jjlondon

at least mentally...

I wondered if anybody could share any recollection of the experience that I had earlier this week.

I have not managed to stop drinking yet but it is my firm intention to do so. At the moment I'm grappling with accessing appropriate services for detox, so that I can do it properly. Hopefully sorted within the next week or two!

However, earlier this week I felt extreemely unwell with abdo. cramps, vomiting etc. During this time I had no desire whatsoever to drink and therefore didn't. However I got to day three and, scared from a previous withdrawal experience, decided to drink a couple of cans in order to stave off any withdrawal signs. I'm not 100% sure that I actually experienced any but my anxiety levels were through the roof and I had some really disturbing dreams as a result. I wonder if, had I either (a) just carried on not drinking or (b) not have experienced the anxiety, I'd have had a better night's sleep. Any thoughts?

Thx in advance,

Jamie.

DayTrader

I had a lot of nightmares when I was trying to quit. Some nights, after I'd wake up from the same nightmare for the 3rd or 4th time (I tend to have nightmares that repeat over and over the whole night), I'd just say "forget it," get up out of bed and start my extra day early. Several of those days started at 3am but it was better than those damn dreams, I tell ya.

I got through the nightmares but they were just the tip of the iceberg for me. Eventually, I'd get so upset that I'd just go back to the booze.

It wasn't until I really started working my end of the bargain to regain a relationship with my HP that all that bad stuff really started to go away for good.

penny74

l have had the same.
Always thought it was my nervous system that was very upset because of lack of alcohol.

It takes a lot of time before that settles down.
What you should do is talk to your GP.
Wish you luck, strength and wisedom.

jjlondon

DayTrader - mine was exactly the same. I wasn't in full REM sleep so was totally aware of what was going on - something odd would happen in the nightmare which would make me force myself to wake up and try to 'change' the nightmare, yet I'd go back to it every time. I just kept on wondering where the hell this weird stuff was coming from in my mind. Now, I'm scared that dwelling on it too much will perpetuate it.

LifeBlows

There are days when the desire to drink leaves me. Its like a demon that temporarily decamps before it possesses you again. I too have every intention of stopping drinking.

Also I've drunk because I was scared of the withdrawals.

DayTrader

I still have them once and a while. They usually come when I'm not working my program very well and letting things get me all stressed out. It's like..... being awake is stressful and frustrating enough and now I have to deal with more of this crap when I'm SLEEPING too! .....and the worst part is I KNOW, in my dream, that it's just a dream and I'll never win.......but I keep trying to!

About the only way I've found to avoid them is to be Johnny-on-the-spot with my recovery program: tell on myself, talk to my sponsor, talk to my therapist, try to stay out of myself and be of service to others, and stay as connected with my HP as I can. When I get them now, it's usually a good indicator that I'm not doing something that I should be or doing something that I shouldn't be when I'm awake. They're like an alarm that signal I need to change SOMETHING..quick.