I'm sure she's right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it....
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central America/Florida USA
Posts: 4,064
Thing about sleep is...it will happen. It's inevitable. And yeah, staying up and fretting about sleep sucks - but so does alcoholism and Rx dependency.
Me, I have the same problems. Been craving something myself lately, even resorted to thinking about buying marijuana last weekend.
Instead, I came to SR, posted about my issues. Then I downloaded some movies from Netflix. Stayed up late watching Saving Private Ryan last night, then woke up at 3:30am and watched some TV. Fell back asleep at 4am.
It's no fun, but you will get tired, at some point. And you'll have weird dreams. And this will be your life for a while. The human body can bounce back from a lot of abuse, though, and you will soon find yourself sleeping comfortably without any problems.
I'd try to avoid any kind of xanax or klonipin or other types of drugs, though. An addicts brain works in mysterious ways and cross addictions are common. Don't you want to be done with this? A few days of sacrifice, a week tops, and you'll be past this. It's worth it.
As far as other remedies: I drink Sleepytime Tea in the evenings. I also turn down all the lights in the house around 9pm, let the darkness settle upon you naturally. Psychologically, I try and not worry about getting a full 8 hours - I think "okay, this is just taking a nap" and lie down in bed and listen to a podcast or read a book. More often than not, I sleep through the night.
Good luck.
Me, I have the same problems. Been craving something myself lately, even resorted to thinking about buying marijuana last weekend.
Instead, I came to SR, posted about my issues. Then I downloaded some movies from Netflix. Stayed up late watching Saving Private Ryan last night, then woke up at 3:30am and watched some TV. Fell back asleep at 4am.
It's no fun, but you will get tired, at some point. And you'll have weird dreams. And this will be your life for a while. The human body can bounce back from a lot of abuse, though, and you will soon find yourself sleeping comfortably without any problems.
I'd try to avoid any kind of xanax or klonipin or other types of drugs, though. An addicts brain works in mysterious ways and cross addictions are common. Don't you want to be done with this? A few days of sacrifice, a week tops, and you'll be past this. It's worth it.
As far as other remedies: I drink Sleepytime Tea in the evenings. I also turn down all the lights in the house around 9pm, let the darkness settle upon you naturally. Psychologically, I try and not worry about getting a full 8 hours - I think "okay, this is just taking a nap" and lie down in bed and listen to a podcast or read a book. More often than not, I sleep through the night.
Good luck.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,445
I've had anxiety issues most of my life, drunk or sober.
This is a good site for non medication solutions
Calm Clinic for Your Anxiety & Panic « Calm Clinic
D
This is a good site for non medication solutions
Calm Clinic for Your Anxiety & Panic « Calm Clinic
D
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,439
There are a lot of things that you can do to help with the anxiety.
Make sure and eat lots of healthy food during the first few days. I found that if I let my blood sugar drop at all during the initial weeks, it made me crazy anxious, stressed, etc. I couldn't eat large meals then as I was used to getting a lot of calories from alcohol, but I had 100-200 calorie snacks every hour or two with lots of water. Avoid sugary stuff... it kind of mimics alcohol and will draw out the cravings.
Get some exercise. Exercise is a natural way to reduce anxiety and help yourself feel better.
Do some yoga or meditation. Yoga is an excellent way to relax.
Go for a long walk.
Take some time to write down how you're feeling. Writing about our emotions can really help to relieve them.
Make a glass of hot tea or drink a glass of milk. Both can be surprisingly helpful.
Make a decision to just go through the feelings. As alcoholics, we get in the habit of trying not to feel anything, especially if it's bad. But you know, a feeling won't kill you. Continuing to drink might. Remember that it won't last forever. The anxiety will pass... whether you drink or not.
Post on SR and read through the feed back. We've all been there. We can help.
I found that it was the alcohol that MADE me anxious, although I didn't realize it until after I quit. Remind yourself that drinking will only mean that you have to go through it all over again. Only by not drinking will you be able to put an end to the cycle of anxiety caused by alcohol withdrawal.
Make sure and eat lots of healthy food during the first few days. I found that if I let my blood sugar drop at all during the initial weeks, it made me crazy anxious, stressed, etc. I couldn't eat large meals then as I was used to getting a lot of calories from alcohol, but I had 100-200 calorie snacks every hour or two with lots of water. Avoid sugary stuff... it kind of mimics alcohol and will draw out the cravings.
Get some exercise. Exercise is a natural way to reduce anxiety and help yourself feel better.
Do some yoga or meditation. Yoga is an excellent way to relax.
Go for a long walk.
Take some time to write down how you're feeling. Writing about our emotions can really help to relieve them.
Make a glass of hot tea or drink a glass of milk. Both can be surprisingly helpful.
Make a decision to just go through the feelings. As alcoholics, we get in the habit of trying not to feel anything, especially if it's bad. But you know, a feeling won't kill you. Continuing to drink might. Remember that it won't last forever. The anxiety will pass... whether you drink or not.
Post on SR and read through the feed back. We've all been there. We can help.
I found that it was the alcohol that MADE me anxious, although I didn't realize it until after I quit. Remind yourself that drinking will only mean that you have to go through it all over again. Only by not drinking will you be able to put an end to the cycle of anxiety caused by alcohol withdrawal.
Heathen
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: La La Land, USA
Posts: 2,567
You're thinking like an addict.. I do it too. All the damn time. Your anxiety and insomnia are aggravated if not caused by your drinking. Putting a bandaid on it while you hold off on drinking for a while really wont help, you know the saying "like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound". We are used to quick fixes.. we are used to insta-comfort, instant gratification for life's problems. Getting sober is hard. It's sleepless. It's anxious. TONS of things are unpleasant as your body and mind heal from the toxic **** you've been pouring down your throat for so long. It's worth it..
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