eliza24

Hello again!. I was wondering if some of you would mind sharing any insight on a few topics. The first and most important to me is, did quitting drinking help control your anxiety (if you had it) ?. I've always had anxiety but the last few years it has been out of control... I really need a job but the thought of having to go to an interview and have someone focused on me makes me sick. I honestly haven't been able to hold eye contact with someone for years, I feel like they will be able to tell just by looking into my eyes that I'm having a mental breakdown and I start having this crazy feeling like I'm in a completely acoustic room and can barely even hear people talking.


Secondly, has quitting drinking helped with weight loss?. I used to be very thin and although I did have a baby not even a year ago I know for a fact I haven't lost much of the weight because of my drinking. I'm not an extremely over weight person by any means but I'd love to actually feel better about my appearance along with my overall self.

Thanks in advance for any comments!.

GracieLou

My anxiety went down when I first stopped drinking and to date has almost disappeared. I was scared to death to drive to work. I would shake and cry the whole way there and I could not get home fast enough. That is gone!


I have lost 65 pounds in the 14 months I have been sober.

These are only my personal experiences. Obviously, not everyone is the same.

ScottFromWI

Yes and yes for me. My anxiety was nearly unmanageable the last stage of my drinking, and quitting has made a huge improvement. I also lost about 15 lbs ( went from 170 to about 155 ) mostly just by quitting drinking and eating better.

Remember that some anxiety also needs treatment even after quitting...but for me quitting was enough to make it manageable. You can always see a counselor too, most treatments for anxiety generally work better when sober as well.

PurpleKnight

I found that my anxiety was being caused by alcohol, it's a weird cycle, I continued to drink as I thought I needed it to control my anxiety in life, but I was simply fuelling it, after a few weeks Sober it began to subside.

Sobriety on the whole has allowed me to live normally, doing normal things like your example of interviews and applying for jobs, not long after quitting alcohol I applied for a promotion, something I would never have thought about or had the confidence to do, but I discovered a new found strength and appetite for life.

Finally, I lost a few pounds, nothing major, I didn't really eat much when I drank, so now eating proper meals and looking after myself has meant I'm probably eating more overall, but with all the junk cut out and more healthier foods I'm down to a healthy BMI range!!

The benefits of Sobriety are huge, there are so many things to focus on as to why it is a good idea to make a change, which will be for the better, through time it gets better and better!!

Mek2

Hi Eliza, quitting helped me soooo much with anxiety. It was the reason I quit and it was worth it. I was walking down the street last week and I noticed I was walking with my head up. I thought to myself "wow, no more looking at the ground. Where did that insecurity go?"

For your other question, 40 pounds down since October 2013! Drinking is huge calories as well as the garbage I used to eat while drinking

Nowsthetime

Yes and yes. I was alright in social settings but my hands used to sweat all the time, very annoying. Now I spend my calories in actual food and not not eating so I could drink more. (It was awful! Not eating and drinking, bad combination.)
I also have a young child, a daughter, and actually not remembering her bdays is what finally pushed me to quit. I got drunk in all of her bdays… She is 3.5 now, her b-day was in March and I got HAMMERED and did all kinds of embarrassing stuff. Luckily she wasn’t there to witness it all, but I did put her to bed and I know I stunk… Long story short. I, like you, don’t want to put my kid through these types of scenarios. I remember taking care of my mom when she was drunk when I was young, and I just don’t want to be like that.

I forgot to mention... I also realized I had to deal with my real issues to cope with my anxiety. It is a work in progress but it is going well so far.

Best to you.

L

Jupiters

I remember that feeling of not being able to look people in the eye for fear that they could see right through my big ole façade.
I felt like an actor/actress in my own life. a big fraud, fake, phony!! ugh...what a wretched feeling that is/was.
Putting the booze down, within 2 weeks I noticed a major difference in my ability to hold a proper conversation without looking like a sketchbag ready to bolt.
Still have those days where I'm uncomfortable in my skin, but that's expected...early days still.....and the feeling isn't anywhere near what it was when I was actively bingeing.
Now I'm aware and conscious of the changes happening, which makes a HUGE difference.

weight - yah a bit so far. Pounding back litres of wine will add weight and bloating...man I got so bloated.
none of that now

Mek2

Ahh yes, the bloating!! I forgot about that. My face looked 10 pounds lighter in 2 weeks.

jezza

Oh God yeah!!!!! My anxiety & panic peaked every time I had to drive, the thought of it had my whole body in spasms, shakes, dizziness, racing heart & don't mention if there was a queue in the supermarket!!! I would have to walk out... I'm only in to day 5 at the moment but my anxiety has improved by 80%. Hang in there. It will get better.

DoubleDragons

Yes, my anxiety has been reduced remarkably. When I was a drinker, I would have panic attacks at night in which I would wake up and act crazy. One time I scratched my husband's chest ferociously and another time, I tore up my fingers scratching at our blinds on our bedroom windows. I have not had one of these attacks since I quit over 8 months ago. My emotional reactions to people and situations are much calmer now, too.

Before I had quit drinking, I changed my eating habits and my exercise habits and I lost a few pounds, but when I quit drinking the weight fell off so quickly, I couldn't believe it. Gaining weight back is a big fear of mine, so that really helps to keep me sober!

