Dangerous Withdrawls? Please help.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
Dangerous Withdrawls? Please help.
I'm not sure what to do. I can't function without alcohol in my system and I'm only 26 years old. I've been trying to just drink beer to cut down (yesterday I drank 12 beers then couldn't sleep) but I keep getting tingly and crawly like feeling and my throat is so sore. Do I keep trying this beer thing or what should I do? My brain feels like it's on overload and I keep forgetting and getting confused about everyday things. I'm trying to stay positive but am scared.. Would like some opinions on what my next step should be. I want to be done... I need to be.
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,067
Welcome, bk!
Alcohol withdrawal is a medical issue, and so the only one who should really give you advice is a doctor. I found a no-cost detox program funded by my county, and spent a few days there. I highly recommend this.
Alcohol withdrawal is a medical issue, and so the only one who should really give you advice is a doctor. I found a no-cost detox program funded by my county, and spent a few days there. I highly recommend this.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by Coldfusion 
Welcome, bk!
Alcohol withdrawal is a medical issue, and so the only one who should really give you advice is a doctor. I found a no-cost detox program funded by my county, and spent a few days there. I highly recommend this.
Alcohol withdrawal is a medical issue, and so the only one who should really give you advice is a doctor. I found a no-cost detox program funded by my county, and spent a few days there. I highly recommend this.
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,067
I actually found the detox program through the hospital, and that part of the process was very expensive.
You could try calling 2-1-1, which works for health and human services from some phones. A police non-emergency line or hospital could also give you information perhaps.
You could try calling 2-1-1, which works for health and human services from some phones. A police non-emergency line or hospital could also give you information perhaps.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 49
Doctor, a physical, most likely a course of vitamins and benzodiazepines. Trust me mate, you do not wanna go cold turkey, not with symptoms like you describe. Some people are able to taper with alcohol, some can't. Its your skin at the end of the day, but the doctor option is simply safer.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,438
I had a very bad last home alone detox.
The safest option is always a Dr, whether it's a general practitioner or the ER or a detox centre.
There are a lot of free or low cost clinics around - if there's one in your local area you might get some medical advice there bk?
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Call 2-1-1
D
The safest option is always a Dr, whether it's a general practitioner or the ER or a detox centre.
There are a lot of free or low cost clinics around - if there's one in your local area you might get some medical advice there bk?
Free/Low-Cost/Sliding Scale Clinics | NeedyMeds
The 14249 clinics in this database offer medical services (some may also offer dental services) and are free, low-cost, low-cost with a sliding scale based on income, or offer some type of financial assistance. If you're under or uninsured, and looking for a nearby free clinic, sliding scale clinic, or low-cost clinic, where you and/or your family can go for lost cost medical care,
2-1-1 provides free and confidential information and referral. Call 2-1-1 for help with food, housing, employment, health care, counseling and more. Learn more about your local 2-1-1 by looking it up here.
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Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
Thank you for all your help.
I called 211 today and got a list of numbers. I called one and got information and then my roommate came home so I didn't call anymore. I'm too ashamed for people to know. No one ever seems to be able to tell anymore when I'm drunk and I hide it. I sound like a little kid. Ha! I try to keep everything on the outside looking like it's "all fine" but inside I have never been worse physically and emotionally. Today was about the same as yesterday. My throat feels almost like I have strep now. I'm terrified of withdrawals as I went through it last year almost at this same time of the year and they feel like they're going to be worse this time. Maybe it's in my head. I'll make some more phone calls tomorrow.
I called 211 today and got a list of numbers. I called one and got information and then my roommate came home so I didn't call anymore. I'm too ashamed for people to know. No one ever seems to be able to tell anymore when I'm drunk and I hide it. I sound like a little kid. Ha! I try to keep everything on the outside looking like it's "all fine" but inside I have never been worse physically and emotionally. Today was about the same as yesterday. My throat feels almost like I have strep now. I'm terrified of withdrawals as I went through it last year almost at this same time of the year and they feel like they're going to be worse this time. Maybe it's in my head. I'll make some more phone calls tomorrow.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 18
Hi bk,
I went through alcohol withdrawals at about your age.
Here's what you need to know. Your brain produces a chemical messenger called gamma-aminobutyric acid. This neurotransmitter is commonly referred to as GABA.
There are also receptors in your brain. The GABA messenger travels through your brain and attached to these receptors. GABA is known as an inhibitor. That means that once attached to a receptor, excitatory neurotransmitter cannot attach.
So under normal circumstances, if you are calm and under no stress, your brain will produce a lot of GABA, this GABA attaches to the receptors and blocks the exitatory messengers and feel-good inhibitors such as dopamine and serotonin are released. Ahhh, calm, slow breathing, reduced blood pressure, relaxed, happy.
On the other hand, if you are stressed then your brain produces less GABA. So without as much GABA, exitatory messengers attach to those receptors because they are not blocked. This causes increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, alertness, and adrenaline. You are now ready to face the perceived danger by running or fighting.
