Doubter

When you relapse after a period of sobriety and don't want to get out of bed in the morning, dry mouth, some palpitations, depressed, anxious; this is a hangover not full blown withdrawal.

Can anyone prove me wrong?

ScottFromWI

Does it really matter what you call it? It's not a good feeling and a fairly good reason to reinforce your plan for sobriety in my book. There's nothing to "prove" one way or the other as long as you can learn from it.

carlingford

Its the body screaming please stop putting poison in my body.

ThatWasTheOldMe

Palpitations and anxiety are medically recognized symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Tell someone that state you're in in case it gets worse. Or find your way for medical evaluation.

Andante

Maybe you can explain how this distinction would be meaningful except in trying to rationalize continued drinking when you know deep down that you're seriously addicted?

Harley1973

All I know is the hangover/withdrawal gets worse after each relapse.

tomsteve

why do we have to try and prove you wrong? are ya trying to rationalize why you don't have to stop drinking? trying to rationalize that its not that bad?

fyi, withdrawl symptoms get worse over time.

ljc267

It sounds to me like you are trying to rationalize how you feel, or you want us to to simply say its not withdrawal.

Does it really matter? If you abuse alcohol you should stop drinking.

Doubter

I'm not rationalizing anything. I just want to make sure i'm safe after a 12 day lapse. Im not looking for any medical advice, I don't want to see a doctor again.

I just know i can do this without medical help.

ScottFromWI

No one here can tell you if you are "safe" or not. And by asking us to "prove" to you that you are not having withdrawals, you are asking for medical advice.

You have been down this road before and have a history of withdrawal seizures as well as needing supervised detox. The only way to be safe is to see a doctor.

ljc267

Wasn't making an accusation. I guess I misunderstood what you were asking as that is how it read to me.

doggonecarl

Hangovers are the result of too much alcohol in your system.

Withdrawals are the result of too little alcohol in an alcoholic's system.

If you drank for 12 days and stopped, at some point you'll go through withdrawals.

breath

All I can add is...
I'm grateful I'm so happy in recovery that I do everything I can every day to not have the experience of relapse or hangover nor the insanity of worrying over the technical differences of the two

waynetheking

There will come a day when you don't recover. The alcohol takes your life. Lights out. Just saying.