Harpoon

Hi All,

As the title says, I'm just worn down. I haven't been sleeping well, or sleeping at all.

I'll give a bit of background and maybe someone may have some advise.

I get intrusive thoughts, I was taking lexapro for them. I felt that the meds weren't doing a lot so I decided not to take them anymore. I was fine, not great but i was managing.

Whenever i consume alcohol all the intrusive thoughts just go away, and I am happy, it's great. I always seem to get wasted and have blackouts though. I wake up the next day in a living hell - intrusive thoughts, depression, insomnia for about three-days.

So to cope for the next few days, while the intrusive thoughts and the depression returned to a manageable level, at night I would watch porn, and mb to self medicate.

I had a lot to drink last wknd, and haven't slept well all week. I've also been having bad palpitations at night. I've started to walk, and go to the gym to try and lift my mood, but while I am getting fitter, these intrusive thoughts, anxiety and insomnia won't subside.

I guess my question is: Is my alcohol dependence/abuse causing ocd, or is my ocd causing alcohol dependence abuse??

Anyway, I would like a few external opinions, I have been through this in my head so many times that I'm starting to not care anymore.

Cheers

visch1

Hi. Maybe if you could stop drinking for 90 days your question will be answered. BE WELL

Anna

Did you have ocd/intrusive thoughts before you began drinking? Or did they emerge as a result of your drinking?

Admiral

When I was using marijuana heavily I had very bad anxiety, not when I was using, but when I was not using. I would get really sad and cry for no reason, it was debilitating. I also had intrusive thoughts and feelings of doom and the whole heart palpitation when going to sleep thing happened to me as well as some sort of recurring panic attack, or at least that's what I assume it is.

The strange sleep problems took a very long time to get better, but the excessive anxiety went away very quickly. Do I still have anxiety and intrusive thoughts? Yes, but is it as bad? Hell no, the difference is night and day.

Harpoon

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Before I started drinking I didn't have intrusive thoughts. I used to think that this frame of mind was a hangover.

Baya

It is a full circle you get the thoughts you drink and become depressed. Then you drink because your depressed.

Harpoon

Hi, thanks for the reply.

90 days... I will give it a shot, I haven't a lot left to lose at this stage.