bootstrap

My question is does anyone have any experience of drinking again after a long time of sobriety and the withdrawal symptoms has become lesser? At least somewhat?

I drank heavily for little more than a year (about a bottle of vodka each day) then i just quit.(about 8 months ago) The strongest withdrawal symptoms lasted for a couple of months. Now i can still feel the physical effects of it (slow head ). When i decided to quit i never had any cravings for alcohol ( I did however feel that I needed something to change my state of mind to get away from the withdrawal symptoms but it didn’t have to be alcohol ).

For the moment drinking alcohol is not on my mind. I think i would get anxious just by the feeling of being intoxicated.

But im thinking really long term, i know i cant ever drink like i used to when i was a “healthy drinker” ( before i abused it ). But i am wondering if there is someone with the experience of starting to drink again socially after long abstinence and the withdrawals had become less severe?

And maybe you will think that im out of my mind or stupid for thinking this but it has to do with not having that kind of social life one has when there is alcohol around.
I know this is something that i can only find out for myself but because this is so far of in the future im asking for other peoples experiences.

thanks

justhadenough

Withdrawals get worse,not better each time we go through them

google 'kindling alcohol'

there's good thread with lots of info in the newcomers to recovery section

least

Here's that thread.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-forever.html

Nevertheless

It doesn't take long to get right back where you left off. The first time you drink again,you might think you have control. "and you might". But it won't be long until you are the same or worse than where you left off. And the hangovers will HURT. So will the withdrawal.
I had a friend that quit for almost a year. The first time he fell off the wagon he drank as much or more than he did when he quit. It did him in. His body wasn't used to that amount,like he was before.
Quitting is very difficult. It's soo much easier to just not start in the first place.
Fred

bjames

Big book experts.... what is the story I am thinking of.... the guy doesn't drink for 20 years or so, and then starts up again? He loses his business, almost dies, etc. Perfect example of why this is a bad idea.

tomsteve

personally, the longest i went without drinking in 23 years was about 30 days. then i had stopped and picked up a 40ouncer on the way home from work one day. in a week, i was up to a 12 pack and pint of jim beam.
i know today that if i pick up a drink, i wont pick up where i left off, i will pick up like i never stopped.
i have seen that proven many,many times and greatful i know that seeing it happen to others, it will happen to me,too.

Sally1009

Hi Bootstrap,
Watch out for that one! It has happened a few times to me too, drinking moderately after a long period of abstinence. No hangover, feeling fine etc. It fooled me into thinking I could drink normally again. But then wham! Within a short time I was back to square one and then some.
It's not for nothing they say alcoholism is 'cunning, baffling and powerful'. I have heard many people say they found they were suddenly able to drink socially again, and believed they were 'over' their alcoholism. But if you are a true alcoholic ( and I'm not saying you are-only you know that), it will get worse if you drink again.

Kellye C

I think this is the story you were thinking of. It starts on page 32 in the chapter "More about alcoholism". Within 4 years of retiring and returning to alcohol he actually dies.

If you are thinking of something different say so and I will try to locate it.

Take care,
Kellye

Huey

'Kindling'. It only gets worse. I was sober for 3 years, picked up the Vodka and nearly died in DTs after a week.

773niki

Yeah, I understand the true nature of the fact that alcoholism is a "progressive" disease. In the most serious sense of the word. I agree with Huey. I have played the on/off wagon game for about 2 years (usually 4 months on, 2 weeks off, followed by the worst withdrawals ever)...ridiculous. When I was in my younger 20s, I drank vodka daily for a long period of time (years) and never came close to how I felt these last few times only on a week or 2 binge.

Never, ever again...
This last withdrawal was the worst yet. I have never been suicidal and I scared myself because I was very seriously considering it. Scared the daylights out of me.

DayTrader

bootstrap -

There's NO question in my mind it IS entirely possible to do what you suggested.





......just not for an alcoholic.

Non alkies seem to be able to do all sorts of "odd" things around their drinking - stop, never "over serve" themselves, stop for long periods - start again - then stop a second time - think the drink through every time before they pick up the first one, get through life better when they're not drinking (and haven't really changed anything BUT the drinking part), etc.

smacked

Nope.. got worse and worse. I'm pretty sure the next time I drink that I'll die.. so I wont do that.