I’ve lost track of the number of people in recovery from alcohol misuse that I’ve talked to who made it through the big event where they were so worried about being triggered to drink, only to relapse when they came home.

Vacations. Concerts. Marathons or other physical feats. Performances. Competitions. Weddings.

I’m actually in the middle of one of these crashes right now. After months of practice and preparation, my daughter performed in the horse show of her dreams this weekend. While I wasn’t the one performing, it was still a very emotional experience for me – one that came with intense feelings of excitement, anticipation, joy, and happiness. Now that we’re home, I can feel the let-down effect in action.

Any of these big events that create a rush of euphoria can leave you at risk of an emotional crash afterward. But in the time leading up to it, you’re so focused on getting through the big day without drinking that often navigating the emotional aftermath isn’t even on your radar.

Post-Excitement Let Down

If you’re in recovery from alcohol use disorder and you’re experiencing the Let-Down Effect, you might notice any of the following symptoms:

• Low mood, including mild depression symptoms
• Alcohol cravings
• A general feeling of questioning whether sobriety is worth it
• Listlessness
• Lack of motivation
• Emptiness
• Physical and emotional fatigue
• Easily angered or irritable
• In more extreme cases, you might find yourself questioning your purpose in life

It is generally accepted that humans frequently experience an emotional low shortly after experiencing an emotional high. Furthermore, the severity of the low will be directly correlated to the severity of the high. Meaning that if you have an experience that creates a tremendous emotional high, it’s likely you’ll subsequently experience what feels like a tremendous emotional low.

While the phenomenon is not entirely understood by science, the post excitement let down effect is believed to be caused by a surge of dopamine during the peak of the event, followed by a sudden drop in dopamine levels shortly after. Individuals who have a history of depression or mood instability, or who have previously battled substance abuse disorder, tend to experience more pronounced dips in mood.

While this is a normal, natural phenomenon in all humans, it can pose a significant risk to someone in recovery.

These emotionally low symptoms create a strong feeling of discomfort. And of course, discomfort can easily trigger a craving or urge to drink. This is exacerbated by a general “blah” feeling that makes it harder to remember why fighting the cravings is worth the effort. And all of this combined can set you up for relapse if you’re not prepared to handle it.

Here are some ways you can prepare for the emotional Low

Schedule a rest day after the big event

Emotional exhaustion is just as real as physical exhaustion – and it’s not only caused by difficult emotional experiences. Even “positive” emotions such as joy, happiness, and excitement can leave you feeling drained. It requires a lot of energy to experience big emotions! As a society, we tend to blow off emotional exhaustion, telling ourselves we shouldn’t feel so tired.

But that’s entirely untrue.

Emotional exhaustion is cured the same way physical exhaustion is – with rest. If you can, schedule some down time for yourself following your big day, or give yourself an extra day after your vacation to recover before heading back to work. Leave space in the calendar to do some restful activities – take naps, read a book, watch a movie. Whatever leaves you feeling rested.

Reach Out To Friends

Having social support goes a long way in recovering from an emotional downturn. If you have a support system in place, let them know ahead of time that you might need to lean on them for a few days after everything is over. Plan to get together for coffee, or even just have a chat on the phone. Talk about the experience, talk about your emotions, and let your friend be there to support you.

It’s never a good idea to try to navigate tough emotions alone.

Practice Self Care

After a big event, you’re going to feel depleted. Create space in your life for the things that refuel you. Whether that’s exercise, art, socializing, tidying and organizing your space – do the things that boost your mood and bring you a sense of general peace in your life. This is also a great time to make sure you’re sticking with your morning and evening routines. That sense of familiarity will bring a calmness and normalcy to your days as you settle back into regular life.

Relish the Memories

Take some time to look back at pictures of the special moments. Give yourself some reasons to smile and practice gratitude for the opportunity to experience so much joy. You could even create a scrapbook, a video/slideshow, or try journaling about the experience.

Validate Your Emotions, and don’t Try to rush them

So often, we tell ourselves, “I shouldn’t feel this way.” It’s especially easy to do this after a big, emotionally exciting event. “I should be happy after that! What’s wrong with me?” All of that inner dialogue is actually making the emotional low even worse. In order to move through an emotion, we must first validate it. “It makes sense why I’m feeling this way. That was a big deal! It’s natural for my mood to sink for a while after something like that.”

Give yourself permission to feel the way you feel. Don’t try to stop it – that will only make it worse.

Know When To Seek Professional Support

In some cases, the let-down effect can trigger true depression. If you’re finding that you’re feeling low for more than a few days, or if your negative thoughts are becoming extreme, seek professional medical or mental health support immediately.

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Just holding awareness for the fact that this emotional low might come is the first and most important step in navigating it more easily. Remember – Emotions always pass… but often, they don’t pass as quickly as we’d like them to. Know that how you feel isn’t how you’ll always feel, and that you’ll soon be on the other side of this.