Hi, new here. I do not get, and never got, withdrawals from quitting except my anxiety is getting terribly worse. That’s one of the major reasons I drink. Today is only day six, but my anxiety is through the roof and I almost feel depressed. Is this normal? I almost feel like stopping at a pub after work.
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Firstly, great job getting to day 6 free! Im glad you are reaching out for support first.
Your brain chemisty is trying to stabilize so its common to feel all types of “off”. Now is when you need to find healthy coping tools vs letting the addiction lure you back into the cycle.
A long walk
Box breathing
Free meditation on youtube
Call a friend
Get a hug
Hit a meeting and share your thoughts
Journal your thinking
Go to bed early
Try everything else but picking up. Youve come so far and with work and persistence you can live free from the booze and insanity
Keep fighting the good fight.
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Thanks for the encouragement and kind words it is much appreciated. Luckily the frustration only lasted for a short while. I know I mustn’t rush it andmaybe I’m expecting too much too soon but recently I stopped for exactly 30 days and I couldn’t really notice much health improvements and my anxiety levels stayed elevated and that frustates the living daylights out of me - like it’s pointless even trying. But it’s a marathon not a sprint, I’ll keep going 
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Hang in there and I echo the suggestions regarding ways to put your anxiety to the back of your brain. Been there and it does get better. Just something to keep an eye on . You can do it !!!
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I’m on Day 26 of freedom from my drug of choice…
I’ve been depressed, with sleepless nights, pretty much this whole time.
But, I’m still glad I quit, because now, I’m working toward a better life for myself, better relationships with others, and a better sense of purpose and productivity each day - the struggle is totally worth it for me.
Every podcast, video, journal I’ve taken in - and everyone here in this community - says that our feelings are completely normal; and that things will eventually get better.
Hang in there; stay connected with us… you got this!
(Oh, and go ahead and just pass on that drink - it won’t help.)
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I already replied to your original post, but what your said here is key -
Every individual is different. It’s maybe 30 days for some; 90 days for others; a couple years for still others -
But, you will eventually feel truly normal, like a new and improved version of yourself -
Just don’t give up until then. 
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Anxiety has been a constant in my life forever. Drinking didn’t make it any better, it didn’t help, in the end it made it worse. Once sober I got into therapy. I needed to be sober for that. Therapy helped. It took a while, it worked for me. Freedom is there for the taking. In your own way. But I’m sure you need to be sober for that. Wishing you all success. And welcome to Talking Sober! Great place, great people. We’re in this together friend.
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Wow thanks, now I feel silly complaining after 6 days 
But, it’s true, everyone is different and have different timelines for recovery. Kudos for encouraging strangers whilst you yourself are struggling - I only had one night of no sleep, for the rest I usually sleep for about 3 to 4 hours a night but it’s not terrible, not the best but also not unbearable. I wish you all the best and if you need any support give me a shout.
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They say, drinking is the solution, not the problem and addiction is a side effect. We drink to medicate from whatever we may suffer from, sounds like in your case, anxiety.
It is normal to have a heightened level of anxiety when quitting, as that is a withdrawal symptom. If you suffer from anxiety already, I’d imagine it’s amplified, which sounds really hard to deal with.
When I quit, I was very restless, fidgety, racing heart, sweaty all the time. I paced back and forth for hours in those early days. Classic withdrawal symptoms. It got better over time. The biggest thing that helped was meditation. That, and reaching out here, it helped knowing I wasn’t alone in this.
Hang in there pal, you’re not alone in this.
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I’m too impatient to meditate lol. But I did a yoga class for the first time last Friday and I loved it. Thanks for your message.
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Thank you, I’m also very much introverted but this community immediately made me feel at home. All the best!
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Thanks for the encouragement!
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@Shooshenator - appreciate this post. I suffer from anxiety all of the time. It is a part of who I am. I understand it and accept it as a part of my life. When I had my spiritual awakening and met my sponsor, the anxiety became less. It didn’t go away, but I can manage it. My sponsor really helped me to manage the anxiety. Yes, I get depressed and anxious quite frequently. But, I have tools. The suggestions provided are superb!
Don’t go to the pub. Not a positive place for you. Remember, anxiety is real and you need to confront it head on. Accept it for what it is. Once you accept the anxiety, it’s control over you goes away. Work your spiritual program and trust your HP.
Yeah…. I suffer from anxiety. But, I have the power to overcome it. So do you.
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Thank you and congratulations; it sounds like you’ve got this!
Honestly, I’d say it took a year or more for my anxiety to really lessen. I also used a combo of medication and therapy to work through some things. Now it’s not so much that I don’t have anxiety, it’s just that I’ve learned to manage it. Long term sobriety has allowed me to work on my anxiety, it didn’t cure it. A steady diet of AA the first few years was essential. Eventually I added healthy eating, exercise, and even mindfulness to my routine. In early sobriety I could not sit in my head for even a minute. It took lots of practice and uncomfortable moments to get there.
Sobriety is a marathon, not a sprint. It won’t get rid of any problems but it allows you to deal with them better.
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A little late answer. It’s normal to feel depressed after stopping drinking. Your brain has been used to “fake” mood altering interference (alcohol). Now it has to learn how to do it without alcohol. Luckily it gets normal again. I have had countless relapses, always depressed after stopping. Not because of what i did (not that it didn’t affect me) , but for no good reason.
It will pass. I wish you the best.
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