Newcomer seeking advice
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 3
Newcomer seeking advice
Hello everybody, first post.
I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me with.
1. I'm starting to think I may have been in long term denial about the impact that alcohol has had on my mental health. I've been drinking 4-6 standard drinks (usually 6) every day for about 12 years. I suffered from anxiety and severe depression to begin with. I know the question almost answers itself, but is it likely that consuming so much alcohol over such a length of time could have had a very adverse effect on my mental health?
2. I'm trying to taper my alcohol consumption very slowly - a rate of about one standard drink every ten days. I'm having success with this method so far: I'm down to 3 standard drinks a day. I'm wondering whether this is a good approach to take, or whether I should try to go faster. Also, is a tapering approach likely to make withdrawal symptoms less severe once I stop drinking altogether?
Thanks for your time.
I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me with.
1. I'm starting to think I may have been in long term denial about the impact that alcohol has had on my mental health. I've been drinking 4-6 standard drinks (usually 6) every day for about 12 years. I suffered from anxiety and severe depression to begin with. I know the question almost answers itself, but is it likely that consuming so much alcohol over such a length of time could have had a very adverse effect on my mental health?
2. I'm trying to taper my alcohol consumption very slowly - a rate of about one standard drink every ten days. I'm having success with this method so far: I'm down to 3 standard drinks a day. I'm wondering whether this is a good approach to take, or whether I should try to go faster. Also, is a tapering approach likely to make withdrawal symptoms less severe once I stop drinking altogether?
Thanks for your time.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,760
Welcome to the family. 
Even if tapering, you still have to stop drinking eventually so may have some withdrawal.
As to your mental health, I know alcohol made my depression and anxiety a lot worse. After I'd been sober for a while I felt much better and my depression and anxiety are now bearable.
Give yourself a few months sober and see how you feel. I'll bet you will feel a whole lot better sober.
Even if tapering, you still have to stop drinking eventually so may have some withdrawal. As to your mental health, I know alcohol made my depression and anxiety a lot worse. After I'd been sober for a while I felt much better and my depression and anxiety are now bearable.
Give yourself a few months sober and see how you feel. I'll bet you will feel a whole lot better sober.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Abroad
Posts: 1,865
I now see that I was feeding my depression by drinking, no wonder I never felt better. I am twelve days sober and my mental health has improved tremendously. Welcome to the forum, and good luck with the tapering. Use the forum actively, it's a great help!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: manchester uk
Posts: 1,131
Welcome to the family. I used to believe drinking helped my depression but no it was the vodka that caused it.
I am 10 months sober now & feeling good i still have my bad days dont get me wrong but they are nothing like when i thought i was happy xx
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I am 10 months sober now & feeling good i still have my bad days dont get me wrong but they are nothing like when i thought i was happy xx
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Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,380
Welcome Argyle
I certainly believe my drinking impacted my mental health in a negative way.
My mental health has literally never been better since I quit.
As far as tapering goes, I was never able to make that work, so I have no experience to share.
If you want reputable advice, I'd recommend seeing a Dr.
D
I certainly believe my drinking impacted my mental health in a negative way.
My mental health has literally never been better since I quit.
As far as tapering goes, I was never able to make that work, so I have no experience to share.
If you want reputable advice, I'd recommend seeing a Dr.
D
Blue Belt
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
I tapered, then binged. I was drinking every 2 to 10 days when I quit. I had been drinking fairly hard for about 15 years prior. The reason I think I ramped up my drinking 15 years ago, was because I had just retired from my government job. I had a nice little pension and I planned to party like a rock star for a while.
I was unaware of the brain damage alcohol can cause. No real interest in learning at the time.
First off, no medical advice here. If you need a dr. See one.
Depending on when/if you decide enough is enough, you prob. Will have the usual detox symptoms. They are in the sticky notes.
Once through detox, the crave and anxiety ramp up. The obsessive thoughts, paranoia etc etc. It is your clean brain dealing with a normal world. It gets better every day.
You have to make a new non drinking life to fill the time you will now have. Otherwise, you will be miserable. You have to learn to live w out booze.
