mick1987

Hi, I'm 20 days sober, went through horrible withdrawal, I just did something stupid, I sniffed a bottle of whiskey, can that make alcohol go through the system? Affect alcohol withdrawal/delay it? I didn't realise what I was doing, it had very strong vapors, would that go through the nose into the blood stream? I hope not!

least

I doubt it. I think the only way for it to enter your system is from drinking it. Congrats on twenty days sober and welcome to the family.

Skye2

I wouldn't have thought so, but I'm no expert. You are however playing with fire, sniffing it. Not worth going through withdrawals again if it ends up down your throat is it

Opivotal

May I ask why you were smelling whiskey? I don't know if I would've had the strength to resist the temptation.

Congratulations on 20 days!

mick1987

Thanks guys, my brother was drinking, the bottle was there, just wanted to smell it, vapor was strong, thought to myself....you idiot!.. I've now got alcohol in my body, start getting alcohol withdrawal again! I hope it hasn't restarted the process again! I know if you hold whiskey in your mouth it absorbs through the bloodstream, would it be the same with vapor up the nose?

KateL

I doubt it x

Skye2

I think you're safe Mick, but I wouldn't sniff it again incase it tempts you too much

Hollyanne

No Mick,
But knock off hanging with people drinking and smelling whiskey or you will definitely end up with alcohol in your system!
Well done on 20 days.

mick1987

No way! I hate the smell of it now, my nasal passages feel like their burning, I pray I havent got any alcohol in my body, I don't want to go through withdrawal again.

Hollyanne

Did you smell it or snort it?

Skye2

Good question.

mick1987

Sniffed it only, put my nose right up to the glass, didn't realise how strong the vapour was, most likely got alcohol in my bloodstream and will start getting withdrawal symptoms again!

foolsgold66

Mick.

A)Don't do that
B)See A

least

I really don't think you'll go thru w/d again just from smelling it. You'd have to drink it.

Skye2

Noooooo I very much doubt it. Are you sure your AV isn't just trying to convince you that you'll get withdrawals and making you think that you might as well drink some? Very cunning the AV.

Elisabeth888

I am NOT a doctor, but I don't think smelling liquor will give you withdrawals.
I have done exactly what you did, smelled a bunch of liquor in my husband's liquor cabinet, and it caused me to gag and dry heave.

Stop smelling it!!!

Kensho

Unlikely I think. However, the scent hitting those old neural pathways might set up a strong psychological reaction that seems physical. If I think about it, I can “taste” it – an illusion, but one that can seem real. Maybe that could trigger similar psycho-somatic withdrawal symptoms, but I would think any such phenomena would be brief and mild – and, again, an illusion -unless you feed it with your imagination.

For myself: If I don’t feed the illusion – however it is triggered - it won’t become real.

EDIT: I think that Skye makes a really good point about the AV.

mick1987

OK thanks, I definitely don't want to drink again, didn't want to have a drop all year...then I did that! I was proud of my 20 days sober, I pray I don't start feeling bad again.

Skye2

No

mick1987

What's AV? I never want to drink again.