And these are only two of the many, many benefits to sobriety . . . .

Nonsensical

Drinking regularly increases anxiety, and it takes a few months for this condition to self-correct. I used to feel anxious anytime I wasn't drinking. Since a few months after quitting drinking I rarely feel anxious anymore.

I have also lost weight. Alcohol is highly caloric, and I would also turn into a human garbage disposal with a snoot full.

FreeOwl

yes to both...

I didn't realize I even HAD 'anxiety' really until I quit drinking. Then I had what might be called "rebound anxiety" or something. It came on pretty strong when I didn't have the presence of alcohol to help keep it at bay.

As my sobriety has lengthened though, I have seen changes and look forward to finally growing through that anxiety to a place of being more 'at peace' in my own skin regardless of the situation, which I am really embracing as one of the greatest positives of sobriety.

Serper2014

I was needing to take a benzo literally every 2-3 days while I was drinking.

I'm on day 10 of being sober and I haven't taken one since I quit so YES!


Day 10 and I'm down 4lbs, it would probably be more, but I quit smoking at the same time. I'm hoping to lose another 25 lbs.

Anna

Yes here too. Drinking greatly increased my anxiety and it was such a relief to finally stop.

I had actually lost weight during the last months of my drinking because I wasn't eating properly. So, I had to gain a few pounds. The best thing I did was to start walking. Maybe that's something you could do with your baby.

aasharon90

I have to remember not to compare myself
to others because we are all "wired" differently.
In other words, our insides are all made up
differently.

We are all different ages, men, women, teens,
senior citizens, menopausal, pregnant, just so
many mental, physical, physcological, emotional
situations that affects each of us differently.

When chemicals, poisons enter our bodies,
they cause us to have a chemical imbalance
where everything inside us goes haywire
and affects each of us differently.

I first learned how to remain sober with
a recovery program each day I didn't take
a drink. Then, for any medical problems
I sought help from my physician talking
honestly about my addiction and recovery
making sure that nothing would be administered
to me that is narcotic or habit forming.

I also have to remember that what works
for one person maynot work the same for
me. It also takes time to adjust to medicines
for anxiety or depression because there are
so many different kinds available to help
us.

This of course is the route I have taken
within my own recovery program to ensure
a healthy, happy life in recovery.

eliza24

Wow, all of those posts were incredible to read!. You guys all have no idea how inspiring and motivating it is to hear all these stories, I really can't thank you all enough. It's funny (well, it's funny now that we are all on a path for the better) about how alike the situations are. The driving thing really blew my mind, I didn't drive on the freeway ever, until about 8 months ago and I still haven't driven on it without my fiancé, my anxiety would hit so hard just thinking about having a possible panic attack and being too far from home to turn around and not able to just pull off the road (that's why the freeway was so scary to me) I am seeing a counselor right now, only a few sessions in but it's really embarrassing to talk to him about the drinking issue because I don't feel as comfortable talking to someone who hasn't necessarily had that issue and I really don't see him as somebody that has went through an alcohol addiction. It's much easier to talk to all of you about it because I don't feel a hint of judgement.

My main worry at this point is that in five weeks I'm flying from Ohio to my home state (California) to surprise my brother at his wedding. I'm bringing my son since he hasn't got to meet his uncle yet. Flying is one of my biggest fears because of that same (fear of having a panic attack) in a bad place, also being stuck and around people I don't know for so long is making me so nervous. I'll be holding my 10 month old the whole time cause I couldn't afford for him to have his own seat and the thought of people bing rude about however he is affected on that long flight is another thing that adds to the stress. I didn't mention, but about three weeks ago my son had an extremely major head surgery to correct some bones that grew incorrectly, his condition was called Metopic Synostosis, thank God he is fine and recovering normally but he has a pretty gnarly scar across the top of his head and I can imagine myself punching someone in the face if they make a rude comment about it.

Anyway, sorry for this novel, I'm really hoping by the time my flight comes around, the six weeks I will have been sober will make things a lot smoother for me, that's why I brought up the anxiety thing so randomly.

Thank you again for all your help!

ultradad

Alcohol caused all my anxiety and weight gain! Recovery has helped these and every other aspect of my life : )

Soberpotamus

Yes, the free-floating sort of anxiety left once I got and stayed sober. And I lost some water weight for sure. I then started running and lifting weights and really leaned out.

SigChiScooby

Yes and YES to both questions!

The longer I have gone without alcohol the greater my confidence has grown. The increase in confidence causes a decrease in my anxiety. I still deal with it every now and than, but it is SO much better. I look forward to my anxiety continuing to minimize itself the longer I stay sober.

I am eating healthier than I have my whole life. Eating healthy and working out has become my new "addiction". I cant believe I let myself go so bad at the end of my drinking "career", but I am making quite the comeback. It is pretty exciting!

Gottalife

1. When I started to straighten out spiritually, I got better physically and mentally. My fears were mostly gone by the time I began the ninth step, which was three months in.

2. I had malnutrition when I sobered up. Weight has never been a problem. It's an odd thing but when I got sober the only overweight alkies were those that had been sober and living the good life for quite a while. Us newcomers were all skinny buggers. Eating interfered with our drinking.