RecoRenee

Hello,

I'm classified as a binge drinker. 30 year old female. Started drinking at age 22 and havent looked back (8 years total so far). I drink on the weekend with my friends in the name of "having fun." My friends are between the ages of 25 and 35 and we are all working at high pressure jobs. Most of us work in the magazine and entertainment industry. We work hard during the week and consider ourselves "playing hard" on the weekend, which is filled with going out and having copious amounts of alcohol.

Because I don't drink during the week I never considered myself an alcoholic but I have come to realize that binge drinking is a form of alcoholism and a dangerous one since it involves getting highly intoxicated for a few days then abstaining for 4 or 5 days every week. I had DTs and wasn't aware of what it was until recently. So I decided to have no more than 3 to 4 drinks on the weekends to see if that helps. Well it hasn't. Due to the kindling effect, even 4 drinks on Friday and 4 drinks on Saturday is enough to send me into a wicked withdrawal all week. So I've decided that I have to quit altogether.

I'm severely deficient in B vitamins and I'm sure it's due to 8 years of binge drinking. I went out last weekend and had about 6 drinks on Saturday. Monday I felt fine but come Tuesday I noticed a small amount of anxiety. I have come to realize that this is part of central nervous system rebound in alcohol withdrawal. Here it is Monday and each day since last Tuesday the anxiety has gotten worse and insomnia has kicked in.

Most doctors will say that 5 drinks isn't enough to put me in danger but due to kindling I know it is. I'm experiencing brain zaps, insomnia, and worse anxiety. So I've decided to set a taper schedule and go off for good. I've bought some beer and plan to reduce gradually. I noticed today when I had a beer the anxiety subsided a little, so it is definitely rebound CNS issues form alcohol withdrawal. I don't want DTS again, I wouldn't wish it on my worse enemy. It was the most horrible experience of my life. When I try to fall asleep I get "exploding head" syndrome. Where you hear a loud noise coming from inside your head that startles you awake. My symptoms are worse at night, characteristic of alcohol withdrawal. I'm just so shocked that 5 drinks could do this but as I look back I realize that each week I've been going through withdrawal after binging heavily on the weekend. All the panic attacks and things I get, I realize were due to alcohol withdrawal so kindling was inevitable. My GABA receptors may be permanently changed, making it impossible to have a few drinks without severe withdrawal.

Anyway, just wanted to share my story!

Anna

Hi and Welcome,

Cold turkey, with a drs supervision, is by far the best way to stop drinking. Many of us have tried tapering countless times and it's almost impossible for an alcoholic to stop drinking by tapering. I know, in my case, I ended up drinking more in the end. I'm glad that you plan to stop drinking and I hope your plan works for you.

RecoRenee

..

blueshades

Renee, it looks like you've gained a lot of knowledge about the science of how alcohol effects your brain and your body. You said that you've not thought of yourself as an alcoholic since you drink only on the weekends, but it certainly seems like you've spent a lot of time considering that question. Am I right?

It's good that you've decided to quit altogether. Doing this at a younger age, combined with your commitment to understand how alcohol impacts your health points to a great future for you! Have you considered talking with your doctor? Some alcohol withdrawal symptoms can create a lot of other problems with your health, and can even be life threatening. I'm not trying to scare you into doing it, but talking with your GP can ensure that you're on a good path to restoring your body's nutritional and chemical balance.

Best wishes to you!
~b

RecoRenee

Before I realize that I binge drinking was a form of alcoholism, I tapered successfully with no problem. I guess it's easier because I don't crave alcohol, I just go out and drunk due to peer pressure. All my friends go out every weekend and get hammered and if I want to socialize i have to join in. So I've decided to get some friends who like to do recreational things like hiking or snorkeling, to help stay away from the peer pressure.

WantToHeal

Welcome, RecoRenee! Sorry for what you are going through, but you will find a lot of help and support here. I think you came to the right place! You may want to consider checking out the Class of September 2012 thread. Lots of good people over there who are facing the same challenges as you over roughly the same timeline. You may also want to consider quitting cold turkey, but only in a medically-supervised setting with the assistance of a trusted doctor.

RecoRenee

Hi there. After I had siezures out of the blue and almost died and the doctors had no idea what was wrong with me, I started researching my symptoms and the only two things that matched identically were DTs and Thiamin deficiency, both caused by chronic alcohol consumption.

