What to do when you’re sad

How are y’all coping with y’all’s emotions during sobriety? I mostly just lay around and be depressed. I have no energy or motivation to walk or go outside like my therapist tells me

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Laying around has never helped me. I’ve tried.
What helped me is find distraction by doing something active. Like working out, walking, gardening. I kick myself and force myself to do it. Most of the times I feel better afterwards!!

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Was pretty down in the beginning too, so I started hanging out with like minded sober folks who did things together. Found them at local AA & NA meetings.

And I have always been an outside addict. So walking around, fishing and doing new things to fill my down time.

A new way of life requires us to do life differently. Hugs on being here & sober! It’ll get better as time gets added.

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Action always comes before the motivation will. Go for walks. You can be sad on a walk but at least you’re walking. That will do something even if it doesn’t feel like it. Then the motivation will come. Find local trails or parks to walk. Try to find a new leaf or flower each day. Walk til you see a squirrel. Collect one cool stone a day. As your stones built up, so will your motivation. This is the hard part. Finding the motivation. But you can do it and you’ll be so proud of yourself once you get over that hill and want to do it.

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It can be really hard to motivate yourself to go outside and go for a walk but it does help. You’ve got to dig deep and push yourself to take baby steps. Sit outside in the fresh air with a nice cuppa, potter in the garden, start with a small stroll… put on your headphones and play some favourite music or podcast, or, just take in the sounds and atmosphere around you.

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I’m honest with myself and enjoy the emotions…being sad is ok for me. I try understanding why I’m sad and let it roll…

Be well on your journey,

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I drag my butt down to the ocean and sit and watch the waves. Meditating at the water always helps me. I can listen to the sound of the waves either crashng against the shore or rolling quietly in. I can hear all the different sea birds calling and watch them flying about. I can smell the crisp salty air and feel the salt spray as it hits my face.
When I am sad the ocean makes me feel alive again, it is such a strong life force and it just reminds me of how very small my problems are. I can often pull my head out of my ass and get over myself enough to go and help another addict in recovery. This is something that I do that absolutely fills my soul and makes me feel really good about life, myself and my journey.

Yoga helps me, meditation helps me, helping others helps me. Sitting at home in my shitty mood never helps me.

:heart:

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Today i dont get sad and if i do it only lasts for a few mins . life is for living because were along time dead so get out and about meet new friends keep your mind working and your body and your spirit will follow keep on trucking

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Listening to music is my basic go to. That way I can at least have a dramatic sound track to go with my feelings. :sweat_smile: Im half joking. Humor is my go to defense system when I’m feeling down or I’m in pain physically but have to interact with someone.

Listening to books, podcasts, presentations, etc., takes my mind off how I feel sometimes. Moderate exercise really helps, though the battle is beginning.

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I hear you.

When I get low my energy goes, my brain knows a walk would be good for me but the energy is not there at all, can not even get dressed.

I’m still not good at it but I’ve learned to have duvet days! Try to get it a mini amount! Just into the garden!

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And another tip:

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Stand in a cold shower for 30 seconds usually helps my mood

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How are you feeling today @mrslonely7 ?

Not making light of your situation but this meme makes me chuckle because at times I literally feel like this while pushing myself to get my ass off the lounge and outside. Maybe it will make you smile :slight_smile: even though I may start off hating it, by the end of my walk or run I’m always glad I did it, maybe you will too!

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:joy::joy::joy::joy:it definitely made me laugh! I would love to make myself walk everyday but i don’t get off work until 5 and I live in a pretty dangerous area where I can’t walk at night so I’m going to try for my off days when i have more free time and pray it doesn’t rain!

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I’m going to try this!

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I’m so glad you said this. Isolation is my coping mechanism!! Sometimes it protects me because I don’t know if I can trust my family to be sober around me yet but the double edged sword is that I’m always alone. Especially with my own sad angry thoughts

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I agree with everyone that getting out and doing it anyway does help but I also very often did not manage to get myself to that point when I was feeling really low.

Rather than beating myself up about it I found just accepting the sadness, curling up in bed, making a cup of tea/ hot chocolate/ something wholesome and soothing, cuddling the dog, watching TV, doing a jigsaw puzzle, listening to some music, hanging out here on the forum, sitting down in the shower and having a good cry (I don’t know why but it helps)… Those are things that I still go to when I am having a bad time. And then on the days where I do feel able to do a bit more, I do it. No pressure, no making myself feel bad about what I should be doing, no forcing myself to feel better.

Not saying it’s the right way, but it’s what I do!

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