Feeling exhausted during your initial stages of recovery is a common, though frustrating, occurrence. Referred to as sobriety fatigue, the exhaustion that you feel when transitioning to sobriety is often a reflection of your body’s attempt to rebuild itself after the damage done by drugs and alcohol. With East Coast Recovery, we can help you reclaim your freedom and sobriety in a safe, supportive way.
What Causes Sobriety Fatigue?
Sobriety fatigue is caused by many things. The primary factor is the detoxification and healing process that your body has to go through. When individuals use drugs or alcohol for prolonged periods, it causes damage to things like sleep patterns, immune function, and neural communication.
After detox, the body has to work to improve all of these systems, putting them back to where they were. This can lead to a form of physical exhaustion.
This type of physical exhaustion is often made worse by the mental fatigue that results from no longer having those maladaptive coping mechanisms. Individuals who, for example, turned to drugs or alcohol to cope with emotional pain or loneliness are now in a position where they have to confront that emotional pain or loneliness in a new way, and this can be emotionally taxing.
How to Manage Sobriety Fatigue
There are several ways that you can manage sobriety fatigue while in recovery, and all of these start with the right form of support for your needs.
Sleep
As your body works to repair itself, one of the main factors in the success of this process is sleep. While you sleep, your brain helps with memory consolidation, neural reorganization, hormone regulation, immune system strength, metabolism, and emotional processing.
Without the right sleep in terms of the quality and the quantity, your body can’t repair cells, help improve mood during the day, improve neural pathways for better communication, or strengthen your memory.
Learning to build a successful sleep routine that includes good sleep hygiene can help you successfully manage your sobriety.
Eat
What you eat also plays a role in your energy levels and your mood, so consuming a nutritious and well-balanced diet can help you overcome mental health challenges associated with sobriety fatigue, like mood swings and irritability. It can also give you the energy to take care of yourself by prioritizing sleep and engaging in physical activity.
Act
Action is important, including gentle exercise to help counteract feelings of fatigue or mood swings. Simple watts, gentle stretching, or even yoga can boost your energy levels.
Action also takes the form of participation in support groups and other networks. It is not uncommon to feel isolated during recovery, and if you have moved away from your old social groups as part of your sobriety, it’s important to rebuild connections with a new, sober environment, surrounding yourself with people who are there to support you in your decision.
Finding Support for Overcoming Sobriety Fatigue
While sobriety fatigue is a natural part of the process, you don’t have to deal with it alone. East Coast Recovery provides a range of supportive outpatient services with different modalities customized to each client.Â
Contact our team today at (617) 390-8349 to learn more about our trusted recovery center.
FAQs
Is Extreme Fatigue a Symptom of Withdrawal?
Extreme fatigue can be a common withdrawal symptom, but it’s also something that many people experience throughout the next stages of sobriety, particularly the first few months or weeks after detox.Â
Why Am I So Tired in Recovery?
Feeling tired during recovery is a natural part of the process, and it comes from your body trying to work on repairing itself physically and psychologically. This is a very taxing process that often coincides with handling new life changes and stress. Called “sobriety fatigue”, this is a normal part of the healing process.Â
What Are The Symptoms of Sobriety Fatigue?
Symptoms can manifest in many ways, like physical symptoms of muscle weakness, sleep problems, headaches, as well as other symptoms like mood swings, problems concentrating, and irritability.
How Long Does Sobriety Fatigue Last?
Sobriety fatigue differs for each person. For some, it might only last a few weeks, while others might experience persistent symptoms for several months. No matter the length of time, remember that this is a normal part of the process, and with the right type of support and continued perseverance, you can get through your sobriety fatigue.
Are There Ways to Avoid Sobriety Fatigue?
Unfortunately, there is no way to entirely avoid the fatigue that happens as your body transitions away from substance abuse to sobriety. However, the choices you make during your initial detox and subsequent transition to sobriety can help you combat the symptoms of sobriety fatigue.Â
Can Bad Mental Health Make Sobriety Fatigue Worse?
Many people struggling with addiction also struggle with underlying mental health issues, and without treatment for things like depression or anxiety, sobriety fatigue can feel worse compared to those without mental health issues.
That’s why it’s so important that you meet with the right outpatient program and therapists for coping strategies and exercises that can combat symptoms of an underlying mental health disorder and subsequently improve your level of sobriety fatigue.Â
What Helps Sobriety Fatigue?
There are many things you can do to help with your sobriety fatigue, particularly engaging in gentle exercise to improve your mood, such as walking, swimming, or yoga. It is equally important to maintain a good support network, eat healthy meals, prioritize your sleep, and, where necessary, seek additional support through things like support group meetings and therapy.
Do I Need Therapy for Sobriety Fatigue?
Addiction often leads to isolation, so during your recovery, you are more likely to feel less motivated and tired, but equally lonely. To help overcome this, it’s important to participate in a routine that builds stable mental health and better social connections.Â
With East Coast Recovery, we provide flexible outpatient programs that include individual and group therapy as well as access to local support group meetings. These are not a requirement for overcoming sobriety fatigue, but they can significantly improve your chances of reducing symptoms and shortening the time frame of sobriety fatigue.Â
