bayliss

Hello all,

Bayliss here.
I am now on Day 4 of being sober {again}...and I really plan on not drinking over the weekend...one of the reasons being that the last time I drank I had severe anxiety...and I have had anxiety ever since...
I am not sure if anyone else has gone through something similar?
It is also what is deterring me from drinking again: 1) because I don't want a panic attack whilst drinking and 2) I don't want to go through this detox again and deal with anxiety on a daily basis...
Today has been especially bad...my mind keeps telling me that maybe if I had a couple drinks that my anxiety would go away...but then when I really think about it I get anxiety! It's a vicious circle.
I won't be drinking. I know that.
I was just curious if people have had pretty bad anxiety since they quit drinking? I know this kinda ties in to one of my previous posts from a few days ago about depression/anxiety but I was wondering if someone had any personal experiences with this.
Thanks!

Bayliss+

Dee74

I think anxiety is pretty common bayliss - it was pretty intense for me for a week or so.
Don't be afraid to seek medical advice if you're worried....

D

bayliss

Thanks Dee.

I know that I have had anxiety problems before drinking - I think that they are a lot worse after a lot of heavy drinking the last year or so...
I have been prescribed Ativan when I have severe anxiety/panic attacks but I am trying not to use them that often.
When I was drinking though I barely had any anxiety - maybe just once in a while...but now that I am four days sober it's just non-stop. I will have periods of a few minutes where I am okay because my mind is distracted and then WHAM!!! back to overanalyzing and nitpicking EVERY SINGLE THING...ugh.
I hate booze...and I hate anxiety. Lol.
I know with time both will get better...and I need to just deal with it...but it can be hard at times.

Thanks again.

artsoul

I'm sure everyone's experience is different, but I had a lot of anxiety after drinking. It's part of withdrawal, for sure. Mine improved pretty much right away, but it really took a good month before I felt like me again.

My psychiatrist suggested that when I'm feeling anxious to take 6-10 deep breaths and just focus on my breathing (it brings you into the moment). It takes some practice - my mind kept flying off in all directions at first - but I'm getting a little better at it, and it does help.

I hope things get better for you. If not, I'd talk to someone.....:ghug3

Klynn33

Bayliss - hope you're feeling better! I'm doing the anxiety thing too and I know it's no fun. I feel for ya and hope you get through it soon.......

eJoshua

I think I might have commented on your other thread, but I don't remember what I said (or maybe I just thought it...)

Anxiety caused a lot of relapses for me. It has gotten better the more sober time I've had, but I've also had to endure some of it and calm myself down. Maybe consider talking to your doctor about it to see if there's anything they can prescribe you for it -- but be sure to tell them not to give you anything habit forming...

For me, my anxiety gets a lot better when I focus on positive self talk. If I focus hard I can often reason myself down again. Tell yourself that everything is going to be OK. Remind yourself that drinking will only make it worse. Think about your problems and make a conscious decision to deal with what's in front of you and let go of what you can't control. This doesn't always work for me, but it often helps.

Best of luck

bayliss

Artsoul - thanks for the advice. I know that deep breaths and belly breathing help a lot. It's also nice to hear that people get over their bouts of anxiety after a bit of time...it will definitely take some time for our minds and body's to adjust to no longer drinking on a nightly basis.

Klynn33 - Thank you a bunch and I hope you're gunna get better real soon as well. Anxiety definitely does suck! I wonder why our body's do this to us sometimes!

eJoshua - Lol - thanks for posting again if you did post on the other thread. I do have Ativan...but I am wary of taking medication/pills {in general} too much...I began to see that I was taking t3s a lot more often when I initially quit drinking a few weeks ago...but I haven't taken one today nor Ativan and don't plan on it...I can't keep replacing addictions. I need to replace it with more healthier alternatives.
It can definitely get frustrating...I need to think of the present - forget about the past and look forward to the future.

Thanks all!!!

