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Anxiety Improving Sobriety Helping

Old 06-04-2008, 11:25 PM
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Anxiety Improving Sobriety Helping

A number of weeks ago I had my very first panic attack. I thought that I was going to die & nearly called an ambulance. Of course, I only had a few days sober. I realize now that it was probably alcohol related. I was getting to the point of being paranoid that people were following me. I was told by a professional that the anxiety withdrawal gets worse & worse. Yikes! What's been your experience with anxiety after withdrawal?

tib
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Old 06-05-2008, 12:07 AM
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I've never had a panic attack that I know of.
Perhaps years ago in a blackout?

I do remember the paranoia by the end of my drinking.

I thought strangers were talking about me as I walked
the 6 blocks to work.
I countered that by looking
straight at them saying silently
"He was drunk last night too
"She's already had 2 this morning"

Awful feeling I never want to have again.


Take good care of yourself
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Old 06-05-2008, 03:01 AM
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I suffered panic attacks pretty often during the last couple years of my drinking. For me, the chances of having a panic attack went up on the days after a heavy night of drinking. During the last year, I discovered that if I drank in the morning I could get through most days at work without a panic attack, although sometimes a trip to the liquor store at lunch time was necessary. On the weekends, I just stayed drunk.

I have not had a panic attack since I stopped drinking for real five and a half years ago. When I went into treatment for the drinking, my physician prescribed Paxil for the panic attacks. I stayed on that for the first year and a half of recovery.

One of the many good reasons I have to not take that first drink is the certain knowledge that if the drinking starts up, so will the panic attacks. I like the freedom of being able to stand in line at the grocery store without fear. In the past, I had to drink to do simple things like that.
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Old 06-05-2008, 03:14 AM
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Tib I am lucky to have not have suffered panic attacks, paronia haunted me for years while I was drinking, I thought that people were out to get me a lot and could twist any set of events to be proof of me being the target of many plots to get me!!!!

After I got sober I came to realize that I have never been worth "getting"!!! LOL
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Old 06-05-2008, 11:37 AM
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Originally Posted by tiburon88 View Post
I was told by a professional that the anxiety withdrawal gets worse & worse. Yikes! What's been your experience with anxiety after withdrawal?
Looking back, the anxiety after my last bender was probably the single most important thing that finally forced me to do "whatever it takes". Self-hatred, hopelessness, thought I was going crazy, ready to check into the mental health ward - the blackest feelings I have ever had. And this on top of the physical withdrawal - shaking, exhausted, starving but can't eat, heart racing, cold sweats.

And for me, the mental anguish did get worse & worse after each bender. I can't imagine what the next time would be like. That old saying comes to mind "I just don't know if I have another recovery in me".
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Old 06-05-2008, 11:53 AM
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I had them in early recovery - first couple of months, they were pretty uncomfortable. I talked about them, stayed focused on prayer and my early attempts at meditation, step work, etc. They improved and disappeared all together.

About a year and a half ago, they came back! They were uncomfortable, but not to the point that I wanted to drink. By that time, I learned how to step back from sensation and act rather than react. I saw a therapist who helped me to expand my meditation repertoire to include routines for easing anxiety.

I don't know if it's normal, PAWS-type stuff, but I know it can be dealt with and it does get better.

Peace & Love,
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Old 06-05-2008, 12:44 PM
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Hi Tiburion,

I experienced anxiety issues long before I began drinking. Of course, they became worse while I was drinking. I definitely had panic attacks when I was in my last months of drinking. Now, in recovery, I still have anxiety problems, but they are manageable. I have also had a couple of panic attacks. So, things are better for me being sober.
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Old 06-05-2008, 01:13 PM
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Dear Tib

Hang in there. Its a journey and for me, feeling my anxiety was part of the process of early sobriety.

I've always had low grade anxiety, and when I was drinking/drugging, it escalated to high anxiety, alternating with panic and deep depressions. But I was in such a fog, these states of mind all blurred together to make me the mess that i'd become.

For my first 2 - 3 years in sobriety, I felt those anxious feelings abit more acutely because they weren't numbed by alcohol. But, I also was able to clearly watch them subside, and soon grew calmer and more trusting in the fact that I would be okay, no matter what.

Once I embarked on the actual stepwork of AA, I found I had tools that helped keep me a bit more centered. Talking it out with another alcoholic. Going to meetings and sitting quietly for an hour, listening and sharing about our experiences. Prayer and connection with my higher power. Service work. Yoga and meditation and breathing practices regularly.

Completing the 4th and 5th steps actually seemed to have taken away most of my deep anxieties.

Be patient. Sobriety works!
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Old 06-05-2008, 02:09 PM
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Hi tib i can relate to what you are going through right now. I am early on in my sobriety - i have always been a rather anxious and neautrotic person, I recently went to the docs and asked if i can be put forward to see someone about my anxiety. I have the odd panic attack, but mainly for me i suffer with anxious thoughts and obseesional thinking to the point it can affect my day to day life.
I am not going to be put on med - and the doc said i dont need to be, but seeing a psycologist will help me work through it. I am also in AA, and my sponser recommended outside help with the anxiety prob. I am currently working through the recovery program - which will also improve my thinking and life in genreal if work at it.
I wish you well in your journey - remember you're no longer alone, and things will get better in time!
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Old 11-07-2012, 04:50 PM
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I'm in early sobriety from benzos but still self medicating with neuronton and fioricet. I want to not do that but I'm having bad bad anxiety. Going to pdoc on Saturday and going to suggest something else besides neuronton and nooo benzos. Was addicted to those on and off for more than a dec
A decade. Having dts in 2005 from Xanax. I have 2 months clean from roxi/ oxi but still abusing neuronton when I get it and not as often fioricet but won't be getting a rx for that anytime soon if ever again. I'm on seroquel at bedtime and trazadone prn.
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Old 11-08-2012, 04:00 AM
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Angel, I hope you get this sorted. I don't know anything about benzos but recurring migraines took me to butalbital, the more codeine the better. I diddled a script, just a little ink changed it from 30 to 80. This was years ago when it was possible to do - still highly illegal I know. The fact I did that scared me so much that I never got them again. Fioricet is too good for me to use ever again.
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Old 11-08-2012, 04:02 AM
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Yea I have them where i think I can't breathe but the drinking did not cure them, think it would like medicine
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Old 11-08-2012, 09:04 AM
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No more Xanax for me but I'm a stupid girl with a crazy pill addiction. I don't take the kind mixed with codeine they make my so out of it and slur my speech. I am out of all my pills except seroquel and trazadone good news for me!! Yay soberiety. And psych appt on sat so I can talk to him. During 2007 to 2008 I recovered went to meetings and only took my meds which were zyprexa and trileptal with some Prozac added. I did get better and feel better so it must still be possible. I now live alone with my 2 yo son and isolate too much.
Is it really possible for me to recover. Will soberiety help or am I hopeless and doomed for life??? Thank you
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