Another 1st time post
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SF, CA
Posts: 30
Another 1st time post
Hey all,
Quick background:
24 y/o M, I have been drinking heavily for 3 years, very heavy for about a year and a half now. I really want to quit. I've spent too many nights drinking myself silly.
I'm approaching the 48hour without alcohol mark as I'm writing this. I've got a headache, one that seems to put pressure on your eyeballs. My lips are constantly dry and I have a dry throat, I make sure to drink lots of water though. I've tried to quit before, lately nearly every week, so I'm familiar the symptoms. Tomorrow night is typically the night where I would relapse and fall back into the routine, not this time.
It's the first time that I admit to other people that I have a drinking problem and want to quit drinking. Even though it's through the internet, I'm still hoping it helps. Anyway, just wanted to tell someone.
Take care
Quick background:
24 y/o M, I have been drinking heavily for 3 years, very heavy for about a year and a half now. I really want to quit. I've spent too many nights drinking myself silly.
I'm approaching the 48hour without alcohol mark as I'm writing this. I've got a headache, one that seems to put pressure on your eyeballs. My lips are constantly dry and I have a dry throat, I make sure to drink lots of water though. I've tried to quit before, lately nearly every week, so I'm familiar the symptoms. Tomorrow night is typically the night where I would relapse and fall back into the routine, not this time.
It's the first time that I admit to other people that I have a drinking problem and want to quit drinking. Even though it's through the internet, I'm still hoping it helps. Anyway, just wanted to tell someone.
Take care
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Welcome and Hello!
How wise of you to seek answers to your drinking! Congratulations!Hard candy and aspirin will help. And yes...water is super!
Make a different plan fror tomorrow...
an AA meeting would be the best idea I can think of.
Please keep in touch...we are here to help you.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: DEADWOOD
Posts: 39
Good for you, man!
I wish I had the self-awareness at 24 that you have. It took me another six years to figure things out.
I know that this message board helps me a lot. I don't always post, but I read it several times a day, and strangly I find that reading about drinking takes my mind off of drinking...if that makes any sense.
I hope you can get through that one hard day. That is all you need to worry about for now. Just get through that day any way you can. I went and bought a bunch of DVD's to take my mind off of how I feel. I could not sleep, so I stayed up all night.
Now I have what I call my danger window. 4-9 PM is when the cravings are at their worst, but I take them one hour at a time and I get through them.
You can too. Keep coming back and read read read. You'll be amazed at what you learn about yourself.
I wish I had the self-awareness at 24 that you have. It took me another six years to figure things out.
I know that this message board helps me a lot. I don't always post, but I read it several times a day, and strangly I find that reading about drinking takes my mind off of drinking...if that makes any sense.
I hope you can get through that one hard day. That is all you need to worry about for now. Just get through that day any way you can. I went and bought a bunch of DVD's to take my mind off of how I feel. I could not sleep, so I stayed up all night.
Now I have what I call my danger window. 4-9 PM is when the cravings are at their worst, but I take them one hour at a time and I get through them.
You can too. Keep coming back and read read read. You'll be amazed at what you learn about yourself.
Been there and done.
Join Date: May 2005
Location: West Coast North America
Posts: 269
Lots of water yes, but you must keep your electrolytes (salts: sodium, potassium) up as well. Lots of water and no electrolytes will create trouble. Take a drink of pedialyte now and then. the grape is not that bad. watch your salts.
i beg to differ on the hard candy: at least in my experience any type of sugar screws up my insulin levels and makes me end up with hypoglycemia -- a sure formula for cravings. Go low on sugar and carbs in general.
set up a plan for sleep: schedule some wind down time, make sure you exercise but not too close to bed time, don't "think"too much when winding down, take a long hot bath/shower before sleep, think about valerian teas to help in the beginning.
i find cravings to be both physical and a psychological phenomenon. take care of both sides.
good luck -- we are all there with you.
i beg to differ on the hard candy: at least in my experience any type of sugar screws up my insulin levels and makes me end up with hypoglycemia -- a sure formula for cravings. Go low on sugar and carbs in general.
set up a plan for sleep: schedule some wind down time, make sure you exercise but not too close to bed time, don't "think"too much when winding down, take a long hot bath/shower before sleep, think about valerian teas to help in the beginning.
i find cravings to be both physical and a psychological phenomenon. take care of both sides.
good luck -- we are all there with you.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SF, CA
Posts: 30
Thanks for the comments everybody.
I'm on day 3. Tonight and the next few days will be tough ones, but this time I'm really determined to put this behind me. I just calculated how much this drinking was costing me weekly, insane...
