The Curse of Alcohol (Withdrawal)

[dangerousdave]

SWIM said...

First a bit of background drinking history, from the ages of 15 - 18 I drunk relativly occasionly. At 18 I went to uni, drunk every day for 2 / 3 months then got very ill, got broncitus after a flu, along with depression, overall I was ill for getting on for a month. I then stopped drinking for 3 months. I then started drinking 1 / 2 nights a week and in general that has continued for the past 4 years. I did however drink 5 days in a row around a year ago.

I am now going to post my experiences with alcohol withdrawal;

After my 2/3 month drinking binge my decision to stop drinking came randomly, I woke up one morning feeling as if i didnt need alcohol to enjoy my life. I did not at the time think that my drinking was a problem just believed I 'didnt need it'. Originally for the first 1 / 2 days I felt almost ephoric and happy, however this was based very much on fantasy thoughts. As time went by my thoughts became far more negative and I would use fantasy thoughts to try and combat this. I found my self crying every night, sometimes with euphoria others with sadness, the more days that went by the more I would cry with sadness . At the time I attributed these feeling to what was going on in my life, and did not consider the alcohol may have had a bearing. I also during all this time never wanted a drink. I also got a flu then broncitus which probably covered alot of the other symtoms i was experiencing. I gradually recoved.

The next three months I didnt drink, dont even think I went out in evenings, my mood generally improved over this period.

I then decided to start drinking, 1/2 nights a week, and this is how it continued for the next 2/3 years, over this period I would say I was generally neither happy or sad, and cannot remember any occasions of alcohol withdrawal, other than basic hangovers.

I then drunk heavyly 5 nights in a row. After stopping drinking at first I felt happy almost euphoric, I would lie in bed feeling 'paralysed' with euthoria. As time passed I however this feeling was replaced with confusion and general negative thoughts. I also experienced visual halucinations whist in the dark. Generally evil looking faces in the shadows / things like that. I would also experience paralysis when I tried to fall asleep. At the time this was scary as shit and I would hear very loud voices of people screaming at me. I ended up sleeping on a mates floor, it was a weird night but i got by.
For the next few days I was basically swinging from happy to sad, and also experienced quite bad anxiety etc etc. Im pretty sure my blood sugar also took a bit of a dive. I went to see the doc about it but the best he could sugest was to get some exercise.

Since then my alcohol withdrawal symtoms seemed to increase drastically. After two days of drinking I expect to see cross eyed halucinations. Where I keep my eyes half open and see many different shapes and objects slide and move. These are usually somewhat controlled and not necisarrily negative. I aslo get sleep paralyis as I nod off, accompanied by loud people screaming at me. My hangovers all seem to go through a phase of isolation and abstract thought, as well as bad anxiety etc etc.

More recently on two occasions after being woken after a heavy night of drinking I experienced a panic attack, where I got feelings of confusion, madness and general disasocation from my body, I was also swearing at anyone who came near me.

I am just writing this to see if anyone can relate to any of my experiences or has any opinion on what ive wrote.

[Nicaine]

SWIM can't really relate, but he's seen "Leaving Las Vegas"... those who would know better tell him it's a pretty accurate portrayal of serious alcohol addiction.

ISO, one of the big probs with alcohol is how easy it is to get just about anywhere. SWIM wishes SWIY luck, inspiration and hope in his battle with this substance. For whatever it's worth, all strong drugs used to excess create nightmares.

[Nagognog2]

I have met many people who drank and felt they could not stop without terrible things happening to them. Having traced the source of this feeling, I found it was conditioned into them by the society they live in. For example: You have to go to AA. You have to go to a mental institution. You have to go through horrific withdrawl with bats crawling out of the woodwork and sucking your blood. So forth.

Depending on the amount/duration of alcohol abuse - one may well need to talk to a competent physician to withdraw the drug without risking convulsions and extreme anxiety. This may require hospitalisation for a week or two. But the longer one delays this process due to the anxiety of having anxiety - the more likely this will become a rough ride.

Approaching a physician with a clear idea of what needs to be done and being fully honest and clear about it, the less likely one will be directed to a church basement to drink coffee and shake while admitting the Lord alone can help your wretched soul. Withdrawl from alcohol is a medical condition that, depending on the amount and duration, may or may not require observation and/or hospital stay. Much of this will depend on the person requesting treatment.

Last Words: Don't believe the hype like a child scared of the boogey-man under the bed mommy threatened would get'cha! Approach as an adult with eyes and ears open and honesty. It will work out. Seen it work for all who wanted it to.

[dangerousdave]

'I have met many people who drank and felt they could not stop without terrible things happening to them'

At the moment im only drinking 1/2 nights a week so this is currently not a problem.

[Wflash]

I can't believe that SWIY went to a doctor, described to him symptoms that basically amount to mental illness - alcohol withdrawl related or otherwise - and then got told to get some exercise. That doctor should be struck off.

[grecian]

Wflash,

To me this seems typical of Doctors, in my experience they try and get you out their surgeries as quick as they can. If a kids misbehaving at school, easy decision, pump him full of ritalin, if a teenage girl is unhappy giv her sum antidepressants. I got run over once when i was a kid and my foot was in agony, they wouldnt x-ray it though, they put a bandage on it (which fell off later that day) and said I'd be able to walk in a couple of days. I wasnt given crutches and couldnt put weight on my leg for weeks.

I am quite sure if dangerous dave keeps going back to the doc he will eventually be put on sum sort of sedative (not advisable in swims opinion).

Thats the trick with docs on the NHS though, you have to keep hassling them.