My brain feels like it’s screaming at me!

Sometimes, we truly feel like our brain is screaming at us, telling us that we are not going to make it. And the loudness of the screaming can be overwhelming, painful, isolating—or honestly just unbearable.

When we are going through withdrawals— and trying to recalibrate our brains—this feeling is normal. Our brain is used to working in a certain way, but through recovery we are changing it. Many of us in recovery have experienced this, and we can all tell you: that it does get better!

Why do I feel this way?

We all get nervous and scared when we start to feel things we do not recognize. We begin to question why we are feeling this way. And, you may be curious about ways you can feel better and heal.

When we go through withdrawal, we have less activity in the reward center of our brain. Instead, stress-related activity increases, and we can find ourselves feeling irritable, anxious, or like our brain is screaming at us. [1]

Furthermore, sometimes your brain tells you to do things when your body tells  you to do the opposite.  For example, if you are going through withdrawal, your body may tell you that you should use drugs to feel better. At the same time your mind is telling you, don’t use, you got this.

Substance withdrawal and mental health concerns can cause your brain to feel chaotic, especially when you are dealing with possible physical illnesses and the diagnosis of other mental health conditions. You may feel like you have to reprogram your brain and do other things just to feel more like yourself or make the screaming stop.

What can I do to make the screaming stop?

When your brain is screaming, your focus is to make it stop. There are many coping skills you can use to help take away the pain you are experiencing and hopefully, calm your mind and body. The following list comes from people who have lived experience and have dealt with this situation in the past.  We were able to move forward, and you can too!

• Fight back with mindfulness: Recognize and accept that you have stress on your plate. Find a quiet and safe space. Tune into your senses to ground yourself. Release loud thoughts and give yourself permission to move forward.
• Speak gently to yourself: Sing your favorite/silly song or try daily affirmations such as, “I am resilient,” or “I am beautiful inside and out.”
• Distract yourself:  Make coffee, play with your pet, do some gardening, etc.   Find a way to distract from the negative and turn your excess energy into something positive.
• Find outlets:  Fitness, dancing, journaling, clapping, punching bag, artistic expression via music and/or painting.
• Breathing exercises: Focusing on your breathing is a great way to calm your nervous system. Try inhaling for 4 seconds through your nose, feeling your belly rise. Then, exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds, feeling yourself release the air. Making your exhales longer than your inhales activates your vagus nerve!
• Guided meditation and beginner yoga:  These techniques truly work to ground you and slowly bring you back into reality feeling refreshed. Meditation and yoga can also help you feel connected to the present moment and your body.
• Progressive muscle relaxation:  This is a great strategy for calming your nervous system and helping trauma survivors that involves tensing and releasing your muscles
• EFT tapping or Emotional Freedom Techniques or rubbing temples: These techniques can help ground and center you.  It can also help you release unhelpful thoughts and increase relaxation.
• Talk to someone:  Talking to someone can relieve stress and help you with positive changes by sharing them with a friend or family member. Or you can talk to a peer or sponsor, call 988, or a warmline for support.

Recovery is a process and ultimately it takes time to feel better and heal.

Your brain needs time to recalibrate and heal.  This takes time and is a journey that all of us in recovery must go through.  Remember, you are not alone. Many people have experienced this just like you, and recovery is possible!

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