For example, yesterday got up around 8 am, ate clean, hung with my wife, we hit the gym for a while, did laundry, paid bills, ate clean again, watched golf, watched Netflix, tinkered w stuff...went to bed... sober as a priest. I am in just about the best shape of my life.
When I was a drunk, I would have been intensely hung over, got up around 8 am, ate poorly, laid down again, started drinking around 2 or 3, drink around 350 ml of hard booze, ate poorly, passed out by 9 pm. I would have woken up around 1 am, out of a drunken coma, unrested and regretful. I would toss and turn to try and sleep again. I was fat and weak. I was very addicted to booze.
You are addicted just like I was. Just like a crack addict, except booze is your drug. You will be in a fight for your life to quit.
Alcohol is poison. It is a govt sanctioned toxin. Don't believe the hype.
This booze problem we all have is no joke. It is as serious as a heart attack. Our brains try to make it like a joke, but it is addiction denial.
Get clean, stay clean.
Thanks for the post.
I was unaware of the brain damage alcohol can cause. No real interest in learning at the time.
First off, no medical advice here. If you need a dr. See one.
Depending on when/if you decide enough is enough, you prob. Will have the usual detox symptoms. They are in the sticky notes.
Once through detox, the crave and anxiety ramp up. The obsessive thoughts, paranoia etc etc. It is your clean brain dealing with a normal world. It gets better every day.
You have to make a new non drinking life to fill the time you will now have. Otherwise, you will be miserable. You have to learn to live w out booze.
For example, yesterday got up around 8 am, ate clean, hung with my wife, we hit the gym for a while, did laundry, paid bills, ate clean again, watched golf, watched Netflix, tinkered w stuff...went to bed... sober as a priest. I am in just about the best shape of my life.
When I was a drunk, I would have been intensely hung over, got up around 8 am, ate poorly, laid down again, started drinking around 2 or 3, drink around 350 ml of hard booze, ate poorly, passed out by 9 pm. I would have woken up around 1 am, out of a drunken coma, unrested and regretful. I would toss and turn to try and sleep again. I was fat and weak. I was very addicted to booze.
You are addicted just like I was. Just like a crack addict, except booze is your drug. You will be in a fight for your life to quit.
Alcohol is poison. It is a govt sanctioned toxin. Don't believe the hype.
This booze problem we all have is no joke. It is as serious as a heart attack. Our brains try to make it like a joke, but it is addiction denial.
Get clean, stay clean.
Thanks for the post.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: London (-ish)
Posts: 263
Alcohol is a depressant, that's what my doctor told me a number of times, so it's worth speaking with your doctor.
I still suffer with depression and anxiety but it's much better and easier to manage., I've developed ways to help me get thought.
I was using alcohol to elevate shyness, loneliness, depression, anxiety and well... just to try to stay alive really, but it was making me worse. I was emotionally dependent on alcohol (doctors words not mine).
When I quit, I felt worse before I began to feel better, but I did start feeling better, with the help of my doctors, and friends.
If you are trying to control alcohol it is very cunning stuff, some times it'll make you feel like your controlling it, when in actual fact it's controlling you (that's my experience).
If you are trying to quit drinking, and find that you can't, you may have a problem with alcohol, you'll need to reach out for help, that's how I began.
Lotsa love xx
I still suffer with depression and anxiety but it's much better and easier to manage., I've developed ways to help me get thought.
I was using alcohol to elevate shyness, loneliness, depression, anxiety and well... just to try to stay alive really, but it was making me worse. I was emotionally dependent on alcohol (doctors words not mine).
When I quit, I felt worse before I began to feel better, but I did start feeling better, with the help of my doctors, and friends.
If you are trying to control alcohol it is very cunning stuff, some times it'll make you feel like your controlling it, when in actual fact it's controlling you (that's my experience).
If you are trying to quit drinking, and find that you can't, you may have a problem with alcohol, you'll need to reach out for help, that's how I began.
Lotsa love xx
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,476
My drinking began after years of trying to deal with anxiety and depression. Initially and briefly, it seems like the answer, and of course, that's the hook. Very quickly, alcohol made me anxiety and depression much worse.
I had no luck trying to moderate. My experience here at SR tells me that many of us try to moderate and fail. I'm glad that you have decided to cut down on your drinking and I hope you choose to live a sober life.
