Why Do I Feel Worse Before I Feel Better?

Recovery
#1

(aka: What Nobody Warns You About in Early Sobriety)

Let’s talk about something that throws a lot of people off in early sobriety:

You quit drinking, and suddenly feel worse.

The mood swings hit harder.
The anxiety spikes.

Your body hurts in ways you didn’t expect.

You start thinking, “Wait… wasn’t I supposed to be feeling better by now?”

This is called Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).
It’s a real thing, and it can last for weeks or months after the last drink.

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

•	Your brain is rebalancing chemicals like dopamine and serotonin
•	Your nervous system is coming out of survival mode

•. Your emotions are finally showing up raw, now that you’re not numbing them anymore.

It’s uncomfortable, and confusing plus it makes a lot of people think they’re “doing it wrong.”

But you’re NOT.

This is just your body and brain trying to find their way back to you, your healthy state.

The fact that you feel more doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong, at all. It sctually means you’re starting to recover.

You’re waking up.
And yeah, sometimes that hurts at first.

Did anyone else feel worse before things got better? What helped you push through?

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#3

I’m on day 20 without alcohol and the only thing I can honestly say that made me feel crappy was a week of headaches in my second week. That has passed now.

What’s helping push through is all the support from my family, meetings, journaling, meditation, etc. you name it…I’m doing it. Anything to stay sober. It also helps me to reflect on the past and remind myself how shitty I was feeling all the time.

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#4

You are doing the work. That alone is super powerful. That’s recovery! Keep going, you’re not just sober, you’re healing from the inside out. :heart:

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#5

Love that you shared this and appreciate you being open. These convos are exactly what helps others.

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#7

On my worst day I always tell myself.

  1. This shall pass, no feeling good or bad will last forever.
  2. Keep moving forward, and don’t throw away any more time.
  3. Don’t get discouraged with the mountain you have to climb in front of you. Take a moment and reflect back at all the mountains you’ve conquered in the past.
    And watch how your outlook changes all of a sudden.
#8

Early sobriety was terrible, mind racing, constant white noise in my head. Couldn’t sit still, grumpy, jumpy and mad.

What got me through was somewhere around 115 meetings in 90 days. I surrounded myself with meetings and people from meetings.

I made a deal with myself that I wouldn’t stop at the local convenience store for any reason.

I read lots! 34,964 pages of books in 90 days.

I drank a ton of water.

I did whatever it took to keep my mind off how I felt and off drinking.

Today is day 1830. It’s not always easy, but it’s way better!