So in comes alcohol. Alcohol mimics GABA in the brain. So regardless of whether you are stressed or not, alcohol will bind to those receptors and block the exitatory messengers. So after a stressful day at the office what better way to relax and feel good than alcohol? No need to wait for the brain to produce GABA, we can just drink it and have immediate gratification.
But over time, your body becomes accustomed to having the alcohol in your brain instead of having to produce GABA. So it doesn't. In fact, it will slowly increase the amount of exitatory messengers being created in response to the alcohol. That's why alcoholics can drink others under the table. That's why alcoholics sometimes do not appear drunk even after drinking enough to put a normal man down. It's because of the significant increase in those exitatory neurotransmitters.
Ok, so now the alcoholic decides he's had enough. He quits cold turkey, no more alcohol he says. Over a few hours time the alcohol leaves the system. But the GABA is still missing. And the exitatory neurotransmitters are still increased. Your brain goes into fight or flight hyperdrive! Sweating, shaking, increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, confusion, and nausea.
That's the medical dilemma you face. It's complicated and can easily be life threatening.
What you will need is to introduce a long lasting pharmaceutical substitute for the GABA messengers. Certain drugs are cross tolerant with alcohol but have a much longer half life. This will give your brain time to adjust to the absence of the synthetic GABA and start producing its own once again. Weaning off alcohol doesn't work very well because of the incredibly short half life of alcohol.
So you need to see a doctor to get this prescription. Going cold turkey is very dangerous. Also, being under medical care will relieve you of the stress of having to make these decisions yourself. Anxiety itself can lead to all sorts of physical symptoms.
The good news is you only have to go through this once, and under the appropriate medical care it is not that bad. You must stop now though, because the kindling effect is another medical phenomenon that best not experienced.
Good luck, you can do it.
I went through alcohol withdrawals at about your age.
Here's what you need to know. Your brain produces a chemical messenger called gamma-aminobutyric acid. This neurotransmitter is commonly referred to as GABA.
There are also receptors in your brain. The GABA messenger travels through your brain and attached to these receptors. GABA is known as an inhibitor. That means that once attached to a receptor, excitatory neurotransmitter cannot attach.
So under normal circumstances, if you are calm and under no stress, your brain will produce a lot of GABA, this GABA attaches to the receptors and blocks the exitatory messengers and feel-good inhibitors such as dopamine and serotonin are released. Ahhh, calm, slow breathing, reduced blood pressure, relaxed, happy.
On the other hand, if you are stressed then your brain produces less GABA. So without as much GABA, exitatory messengers attach to those receptors because they are not blocked. This causes increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, alertness, and adrenaline. You are now ready to face the perceived danger by running or fighting.
So in comes alcohol. Alcohol mimics GABA in the brain. So regardless of whether you are stressed or not, alcohol will bind to those receptors and block the exitatory messengers. So after a stressful day at the office what better way to relax and feel good than alcohol? No need to wait for the brain to produce GABA, we can just drink it and have immediate gratification.
But over time, your body becomes accustomed to having the alcohol in your brain instead of having to produce GABA. So it doesn't. In fact, it will slowly increase the amount of exitatory messengers being created in response to the alcohol. That's why alcoholics can drink others under the table. That's why alcoholics sometimes do not appear drunk even after drinking enough to put a normal man down. It's because of the significant increase in those exitatory neurotransmitters.
Ok, so now the alcoholic decides he's had enough. He quits cold turkey, no more alcohol he says. Over a few hours time the alcohol leaves the system. But the GABA is still missing. And the exitatory neurotransmitters are still increased. Your brain goes into fight or flight hyperdrive! Sweating, shaking, increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, confusion, and nausea.
That's the medical dilemma you face. It's complicated and can easily be life threatening.
What you will need is to introduce a long lasting pharmaceutical substitute for the GABA messengers. Certain drugs are cross tolerant with alcohol but have a much longer half life. This will give your brain time to adjust to the absence of the synthetic GABA and start producing its own once again. Weaning off alcohol doesn't work very well because of the incredibly short half life of alcohol.
So you need to see a doctor to get this prescription. Going cold turkey is very dangerous. Also, being under medical care will relieve you of the stress of having to make these decisions yourself. Anxiety itself can lead to all sorts of physical symptoms.
The good news is you only have to go through this once, and under the appropriate medical care it is not that bad. You must stop now though, because the kindling effect is another medical phenomenon that best not experienced.
Good luck, you can do it.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,438
Hi and welcome Jaimier 
I appreciate your input but the prescriptions for a safe detox will vary from doctor to doctor and patient to patient according to need.
Some people may end up on meds along the line you suggest, but not everyone
Dee
Moderator
SR
I appreciate your input but the prescriptions for a safe detox will vary from doctor to doctor and patient to patient according to need.
Some people may end up on meds along the line you suggest, but not everyone
Dee
Moderator
SR
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