Kaily

Whenever I try to stop drinking I go into overdrive, I have to keep busy for every hour of the day until I am so exhausted that I need to sleep. Only seem able to keep this up for about 3 days...

Ruby2

When you talk about overdrive, do you mean lots of busy activities? I did that in the beginning but it eased up the longer I was in. There were points that I substituted reading and posting on SR for the dish washing and laundry that I was using to keep me occupied.

Try doing a jig saw puzzle. It keeps your hands and head occupied but isn't physically taxing. It's rather meditative. It helped me in the beginning. I had to sit still and focus.

Delilah1

Hi Kaily,

I kept very busy in the beginning as well, as time passed was able to lessen the structured activities and go with the flow a little more.

doggonecarl

...and then what? You drink?

Spinning in overdrive until you run yourself ragged is an ineffective recovery tool. Early recovery is tough enough to go through without physically weakening yourself.

Have you tried any traditional recovery methods?

ScottFromWI

I think it's completely normal to be anxious/nervous during the immediate withdrawals. Remember that alcohol is a depressant...so taking it out of your system will be a shock to the body and most likely increase anxiety. Unfortunately, there's really no "cure" for withdrawals... but they are only temporary. Drinking water, eating good food, light exercise, sleep ( if you can get it ) can all help.

least

Anxiety and over activity is common during withdrawal. Once you make it thru detox, it should settle down. Just don't drink as a 'cure' or you'll be right back at square one.

Nofearnobeer

I am at 5 months and still stuck in OD. I focus on other things and my heart goes nuts...

entropy1964

I think you're saying that this is kind of a manic state that is not a choice, right? If that's the case I totally get it. I'm usually like that for two weeks and the only way to handle it is to stay busy and exercise. But also take time outs to breath and try to steady myself.

Soberwolf

Kaily you have been struggling a while now .. Why do you think this keeps happening ? because you let it you make a choice to drink each and every time

Kaily start getting serious about your recovery make a choice not to drink on day 3 4 5 & so on

Berrybean

Maybe have a look through the advice you've been given before and choose some things to actually try. Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If we want things to change, then we need to change what we're doing. That's hard as an alcoholic as we all start off suffering from inflated ego which means that we doing think that were really the same as anyone else. We seesaw between thinking we're better / more clever than them and don't need to do what they needed to do, and thinking that we're worse than them so it's all pointless. And what keeps us there is our addictive voices feeding us duff information that we lap up because it back up what we think we want - taking a drink.

At some point we need to accept that we need to be the driving force in this change, and some of it is likely to be uncomfortable at first, and be resolved to sit with that discomfort. The longer you go without a drink, the bigger the gaps between cravings will be, and the more manageable your life and your feelings can become. While you keep seeking instant relief through taking a drink, all you're doing is strengthening your addiction.