On a different note, (I've noticed this before when I don't drink for a day or two), I keep on craving for fruits. I'd be very happy to replace alcohol with fruit any given day, but are the two cravings corelated?
Thanks
I'm on day 3. Tonight and the next few days will be tough ones, but this time I'm really determined to put this behind me. I just calculated how much this drinking was costing me weekly, insane...
On a different note, (I've noticed this before when I don't drink for a day or two), I keep on craving for fruits. I'd be very happy to replace alcohol with fruit any given day, but are the two cravings corelated?
Thanks
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Great to see
you again....
I think the crabings for fruit are there to replace the sugar in alcohol.
I craved ice cream and choclate instead of fruit.
All my cravings calmed down for me by 2/3 weeks into sobriety.
I did start eating a healthy balanced diet and used a daily Nulti vitamin + a B complex.
Once I addressed my alcoholism...the rest of my life style chamges have been an easy transition.
I think the crabings for fruit are there to replace the sugar in alcohol.
I craved ice cream and choclate instead of fruit.
All my cravings calmed down for me by 2/3 weeks into sobriety.
I did start eating a healthy balanced diet and used a daily Nulti vitamin + a B complex.
Once I addressed my alcoholism...the rest of my life style chamges have been an easy transition.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SF, CA
Posts: 30
If I can hold on tonight I'll beat this thing! Having a rough day because of some stress at work. I don't really like the situation I'm in at work (goes pretty deep) but I can't leave either (goes pretty deep too). I guess (pretty sure) that might have been one of the reasons why I've been drinking so much, especially lately.
Does quit drinking give you mood swings during the beginning? I feel emotional right now for some reason, like I wouldn't be able to take slightest bit of criticism or bad luck, or something. Headache has come on again, it's a little past 5pm.
Fortunately I have to practice at 7pm with a really fun and pleasant person. Last night I took some sleeping aid and that really worked well. I was sweaty and breathing a little anxiously at first but soon got so tired that I feel a sleep and didn't wake up until over 7 hours later.
Time to beat that tough 3rd night!
Does quit drinking give you mood swings during the beginning? I feel emotional right now for some reason, like I wouldn't be able to take slightest bit of criticism or bad luck, or something. Headache has come on again, it's a little past 5pm.
Fortunately I have to practice at 7pm with a really fun and pleasant person. Last night I took some sleeping aid and that really worked well. I was sweaty and breathing a little anxiously at first but soon got so tired that I feel a sleep and didn't wake up until over 7 hours later.
Time to beat that tough 3rd night!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 8,709
Does quit drinking give you mood swings during the beginning?
You bet. It's not abnormal at all. So's the sweat. And as unpleasant as it is, just tell yourself it's your body flushing out, you know.
Grab a bite, and have fun at practice.
You don't have to drink today
You bet. It's not abnormal at all. So's the sweat. And as unpleasant as it is, just tell yourself it's your body flushing out, you know.
Grab a bite, and have fun at practice.
You don't have to drink today
Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Santa Monica
Posts: 137
not this time
Originally Posted by 2Step
not this time.
Just replace every thought about the drink with another one. Angelina Jolie for example
may be a good substitute or, if you root for another team, Brad Pitt may be helpful also Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: El Paso, Tx
Posts: 5,862
Hi and welcome 2step!
We're glad your here and you will get all the support you can handle. I know I had a ton of questions when I first quit so ask away. Yes, the irritability and emotional ups and downs are very common as is the sleeplessness. It will get better as time goes on. Congrats, huge congrats on day 3! It was a tough one for me to.
We're glad your here and you will get all the support you can handle. I know I had a ton of questions when I first quit so ask away. Yes, the irritability and emotional ups and downs are very common as is the sleeplessness. It will get better as time goes on. Congrats, huge congrats on day 3! It was a tough one for me to.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SF, CA
Posts: 30
Survived the usual relapse night without drinking. I'm on day 4 now, feeling pretty good. I took some sleeping aid again last night. That seems take care of a lot of "sleeping sober uncomforts".
Is anyone here dealing with high blood pressure caused (or increased by) excessive alcohol consumption?
Is anyone here dealing with high blood pressure caused (or increased by) excessive alcohol consumption?
Been there and done.
Join Date: May 2005
Location: West Coast North America
Posts: 269
High blood pressure is something that I dealt with. Yes, your blood pressure goes up when you are going off the booze. Really important to monitor that and have a doctor looking at it as well. It is a danger.
Are you working out at all? That helps blood pressure and sleep as well.
Are you working out at all? That helps blood pressure and sleep as well.
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