Yes, I truly believe this to be physical problem in its origin, I believe at least in my case that I have some form of birth defect or deficiency in my nervous system, I don't think that my nervous system is capable of handling everyday messages from my brain in the same way a 'normal' persons nerves would react. I suppose what Im saying is my nerves are always hypersensitive. I like what I heard in AA, that some alcoholics seem to have left the factory without getting the final protective coating on their nerves, I can relate here.
I believe that the mind makes the situation worse, for it knows in advance how the body will react to certain stimuli and it will create a thought process prior to an event and this of course will make the situation worse. As they say "you can only fear something that has already happened"
Im nearly 3 years sober, nearly 2 smoke free and I suffer from tingling and pins and needles which is called paraesthesia. I got neuropathy from drinking, lucky me!! The tingling is unbearable at times and often I do think of having a drink to end it or a smoke as it got way worse after I quite smoking. I won't take drugs for it, I was told to up my Vitamin B and calicum levels and to dramatically reduce my sugar intake, I must say that this is indeed doing some good, but it comes and goes, can stay for a few weeks and then be gone for a few weeks, but again, in my opinion, the nervous is compromised in the first place, like electrical wires with cracked insulation, current is not travelling smoothly to where it is mean't to go, instead it is arching, the mind is aware something is wrong so it panics, sending more signals and a vicious circle is created.
I had scans done on my hands and feet a few years back and they could detect damage from the images, so that is indeed physiological damage.
May be worth a mention that the brain is also a fundamental part of the nervous system, so I would be thinking that anything a miss in the rest of it should also be applied to the brain