softerlouder

I drink.

I started drinking roughly 2 years ago. I have been doing this daily now for over a year. Everyday, never a break.

I started drinking because I was having side effects from trying to get off prescription medicines. 8 years ago I was in a very traumatic whirlpool of issues that piled on and got the best of me. I was overly filled with anxiety. I have had anxiety my whole life but never to the point of being a huge problem. That changed and I found myself getting prescribed meds. I never liked the meds and while they might have helped, in some ways they did not. I wanted off. This wasn't and hasn't been easy. I am still working on getting off an extremely low low low dose of an A/D and a benzo.

I haven't felt well now for over a year. I am just off. Completely not feeling well, main issues have been vertigo, dizzy, anxiety, weird thoughts, sleep issues, depression(never had this before this mess just anxiety), breathing issues.

I have a doctor and have seen and talked with a few others. I am working on getting off everything. I am working on getting off the alcohol.

My question is, I have only ever drank 3 beers max a day. I recently switched to 2 beers daily and now swiched to light beer for less alcohol.

Do I have withdrawal from alcohol in between use? I go 24 hours between drinks. I look forward to a few beers for repreive from feeling like hell. I don't like being drunk or even buzzed. I just like a pair of cold ones to take the edge off. I do feel better when I have a drink. I know its a problem because I even feel comfort when the cold bottle touches my lips.

Do I have tolerance withdrawal because I have not increased my consumption ? Is my body trying to get me to drink more by making me feel sick everyday?

I am just trying to get better. I was ok with just having anxiety issues. If I could go back to 8 years ago I would just work with a therapist, eat healthy, and go the natural path to combat anxiety.

Here I am 8 years later feeling worse than I did originally and I am trying to get well and need to know why I feel the way I feel.

I need to know is the alcohol causing me any of this?

softerlouder

By the way I am not looking for an excuse to continue drinking. I absolutely will quit this. I am sick of it and every week I will cut down 1 beer and will be done drinking 100% in 2 weeks.

Hooner

Hi softlouder,

Glad to hear you are making a step toward change. I'm not a doctor so I can only "theorize" from past, personal experiences.

And, I drink about 18 beers a day.

I've been through some withdrawals and other times none. My worst withdrawals are shaking, puking, not being able to eat or if I do puking hours later, sweating, diareha and severe anxiety with heart palpitations along with nightmares.

One to two beers a day doesn't see very harmful - but it depends on a person's body. Everyone's body processes alcohol differently.

I too suffer from anxiety and depression and am looking to get on some meds as I feel the same as you - I drink to self medicate.

It's best to get rid of all alcohol from the picture so then you can really focus on how you feel and not wonder if it's this "depresant" I'm ingesting. But, for me to say that is calling the kettle black...haha.

Best Wishes to you,
Hoon

Taking5

2 beers is not much at all. However you need to be educated on "Light" beer. Light beer has the same alcohol as any other beer, it just has less calories.

softerlouder

I hear ya dgillz. But I follow ratebeer.com and check the alcohol percentage.

It may not be alot of alcohol but I now realize that I drank daily for 1 year, then quit for a few months and have now been back at it for 1 and a half years. I crave it, I feel relief when I have a drink. I was drinking 3 6% alcohol beers about a week ago. I am now drinking 2 4% alcohol light beers.

I am just wondering about the effects on your body with constant drinking.

Also I am curious about tolerance. I realize many people drink much more but maybe they don't get withdrawal because they constantly have a drink.

I am just trying to learn and educate myself. I am hoping I can give up the drink and feel better not worse. Thank you for the reply.


HOON :ghug3 I wish you all the best and hope you find a safe comfortable way off 18 beers a day. Thank you for your reply.

CarolD

Welcome to SR!

I know it is dangerous mixing alcohol with some meds.
Please continue to consult your doctor
and on your taper plan.

Glad you found us...Keep in touch

CarolD

Hi again...
I saw you asked this on another thread
The man in peril was also using prescribed meds.
He had been hospitalized previously
Most drinkers are not honest about
how much or when they drink

And...there is also PAWS to consider
Please look at #5 on this link

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

I do hope you continue to share with us

zoomer

I use to drink a beer or two while on meds. It just like drinking a 12 pack.

kelsh

Hi SofterLouder,

I am sure you know the saying, "It doesn't matter how often you drink, how much you drink, or where you drink, or who you drink with or how much money you spend...it matters how alcohol affects you and your life.

No amount of analyzing all of this is going to make a difference if you should or shouldn't drink.

I drank a six pack of beer everynight for four years plus vodka and hard liquor on the weekends. My beer was ale which was some stronger than regular beer. I got drunk every night, ate, went to bed, and then up to work and started the process all over again the next day.

I did not want to drink but by now I had to drink by a certain time each day or I would start into withdrawals. My misconception of alcoholics and drug users was completly flawed.

I got help finally and went to AA, to in-patient treatment for 30days, went to an alcoholic woman's group at the alcohol center, went to counseling for my depression and followed through with what was expected in the first year. I also got a Sponsor who helped guide me through the steps and how to live a sober life.

The second year I was sober I went back to college for a BA Degree in Psychology and worked half time and attended three AA Meetings a week.

I wanted sobriety more than anything else in my life and was determined to do it.

After two years of college, I graduated and got a job with the county Mental Health Center. I worked my way up from a Mental Health Tech. to a Geriatric Mental Health Counselor. I started my new career at 50 years old.

So all things entered in with me. I was allergic to acohol and had a bright red face
that took 9 months to get rid of...!

Now all changes did not come overnight. How long did it take us to get where we got to with our drinking? A long time...I even smelled of alcohol when I went to work so my co-workers realy believed that I drank before I went to work. I never did this one time.

So I must quit my soap box tonight...am tired and have to figure out what to cook for supper.

SaTiT

The last i check alcohol is a depresent..so if you drink it..it's going
to make you depressed as hell.

if you don't want to be depressed as hell, don't drink it.

I don't know write all the liquar company to stamp a big arss refractor,
glow in the dark...DEPRESSENT on all the bottle and cans.
i don't think they'll agree with me thou.lol

Well if you're depress and have emotional or anxiety already
obviousely pumping more depressent in to you system is
going to make you depressed, depressed.

obviousely...no dope, pills, booze..mind altering chemicle to
empair my judgments.

well... you keep drinking that crap becuase it's addictive.

Do you need an expert to certified that for you ???
Don't you have enough evidence ?
Or do you need to experiment some more?

mmm you giving enough evidence for me. I'm not going to
experiment anymore. I don't need to.

Thanks for sharing your story.