Hi Jo! I didn't get any shakes or physical withdrawals like that, but my emotions were all over the place. I was paranoid, angry, depressed, and really, really off my rocker at times. Everyone's body reacts differently. As far as what I said about giving yourself and your body time away from it and then choosing serious methods was because its hard to think straight when you are concentrating on the fact you aren't going to drink for the next 24 hours or hour or whatever it may be. Just get through it and then start the serious thinking.
I did not drink in the morning. I did not lose my family to alcohol. I did not lose a job to alcohol, BUT it all probably would have happened soon. Husband was really sick of me and threatened to leave at one time. He would have taken my son with him and no court would have let me parent him over my husband.
Husband is diabetic (type 2) and gave up drinking as soon as he found out. Doctor said he was committing suicide by drinking. He had no problem giving it up. I continued to drink. Nice not! I would have hated me had I been him, but he was very patient with the whole thing. He can't drink because he is diabetic and I can't drink because I'm an alcoholic.