Depression is not uncommon in the first year or so of recovery. Some people manage to avoid it entirely, but many of us experience it to one degree or another. That’s because sometimes the ability of our brains to produce the chemicals that make us feel good has been damaged by the alcohol and other drugs, and it takes time for the necessary repairs to take place.
Unfortunately for many of us, the drugs that we used masked underlying problems.
More: http://sunrisedetox.com/blog/2013/04/02/antidepressants-in-recovery-just-another-drug/
What...Me Sober? 
The smile is well-deserved. Expect you’re breakfasting about now. Have a great Wednesday!
bw
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I have shared your blog with a friend of mine who is also in recovery. I’m finding the ‘early recovery’ section especially useful.
Thank you so much for the kind words about my poetry! I enjoy writing, and its a constructive way to process some of the stuff I’ve been feeling over the last few months. I will definitely keep it up. Thanks again for your advice and the kind words, it put a smile on my face :-)
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Thanks for the kudos. I hope you continue to enjoy the blog. I so much enjoy corresponding with readers…and, of course, hearing I’ve helped some of them. I found out about this stuff when I was long since sober, and couldn’t help but think how it would have helped me. I put together some lecture notes, then decided to turn them into an article, and things went on from there.
I just realized who you are. I’m a regular reader! You’re a gifted writer with a wonderful grasp of imagery. Please keep writing. The challenge with poetry is to do it when you’re feeling good — at least for me. I wish you many years of feeling better, but many years of poetry as well. We can learn to channel the good things into words too, it’s just harder to concentrate when the world is looking inviting.
Keep on keepin’ on!
Bill
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I will definitely think on this. Thank you for your advice. I will keep it up :-) I really like your blog, I find it really useful. I came across it one day when I was trying to find information on PAWS.
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Hi Carly-Dee,
If you were diabetic, you’d take your meds. If you had thyroid deficiency disease, you’d take your meds. You’re recovering, and you go to meetings — you’re taking your meds.
Chronic illnesses — especially potentially fatal ones — need to be treated. Your depression may or may not be related to former drug use, but ADs are not “just another drug,” any more than insulin and other drugs that treat biochemical deficiencies.
Think really hard about this.
And keep on keepin’ on!
Bill
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Interesting article I’ve been diagnosed with depression since getting sober 7 months ago. Currently I’ve turned down all anti-depressants because I’d just see it as another drug I take every day. The article has got me thinking about what ADs actually do and how they work. I might not change my mind, but the article helped dispel some of the myths I believed about them. Thanks for link :-)
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