dingus3

it feels like its all around me right now, anxiety. i dunno why but its more acute than usual, not like the first day of school years ago or a bunjee jump, but deeper, like to the bone and always there real subtle like. im not drunk, im in bed and i didnt get drunk today, and stayed out of the bar, even though i absolutely could have, would have... im just feeling like im on the edge of the envelope, riding by the seat of my pants and waaaaaaaayyy out of the comfort zone, hence the anxious feelings like something awful is about to happen.
I have reminded myself that i can not predict what will happen after i begin to drink and last time i felt ashamed of myself. good night all.

Lenina

dingus,

I'm sorry you're feeling anxious, I've been a bit on edge lately myself. I remember that alcohol makes the anxiety feelings worse. I have some breathing exercises that help and some meditation tapes. Have you ever tried that?

Love,

Lenina

cab31

A psychologist specialising in anxiety disorders once told me that people that substance abuse tend to have higher levels of anxiety than the normal person. Once you get the substance abuse under control your anxiety levels will reduce back down. Hang in there. You are out of your comfort zone but you will soon realise that that comfort zone wasnt really such an awesome place to be anyway!

Horselover

Very well said and couldn't agree more. The anxiety definitely lessens the farther you distance yourself from your doc. Its definitely a motivator to know it will go away. Hang in there.

tk1fry

Ditto what horselover said, at least that is what i have found. You may also ask your doctor for a non habit forming, fast acting, anxiety reducer. There are a few of them out there. I thought i was asking my doctor the impossible and low and behold she said no prob.

least

There are a few good herbal anxiety-reducers out there. A good one is chamomile tea (sold as Sleepytime or Sweet Dreams), also valerian is helpful, so is scullcap. I get them at our natural food store but they can be found in many large drugstores too. Give them a try.

And yes, as I got further away from alcohol, my anxiety get less and less.

Tazman53

As the others have said, the further we get away from our last drink, the less the anxiety is. That being said, I also know that anxiety will rear its ugly head every once in a while no matter how far away we get from our last drink, these are the times when a good support group and program can save the day. The nice thing is with time even this will happpen less often, I have never heard any one say that they have stopped being anxious forever, I think everyone alcoholic, addict or not experiences anxiety every once in a while, we just need to develop good ways to cope with it.

Anna

Dingus,

Anxiety is hard to deal with, but you will be able to get through it.

It will get easier!