I had no luck trying to moderate. My experience here at SR tells me that many of us try to moderate and fail. I'm glad that you have decided to cut down on your drinking and I hope you choose to live a sober life.
You can have reasons, or you can have results, but you can't have both.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 1,232
Hi, Argyle and Happy Easter to you!
1. Mental health: Absolutely, you bet, alcohol causes and/or worsens mental health problems. Part of the root cause of my drinking was anxiety but funny thing...once I quit drinking I no longer had anxiety at all!
2. Tapering: Sounds like you've already done it, so I wouldn't second-guess it at this point. Tapering too rapidly can be quite dangerous (I gave myself a seizure this way!), but you've done it nice and slowly. Err on the side of caution.
Keep on getting better! It is SO nice once you have the poison out of your system!
1. Mental health: Absolutely, you bet, alcohol causes and/or worsens mental health problems. Part of the root cause of my drinking was anxiety but funny thing...once I quit drinking I no longer had anxiety at all!
2. Tapering: Sounds like you've already done it, so I wouldn't second-guess it at this point. Tapering too rapidly can be quite dangerous (I gave myself a seizure this way!), but you've done it nice and slowly. Err on the side of caution.
Keep on getting better! It is SO nice once you have the poison out of your system!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 113
Only a doctor can answer questions about withdrawal. Have you talked to your doctor?
My personal experience with pre-existing depression and anxiety is that for me those increase with sobriety. However, that doesn't mean that they will for you. Most people say it gets better when they stop drinking, or that it gets better when they stop drinking and take anti-depressants and/or have counselling.
The only reason that I mention it about myself is that personally I have to manage it as part of my sobriety plan. I've relapsed before because of it. Now, I don't intend to do that again.
I've tapered (to abstinence), and in my case that included having more and more alcohol-free days each week. Again, I'd see a doctor before doing anything like that.
I've only recently stopped completely but it feels very different from before. By doing it gradually (and working hard on building up sober skills while doing that) it feels like I've changed direction rather than I've given something up.
I feel prepared and have strategies in place now. In my case that includes strategies for dealing with anxiety and depression, which for me is realistic. You may find your moods are much better. In any case, it's best to have a plan for any kind of struggles you think might come up. If that's even a short-term increase in anxiety and depression, best to be prepared.
My personal experience with pre-existing depression and anxiety is that for me those increase with sobriety. However, that doesn't mean that they will for you. Most people say it gets better when they stop drinking, or that it gets better when they stop drinking and take anti-depressants and/or have counselling.
The only reason that I mention it about myself is that personally I have to manage it as part of my sobriety plan. I've relapsed before because of it. Now, I don't intend to do that again.
I've tapered (to abstinence), and in my case that included having more and more alcohol-free days each week. Again, I'd see a doctor before doing anything like that.
I've only recently stopped completely but it feels very different from before. By doing it gradually (and working hard on building up sober skills while doing that) it feels like I've changed direction rather than I've given something up.
I feel prepared and have strategies in place now. In my case that includes strategies for dealing with anxiety and depression, which for me is realistic. You may find your moods are much better. In any case, it's best to have a plan for any kind of struggles you think might come up. If that's even a short-term increase in anxiety and depression, best to be prepared.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 3
Thank you to everyone here for the warm welcome, encouragement and advice. What a great community we have here! I'm already feeling more encouraged.
I'm absolutely determined to beat the poison and I will. I've got too much at stake not to. I'll report back with results over time.
Thank you again and best wishes to all of you.
I'm absolutely determined to beat the poison and I will. I've got too much at stake not to. I'll report back with results over time.
Thank you again and best wishes to all of you.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,536
It's great to meet you, Argyle. It really helped me to talk things over here. The people in my life had no idea what I was going through. Here, everyone understands. You can do this - we know it.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 3
I do have some valium which I'm using cautiously so I don't create another problem. I'm tapering slowly because on a previous occasion I went too fast and went into depersonalization/derealization with anxiety and totally lost my way.
The advice to get medical supervision makes a lot of sense and I'll go and see a doctor as soon as possible.
The advice to get medical supervision makes a lot of sense and I'll go and see a doctor as soon as possible.
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