What to Expect Emotionally in Early Sobriety
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Regular drinking can stunt our emotional growth by acting as a way to avoid dealing with problems and developing necessary coping skills. The brain is negatively affected by heavy drinking, particularly in areas controlling emotions and self-regulation. This hinders higher-order abilities such as self-control, motivation for change, social skills, and emotional awareness.
How does early sobriety affect our emotions?
Alcohol changes the brain, making emotion regulation challenging. While those in treatment show improvement in recognizing and understanding their feelings after about a month, impulse control remains a struggle. For example, unresolved anger often surfaces when quitting alcohol, and this anger can feel big and overwhelming.
What is The Pink Cloud in Sobriety?
A "pink cloud" phase can occur when someone quits drinking, marked by excitement and positivity. However, it's normal if this phase doesn't happen for everyone. Early sobriety may also be characterized by diminished pleasure, as the brain's reward system adapts to the absence of alcohol. This can be a symptom of PAWS, a post-acute withdrawal syndrome, which might last up to two years and includes mood-related symptoms like irritability and low energy.
Anxiety, low mood, and disrupted sleep are common in early sobriety due to shifts in emotional processing and heightened stress responses. Even minor events can trigger negative emotions and cravings. Positive events may not bring the expected joy, increasing the risk of relapse. However, this is a phase of healing and learning to manage emotions without alcohol. Reassurance can be found in knowing this stage is temporary and part of the brain's recalibration process.
Listen to episode 161 to learn more about your emotions in early sobriety:
Cite this article:
Tietz, G. What to Expect Emotionally in Early Sobriety. Sober Powered. 2023
Sources:
Fox, HC., et al. Difficulties in emotion regulation and impulse control in recently abstinent alcoholics compared with social drinkers. Addictive Behaviors. 33:2. (2008)
Valdez, G. et al. Antagonism of corticotropin-releasing factor attenuates the enhanced responsiveness to stress observed during protracted ethanol abstinence. Alcohol. 29(2):55-60. 2003
Gilman, JM. et al. Modulation of brain response to emotional images by alcohol cues in alcohol-dependent patients. Addict Biol. 13(3-4):423-34. 2008
Heilig M, Egli M, Crabbe JC, Becker HC. Acute withdrawal, protracted abstinence and negative affect in alcoholism: are they linked?. Addict Biol. 2010;15(2):169-184.
