laiste

I've had an extremely bad relapse and stopped drinking 17 hours ago. I'm still sweating a lot and can't sleep because of the anxious feeling in my stomach and the guilt. I never want to go through this again. I was wondering how long it will take to be normal? Does anyone have any advice on getting some sleep?

ScottFromWI

Welcome back Laiste, I'm glad you've decided to stop for good. Withdrawals can vary widely from person to person, and even one person may experience something different each time they go through it. The physical withdrawals can last anywhere from a few days do a week or two. The good news is they always end eventually.

You may want to consider seeing a doctor if you have severe symptoms or at least let someone close by know you have quit so they can get you help if necessary. While rare, there are some very severe withdrawal symptoms that can arise....so it's better to be safe than sorry.

On The Road

Laiste. I'm sorry to hear about your relapse. Everyone is different, so I can't offer your specific advice about when you'll return to feeling normal and sleeping better.

From afar, as I read your entry, I'm concerned about something. There's an inference in your plea that if you can just "feel normal" everything will be okay - which will put you right back to the moment when the relapse started. Trust me, I understanding this thinking. I spent many days hungover pleading for the anxiety and guilt and all to go away because I couldn't take it anymore. The only problem was when I "normalized," I felt so good that I started to consider the pleasures of booze. And inevitably, I started drinking again. Hard. Real hard. And the cycle started all over again. And again. . .

So for now, please take care of yourself. Don't drink and when you finally start feeling "normal" make sure you have a Plan in place to prevent you from lifting the bottle. Otherwise, I'm afraid that you'll be right back to where you are now.

I'm rooting for you.

laiste

You are right - I start to feel ok and seem to forget the hell I went through. It's a pattern. I've relapsed before and each time it gets worse. However, It was so bad this time I think that if I do it again, I could easily kill myself. I need to work harder at this and make it my priority.

On The Road

Make no mistake, the "pattern" is the viscous cycle of alcoholism. It won't go away until you take the booze out of the equation. Forever.

As motivation, maybe you can write down exactly how sh***y you feel right now and refer to it when you're doing better.

I'm glad to hear that you're ready to make sobriety your priority.

You can do this.

Forward12

It will take a few days for things to calm down, but it will keep getting worse and worse every time you drink. Burn these memories in your thoughts for the next time a craving may hit, so you'll know exactly what the outcome will be.

Kayak63sc

Thank you for this post, it really hits home
I've gone through the same thing time and time again. But you know what you and I are done feeling that way we're going to use sober recovery and all the great people here to escape this addiction.

tomsteve

" I was wondering how long it will take to be normal"

depends on what normal you are referring to.
physically normal? even then hard saying without a visit to a doctor.
mentally normal? welp, that,imo, has a lot to do with you. if ya keep the same thinkin it probably isn't going to get any better. but if ya start changing your thinkin and lookin at what makes you tick, you can get mentally healthier.
actually, i don't know what mentally normal is!
but im good with where im at today.

AdelineRose

I know the physical aspects of withdrawal can be daunting and frustrating, but you never have to go through this EVER again as long as you create a plan for your recovery, create a support system around you that you can lean and trust on, and as long as you are willing to reach out and accept help where you need it or where it is offered.

Have you looked at your previous recovery plan and what it was lacking? Looking back and pin pointing where your recovery was lacking, where it "went wrong", and what improvements can be made is the first step to moving forward and never having to be back at this low point ever again.

Having a doctor that specializes in addiction, a psychiatrist, and a substance abuse counselor have been HUGE tools in creating a solid and lasting recovery. I also have found that for me, being active in my church and really rekindling my faith has helped move me forward. Only you know what exactly you need to find a lasting recovery, be honest with yourself and take it step by step.

You can do this! Don't beat yourself up, just learn from this and move forward and remember that everyday you wake up and get a fresh day to better your life and get to a point where you are truly happy.

Zebra1275

The only cure I know of, is the passage of time.

Getting some medical assistance during withdrawal is recommended.

You've been a member of this website for over 4 years and your post count is 5. If you are serious about getting sober, I think it would help to post a lot more.

It's hard to get sober by yourself, use this community to help.

ScottFromWI

How are you doing Laiste?

thomas11

Would like to hear how your doing Laiste, please check in when you can.

0percentABV

My final year of drinking, which was on and off, the battle for self control, etc, I decided to write a journal. Best thing I ever did. Days, weeks, months later I would read my life that just happened and would see the cycle I was subjecting myself to. Mornings where I was hungover I'd write how I would drink differently next time only to fall back into the same old some old. 4 years later I still read about that year and the subsequent year of sobriety that followed. It reminds me of where I was and no matter what how much better my life is now.

Dee74

I hope you're feeling better now Laiste

D