I need help, can only sleep if I drink
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 5
I need help, can only sleep if I drink
Hello there, I'm a 26 y/o male with a drinking problem. For about 2-3 years now, I've been drinking myself to sleep. When I don't, I get the usual symptoms... hallucinations, cold sweats, insomnia.
Last night I came home and had my food scale out to measure out exactly 10 oz of liquor (vodka) to help me sleep. I was really tired already given it was 2am and I had just come home from my girlfriends house, so I was baffled when I woke up and the entire bottle of vodka that started out full was gone. I tried looking around the house to see if the full one was gathered with any of the other myriad of empty bottles laying around, but it was not.
I don't remember drinking the whole bottle but it's time to stop. I went to the doctor the other day and my liver levels were elevated to 111 when the normal level is <40. I need a plan and know that stopping dead in my tracks is probably not going to work since I will start having hallucinations and stop being a functioning human being. Anybody with success in my shoes have any advice? I appreciate any support and am glad to finally be a part of a supportive community.
Last night I came home and had my food scale out to measure out exactly 10 oz of liquor (vodka) to help me sleep. I was really tired already given it was 2am and I had just come home from my girlfriends house, so I was baffled when I woke up and the entire bottle of vodka that started out full was gone. I tried looking around the house to see if the full one was gathered with any of the other myriad of empty bottles laying around, but it was not.
I don't remember drinking the whole bottle but it's time to stop. I went to the doctor the other day and my liver levels were elevated to 111 when the normal level is <40. I need a plan and know that stopping dead in my tracks is probably not going to work since I will start having hallucinations and stop being a functioning human being. Anybody with success in my shoes have any advice? I appreciate any support and am glad to finally be a part of a supportive community.
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
If you are having hallucinations when you don't drink, I suggest a medically supervised detox.
At the least, a visit to your doctor. Tell him how much you drink and that you want to quit.
At the least, a visit to your doctor. Tell him how much you drink and that you want to quit.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 5
I wouldn't say they are necessarily hallucinations, but when I'm in bed trying to sleep, the wall between dreams and reality are somewhat blurred. I'm fine during the day. I really want to do this without the help of a doctor, but maybe that sounds like the best route to go
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Georgia
Posts: 188
Read my post about sleep.
I quit drinking and sleep great now. To quit I had to get a councler and get to the root of why I was drinking.
You are just at the beginning stages of withdrawl when your brain is keeping you awake when your sober and you enter that weird state between sleep and wake only to be jolted awake again.
You need to quit. Its only downhill from here.
I quit drinking and sleep great now. To quit I had to get a councler and get to the root of why I was drinking.
You are just at the beginning stages of withdrawl when your brain is keeping you awake when your sober and you enter that weird state between sleep and wake only to be jolted awake again.
You need to quit. Its only downhill from here.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Originally Posted by sevenstring 
I really want to do this without the help of a doctor, but maybe that sounds like the best route to go
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 292
Sevenstring,
I was where you are now, almost exactly a year ago.
It is dangerous ground, friend. On two different occasions I had seizures and ended up in the ER. My last quit was not medically supervised, and that was stupid. I genuinely could have killed myself and/or others if had a seizure while driving, for example. When I got sobered up, I realized that this was more than I could handle by myself, went to a rehab facility and basically begged them to admit me. They did have a detox wing (most facilities do, I believe), and that would have been the smarter thing to do, but I thought that they wouldn't take me if I was drunk when I got there. On the contrary, it turned out that nearly everybody in there with me had gone through the detox protocol there. But I've got nearly a year sober now, and I feel really good, sooo much better than when I was drinking. At this point, it sounds like some sort of medical supervision to get detoxed is REALLY the safest course of action. Good luck to you, you will NOT regret it.
I was where you are now, almost exactly a year ago.
It is dangerous ground, friend. On two different occasions I had seizures and ended up in the ER. My last quit was not medically supervised, and that was stupid. I genuinely could have killed myself and/or others if had a seizure while driving, for example. When I got sobered up, I realized that this was more than I could handle by myself, went to a rehab facility and basically begged them to admit me. They did have a detox wing (most facilities do, I believe), and that would have been the smarter thing to do, but I thought that they wouldn't take me if I was drunk when I got there. On the contrary, it turned out that nearly everybody in there with me had gone through the detox protocol there. But I've got nearly a year sober now, and I feel really good, sooo much better than when I was drinking. At this point, it sounds like some sort of medical supervision to get detoxed is REALLY the safest course of action. Good luck to you, you will NOT regret it.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,385
I 'drank myself to sleep' for many many years.
It was rough for a week or so without booze...no sleep the first night and then a little on the second...more the third...but it did get better.
In a week or two you could find yourself in a new non alcohol sleeping pattern.
Like others here, I recommend you see a Dr regarding detox - why not ask them about your sleeping problem when you do?
D
It was rough for a week or so without booze...no sleep the first night and then a little on the second...more the third...but it did get better.
In a week or two you could find yourself in a new non alcohol sleeping pattern.
Like others here, I recommend you see a Dr regarding detox - why not ask them about your sleeping problem when you do?
