Recently Sober

[dogworrier]

I recently got sober and now I feel everything. And one of the things I worry about all the time is my dogs. I have three so you would think I would worry less because they have each other but everytime I leave the house, I don't want to go. I don't want to leave them. I feel they will miss me (which of course, they will) but it just feels so worrisome to leave. Maybe it has something to do with being recently sober. Maybe I used the dogs to deal with my feelings and now that I'm feeling everything, I am really feeling my own feelings and not theirs. People tell me all the time that "they're just dogs...they don't worry about things the way we do." I guess there is some truth to that, considering I can be gone 2 minutes, 2 hours, or 2 days, and I get the same response. I mean, I feel I need to leave because I have meetings to go to and things to do. Another thing I think is going on is that I just fear people so much. I have always loved animals because they don't hurt others like people do. It might benefit me to get a counselor so I can talk about these things?

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Hello

Well done getting sober you should give yourself a big pat on the back

If you have been using drink to dampen your emotions now sober you will feel the emotions maybe more than what you remember & this will be all new to you having feelings & fears again as you have been blocking them out using drink & at first it will take some getting use to again but you will

I think though that worrying about your dogs is quite normal but for an hour or two they will be fine & if you find you need to be away for several days which would be to long to leave them could you as a friend or neighbour or relative to pop in & check on them ?

I think it would be a good idea to go & see a counsellor & talk things through as well as maybe looking at AA meetings in your area , there are people in the meetings that will have got sober just like you & will be able to relate to how you are feeling & offer you support as they have been where you are at the moment to , all the support we can get helps x