Day five with extreme anxiety
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 69
Day five with extreme anxiety
Hello,
I have been reading this forum for about a year and this is my first post. I am kind of in a bad situation right now. I am having really bad financial issiues and about to bankrupt. And in the middle of all this mess, my gf left me saying that i was always stressed and bad to her. So as you can all imagine my anxiety levels are not well. Anyway, i decided to quit or at least drink once every saturday for social reasons and i would like to share my journey with you. Btw i drink about 40 units a week and i am 33.
Day 1 - Extreme anxiety and urge to drink
Day 2 - Feeling down and tired
Day 3 - Exhausted
Day 4 - Feeling better and energic (i realized it takes about 3 days to get your energy back)
Day 5 - Today i woke up with extreme anxiety, its unbearable
On day six there is a wedding, and i will try to have just a couple of beers... I hope i wont have to go through theese five days again. Please share your opinions with me.
Thanks.
I have been reading this forum for about a year and this is my first post. I am kind of in a bad situation right now. I am having really bad financial issiues and about to bankrupt. And in the middle of all this mess, my gf left me saying that i was always stressed and bad to her. So as you can all imagine my anxiety levels are not well. Anyway, i decided to quit or at least drink once every saturday for social reasons and i would like to share my journey with you. Btw i drink about 40 units a week and i am 33.
Day 1 - Extreme anxiety and urge to drink
Day 2 - Feeling down and tired
Day 3 - Exhausted
Day 4 - Feeling better and energic (i realized it takes about 3 days to get your energy back)
Day 5 - Today i woke up with extreme anxiety, its unbearable
On day six there is a wedding, and i will try to have just a couple of beers... I hope i wont have to go through theese five days again. Please share your opinions with me.
Thanks.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,414
Hi blackened - Welcome 
My advice is not have those few beers.
Drinking for anxiety is a double edged sword - keep drinking in quantity for an extended period and you'll not only have the anxiety you started with but added anxiety from alcohol withdrawal.
You may very well find you have to start over, I'm afraid - particularly if like so many of us you lack the control to stick to one or two beers.
If your anxiety is unbearable why not see a Dr instead?
As for the wedding - unless you absolutely have to go, I'd re-think it.
If you have to go - skip the reception.
If you can't skip the reception - have an escape plan for leaving anyway in case things get too tough to deal with.
D
My advice is not have those few beers.
Drinking for anxiety is a double edged sword - keep drinking in quantity for an extended period and you'll not only have the anxiety you started with but added anxiety from alcohol withdrawal.
You may very well find you have to start over, I'm afraid - particularly if like so many of us you lack the control to stick to one or two beers.
If your anxiety is unbearable why not see a Dr instead?
As for the wedding - unless you absolutely have to go, I'd re-think it.
If you have to go - skip the reception.
If you can't skip the reception - have an escape plan for leaving anyway in case things get too tough to deal with.
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,413
Do not have the beer.
If you have the beer, you will either go on a runaway or you be starting at Day1.
Best for you to go to
Day6 - starting to feel slightly better
Day7 - starting to feel even better
Day 8 - starting to feel quick a bit better
and so on...
and learn to love the rewards associated with a recovery program that you work at just as hard as you worked on drinking. The rewards are enormous.
Glad you are here with all of you.
p.s. Don't go to the wedding unless you are in the wedding party or it is an immediate family member. In other words, if you can get out of it, then get out of going.
If you have the beer, you will either go on a runaway or you be starting at Day1.
Best for you to go to
Day6 - starting to feel slightly better
Day7 - starting to feel even better
Day 8 - starting to feel quick a bit better
and so on...
and learn to love the rewards associated with a recovery program that you work at just as hard as you worked on drinking. The rewards are enormous.
Glad you are here with all of you.
p.s. Don't go to the wedding unless you are in the wedding party or it is an immediate family member. In other words, if you can get out of it, then get out of going.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 322
Just my humble thought, you need to decide if you want to drink or you want to quit. People who want to quit don't drink. People that don't want to quit, do drink, and then does it really matter about how much??
Step one is to be honest with yourself. Did I mention being honest with yourself?
Step one is to be honest with yourself. Did I mention being honest with yourself?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by blackened83 
Anyway, i decided to quit or at least drink once every saturday for social reasons
On day six there is a wedding, and i will try to have just a couple of beers... I hope i wont have to go through theese five days again. Please share your opinions with me.
If so, continuing to play with fire will keep burning you.
It just don't seem to get better for drunks unless they sober up.
