 said, your body and mind are syncing with this new you...breaking down and being reborn.

Now is the time to be very kind and gentle to yourself, like a newborn baby.

Hang in there...you will level out. Do keep an eye on it and if you start to have suicidal thoughts, definitely see a doctor and explain the situation.

I know what you say.
Don't come to any conclusions just yet. Although the being sober process has started and you are absolutely not "intoxicated", your body is still wondering "what the heck?" and all those things, hormones, endorphin's and (other big words) that help decide what and how your body should act or react, function are out of kilter.
Your conscience mind and awareness must hold on while things that go on inside "you" are being sorted out.
In my own experience and when I felt the same as you are describing, I decided I would NOT change course when my sober mind started asking the same questions you are wondering about. I hope this makes sense.

Jim

Yes it is normal.

It is also common for people to drink alcoholically because they are self-medicating to treat an unlying condition, such as depression. So if you aren't feeling better after a month, or your depression deepens, you should consider seeing a medical professional.

Thanks for the comments. It's all good constructive advice and positive support. I appreciate it. It's great being able to communicate through this Site with people in a similar situation. A massive help :)

I like the comments about being a newborn and needing to be gentle with self. This is day 6 for me and while there are things I either want or should be doing, I am just not in the mood. Rather than beat myself up over it I was telling myself to just give some time for my system to stabilize. Sounds like I am on the right track. I wouldn't say depression is what is holding me back, just a little lack of energy and drive at the moment.

I am just a couple of days behind Jad, so it is nice we can kind of go through this together though our experiences will be a bit different.

Yes like the others have said. My brain did everything to get me to pick up a drink including making me feel like a piece of crap.

If it doesn't let up within a couple of months, talk to your doctor. He may prescribe anti depressent medication.

It's a depression so bad that some people can't handle it without a doctor's intervention. Severe feelings of loss and isolation that made me want to check out of the hotel of life. I was prescibed Pristiq which made me normal again.

God Bless!

It takes a while to detox. It took me a few months to get into a sober "groove" and a few more months before the fatigue was over. I was really exhausted the first few months -- probably from hanging on so tight!
Good job on 7 days. Hang in there.

I was thinking about this thread offline, and regarding volunteer work, if you are into animals and there is a shelter in your area, they normally are looking for volunteers. The little critters might be good for your mood.

Volunteering is an excellent idea. I have done a vaccination drive for pets and also some Habitat for Humanity work. There is a lot of stuff out there. I hope to do more this fall.

I had even more gratitude after I volunteered.