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 27
I'm in the same boat as you. The reason I drank so much was so I could go to sleep (I have a weird phobia about going to bed, that's when all the bad stuff happens)
anyway, I read a post in here that might encourage you to do the medical detox. go to this thread:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html
sorry I don't know how to put the link in here.
good luck seven string
anyway, I read a post in here that might encourage you to do the medical detox. go to this thread:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html
sorry I don't know how to put the link in here.
good luck seven string
Last edited by Dee74; 02-23-2017 at 04:09 PM. Reason: added link
Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Rupert ID
Posts: 469
Good advice here about seeking medical help to detox when you are at the point of the symptoms you describe. In my experience, serious insomnia was also a part of getting sober, which will get better with time. I posted here just this morning, that I once went a whole week (Well, M thru Fri) without sleep. It was awful, but I had a doctor say something quite to the point about that; "I've never had a patient die of insomnia but I’ve seen plenty die from alcoholism." True 'dat.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 5
Hello all,
Thank you for the words of encouragement and for all the advice. I was leaning against medically assisted detox, but in the end I was moved by all the replies on here and ended up going into the substance abuse program for my local healthcare provider.
At first they heavily pressured me to enroll immediately into a 24/7, monitored program. I pushed against it and said that I wanted to talk to a real doctor. Eventually I enrolled in an outpatient treatment program where they prescribed me Vitmain B and a tapered dose of a benzo. I'm now at a week sober.
The insomnia is still there even tho the medication is supposed to be helping me, but the doctor just prescribed me trazaldone to help me out. I hope so! This recovery has not been too hard, as I said i never had urges to drink during the day, I just needed it to sleep. I got a little annoyed at my girlfriend at day 3 or 4, but it wasn't too bad. I told her what to expect and to hang in there with me. She is being sober with me for at least this month as well.
Any other advice? Thank you so much for all the responses already.
Thank you for the words of encouragement and for all the advice. I was leaning against medically assisted detox, but in the end I was moved by all the replies on here and ended up going into the substance abuse program for my local healthcare provider.
At first they heavily pressured me to enroll immediately into a 24/7, monitored program. I pushed against it and said that I wanted to talk to a real doctor. Eventually I enrolled in an outpatient treatment program where they prescribed me Vitmain B and a tapered dose of a benzo. I'm now at a week sober.
The insomnia is still there even tho the medication is supposed to be helping me, but the doctor just prescribed me trazaldone to help me out. I hope so! This recovery has not been too hard, as I said i never had urges to drink during the day, I just needed it to sleep. I got a little annoyed at my girlfriend at day 3 or 4, but it wasn't too bad. I told her what to expect and to hang in there with me. She is being sober with me for at least this month as well.
Any other advice? Thank you so much for all the responses already.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: here, now.
Posts: 1,236
Originally Posted by sevenstring
Hello all,
Thank you for the words of encouragement and for all the advice. I was leaning against medically assisted detox, but in the end I was moved by all the replies on here and ended up going into the substance abuse program for my local healthcare provider.
At first they heavily pressured me to enroll immediately into a 24/7, monitored program. I pushed against it and said that I wanted to talk to a real doctor. Eventually I enrolled in an outpatient treatment program where they prescribed me Vitmain B and a tapered dose of a benzo. I'm now at a week sober.
The insomnia is still there even tho the medication is supposed to be helping me, but the doctor just prescribed me trazaldone to help me out. I hope so! This recovery has not been too hard, as I said i never had urges to drink during the day, I just needed it to sleep. I got a little annoyed at my girlfriend at day 3 or 4, but it wasn't too bad. I told her what to expect and to hang in there with me. She is being sober with me for at least this month as well.
Any other advice? Thank you so much for all the responses already.
Thank you for the words of encouragement and for all the advice. I was leaning against medically assisted detox, but in the end I was moved by all the replies on here and ended up going into the substance abuse program for my local healthcare provider.
At first they heavily pressured me to enroll immediately into a 24/7, monitored program. I pushed against it and said that I wanted to talk to a real doctor. Eventually I enrolled in an outpatient treatment program where they prescribed me Vitmain B and a tapered dose of a benzo. I'm now at a week sober.
The insomnia is still there even tho the medication is supposed to be helping me, but the doctor just prescribed me trazaldone to help me out. I hope so! This recovery has not been too hard, as I said i never had urges to drink during the day, I just needed it to sleep. I got a little annoyed at my girlfriend at day 3 or 4, but it wasn't too bad. I told her what to expect and to hang in there with me. She is being sober with me for at least this month as well.
Any other advice? Thank you so much for all the responses already.
Wow! That's so great! Congratulations.
My advice is to use this site as a resource. It's so great, it has really helped me, and there's a great community here to be an addition to your program.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 425
Stay strong and connected ! I'm just two days sober, and thank God my w/d symptoms have not been bad (knock on wood). Like you, there were some days/nights I didn't want to drink, but I did so I would fall asleep. I've learned, like most of us, that alcohol inhibits "good sleep," even though you fall asleep (pass out) right away. I'm still trying to catch up on my sleep - I'm using naps instead of actually trying to sleep 8 hours at a time.
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