A nice sober day wished for all,
M-Bob
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 1,501
Congratulations on 5 days sober. Getting and staying sober is a loooong journey but it does get better. I've learned the hard way that even one beer is the start of another relapse and it is back to day one. One of the hardest things many of us have learned is how to cope in these social situations and skip the alcohol but it can be done.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
As others have mentioned, if you are an alcoholic or even think you might be...drinking is not the answer, ever. I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but alcohol needs to be eliminated from your life, and once the grieving process is over, you will be very glad you chose sobriety in my opinion.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: California
Posts: 1,428
Blackened.... In my experience, those couple of drinks would only go down two paths. First one I would say screw it and keep drinking. Of course we know how that ends up, very badly. Second path I did stop at two drinks, but started over on the anxiety rollercoaster
I had to accept that both options were destroying me. The only option was not drinking at all. The anxiety can be horrific in the beginning..things do help such as exercise, belly breathing, etc.
The anxiety DOES get better with time. As long as you don't drink. Trust me I experimented and 1 drink only started the cycle over.
I had to accept that both options were destroying me. The only option was not drinking at all. The anxiety can be horrific in the beginning..things do help such as exercise, belly breathing, etc.
The anxiety DOES get better with time. As long as you don't drink. Trust me I experimented and 1 drink only started the cycle over.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 520
Originally Posted by blackened83
i will try to have just a couple of beers...
Those words speak volumes. As already said, if you can possibly avoid it don't go. If you really can't then don't drink and make a plan to leave early. I think most of us have at least one wedding horror story that we try to forget, don't risk making another one.
Congratulations on 5 days.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 2
Blackened, I had anxiety when I was drinking and was prescribed meds for it by my PCP. My alcohol counselor advised me to see a psychiatrist about the meds. The psychiatrist told me the meds wouldn't work while drinking. When I stopped drinking I no longer had anxiety but I needed the correct advise to make an informed decision. We are all different so what worked for me might not work for anyone else, but being educated on your particular situation is never a bad thing.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 69
Hello,
I feel so stupid right now. Against all your advices i went to the wedding and as you can all imagine that 2 beers turned into lots of glasses of wine. Next day i felt very bad and to ease the pain i drink again, and the following days ofcourse
. I think most of the people here can relate to this behaviour. But in a way i think this was good for me cause i was one of the guys rejecting the idea of being an alcoholic.
Now i know for sure and i know that i can not go with moderation...
I have decided to put the bottle down for good. This is my first day again, i am feeling down but i have to do this.
Wish me luck..
I feel so stupid right now. Against all your advices i went to the wedding and as you can all imagine that 2 beers turned into lots of glasses of wine. Next day i felt very bad and to ease the pain i drink again, and the following days ofcourse
. I think most of the people here can relate to this behaviour. But in a way i think this was good for me cause i was one of the guys rejecting the idea of being an alcoholic. Now i know for sure and i know that i can not go with moderation...
I have decided to put the bottle down for good. This is my first day again, i am feeling down but i have to do this.
Wish me luck..
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 379
Its ok. You're not stupid. You just had to try it out. Now you did and found out what I know I also found out when I tried to do it my way.
You know I liken this illness of alcoholism to other illnesses. I mean if I was diagnosed with cancer, I wouldnt write my own treatment plan and do things my way. I would listen to professionals, I would talk to cancer survivors and find out what approach worked for them in their illness and then I would follow direction!
So now, at day one ( and for me at day 36) lets find people who are alcoholism survivors and establish a recovery plan that works for us! Personally, I have built a small but mighty support group ( irl) and come here often for advice and support or just to make sure I am 'normal' ( whatever THAT is lol), read and write alot, go to meetings, listen to leads on Youtube etc etc.
We are in the infancy stages here with recovery and bound to make mistakes but you coming back and sharing your experience is very brave indeed and is also very helpful to others reminding us all of whats out there waiting for us if we dont stay on the recovery path. Thank you!
You know I liken this illness of alcoholism to other illnesses. I mean if I was diagnosed with cancer, I wouldnt write my own treatment plan and do things my way. I would listen to professionals, I would talk to cancer survivors and find out what approach worked for them in their illness and then I would follow direction!
So now, at day one ( and for me at day 36) lets find people who are alcoholism survivors and establish a recovery plan that works for us! Personally, I have built a small but mighty support group ( irl) and come here often for advice and support or just to make sure I am 'normal' ( whatever THAT is lol), read and write alot, go to meetings, listen to leads on Youtube etc etc.
We are in the infancy stages here with recovery and bound to make mistakes but you coming back and sharing your experience is very brave indeed and is also very helpful to others reminding us all of whats out there waiting for us if we dont stay on the recovery path. Thank you!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Lodi, CA
Posts: 80
Most of us have attempted moderation. Thinking that this time will be different. Don't beat yourself up, you can't change it now, but now you know. As alcoholics we don't think like others and that's tough to accept. Get and stay sober and find a support group, posting here is a good start.
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