That's when I learned the biochemical effects of alcohol which was only just recently that I learned. Everything I read about DTs mentioned drinking over a pint for months, which didn't fit what i was doing so I searched for more answers and found out about kindling and bingo, I read studies showing that binge drinkers are at high risk for kindling, more so than alcoholics and that due to kindling some people can experience severe withdrawal after as little as 6 beers.

That explains why I seem to be going through severe withdrawal even though I don't drink during the week and I don't drink a pint of alcohol. It's years and years of binging. So I'm done, it's not worth ruining my brain chemistry. Thankfully I don't crave alcohol and can stop at 1 or 2 without a problem but it's just not worth it. I'd rather just stop. I've only been drinking all this time to be "cool," to "fit in" and have a good time with my friends. So my biggest challenge is figuring out how to socialize without it. Alcohol is a big part of socializing, especially for my age group and all my friends drink A LOT.

RecoRenee

I'm so worried to quit cold turkey because I talked to my doctor and he said he'd give me Ativan, which I think is a benzo and I know benzos are habit forming. So that freaks me out. He said it would be short term 1 to 2 weeks but I've heard of people being addicted after 7 days and building a tolerance after as little as 3 days (I've also read that in medical literature). So I'd rather taper. It will only take 5 days since I wasn't on a high number. I had 6 drinks so I can taper from there. I don't crave alcohol. I was a weekend social binge drinker. But certainly if the going gets rough, I'm gonna go ahead and do a medically supervised cold turkey detox.

WantToHeal

Whatever you decide, I hope you'll consider sticking around. Keep reading and posting. It helps!

RecoRenee

Thanks! I'm dedicated to sobriety and I'm going to check out the September Class. I want to read stories of others, gain insight and stay on the straight path of sobriety.

Dee74

yep, I was very knowlegeable too - done it a thousand times before...

I still had a very bad last home detox renee - I had a series of mini strokes & I'll always have to carry around the effects of those with me now...

Not everyone will end up like me, sure - but noone knows, thats the thing...

thats why I always recommend medical supervision.

D

BoozeFree

Welcome

sugarbear1

silkworth.net read the AA book there.

I wish you well on your sober journey!

RecoRenee

Sorry to hear that! Wow. Terrible! Thankfully I'm only tapering from having 5 drinks last weekend. But I do agree that medical supervision is best. I just won't take benzos unless its an absolute last resort. If I had a lot to drink or had been drinking a high amount continuously then I would certainly go to my doctor, but tapering from 5 drinks last week doesn't seem to call for it. The withdrawal does suck though and I do have benzos at home in case it becomes necessary.

IndaMiricale

My worst detox ended in the ICU. Began in county jail, where on the 2nd day my hallucations became so crazy , that along the line I was trying to kill myself by running head first into the cell wall.

Its not worth it, see the doctor take whatever benzo he/she dictates.. Yes they are addictive but your only going to take the for a week or so.. Then get active in your sobriety .. I am a member of AA.

Dee74

You're free to do whatever you want, Renee but if you are suffering severe withdrawal symptoms, medical attention is essential - and it really doesn't make a jot of difference whether it was 8 glasses, 5 glasses or whatever.

Seeing a Dr is far better than trying to taper yourself and relying on benzoes you have lying about at home.

D

IndaMiricale

Yup Dee,

You have to become honest with yourself and relazie drinking isnt a option..

Go to the ER and you will be back home in a couple hours.. Safe and "sound"..

You can be free.

RecoRenee

Perhaps "Severe" was too dramatic of a word. As I said I was only withdrawing from 5 or 6 drinks I had over the weekend (not daily). It's day 4 of my taper and I'm down to 1 drink, and 90% of my symptoms have slowly dissipated. There are treatment centers that actually use ethanol intravenously to taper. And there are medical centers in Sweden that use beer to taper. Going to the doctor means my doctor will mark me down as an alcoholic, which will stay on my records for life and make it hard to get medical insurance. I'm not an alcoholic in the sense that I don't crave alcohol and I can stop at 1 or 2. As I mentioned I've been binging on weekends since college, with all my friends and peers and only recently realize how toxic that is and decided to stop. Each person has to know what's best for them and withdrawing from 5 drinks was not serious enough for me to permanently mark my medical records.

Thanks for the support!!!

Dee74

If that's so, it's under medical supervision, surely?

Like I said Renee - your life your health your call.
Best of luck to you

D

MissyShelle76

Best of luck to you.