Boogirl

I have been wanting to quit drinking for quite some time now. I am a binge drinker. Whenever all of my friends go out, we drink. I can drink as much as 2 bottles of wine. And what's worse is everyone says I act normal. I drink every 2 to 5 days. Every now and then 2 days in a row if there are social events sat and sun. The hangovers scare me. I'm afraid I'm going to die! I don't get headaches, I never throw up, I don't get shakes. I'd rather feel all of that! It's the horrific anxiety! I freak myself out. It takes me, no joke because I time it every time, 10 to 15 hours from my last drink to feel ok again. But my heart races and I freak out. A few times I've gone to the ER. They said it was anxiety and wanted to give me Ativan that's it. I have never taken it though. Scared to take pills. Is this a normal part of a hangover or has anyone else felt this way? I have friends who can drink a lot too but they don't understand what I'm talking about!

On another note, I haven't drank for a week and hope I don't again. But I keep thinking I'll eventually fail the next time there is a social event and everyone is drinking.

applecake

Gosh, boogirl, that sounds so familiar! I was a binge drinker, too, and it astonished me that I could put away the quantity I did and not vomit or pass out. I never went to the ER, but I couldn't sleep and often felt as though my heart was racing and my core was trembling after a binge. The good news is that the insomnia and anxiety get better once you get some time between you and the last binge.

Have you thought about what triggers your binges? Is it just the social setting, or is there something more driving it?

DarkDays

Yes this was me . Don't hope you won't drink again, don't drink again . Stay sober all this goes and things get so much better. Good luck.

Boogirl

I like how I open up and become more social. And I like to go out and hang out to take my mind off things. Life can be stressful! I have a lot of people I take care of, and drinking is my way to relax and escape for a few! But then it's a gazillion times worse the next day because of the anxiety. It feels like I'm going to scare myself to death and have a stroke! All of that terror because I needed alcohol to get my mind off things. It just has to end.

sparky78

It sounds like you have crossed the line from hangovers to withdrawal. I remember this happening to me before I even knew what withdrawal was, usually after drinking very heavily. I thought it was low blood sugar from too much alcohol, (which could have been a contributing factor), but really I had some real red flags that I was heading down a very dark path: increased tolerance (I too could drink way more than other people and still be "ok"), the begins of withdrawals instead of hangovers, and then blackouts. Eventually the anxiety became too much and instead of quitting entirely I started having drinks the next day to combat it, which eventually turned into needing them earlier in the day. Wish I had realized then that alcohol was actually causing it, not making it better. Glad that you posted and wish you the best!

Jsober

Yes, very familiar. Ex binge drinker here as well. Loads of anxiety, fear, shame, guilt, and depression the next day or two. I kept having that first drink forgetting or ignoring the consequences. Only thinking of the brief relief and then hit by miserable days following the binge. So glad I don't ever have to feel that way again and neither do you!

deeker

I truly believe I had that anxiety because I was not completely sure what I did the night before when drinking. I was afraid of seeing the people I was with again. Afraid of what I did or said. Was I loose. Did I call anyone ?

I am here to say that when you stop drinking that you create days you are proud of and days you no longer look back on with fear. The anxiety for me has completely gone away. However when I was still drinking I didn't recognize it as this and I did take that script from the doctor which brought on a whole new addiction. Welcome and just don't pick up today. WE will support you. God Bless you!

beatle

These are the exact symptoms I would get, even the 12-15 hours until the anxiety started settling down. It was a many year struggle for me and the resulting anxiety began to change my life. Let me tell you from my example and others who suffered from anxiety from problem drinking, it is absolutely going to get worse over time unless you quit. Alcohol is a depressant and your brain is thrown off balance when you drink too much, especially if you are on antidepressants (SSRIs) as well. Eventually the anxiety will become unbearable and the only way to feel normal will be to take a drink. This will eventually happen to you and from there it will all go down hill. A classic and well proven trend. I have been sober for 15 months now, and I have absolutely zero anxiety, and my life is once again on track. Think about it before it's too late.

