Jitterbugg

Well...if you are physically dependent on alcohol and go into withdrawal, the symptoms can prevent you from doing anything really. The severity of course depends on how much you were drinking and for how long. My hands were shaking so violently that I couldn't even brush my teeth. I was also hallucinating and hearing things, sweating profusely, and extremely paranoid. That was from drinking a fifth a vodka every night for 2 months.

jobei

I have quit for a month or so about 5-6 times in the last 15 years. Each time I relapsed I can link it directly to "feeling better" about myself emotionally and pysichally. As soon as I would build myself back up where I felt somewhat healthy I'd start drinking and tear myself back down. Each time it was harder and harder to quit. I'd say I knew that I drank too much but didn't think it was something too abnormal as everyone around me drank as much. Many of those same people are still drinking the same way. Not myself however... my body/mind/spirit cannot handle it anymore. Life is hard enough with adding extra "challenges" like a life threatening poison to one's system.

I must say that for me I had to suffer badly to really want to quit. When I quit previously I hadn't suffered enough and the booze still had an appeal... I think maybe you feel this way. Some people call it "rock bottom". I definately believe that everyone has a different "rock bottom" ... some people have to lose everything before they can quit... some people die before they can quit. For me my "rock bottom" wasn't that I lost all the tangible things in my life (even though they were def. going away fast) but more a spiritual bottom where I changed into someone else... someone that's not me... someone ugly and abusive... someone that no one wanted to know or care for. I know that is not who I am. I know that I deserve more than that... so I decided to give it to myself.... finally. Try to remember that you don't HAVE to suffer... you can stop it now before that happens.

bayliss

Definitely agree with you Dee.

Jitterbug (and everyone else) - is it possible that you don't have a physical addiction to alcohol but a mental one? Quitting I have no physical withdrawals (don't want to jinx it though so knock one wood!!) but more so mental/psychological ones.
I may have posted this elsewhere in the past here (or it may be my ocd forums) but is it possible that I THINK I need to have it because I am obsessive compulsive? My boyfriend is very perceptive and has said in the past - you can quit whenever you want...
Okay. But hold the phone here! I am not trying to rationalize, lol as it may sound like it...I have made my decision...regardless...because I want to be healthy...I was just curious...

Jobei, I totally understand what you are saying...my rock bottom was coming back after a month long vacation to my boyfriend...who told me that he wants the girlfriend he first started dating...I have become into an abusive, mean, nasty person...I hold my resentments and bitterness and instead of releasing them out in healthy ways and setting boundaries I go into ***hole mode and drink my problems away.
I am so grateful to have a boyfriend that has been there for me through all this time and I know he only wants the best for me. He is more important than poison!
So is my family...and they are disappointed. Tough...tough to deal with...to hear that. I only want them to be happy.

It is funny how when you detox you feel like life isn't LIFE without it! (I know, the disease talking..) and as soon as you "give in" it seems like all is right in the world...and it really isn't...it's sad...it's so difficult.

May I just point out one more thing...
My Mom said she tried so hard to not show me and my Sister that they had the occasional drink or the cigarette while growing up...and they don't know why I am doing what I am doing. I wish I knew! It started with a couple parties that were back to back around 3 years ago...good times, lots of drinks, great friends...and then it went to weekend binging...then the occasional weeknight drink...then 4 times a week...then 5...then 7...then before 5...then noon...then 10am...everyday...every weekend...and instead of the feel good feelings...it's just crap...
Ahh...gotta love you alcohol....not.

bitmap

Like Jo, I had insomnia - I didn't sleep for 3.5 days, had the DTS and on day two started having visual and auditory hallucinations. I was exhausted and my body still gets tired easily and at odd hours. Detox should not be taken lightly. I did do in hospital for 3.5 days which helped tremondously. If I hadn't had such an amazing doctor and nurse I don't think I could have made it. I am probably one of the few who went to the ER with a bag packed b/c if they didn't admit me I would have killed them!

babydoll99

how long does it take the body to detox?

GirlFromCO

Absolutely, go to the gym if it's going to make you feel better! You probably need more water than you think you do - dehydration was the source of most of my WD symptoms, except the seizure. That was definitely the alcohol. I spent 2 or 3 days on the couch with lots of anxiety, hallucinations, shakes and sweats, all the good stuff. I used to take a lot of benzos for anxiety & panic attacks, so I took plenty of those and was basically a vegetable for a while. I watched a lot of netflix, ate a ton, didn't do anything. I guess I sort of "cheated" with the benzos - I used to take them as a hangover cure so it just seemed natural to use them for detoxing. If I had to do it over again I would have gone to see my doctor. I'm surprised I didn't have more seizures, honestly.

Anyway, I know you're going to see your doctor tomorrow. Take their advice. This can be the last time you do this, you know. Best wishes

MemphisBlues

Let's see...detoxing from alcohol...rough, riding it out on the couch, no sleep, shakes, chain smoking until I couldn't get the cigarette to my lips, rode it out for a few days...

