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8 Days

Old 03-14-2017, 11:58 PM
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8 Days

Hello everyone. I'm not sure really how this works, I suppose I'm just hoping for a little advice.

I haven't had a drink in 8 days currently, which is the longest I've been without a drink in almost 5 years, and tonight I started having panic attacks. I've had them in the past, but never without some sort of outside stimulus or stressful situation (car wreck, death in the family, etc.)

I don't want to drink, but I know if I do I'll calm down immediately. To be clear, I'm not asking for medical advice about the panic attacks (my doctor is aware of my anxiety) I'm more wondering if anyone's gone through this sort of thing, and if they got through it without having a drink, and how.

So sorry if this violates any rules. I'm desperate.
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Old 03-15-2017, 12:28 AM
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Welcome to SR, Xelaney! I'm glad you found SR. Five years ago I had no concept of what a panic attack was. But I learned the hard way when I quit drinking. It seems that for many years I didn't really fall asleep so much as just drank til I passed out. So when I turned out the lights and went to bed I suddenly felt I couldn't breathe- if felt like I was buried alive. For me it was a combination of withdrawals and just not knowing how to function sober.

Not medical advice, but I just had to get up and do something to relax. As corny as it sounds, just breath. In through your nose, count to five, out through your mouth. Rise and fall, the steady rhythm of your breath. If it strikes when you lie down, sit up. Read for a bit, have a drink (no booze, nothing with caffeine, just something like to sip). Turn on a light.

Try to take some pressure off yourself. You don't need to fix your life, you just need to fix this moment. It will pass. Turn this moment over in your mind. Acknowledge your feelings but accept that it's temporary.

Does this help at all?
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Old 03-15-2017, 12:51 AM
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I can very much relate to the first part of your post, it pretty much perfectly sums up my relation with sleeping. I swear I haven't slept more than two hours a night for the last week. And it does seem to be lying down that's triggering the attacks tonight--Every time I turn out the light and try to sleep it's like my thoughts are speeding up, just making a checklist of everything wrong. This happens most nights, but I'm usually able to stay laying down until I just fall asleep. Not tonight, for some reason.

Currently sitting up, light on, blasting music and reading through threads on here. I'm also brewing a cup of tea to drink. All of this seems to be helping, or at least, I feel calm while I'm up. But I can't lie down, and I have work at 8 am, and worrying about being rested for work is making it worse. I'm in a loop of thinking stressful thoughts, and like I said, in the past alcohol was what got me through moments like this.

I think it's like you said, about not knowing how to function sober. It's so comforting to know that someone else knows what this feels like, and has gone through this before.
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Old 03-15-2017, 01:11 AM
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Xel,

Sometimes even at 22 months clean, my anxiety ramps up. Last night it was over an emaii i sent that l worried might get me in trouble at work. Never doing that again. Anyway...

When I quit I was binge drinking 3 to 4 times a month.

I'm not a dr., but my experience was similar.

It took months before I started sleeping naturally again.

I tried every no drug method I could. I want no drugs in my temple anymore.

I am 52, so I tell myself I don't need as much sleep. I nap when I can.

Drunken sleep is not sleep. It is better to be tired than to pick up again.

Some folks take rx drugs to help, but that is not for me. Everyone is different.

Hang in there. The hole we dug was deep, but we were strong enough to dig it, we can climb out.

Thanks.
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Old 03-15-2017, 01:17 AM
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Anxiety and panic arrttacks are pretty common for a lot of us in early recovery.

In my experience drinking does not help at all - in the long run you'll end up with the original anxiety coupled with the added anxiety of wanting your fix/a drink.

It's not too far fetched to suggest that this anxiety is manufacured by us in order to keep drinking.

I really encourage you to keep working with your Dr on this.

For myself I have had some success with breathing exercises like these:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...echniques.html

D
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Old 03-15-2017, 01:30 AM
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Thank you both for your replies.

As far as using drugs for sleep, I did buy a bottle of melatonin after a friend suggested I try it to sleep. Ironically, I'm too anxious to take any, even though I know it's a supplement, not a prescription-strength drug.

My doctor has been trying to prescribe me anxiety/depression medicine for years, but I refuse, because again, I'm too anxious to take it. I've also never "needed" it before, because I had alcohol. Trying to take a straight edge approach to life is the hardest thing I've done to date.

I'll try those breathing exercises, thank you for the link!
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Old 03-15-2017, 03:13 AM
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try this


Mini Anapana For ALL (English) -S.N.Goenka

Anapana Sati meditation on Breathing - Vipassana meditation : s n goenka

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Old 03-15-2017, 09:31 AM
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Natural doesn't always mean safe but in this case I think Melatonin is pretty safe. I take it myself, really does help.
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Old 03-15-2017, 11:02 AM
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great job on big 8!
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Old 03-15-2017, 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by MythOfSisyphus View Post
Natural doesn't always mean safe but in this case I think Melatonin is pretty safe. I take it myself, really does help.
not safe for everybody, though.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post4325123

I think, as best practice, any supplement needs to be run past your Dr or at least your pharmacist.

Not everything is suitable for everyone.

D
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Old 03-16-2017, 01:31 PM
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Welcome to the Forum Xelaney!!
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