Many thanks, all
Really appreciate your inputs. I think I'm coming round to the idea that because I'm expecting the experience to be bad, it will in fact become that (self-fulfilling prophecy). I can't post a link yet but Google this article, which I found helped a lot:
alcoholrehab (dot) com How To Make It Through Alcohol Withdrawals
Up till now, I have tended to see the body and nervous system as a bunch of chemicals interacting with each other, and it thus followed that the right way to lessen withdrawal symptoms is to cushion the blow by using other chemicals like diazepam etc. However I spoke a friend last night who recounted the story of her brother-in-law (incidentally, who is a prominent doctor) who decided to immediately hit the gym instead of the pub.
Although he had to really force himself for the first week or so, after a while the natural 'feel good' chemicals produced by exercise began to calm down the buzzing nerves and the increased energy combatted the tiredness.
So, I'm now on my second day into my cold turkey, and after seeing my doc this afternoon will get on my bike and get myself to the gym, tiredness or no tiredness.
Watch this space :-)
Ford