RevivingOphelia

Exactly the same here.

Two bottles of wine every few days and crazy crazy anxiety...it is what propelled me to stop drinking. I couldn't take it anymore.

My tolerance was outrageous, and the resulting hangover of anxiety and panic completely debilitating. Heart pounding, mind racing, shame, guilt, dread.

I don't want to suffer like that anymore. I hope you won't have to suffer those hours of post-drinking anguish any longer.

Good luck. This site is amazing in its support and advice.

Another

Boogirl that sounds about right as I experienced similar feelings. It only gets worse the longer you keep an open mind to having another sip. You can do anything you set your mind to, You are the most important one to care about. Give yourself some love and hop on off that treadmill of disaster. Keep coming here I see that you joined Nov 2010

ttbp

The anxiety - oh god, how awful that was.

I haven't had a full on anxiety attack for so long - thank god. It's worth being sober for that alone. However, sobriety brings so much more than that

TDInstall

Savage anxiety and the constant urge for reassurance.

Do not miss that one bit.

Taking5

My anxiety went away as soon as I was 10 days sober. No other meds needed. Alcohol will **** you up in more ways than one.

lillyknitting

Truly I had all what u describe and more. To the extent I thought I would die because my body just couldn't take the pain, anxiety, pounding heart in my chest I thought it would burst. I had to stop socializing in those situations with my drinking friends. Every Friday night was the ritual, get pissed, go down the same boring pubs, get pissed even more, don't remember ever getting home. Wake up, suffer, rinse repeat. I had to stop. I never want that life back again.just stop. You can do this IF you really want it. Calm, beautiful, fantastic sobriety.

FBL

Towards the end of my "drinking career" I went through very bad anxiety and even full-blown panic attacks. The last one put me in the ER, questioning my own sanity. That was the day I decided to stop drinking for good. Turns out that alcohol was the problem and I haven't had any more problems since I quit.

bigsombrero

*raises hand*

Exactly the same here. Checked myself into the ER once because I was freaking out so bad. Also drank so heavily that the attacks would come in the morning at the office....I tried all sorts of medications, but continued to drink heavily. Nothing worked. I put down 2 bottles of wine per night sometimes, even by myself, and also was a morning-noon-and-night drinker. When I finally quit drinking the anxiety, shakes, and panic attacks dropped off. I know the anxiety will ease once you stop drinking.

pimpjuice

I used to get horrible anxiety the day after drinking... Couldn't even go out in public and no doctors or therapists understood.

Later I demanded H Pylori tests which was positive and after treatment my anxiety because a thing of the past. Beyond that I've had one slip up of drinking last weekend within 3 weeks

zachdbro

Really glad I found this page. I have been having these alcohol anxiety hangovers for as long as I can remember. I'm 33 now, and probably started partying when I was around 18. I used to think that they anxiety hangovers that made me feel fear, guilt, racing heart, paralyzed to my room...I used to think that it was only because of what was going on in my life...stress wise...but no I think that even if I won 1,000,000 dollars in the lottery, got wasted, and woke up, that I would still have the symptoms. Here's my deal. I love drinking, I'm fun, I don't fight, I rarely say the wrong things to people. It does make nights more interesting and fun...BUT I just think that I can't do it anymore. It is very refreshing to see all of you writing about the same thing I have been going thru. As most of you know, if you try to tell other people that are oblivious to our situations? They just say "what?? weird??? never heard of that". So, some of you have quit drinking all together? I was thinking that maybe if I reset my brain by not drinking for like 90 days, my chemistry would go back to normal??? and then maybe i could slwoly incorporate a fun night of drinking? I'm by no means an alcoholic, and that's not denial, that's the truth. I don't HAVE to drink...I just like to! I like putting on a buzz and having a good time with good company. Anyway, what do you guys think?

zachdbro

did you do it?

zachdbro

Is this page still avtive??