Let's see, two weeks later when the benzo withdrawal hit? Hallucinating, seizures, zero sleep for five days...and I mean zero...until the auditory hallucinations kicked in...

Eighteen days after benzo detox on my own, going cold turkey? Tethered to a hospital bed for three days...woke up with open wounds on my wrists and ankles from the restraints...

Twenty-one days later? Home, floor gave like sponge, settling in for two months of agoraphobia and panic attacks...

The miracle? I didn't die (My son claims I did try to throw myself out of a 12th floor window, but I don't remember that).

Alcohol detox can kill you...Benzo detox makes you want to kill yourself.

Please, anyone going through detox needs medical supervision...and benzo detox? Don't go cold turkey. I know that's counter intuitive, yes, you want to get clean and just giving them up sounds like the right thing to do, but that crap needs a serious tapering program. Granted, the amount a shrink had prescribed me would literally make a horse stumble in mid stride, and it would have taken me a year to taper under most recommended tapering regimes and as an addict and an alcoholic I probably wouldn't of made it, but benzo withdrawal is wicked ****. Never abruptly stop taking Klonopin, Xanax, Valium...you name it...if it's a benzo, you're in for a hellish ride.

Today? Well, 18 months later, I see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Fandy

I was home from work for 2 days with violent GI issues both upper and lower. I had to go into work on the 3rd day.....i claimed "stomach flu" and hid in my office with the door closed, calculating grades and drinking gallons of herbal lemon tea....and ramen noodles with some veggies i cooked into it for lunch. my body ached like i had been in an accident, i was sore all over. i did drive but i don't live far from work, it's about 10 mins. in the car. while driving i had auditory halleucinations...(a choir every evening for a few days but only in the car)

bedtime was a farce for about 4 days, with lots of heavy sweating, i just laid down on a towel and kept a stack of clean t-shirts to change into as i would doze off for an hour and wake up drenched. after i started feeling better, i remember eating an entire large cadbury bar and sleeping for 9 hours.

soberred

I've went through hellish detox 4 times. Not recommended. I went back for several reasons. Stress, boredom, loneliness, fear, regret, feeling like I could moderate, wanting to be like everyone else etc.. Us drunks tend to forget the bad part. It's kind of like child birth. Even though you know there was horrible pain, you tend to forget it. I'm done though bayliss. I can't drink anymore. Not even a sip. I am so proud you decided to quit. Please don't wait until you are my age to quit. Alcohol robs us of our happiness, health, friends, relationships, self esteem, beauty. It gets worse the longer we drink. You deserve a more calm, normal life. You CAN do this. Listen to your doctor. Take your vitamins. And most importantly, don't give up. Your life and your relationships will be so much better. I promise.

soberred

That vodka is a killer. That was my DOC. Dangerous stuff. I had the exact withdraws. And I would also add feeling as though I was going to die. HELL!

stillsleeping

Soberred your avatar scares the living sht outta me!!

Detox - the first time (years ago) serious shakes puking etc. If I'd known then what I've learned on this site I would have gone to see a doc for sure. Heroin withdrawal gets all the attention on the TV - no one ever says how dangerous booze detox can be.

This time I wasn't drinking enough to get really sick. I felt awful for four days, severe headaches, depression, anxiety, lightheaded etc but still went to work. Was terrible at my job, but it was definitely better than staying home and thinking about beer. I did some light exercise as soon as I could - I've found posts here that are dated my day3 saying I've been doing some light weights. Burned my muscles, but remeinded me why I was cleaning up...

By day 5 the depression started to lift, day 7 the headaches were gone. I was really tired for a while, but that might have been partly to getting the flu soon after. Once the flu was gone I felt amazing, and still do. Day 31 today.

Stick it out. It sucks but it doesn't last...

xx

InsertNameHere

I shut myself in at work, but not because of detox because i wasn't sure that going home wouldn't involve me drinking. I pretty much just hid out in the office for a week or two. Couldn't sleep for anything, for a while there I was sleeping one out of three nights I think, I don't really remember now I would have to look at my old posts. night sweats for about a week maybe a week and a half. Shakey hande the first couple of days, that was probably exastrabated by the massive amounts of coffee I was drinking. Also drank a lot of water as I know how important it is to stay hydrated, funny thing though I couldn't. It seemed like no matter how much water I drank according to my trips to the bathroom I stil needed more. weird. Well that is me three weeks ago, still don't have a sleep routine but I can sleep when I need to. I feel better physcialy though mentaly I am usually kinda of blah or meh. I figure that will lift eventually and that is what people have told me "give it time".

Good luck.

SOBERINNEPA

I did my detox in rehab. I definitely recommend medical supervision. Even with a hellabig dose of librium, I was sweating like it was my job and shaking like a leaf. Body aches, nausea, like a really bad flu. Lasted four days.

Detox is on my "One and Done" list.

soberred

:rotfxko:rotfxko I thought it was funny. It reminds me of someone. My ex mother in law I think.