NightNDay

I was curious if anyone else noticed this towards the end of their drinking days? I've been sober for a few weeks now, and two of the biggest factors that pushed me to get back into AA were:

1.) I no longer got any kind of "happy" feeling whatsoever when I drank. Maybe 5-10 minutes of euphoria, tops. But most days, I just felt instant dread the second the alcohol passed my lips.

2.) I began to feel sick almost immediately after drinking. I could no longer drink my normal level (I used to have an incredibly high tolerance). After just a few drinks I would begin to feel queasy, drunk, and all-around horrible.


I'm actually grateful those two things happened, because they were important factors in my rock bottom. However...I've just recently been reading about "reverse tolerance" and it scared the crap out of me. I had no idea this was even a thing -- I just assumed my anxiety and mental unease over drinking when I knew I shouldn't was what was causing me to feel the ill effects of alcohol after only a few drinks. But, in retrospect, I really think I may have been suffering from reverse tolerance.

I was curious if anyone else experienced anything similar towards the end of your drinking career? It was really bizarre and weird -- it was as if I suddenly had an incredibly low tolerance and was "drunk" and sick after very little alcohol (compared with what I'd been drinking over the years). I used to be able to polish off 2-3 bottles of wine with no trouble, and almost an entire bottle of rum. But towards the end 2-3 rum and cokes would have me drunk and sick.

ScottFromWI

Yep, can definitely happen. Happened to me towards the end too. It can be a sign of some pretty serious physical issues too, have you seen a doctor since you quit? Our bodies do have a remarkable ability to recover, but it is not a bad idea to get checked out after years of drinking.

Hevyn

I had the first one - absolutely. The last months of my drinking career were spent just 'maintenance' drinking so I wouldn't shake. It had ceased to be fun long ago. It was horrible to be caught in that trap.

Thepatman

The permanent broken party syndrome I call it.

Once a certain line is crossed, our body and mind refuses to partake in the destruction session. A blessing I think.

soberclover

This is a really interesting concept I've not looked at from this angle before. I always assumed that the liver was damaged and couldn't process the toxins from the alcohol and that is what caused my getting drunk and sick easily. Totally agree with the not having "fun" anymore with drinking but rather to just maintain. Sooooooo glad I'm not there anymore!

MelindaFlowers

Yes. It happened to me. Reverse tolerance and every bit of fun gone, disappeared, completely.

So glad that happened. This allowed me to go from someone who couldn't get a day two for years to six months since my last drink.

When it stops offering us ANYTHING there is no reason to drink.

Dee74

Definitely here too.

D

Anna

Yes, I experienced some things like that, too, at the end of my drinking days.

As Hevyn said, it felt like being caught in a horrible trap with no way out.

Soberwolf

Yes definatly

Alwyshope12

yeah, i understand the reverse tolerance. it really made me realize that i had a problem with alcohol. when the alcohol made me crazy when u wasn't drinking it just as much as when i was drinking it, i knew there was a problem.

you are at a critical stage, i hope you find a way to get medical treatment asap. this is important.

also keep on posting here, there is so much support here for you.

herradura

I used to love the act of drinking a lot of beer and gradually get very happy and fun. then I too had the reverse tolerance where I could only drink 6 to 10 beers and could hardly talk. The fun left after the first one. Used to love the fun with alcohol, but the part I sought (fun) was ever more elusive, I did not get physically sick toward the end, but the mental aspect of the self loathing was horrible. It just simply flat out was no longer worth it.
Good luck.

Plure

I had a little bit of this towards the end, was frustrating because had been using alcohol to feel better and tone down the anxiety. When it stopped being as effective I wasn't a happy camper. Thank goodness an episode of dehydration and an ER trip (with some discussion/lecturing about my drinking problem from the doc) stopped my drinking in its entirety...otherwise I might be drinking the holidays away and getting more of that reverse tolerance and possible organ damage.

Altoids

I never heard of it, but I experienced some of this, too.

esinger

Go to the doc and get your liver checked.

paloverde

I guess I think of it like, how many times can a person get drunk in their life? 1000? 5000? 20000? It's gotta end at some point. Glad none of us are drinking tonight.

Eddiebuckle

Yep, remember it well. Drinking vodka, going from shaking to staggering, slurring, but never getting the high. They never show that in the advertisements.

DefconOne

I think I was drunk at least 40years * 100/times per year = 4000. That is just an average; I had an upward ramp and at the end I was drunk 24/7 before I collapsed.

Creekryder

I too experienced the illness when I drank. I was putting down a half litre of whiskey a day and kept drinking to dull the sick feeling. I wouldn't stop to give my body a rest. Addiction removes common sense.

Briar

Yes, the high was gone, and I had to be very careful to drink just the right amount to function but not get too drunk as I was still working and trying to maintain some semblence of a normal life. The balance became very tricky as my body changed, and I definitely didn't enjoy it.

MythOfSisyphus

I think it might be psychological. It would happen with me too and I speculate it was because by the end I dreaded the moment I would cave and drink, knowing full well that even though I hated it I was gonna do it anyway.