losteverything

I think Alcohol only makes Anxiety worse..at least it did for me. I was at my best last year, with 9 months sober...still hate that I went back out. So grateful to be sober again.

tim68

Last drink was 5/4/14. I'm feeling great! Thanks SR!

phoebe64

Anewpage, I suffer from anxiety. Right now it is blocking my from re-entering the wrok force. I had several good reasons to be home, but now my kids are getting old enough I could do something part time. Struggling with that. I want to be slidly sober and then need to tackle that head on.

Missouri

Day 2

GwenCummings

I am working nights. This is a double edged sword. On the one hand it keeps me busy, no evenings to plan for and get through. On the other it can really affect my mood and make me feel depressed.

Day eleven. Going great guns.

Well done everyone.

Needinghelp82

Is there anything else you can take with it? I'm on citalopram but have diazepam which is a quick acting benzo - had it prescribed before GP gave it to help with withdrawals in case of feeling overwhelmed.

You can do this without the vodka - anxiety can be crippling but it's always worse the day after drinking. You can do this!

anewpage

Yeah, I'm on Prozac, Abilify and klonopin

phoebe64

I think maybe a bit more time without alcohol, and things will eventually improve. I was a mess when I was taking an SSRI and klonapin while actively drinking. I eventually weaned off of the meds back then, but kept drinking. This was 4 or so years ago. The best my anxiety ever got, and it is still in a very good place compared to the days when I had panic attacks, was after a few months sober. It took some time, but being sober then, and for a good amount of time, really was the best medicine. Well, I also tackled my problems with my health, lost weight, exercised more. It all helped, I am sure.

I do still have a bit of klonapin on hand, but use it infrequently. Maybe once a week or a few times then not for a month. Anxiety seems to come in cycles sometimes. Right now, newpage, you are newly sober and feeling those effects. It should settle down. Can you ever find time for walks or exercise, or a relaxing shower? I know you have little ones and a shower or time alone is rare. But if you can carve out some time, it helps.

So, I have been recurrently replapsing, but never back to the daily drinking like I had done before, and the anxiety has still stayed pretty low. I have more of an undercurrent, and really, more of a fear of change now, because I have been away from work for so long.

Not sure about you, but a good part of my anxiety is directly related to worrying about what drinking is doing to me as well. So, get rid of that, get rid of a big part of the problem. But it takes time.

So easy to say, and see, so hard to do.

anewpage

You're right about that, mixing my meds and alcohol made me a total mess. Some night I would drink so much I would feel like I was going insane, and it was due to mixing with meds. I certainly don't miss that feeling. There's a reason they say "don't drink alcohol while taking these medications."

yestofreedom

did anyone see my last post?doesnt seem to be many people around?

phoebe64

Hi yestofreedome, I quoted it to move it to here. I did see it, but I do not do AA, so could not give you the information you were asking. But, I do think if you go to a meeting, you talk to people until you find a good fit for a sponsor. You do not need ot have a sponsor immediately, but I read where others do get numbers from members to call for support even though they are not your sponsor. So, go to a meeting and ask for some numbers. Do you have some meetings nearby?

I am sure someone with AA experience will comment as well.

1stepup

Hi yestofreedome, Im on day 7 and back in the AA mix have a sponsor and have started the steps, Ive been in and out of the rooms for about 3years and have tried different sponsors, the best advice I can give is to get as many numbers as you can and listen to the shares in the meetings- ive dived in, in the past and found no connection with the sponsor I chose, happy to say that my current sponsor has had similar experiences and that makes it easier to open up to him about stuff.

TheBigC

Here is a vent....so my two close friends.... Ya, I hit day seven today and told them I decided to quit drinking. I've definitely wronged them in the past. They were both of the same opinion...go to rehab and a shrink. I said no...I'm seeing a shrink and I read this great book called "Rational Recovery" it teaches AVRT. They both ridiculed me and said go to rehab. I told them that it wasn't part of "My big plan" and that I don't believe in 12 step which most rehabs rely on. I told them to google AVRT. Now, kudos to who 12 step works for but we all have our own philosophy's about how we need to stop. I'm going by "whatever works-works." Anyway, they both made me feel like crap. To me I think it's going to be mind over matter and only "I" can do it for me. I've done countless hours of research on addiction after trying AA. AA has a less than 5 percent success rate - for those it works for awesome- my uncle is 15 yrs sober and very active in AA and I'm so happy it worked for him and happy for others it has worked for but that's not me...I'm going my route. Rehab...most people go two or three times and after that reports show a 30 percent success rate... And that's of the percentage that followed through... Again...for those of who it works for....fantastic!! My plan is my plan and I'm going by the RR/AVRT method with slight deviation (SR and a shrink). It's working so far it's day seven...I feel great. Just a vent.

anewpage

So I went to my AA meeting tonight, but it wasn't in the room it was usually held in. So of course I go into panic mode, and ask some lady passing by where the AA meeting was being held. She said, "AA here? In the Presbyterian Church?" like she was shocked they had such a thing there. ANyway, I didn't want to wander around this huge church and maybe enter the wrong rooms so I left. Anxiety wins again. If I'd been drunk I would have been brave enough to go into every room. As I am, I lose. Feeling defeated and sad. I wish I was someone else.

Dee74

I think you're being too hard on yourself anew.

After twenty years of drinking my self esteem and my self confidence were at an all time low.

Those things came back in time

Hope you find the meeting net time - maybe ring the local AA office?

D

Dee74

Hi Big C - it's your journey so you have every right to guide your own ship.

Please don't lets not get into criticising other recovery methods in this thread tho - we have enough of that elsewhere

There are many paths up the mountain

D

anewpage

I called a lady at AA and told her what had happened, and she said she will call me later tnight so we could talk about possible meetings I could attend. Because 2 a week is not going to be enough. I'm feeling the cravings coming on strong right now.

Dee74

Congrats on 7 days 1step

yestofreedom - this is a pretty good guide to the first meeting etc:
Your First AA Meeting<

D

Dee74

I saw up the page you said nothing works like alcohol does - thats the trap tho, anewpage.

While it may work in the short term (and even that can change eventually) it's actually adding to your anxiety when you sober up and start withdrawing.

If you use alcohol like I did for any emotion, coming off it is rough - but it gets better

D

Dee74

Congrats on 5 days Rochele - and welcome back kelkal

This weekend m,ay be rough for our US members but there will be support here

D