Was a heavy drinker, possibly alcoholic - quit 3 months ago - depressed - how to transition to normal life?

Question:

I have been a heavy drinker/binge drinker for much of my 20s and 30s and since being married have been drinking almost daily to excess - about a six-pack of beer or too much hard liquor or wine most days per week after work. I used it to escape from the stress of my job and my wife did too - it was a big part of ou rlife. Then all of a sudden I quit drinking on my own - was just sick of it and was worried about my health, and my wife's pregnancy and her quitting drinking made it an easy decision to quit since we always got drunk together in the past and now she had quit. So yes I have quit, and have gotten past the phase of desiring it (that was a hard phase - driving home without picking up a six pack of beer!), but now I am bored and depressed and anxious a lot. Mainly a heavy depression - an emptiness. My questions are, how does an alcoholic/abuser make the transition to a sober life and not be depressed/anxious. I cannot take antidepressants - bad reactions to them.

Answers:
Alright you probably are not going to like this answer but have you ever considered Alcholics Anonymous? I know it sound bad and boring but honey believe me its sister program Narcotics Anonymous saved my life. I would have been dead by now.

If you can't take anti-depressants you can still always go to see a counselor if you feel that you don't want to go to Alcholics Anonymous. I will tell you this if you would go and give it at least three meetings and your wife could go with you too since you were drinking partners, it may make both of you feel better about yourselves. You may not feel as depressed as all of the people there are like you they are either heavy drinkers of alcholics. Talking to other people that have or have had the same problems as you may make some of the depression go away. I can almost guarantee to you that the emptiness will go away too, and it will definately help you make that very hard transition to a normal life that you have forgotten what feels like. Now you said that you can't take anti-depressants but you did not say that you cannot take anti-anxiety pills such as Klonapin, Xanax or Ativan. The anxiety that you are feeling I would imagine (because I had a boyfriend that was an alcholic) is the shakes. They too will go away with time. I beg you honey find the nearest AA Meeting and go to it you will feel so much better, I have been to AA and NA and they are both the same 12 step meetings just laid out a little different for a drug addict and an alcholic. Give it at least three meetings please, try and do it for your new baby that is coming if for nothing else. If you would like to chat you can e-mail me at Shinningstar33160@yahoo.com God Bless you and good luck to you, your wife and that new bundle of joy.

The best advice that I can give you is to give it time. It took you time to learn how to be an alcoholic, it will take time to adjust to what is considered normal life. While don't you join AA? Sometimes it can help to relate to others about your problems, and since you wife cant, that is the next best thing.

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Was a heavy drinker, possibly alcoholic - quit 3 months ago - depressed - how to transition to normal life?

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