6 months sober for me!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 48
6 months sober for me!
It's been a while since I posted here. Just wanted to pop in and let everyone know that it IS possible to stop drinking. I drank beer or wine at least 4-5 times a week for 20 years and now I don't drink anymore. My life used to revolve around alcohol. Now, I have Odoul's with my friends or when I am out at a restaurant and it has been working for me just fine.
I don't even crave alcohol anymore after educating myself about what alcohol was doing to my brain. I have never attended any AA meetings either. That's NOT for me. I was pretty much forced into stopping alcohol due to major panic attacks on the days that I wasn't drinking. That worked out to be a good thing for me. I read two very helpful books on neurobiology and what alcohol was doing to my GABA and serotonin receptors and how that was causing my panic attacks. Now, no more booze and no more panic attacks.
My doctor prescribed Valium (a benzo) for me when all this started back in August 2011. I quickly realized how harmful that was to me too (as it affects the same GABA receptors as alcohol) so I quit that too. That was all I needed was benzo w/d on top of alcohol w/d. Things are getting much better for me except for some GERD issues that I never had before.
I don't even crave alcohol anymore after educating myself about what alcohol was doing to my brain. I have never attended any AA meetings either. That's NOT for me. I was pretty much forced into stopping alcohol due to major panic attacks on the days that I wasn't drinking. That worked out to be a good thing for me. I read two very helpful books on neurobiology and what alcohol was doing to my GABA and serotonin receptors and how that was causing my panic attacks. Now, no more booze and no more panic attacks.
My doctor prescribed Valium (a benzo) for me when all this started back in August 2011. I quickly realized how harmful that was to me too (as it affects the same GABA receptors as alcohol) so I quit that too. That was all I needed was benzo w/d on top of alcohol w/d. Things are getting much better for me except for some GERD issues that I never had before.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 48
1. Addiction Solution by David Kipper
2. Science of Addiction by Carlton Erickson
These two books changed my life. I never knew what alcohol was REALLY doing to my brain before I read these. Knowledge is Power.
2. Science of Addiction by Carlton Erickson
These two books changed my life. I never knew what alcohol was REALLY doing to my brain before I read these. Knowledge is Power.
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Congratulations, withdrawing! 
Great post, too - thanks for sharing what you learned about your panic attacks being related to alcohol. When I was drinking I was totally unaware of the connection - it's such a relief not to live with anxiety (and depression) anymore.....
Great post, too - thanks for sharing what you learned about your panic attacks being related to alcohol. When I was drinking I was totally unaware of the connection - it's such a relief not to live with anxiety (and depression) anymore..... Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lowcountry
Posts: 2,762
Congrats withdrawing !!
It was a surprise to me how my (self-perscribed) "medicine" had become my poison, too.
It's wonderful how you've used your knowledge ;.....drawing that deep line in the sand
It was a surprise to me how my (self-perscribed) "medicine" had become my poison, too.
It's wonderful how you've used your knowledge ;.....drawing that deep line in the sand
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: St. Louis MO
Posts: 35
Thanks for the insight. When I was drinking I was having some kind of panic/anxiety/depression attacks usually the day after a long night of drinking with barely any sleep. Right now I am trying to pick up the pieces and make sure that never happens again to avoid scaring and hurting my husband, daughter and myself. It used to happen before I started drinking but it has gotten so much worse and I never really thought alcohol was to blame until I read your post. My thought was that the alcohol was a way to cope with the anxiety, etc. but maybe it was the opposite and it was making it worse.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 48
My thought was that the alcohol was a way to cope with the anxiety, etc. but maybe it was the opposite and it was making it worse.
After many years of alcohol abuse your body adjusts to alcohol affecting the GABA receptors. Take away the alcohol, even for a day or two, then the body does not have enough GABA to keep you calm. Your central nervous system is left in a excited hyper anxiety ridden state until you bring back the medicine, the alcohol to replenish the GABA and calm you down again.
It's a terrible cycle that can only get better by completely getting away from alcohol, breaking the cycle and allowing your body to heal and start making it's own GABA again.
As far as the depression goes, alcohol depletes serotonin causing depression. Lacking serotonin and GABA is what brings you back to the alcohol to raise them again. It's a terrible cycle.
check this out below:
Effects of Alcohol on GABA production and function
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,240
"Now, I have Odoul's with my friends or when
I am out at a restaurant and it has been working
for me just fine. "
A small % of alcohol but still consumtion
of alcohol. The brain always knows.
Alcohol is cunning baffling and powerful
no matter how it is disguised.
I am out at a restaurant and it has been working
for me just fine. "
A small % of alcohol but still consumtion
of alcohol. The brain always knows.
Alcohol is cunning baffling and powerful
no matter how it is disguised.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 48
A small % of alcohol but still consumtion
of alcohol. The brain always knows.
of alcohol. The brain always knows.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 205
I use to get panic attacks ALL the time back when I was drinking. I would be racing to work late with a hangover thinking of what excuse I would say to them if they said anything, I would get there, nobody would say anything like usual then I would hide out at my cubical and act busy until the feelings went away around noon. I did that so many times and never once thought it was the alcohol that was causing it...just another reason to stay sober.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: In a Good Place
Posts: 484
Originally Posted by HelloKitty8340 
Congrats on the 6 months... what books did you read, if you don't mind me asking. I would like to take a look at them.
Under the Influence
Rational Recovery
Drinking, A Love Story (my favorite)
Some of the AA Big Book
Currently working on Moments of Clarity
Good luck
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