LittleChris

Hi Bay,

Yes I had pretty bad anxiety after drinking as well...and the funny part was I never suffered from anxiety prior to or while drinking. The anxiety did pass for me more or less after 3 months (I'm on 5 1/2 now and pretty ok on the anxiety issue). What helped was mediation music that I'd just YouTube...sounds silly but in my panics I would search that and listen and it helped. If your anxiety is more extreme, however, probably good to run it by your doctor. Good luck with your recovery!

bayliss

Hello LittleChris,

Thanks so much! I definitely think that's a good idea - I also downloaded some ambiance apps on my iPhone that I put on at times when I try to get to sleep.
I do have a great suggestion for meditation music - Chinmaya Dunster. I really enjoy them. Maybe will listen to them tonight.
Thank you - and great job on your sobriety.

Zebra1275

One thing that has worked for me is exercise. If you could go for a run, get on a treadmill, go for a bike ride or whatever you probably burn a lot of the anxiety off. Plus you will probably sleep better.

Threshold

Hi Bayliss, I have been dealing with anxiety (and sometimes NOT dealing with it very wisely) for a long time. After my relapse, it was clear that narcotics were not for me. I am using many non med ways to address it. Working my program, NA, really helps alot because it gives me tools I can use to deal with my life so I don't freak over it. There are also non narcotic meds that your dr might prescribe if they are appropirate for you.

Panic attacks are so hard, because all of our body chemistry is telling us we are in danger and have to react. catching them early on and addressing them with breathing, etc as others have shared is great. Another thing that helped me was reminding myself that anxiety, no matter how bad it feels, in and of itself won't kill me. But it is SO intense, scary and stressful, I understand what you are going through. It can and will get better in time. So glad you are here.

least

The overwhelming anxiety of w/d sent me back to the bottle more times than I'd like to remember. But I've kept the anxiety at bay by taking my meds and not drinking. Just by staying sober I know I won't cause that horrible anxiety afterward.

I used to walk my dogs a lot when I felt antsy. They are glad I'm sober now but I'm sure they miss the extra walks.

Jitterbugg

Hi Bayliss,
I used to be in the same viscious cycle as you. I would drink too much one night and the next day be crippled with anxiety and depression. I couldn't bear with the racing thoughts and the only thing to turn off the inner dialouge was a drink. It would take at least 2 days for the anxiety to go away on its own but I knew that I could turn it off with the 'flip of a switch' if I downed 2-3 beers. Those first few drinks made me feel normal and happy and that "life aint so bad, heck...lets have a few more". Rinse, repeat...just like 'Groundhog Day'. Break the cycle! I did...5 months sober.

TylerDurden

Anxiety is a function of the true cause of your drinking.

bayliss

Thanks to everyone who responded - once again.

Jitterbug - I was wondering how long it took to get over your anxiety since you are now five months sober and how long had you been drinking before?

Threshold - I definitely understand what you mean about how scary anxiety is. I really hate it. Some days are definitely better then others and in times of great stress I feel like it gets worse but I do believe that it gets better. I know a lot of people that have dealt with crippling anxiety that have gotten so much better - just takes a matter of time and reading more about this disorder/disease.

Least - hope you're doing a lot better. I can't definitely relate - I am trying to avoid the bottle as I find the anxiety just gets worse and I don't want to go through all of this all over again...especially since I hear that over time the anxiety does get better with sobriety.

Zebra1275 - will definitely start exercising a lot more. It's amazing how much exercise helps. I am planning on hitting the gym with my boyfriend starting Monday.

TylerDurden - I am not sure I understand. Are you saying that if we have anxiety that it causes us to drink? I have heard stories of a few people that have never had anxiety until they began to suffer through w/d's.
I have had minor anxiety before drinking - nothing serious and nothing debilitating at all...had it a few times in a year...but since the drinking has gotten heavier it has become more frequent.

Thanks again everyone! Hope everyone is well and hope to hear more from all of you soon!
Hope you have a great weekend!

Peter G

Cryptic much?