Paulos

Anyone ever feel these symptoms while stopping booze for a while... this is also another list of my problems *more as of late than usual*:

Inability to concentrate
Finding almost no pleasure in the things I do anymore
Bad Anxiety and worrying of every sensation I get in my body
Staring into space
Bad depression, crying episodes
Major/Bad OCD about my fears/brain power/intelligence/almost anything I can't understand
Feeling life is kind of meaningless
Medication never helped you just gave you side effects

ANGELINA243

Yep, I've certainly been there before. Hang in there, Paulos! You are not alone. :ghug3

Paulos

Thanks.

Kit

Paulos,
How many days have you gone? You may also be feeling reactions from going off of your meds, which you mentioned in a previous post. You also mentioned having a lot of anxiety while you were drinking, and now you are still having anxiety while you are not drinking. Paulos, I think you are smart to stay away from booze (obviously), but with your diagnosis of autism and symptoms of OCD, you should most definately check with your doctor. I do work with people on the Autism spectrum, and I don't know what your specific diagnosis is, but the meds prescribed to you may actually be something that is helpful. Consider that, ok?

Love, Kit

caraway

Yes I've had those symptoms - except the OCD - although I have experienced 'intrusive' thoughts which I've found difficult to get rid of and this has got to where it doesn't bother me now that I've stopped drinking for over two months.

I've had those symptoms of depression in the past too, even when I've stopped drinking. I wish I could help you. It just seemed to disappear as I got older and I wish I could tell you how to make it go away, But I'm afraid it just seems to have been a mixture of growing older, a change in circumstances and some anti-depressants that just happen to work for me.

I'm also on a program (AA) now which is helping me to get better some more. I know you're not keen on AA, I wonder if another program or 'path' to recovery might help you, or perhaps a church? I find the structure of a program/path of recovery helps me, it sort of helps you put one foot in front of the other so you know you're going somewhere however slowly. Other than that, I think you just have to hang in there as best you can. Not drinking may not make all the symptoms go away but it certainly helps with some of them, at least it did for me.

Anyway, you've done really well, and I hope you continue to do well!

Freedom1990

Yes yes yes on every one of those!

CAPTAINZING2000

most of what you wrote, I had when, I was drinking.

It will get better the longer you stay sober!!

sugErspun

Yes..had them all.

Now they are all gone.

Slowbriety

Those two were the biggest ones. Thank God that went away.

Paulos

Thank you all for the kind posts, it seems I need support of you all so thank you. I'm on day 26 now all, and right now I'm fearful about life's responsibilities, fixing things, *things I may never even need to fix*, life in general and the usual... so ... just sayin'...

FightingIrish

All of the above. In my experience, they get fewer and further between as time goes on. I'm at six months here.

unigirl

Yeh i can have those too paulos- hang in though as everyone says. Have faith this too shall pass, if you work for it.

dixon

Today is the day I stop. I am very scared of going through withdrawals. What am I to expect? I know depression, that comes with the drinking, I'm always depressed the day after.

Paulos

Dixon you better post your own message on the boards so you can get more advice, you better go through detox instead of stopping cold turkey... I took vitamins/minerals/pills such as a Multi Vitamin, L Glutamine, L Tyrosene, B Complex... some other stuff that I can't recall. These are important, I think they pump you with this stuff in detox too.

sugarssweetpea

I had all of them as well when I was drinking, I just chose to drink to get rid of them (for the moment). I have been sober for 6 years & yes, they do get better. Surrendering my life & my will to God's will daily helps me.

mad1nola

Paulos, I know exactly how you feel. I've been sober for 7 weeks and I have extreme anxiety and have panic attacks. I wasn't sure all of the symptoms I was having were those of anxiety until I went to a site that listed some symptoms that really struck home. Like you I obsess over every sensation and am very afraid that I have damaged myself beyond repair. I feel extremely sad and cry all day sometimes. Then I pray and pray and then I feel better for about a week or so. In fact, I am going through one of those periods right now. I just wish I weren't so afraid to attend an AA meeting. I am praying for the strength to do that. I'm beginning to see this is too hard for me alone.